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California/Nevada 2020-2021 Tahoe Ski Resorts/Conditions/Meetups

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Alexzn

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Pretty good last day of the break for me, with paltry overnight snow forming some pretty good snowdrifts in strategic locations on the mountain. Unfortunately most of the upper mountain lifts were iced up, resulting in significant delays (but that allowed for some short hiking to reach the drifts).

The blackout dates are over, so the mountain was significantly more crowded than any other day of the break. The mask compliance in the lift lines plummeted as well. I saw a lot more unconcealed noses and mouthes today. :eek:.

79EB4108-EFE5-419B-9776-8F55FF12F53C.jpeg
 

goaliedad

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I was at Northstar early this morning. 3-4" of fresh snow on top of whatever was there. Fresh tracks for about 90 minutes off of Comstock, with lots more available in the trees (I was skiing alone, so didn't venture too far off-piste, or at least out of chairlift view!).

About 10:30, the wind started absolutely howling, and in places visibility was non-existent at the top of the mountain. With most of the easy lines skied off, I headed for the car about 11 am. Still a very nice morning tracking some new snow!
 

SSSdave

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Satellite show the last major frontal bands are now pushing through Tahoe now at 4:30pm. 32F freezing levels have remained between about 7.5k and 8.0k so fresh snow has had high water content as expected. As BA forecast this morning, more precip at north end of the lake than south. Caples at 8k near KW shows just 0.23 inches, SLT 0.21" while Alpine 1.12" at the 6.9k base though that will be slush. NWS Reno now closing further precipitation by 10pm with the back side cold air push that ought add a few inches as snow levels drop.

8 days ago I reported forecasts for KW showed 51 inches with modestly cold air through 1/7/20 but had doubts given the west to east zonal flow across the Pacific as weather models have a history of being wrong in that mid latitude jetstream scenario so concluded with "In any case, will believe it when I see it", and indeed the models backed off more and more each day with higher and higher snow levels and delivered a splatto DUD haha. Am glad I held off reserving a ski day for Tuesday and didn't even ready gear. Am considering the long drive Thursday at KW letting things dry out a couple days, so will see. Another forecast modest storm Friday may be the last chance to build up bases for awhile so please start offering your rock ski sacrifices.
 

Tony

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Alpine was the winner for wind on Monday with wind speed of 129 mph reported at 4:15 PM and gusts of 191 mph at top of Ward Peak at both 4:15 and 4:30 PM. The top of Squaw first reported 3-digit gust was100 mph at 8:30 AM and last gust over 100 was 103 at 7:45 PM. Slide Mountain (top of Rose) highest gust was 70 at 6 AM and highest wind speed was 51 at both 10:30 and 10:50 AM.
 

Paul Lutes

Making fresh tracks
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Wait ....... 191 MPH?!? Is there any mountain left?!?!?

No wind today; the weather was too good - brought all the fair-weather types <<sheepish embarrassed grin>>
Sugar Bowl had horrendous lines on Disney and Lincoln (once they got it open) - the kind where you come up to the loading station and suddenly realize you passed the upper end of the line 50 yards previously, since spacing seems to make it harder to know where the line actually is). Snow was interesting - seems like much of the previous snow fall set up hard, with just few inches of lighter stuff on top - where it hadn't been scrapped off by the wind.
 

dbostedo

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191 MPH?!? Is there any mountain left?!?!?
That's not the record for the Sierra Crest... wind gusts like that are somewhat normal. Last February, Kirkwood recorded 209 MPH, and Alpine Meadows recorded 199 MPH a few years ago.
 
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Andy Mink

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Snow was interesting
Squaw was that way too. It seemed like they got some snow, then rain, then freeze, then blow. Or something like that.
 

goaliedad

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Northstar was a mob scene today; looked like a weekend on a Tuesday ... (I retired early, get offa my lawn ... :cool: ). Lots of people expecting a powder day and got mostly crispy groomers. I ventured off into the "fresh" a couple of times, and it was heavy and wet. Groomers skied well though. I bailed about 11 am with 10-15 minute lines at Comstock, Backside, Zephyr, and longer at Vista.
 

SSSdave

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tomorrow 1/7/21 reserved at KW
 
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Andy Mink

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Almost no lines at Squaw today. Red Dog was flat light and crusty, Shirley area was nice, and the wind drift below Ridge Run was really fun.
 

John Webb

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That's not the record for the Sierra Crest... wind gusts like that are somewhat normal. Last February, Kirkwood recorded 209 MPH, and Alpine Meadows recorded 199 MPH a few years ago.
I'm not sure they could confirmed that 209mph figure from Kirkwood. Alpine's number may still be the record. ?

Weather trivia. Cat5 hurricane Andrew totally wrecked Homestead Fla 25 years ago. Top wind speeds are unknown as Andrew blew the wind Anemometer off the roof of nearby National Hurricane Center headquarters in Coral Gables FL. They just say 175+mph. 3 months later I walked thru the area and saw unbelievable damage even then!
 

skibob

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I'm not sure they could confirmed that 209mph figure from Kirkwood. Alpine's number may still be the record. ?

Weather trivia. Cat5 hurricane Andrew totally wrecked Homestead Fla 25 years ago. Top wind speeds are unknown as Andrew blew the wind Anemometer off the roof of nearby National Hurricane Center headquarters in Coral Gables FL. They just say 175+mph. 3 months later I walked thru the area and saw unbelievable damage even then!
My wife lived in Coral Gables at the time. Her family returned from abroad . . . the day after. Spent the next 9 days w/o power, and left town on the 10th, just a few hours after power returned. Talk about bad timing!
 

Tony

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I started my season with a 30 lift ride day at Kirkwood on Wednesday. I rode every lift that was open at least once including beginner lifts Bunny and Snowkirk, and Solitude, that I usually avoid as they are all slow and stop too much. The Wall was not running. First I heard it was not due to moguls (or otherwise dangerous snow conditions) at top, then I heard mechanical, then I heard it almost caught on fire on Tuesday and they hope to have it running on Thursday. The usual entrance to Elevator Shaft on Backside was closed, apparently from wind-stripping, but otherwise there was a lot of great wind-sifted snow in many places on Backside and it was especially deep under the Wave (behind 1st chair to right of center).
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Crowds were light. The only time I shared a ride was when a black, former Marine and I started discussing today’s events and we decided to share short high-speed quad. I had a delay on one of my last loads of Cornice as it appeared that a lady had been previously warned about mask requirement and they would not let her load again and her group of 4 had to exit loading area. Following picture is bumps on ungroomed Upper Monte Wolf that skied well on the one time I tried it.
0938MonteWolfCR.JPG
My plan (and reservations) are Heavenly Thursday and Kirkwood again on Friday on way home when I can only ski 9-2.
 

Tony

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I skied Heavenly today from a couple minutes after 9 until almost 4. My watch says I rode 29 lifts and my vertical was over 31K.

I parked near and looked at tram, but it looked like a couple of tram waits as I’d heard they are only loading 3 groups in 50-person tram. So I skated over to Gunbarrel chair that had a few minute line. I shared it with another single and that is how most of my high-speed quad rides were which I didn't mind. But I didn’t like being the middle person in a 6-pack with 2 other singles or sharing a quad with a couple. All of my rides on slow Mott and North Bowl (I skied and rode both 3x) were solo.

Snow is generally thinner at Heavenly than Kirkwood as expected, but not necessarily as reported. They were making snow all day (or at least early and late in day when I was skiing upper CA) on High Five which made conversation difficult on Sky chair. For more details and more pictures.

Picture taken today is Lake Tahoe panorama from edge of California Trail.
0981TahoePanoRCRR.JPG
 

SSSdave

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5am with insomnia haha. Maybe because yesterday got up this time for the 3.5 hour drive. SR88 nicely dry. This wily senior is not stiff or sore at all after spending 4+ hours yesterday looping Look-out-Janek below lift bumps all day. Each run skied the steepest show off line right under tower 10 with very muscled launched sweep around short turns and then at trees traversed left as had to stop haha. Best snow at top at 9.2k though bumps large. Several obstacles including some rocks to negotiate just in two steep drops. Don't think my edges got even a tiny ding all day. Packed powder decent though from higher water content snows.

Haven't been exercising much at home recently during the holidays as was lazy, its chilly, and was opening the fridge more instead. So wimpier, stopped resting more taking a lot of photos since good light all day with thin high clouds. Modified mask again worked well all day moving down skiing and back up at lift maze. Good mask above nose compliance again by snow sliders. Light ski up chair 6 lines all day, low 30F's, light breezes. Much of the mountain now open with ok depths one needs to ski wisely to avoid rocks. Looking forward to more skiing this month even if it doesn't snow much.
 
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