Snowbird: Easter Weekend Powder (4/7/12)

[thetrailboss]

Date: April 7, 2012

Resort: Snowbird, Utah

Conditions: P (95" base). FG/ice base with 12-15" powder on top

Weather: 30's with nice sunshine

2012 Trip Report #: 26

Report: The ski season continues on and today produced a very unexpected and welcome powder day.

I pulled into Snowbird Center a little after nine and the place was pretty quiet. I could see that the Wilbere runs had been skied in and groomed, so I had considered just staying on the frontside for a few runs before heading to Mineral Basin for some sun softened snow. After booting up I decided to make the trek to the Tram and go right to Mineral Basin. It was the right decision.

When I stepped off the Tram, I could see largely untracked snow in Powder Paradise, and I headed there. I was there for three runs, enjoying Utah's "Greatest Snow on Earth," which skied amazingly well. I was not expecting this. The pitch, snow depth, and base was just right for some awesome runs:

I am going to let the pictures do the talking:

I'm there....somewhere....

Big smiles:

A disappearing act:

One last go-around:

I'm getting used to this powder skiing thing.....

Anyways, I ventured off to Chamonix Bowl and Livin' the Dream, both of which were not as good. They got more sun before the snow, so the iciness underneath was a bit more pronounced and did not make for a fun ride. I pulled the Joe's up as much as I could to avoid getting snagged on any coral reefs underneath.

Chamonix Bowl:

Livin the Dream:

 

[thetrailboss]

With time running low and the Mineral Basin either being a bit too icy underneath or chewed up, I headed to my favorite lines in Little Cloud.

Old Lady's beckoned me:

But it was more like Chamonix Bowl....some nice pow on icy nastiness.

I did a spin down Mark Malu and then began one of many sorties in the Rasta/Benches/Deep Pocket area where I kept finding deep snow drifts and nice goodness:

At one point a snowdrift stopped me dead in my tracks. All this in April? Really?

Picking some Deep Pockets near the Skadi Drill Hill:

Oh yeah....

But all good things come to an end, and I headed down to the car after noon or so to get home. The snow, however, is not over. We got 15" at the bird last night when only 1-3" at most was forecast, and more is on the way over the next four days or so. Yeah, it ain't over! :beer:

 

[〽❄❅]

...nice smiles, thats the wow factor!