Northstar was strangely quite this weekend. Sunday was even less "crowded" than Saturday, and there was more than the 6 inches reported on the Backside.
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California/Nevada 2023-2024 Tahoe Ski Resorts/Conditions/Meetups
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Andy Mink
Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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Yes. Heading to AZ again. You're welcome.Totally unrelated, but is @Andy Mink out of town again?
For the record ... I am also out of town and usually take my "snow-white/cinderella"sunshine tendencies with me. I'm in Utah and the birds ain't singin'! We have some weather coming in! In either case, you are welcome!
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Got just enough sunshine at SB today to make it good; also encountered this little critter heading over to Disney
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Long-tailed weasel - Wikipedia
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As we have established one of the rules of life is that no one at N* skis powder.
It's amazing to go to a place on the weekend where I park WAAAAY out in Podunk and the lodge is completely packed but no one is skiing.
This is actually why we have decided to skip traveling, and skip Ikon next season. We live in Reno. Next year it’s Mt. Rose and Tahoe local (Epic) just for the change!
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Palisades 3-25:
Arrived about noon after work and scored a brilliant parking spot. Lots otherwise fairly full for a weekday.
Was planning to do my usual "day after" routine which is varying lines in Solitude and Granite but riding up the mountain the light in there looked super flat so I called an audible and headed into Silverado via Land Bridge.
Avid readers know Land Bridge might be one of my least favorite runs at Palisades but the snow today was terrific. So terrific, in fact, that I traversed up quite high under the Broken Arrow rocks and descended via the Far Side in good light and moderate density not quite pow but very surf able snow on my MFree 108s.
Once down on the flat the lights turned off and I hit a rut, lost a ski and discovered the packed flat wasn't actually packed at all- definitely no walking- had to crawl over to get my ski like deep powder stuff.
Fought my way out of the evil flat over the knoll to the steepish stuff that drops right at the base of the lift. GREAT untracked light stuff there in the shady areas, STRANGELY untouched---get it while it's hot.
Proceeded to make 4 more laps in Silverado skiing the lower bits (Trail 90, Jakes, Billies, etc) and it was very good everywhere but not quite as good as my first run on the Far Side. Then the lights went out again and I had a spectacular crash within 100 feet of the lift when I accidentally aired off Oregon Trail of all things for lack of vis.
Had to go gather myself for a bit and then went to Solitude where the vis was lousy and the snow strangely not nearly as good (more packed and dense). Back up and looking across the hill the lights appeared on on Headwall.
Headwall face was FANTASTIC (starting above the Gazex thing) with good wind sift, nice lines, hit bumps as hard as you want you'll land soft, so I did that several times. Then moved to C2 where the snow was not nearly as nice (little rotten needs to be skied more I think) and worked my way over to Horse Tails which was much better and finally various runs off of Bullet thru Enchanted Forest (don't know the name) where there were more first tracks. Finished on Headwall with a North Bowl lap which was also ridiculous good.
Finally they had KT running again so I finished the day with a West Face, which was outstanding, but not as good as Headwall. Same snow, but minus the wind sift, so a rougher ride.
IDK how long Silvy will be this good- but it's real good right now, especially if it doesn't get too hot tomorrow. Headwall was skiing like early February (outstanding) and while I've seen more snow at Palisades, there is finally pretty bulletproof coverage on the upper mountain.
I also watched many people drop National and ski in good style- it's filled in nicely- not as easy as last year, but pretty easy- and soft snow. Suspect this is the best chance of the season for heroics.
Arrived about noon after work and scored a brilliant parking spot. Lots otherwise fairly full for a weekday.
Was planning to do my usual "day after" routine which is varying lines in Solitude and Granite but riding up the mountain the light in there looked super flat so I called an audible and headed into Silverado via Land Bridge.
Avid readers know Land Bridge might be one of my least favorite runs at Palisades but the snow today was terrific. So terrific, in fact, that I traversed up quite high under the Broken Arrow rocks and descended via the Far Side in good light and moderate density not quite pow but very surf able snow on my MFree 108s.
Once down on the flat the lights turned off and I hit a rut, lost a ski and discovered the packed flat wasn't actually packed at all- definitely no walking- had to crawl over to get my ski like deep powder stuff.
Fought my way out of the evil flat over the knoll to the steepish stuff that drops right at the base of the lift. GREAT untracked light stuff there in the shady areas, STRANGELY untouched---get it while it's hot.
Proceeded to make 4 more laps in Silverado skiing the lower bits (Trail 90, Jakes, Billies, etc) and it was very good everywhere but not quite as good as my first run on the Far Side. Then the lights went out again and I had a spectacular crash within 100 feet of the lift when I accidentally aired off Oregon Trail of all things for lack of vis.
Had to go gather myself for a bit and then went to Solitude where the vis was lousy and the snow strangely not nearly as good (more packed and dense). Back up and looking across the hill the lights appeared on on Headwall.
Headwall face was FANTASTIC (starting above the Gazex thing) with good wind sift, nice lines, hit bumps as hard as you want you'll land soft, so I did that several times. Then moved to C2 where the snow was not nearly as nice (little rotten needs to be skied more I think) and worked my way over to Horse Tails which was much better and finally various runs off of Bullet thru Enchanted Forest (don't know the name) where there were more first tracks. Finished on Headwall with a North Bowl lap which was also ridiculous good.
Finally they had KT running again so I finished the day with a West Face, which was outstanding, but not as good as Headwall. Same snow, but minus the wind sift, so a rougher ride.
IDK how long Silvy will be this good- but it's real good right now, especially if it doesn't get too hot tomorrow. Headwall was skiing like early February (outstanding) and while I've seen more snow at Palisades, there is finally pretty bulletproof coverage on the upper mountain.
I also watched many people drop National and ski in good style- it's filled in nicely- not as easy as last year, but pretty easy- and soft snow. Suspect this is the best chance of the season for heroics.
No no no no no, Northstar never gets powder. come on now!
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I have STRONGLY considered it. The problem is I have an abiding love for spring skiing at Palisades and then Mammoth in early summer. One of these I'll smarten up and buy an Ikon pass every other year.
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I cannot tell you how many times I've gotten Freshies on Stump Alley. A BLUE RUN IN FULL VIEW OF THE BASE. It's very odd.
Tahoe still has powder if you know where to look. I would point out Heavenly has 4000 acres of which maybe 1000 is actually developed which leaves 3000 acres of stashes. You just need good coverage which was the problem this year until March.
We should catch up sometime at Pally! Or Alpine!
But really though, Ashley and I would join you at Northstar! That is if you don't mind my incessant complaints about their management.
On our last visit, the worker at Big Springs gave Ashley more bread than I...plus my chicken noodle only had 5 pieces of noodle in it...not sure where the chicken went.
That’s the plan! We’ll buy Ikon again next spring. Truthfully though, our decision is based on my increasing problems with vertigo. We decided not to travel next season - unless it’s a last minute plan. Northstar has great runs between trees and it’s easy to pop into glades on the backside which is what I need. I have to figure out how to manage this and I don’t want to be figuring it out in unknown terrain.
Yeah, I got first tracks on the Gully, right under Vista and then Deer Ski /Wagon Wheel. Kept me from heading to the backside right away as I normally do. Of course there were still way too many one-plankers.
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OK I'll bite. Where the heck are Deer Ski and Wagon Wheel?
Typo - Deerskin. Skier's left of the Gully.
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I think it should be renamed Deerski
Yeah, that was strange.
Gorgeous snow at Northstar this morning. Soft, grippy groomers, which then were skied/softened into nice chalk. Lots of small, soft bumps as well.
And a sunny moment to rest on top of the mountain!
Not much in the way of crowds, which I was concerned about given it's spring break for some.
Fingers crossed for manageable wind tomorrow and a mini powder day Thursday!
And a sunny moment to rest on top of the mountain!
Not much in the way of crowds, which I was concerned about given it's spring break for some.
Fingers crossed for manageable wind tomorrow and a mini powder day Thursday!
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