Wildcat 2/20/9

[billski]

Arrived to a full parking lot, but no wind, mostly cloudy, few non-accumulating flakes all day. tons of people (but somewhat light for a holiday week I am told, not much experience here.) The quad is a wicket people mover, no more than 20 people in line tops all day, mostly a couple chairs worth ahead of us.

Thanks to 14" of fresh it was a good day. They had groomed down most everything. It skied like dry packed powder everywhere. lots of choices, still a bit puzzled why some of the black trails were still closed, but hey, that's just me, I'm a powder whore (snob?)
All the trails skied well early. As they day went on the blue groomers began to scrape down to the older fgr scrapable stuff, but there was lots of places to turn. The greens were lovely all day with lots of dry powder throughout. The blacks were delightful, the most pow, mostly ungroomed stuff, bumping up to about 1-2' as the day progressed.

Sun popped out here and there all day, no wind, temps in the 20's made it a perfect clime for skiing.

Much to the chagrin of my 186cm GS groomer skiing partner, the woods were good. There was about 3 feet of fluff if you knew where to look. The herd paths were still in reasonably good shape.

Met polski (Mike) at day's end quite by coincidence, he recognizeded. Up with his brood of ace skier sons and two other families, they had a great time. pol can speak for himself.

Here's a bunch of pics. Got to get ready for the next two days of skiing. Get out there and enjoy. It's great!

Mt. Wash

sorry about the pic overexposure. taken with junky old camera phone.

Have to comment that the inside of the lodge is soul-less. It could just as easily be a warehouse somewhere. It needs some style inside.

this one, Lift Cat? was just one mother whale. looked like snowmaking unfinished.

 

[deadheadskier]

I actually kind of like their Base Lodge. Nice photos, looking forward to getting up there Sunday. Hopefully a refresh over Saturday night and throughout the day on Sunday.

 

[polski]

I'm a bit busy at the moment frantically catching up on weather intelligence and trying to figure out how to get out tomorrow or preferably Monday if things line up as Josh Fox indicates ... but I hope in a little while to post a video depicting one of the most holy sacraments of skiing, the Dropping of the Rope (on the lightly poached, mostly untracked knee-deep on the steeps at the bottom of quad liftline -- not sure from the trail map if that part is called The Chutes or lower Panther). We were grabbing knee-deep freshies after 4 p.m. ... which ain't bad for a trail that practically everyone skiing the mountain can see right in front of them when they first head up the HSQ.

Good seeing you Bill and have fun the rest of the weekend.

edit: now that I look at the videos maybe "knee shots" is a more accurate description that "knee deep" ... but fresh pow above the boots is a fine feeling no matter how you cut it.

 

[deadheadskier]

Crossing my fingers that this storm accelerates and gets here early morning. I'd love a day out with it dumping all day. Monday isn't a possibility for me unfortunately.

 

[BLESS]

I actually kind of like their Base Lodge. Nice photos, looking forward to getting up there Sunday. Hopefully a refresh over Saturday night and throughout the day on Sunday.

you are the first person in history to actually like their base lodge.

 

[deadheadskier]

you are the first person in history to actually like their base lodge.

admittedly, I only hang out in the bar upstairs. Beer is cold, food is decent and not outrageously priced, nice view up the mountain from the porch. Works for me.

 

[Damato]

admittedly, I only hang out in the bar upstairs.

You mean there are other floors in the lodge? Who knew!

We were on 2nd chair (kinda). There was a snow drift at top of unload ramp that delayed loading lifts 20-min or so. Lotta folks hoofed over to Tomcat and we stayed put. Ungroomed trails bumping up nicely!

 

[frozencorn]

You mean there are other floors in the lodge? Who knew!

We were on 2nd chair (kinda). There was a snow drift at top of unload ramp that delayed loading lifts 20-min or so. Lotta folks hoofed over to Tomcat and we stayed put. Ungroomed trails bumping up nicely!

Yup, I was one of those who bailed for the Tomcat. That place is going to be in killer shape after this storm. What a difference a week makes since last Saturday there had to be among the worst days I've had this season.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

awesome report!!!! Cool tree skiing..