May 24, 2018

Squeezing in a couple favorites

Over the May 19-20th weekend we got in a few more fun spring couloirs. I had to go to Las Vegas for work for a couple days so it was especially refreshing to get back on Saturday and find that the Pipeline Couloir smooth (no runnel), wide, and that continuous snow ran from the top all the way to the creekside parking area. Not bad given the low snow year. 

After we finished we took a look at Mt Superior and it seemed like the choke/waterfall on Suicide Chute wasn't too tricky. We went back to ski it the next day and the conditions we so fun that we did it twice.

Its really winding down now... I'm not finished yet but I'm starting the process of cleaning/storing gear for the summer. We're gone for Memorial Day so the first weekend of June will be the next (and probably last) chance to ski this spring.

Pipeline







Suicide Chute



 





May 13, 2018

Alta Postseason


Alta closed last Sunday so we did a few postseason tours there as usual this week. A late week storm brought some new snow and it ended up being a pretty darn good weekend of skiing!

Wednesday May 9

Up to Alta after work for a couple laps in shorts. Skied the moguls down High Rustler at 8pm which was fun.



Saturday May 12

We got about 4-5" of very dense snow, but hey - that's much better than the furnace just turning on and melting everything. Above the Collins angle station the skiing was smooth and fun.

Fairly foggy at times...


Better turns than expected...


Sunday May 13

Colder overnight and a couple more inches of drier snow, coupled with sunny skies, made us very happy this morning. We skied some of the Baldy Chutes (Main and Little) in really good conditions and did a couple more laps from the Wildcat and Collins lift.

After skiing Main Chute and starting our skin back up, we saw a skier trigger a good sized avalanche off the Baldy shoulder which ran about 1000 feet and over the lower cliffs. Luckily he/she was able to get out of it above the cliff band. 

We finished off the day by heading a mile down the road and skied some afternoon slush groomers at Snowbird for the last couple hours of their closing day. Squeezing whatever we can out of the mountain collective passes.








The skiing in Little Chute was the best of the day...



Pipeline looking good. Hopefully the runnel holds off from forming until after next weekend!

May 7, 2018

Winter Winds Down

Sunrise on May 3rd from Twin Lakes Pass

Thursday May 3

About 6" of fresh snow (probably the last new snow) to we get out early to take advantage. The skiing off Patsy Marley and Twin Lakes Pass was awesome - powder over a really smooth base. It was tough skiing to the car to get to work knowing those would likely be the last powder turns for a while.








Saturday May 5

Andrea was down in the desert for a few days so I put together an ambitious plan for Saturday morning which immediately was nixed when I overslept my alarm by about an hour. Doh! Timing is everything in the spring.

I headed up Red Pine, which had plenty of bare spots on the trail. After skiing a couple runs in upper Red Pine, I climbed up the west side of Lake Peak, skied off its North face (best run of the day) and then out White Pine Canyon.




Sunday May 6

The overnight low temps weren't even close to freezing, so I opted to ski at Alta for their closing day instead of backcountry touring. I even slept in and went for a run before skiing, which typically means the season is starting to wind down. I had low expectations but it ended up being one of the better lift-served spring ski days I can remember. The snow was a little slushy but supportable and smooth - all the runs off the high traverse were great. Randonly ran into and ended up skiing with Professor Powder and his son during the morning, which was great.

Superior is melting out. South ridge climbing season will start before you know it.


The Collins plot is already down to 80" and it doesn't seem like we'll get a good freeze all week, so we're going to lose the snowpack fast.

I'm hoping to I will (no matter what) get in a few more weekends of Wasatch turns.