55" Week to Close Out April!

Andrea dropping off the backside of Toledo Bowl - Saturday April 29th

It snowed 55 inches between Monday afternoon and Friday afternoon. 

The Alta-Collins snow depth surpassed 160" for the first time since 2011.

It snowed 55 inches between Monday afternoon and Friday afternoon!!! (worth repeating)

Six straight days of powder skiing to close out April. I'm going to have to get some thoughts down comparing 2011 to 2017, but this has definitely been our dreamiest season ever.

Tuesday to Friday was "Emma Week" so I'm lumping the photos I have together...

Tuesday April 25

The forecast called for 6-12" on Monday and through the night. By the time we got up to Alta after work on Tuesday, it had snowed 25" in 24 hours. Truly remarkable overproduction! With avalanche danger due to the storm snow fairly high, we stuck to an area we know well - Emma Ridge. We skied a south-facing lap, then one into Silver Fork's upper bowl, and then one more south-facing one to finish up. Powder days are here again!

Wednesday April 26

Solo dawn patrol - back to Emma Ridge for 2 laps before work. Conditions were even a touch better than the night before.

Thursday April 27

Another 12" storm on top of Monday/Tuesday's snow. We replicated the same exact tour as Tuesday evening - it was deeper and lighter! What a freaking week!

Friday April 28

"Slept in" since it was blustery and Andrea was planning to take a day off to rest for the weekend. I almost did the same thing, but 4" fell overnight and then another 7" came down during the day. I had to take advantage, and I'm glad I did. Another deja vu cold smoke two-lapper off Emma Ridge.

Saturday April 29

We were planning on heading to Cardiac Bowl, but it looked a little wind hammered, so we ended up dropping into Cardiff Fork and then skied 5 laps in the Holy Toledo zone. Absolute hero snow!

Sunday April 30

With the sun out yesterday, the only light, dry snow was going to be on the higher pure North facing aspects. Alta has been closed to touring all week due to the avalanche conditions, but the ropes were dropped today so we decided to ski laps in the Devil's Castle zone. Conditions were as good as you could ever hope for at the end of April. Hell, it would have been great powder in January! 

What an amazing week. Now we'll probably have to transition to "true" spring skiing, although you never know if another storm might drop into the Wasatch over the next couple weeks.