The Official Skiing / Snowboarding / Playing in the Snow Thread

[UnFacconable]

That looks so awesome! I have a friend who just came back from an annual Alaska trip (which sadly I've never attended) and can only imagine how great it was.

I try to pretend this stuff is inaccessible to me so that I don't feel bad about missing out. I've been really fortunate to have some amazing resort days this season but I really need to make an effort to book something like this. Now that my kids are getting bigger and better, maybe we'll be able to have a whole family trip in a few years.

In skiing-related news, the ten plus feet of new snow extended our season (almost doubling the seasonal snowfall) but wasn't the amazing endless powder that many expected. The extremely high winds really packed the snow in. The late season base is great and it's done wonders for sierra snowpack (we are above normal and staved off drought for another year) but not the best skiing. With highs expected to hit the 60's in the next week, we may be making an abrupt transition to spring skiing.

 

[imatlas]

I enjoyed the hell out of that packed powder, though!

I think we need to plan a StyFo ski trip. Seems like there are a few of us at comparable levels. Revelstoke? Cortina?

 

[otc]

I try to pretend this stuff is inaccessible to me so that I don't feel bad about missing out. I've been really fortunate to have some amazing resort days this season but I really need to make an effort to book something like this. Now that my kids are getting bigger and better, maybe we'll be able to have a whole family trip in a few years.

Are there no day-cat operators in the Tahoe area? Maybe the snowpack is not ideal for it, but they've got to exist. You want fluffy snow that stays good on multiple aspects for many days after a storm (which is why BC has so many), but you don't have to worry as much about stability because you get more skier compaction than the true backcountry and the operators can bomb their terrain.

I think the trick is to get on some last-minute/cancellation lists and just wait for there to be a seat open on a day that works for you and has known good conditions.

The last minute price at this place is discounted to 600CAD (~450USD), which is pretty reasonable for a full day of skiing fresh pow. That gets you lunch, beacon/avvy gear, post-ski snacks, 2 guides, and as much skiing as your group can fit in. This place also usually includes a photographer (our photographer said they try to send one with every cat but it depends on staffing) which was a really nice bonus and I paid her 75CAD for all of the full-rez files.

Of course if you want to maximize vert and terrain choice, your best bet is to fill a cat with people you know can ski...but then you have to book in advance when you don't know conditions and have to pay full price.

 

[otc]

Of course if you want to maximize vert and terrain choice, your best bet is to fill a cat with people you know can ski...but then you have to book in advance when you don't know conditions and have to pay full price.

Our group definitely could have squeezed in more runs...we only actually beat the cat down once as a group, but I still felt like we got a solid amount of skiing.

If it were people I knew, I would have been more bossy about efficiency and not dawdling at the top/bottom transitions. Fine if you are a slower rider or crash often, but don't make up everyone wait around when we are NOT skiing yet. Load/unload the cat like an assembly line...the guides don't start explaining the run until everyone is in their bindings. Don't wander off to go pee before you put your skis on, cake your boots in snow, spend a minute trying to step in, then fiddle with your goggles or gopro for a bit...pee at the bottom or while you are waiting for other skiers to go.

Nice thing about cats is they are only limited by how fast they can drive...it isn't like Heli ops where they start charging each person $175 per run once they've hit the included vert/run count.

A fast group could easily get 20-30% more vert...and some of that is your skiing speed itself, but there's a lot of efficiency/organization. E.g. if you've got a slow pair, send them down early in the lineup and let them get passed, don't send them last so everyone waits.

So yeah-- I guess this experience has washed away the bad taste of the last one. I am once again dreaming of booking a multi-day trip at some remote catski operation that is known for catering to strong skiers.

edit: I also really appreciated that lunch was nice sandwiches from a local place served in the cat. The drive up takes plenty long to eat. The other place stopped, took you into a Yurt, and had the guide grill up some frozen burger patties and hot dogs...what a waste of time that could be spent skiing.

 

[Fueco]

Tomorrow’s going to be epic if they can get the road open… They’re reporting 30” overnight, with more falling through tonight.

 

[otc]

Lucky...things are looking bleak here.

This could be the beginning of the end as the higher temps roll through. Wouldn't be surprised to start seeing more closing days moved forward.

I'm sure Whitefish can make it to scheduled date (though it might not be pretty), but some of the other places are questionable and a few small ops without snowmaking have already closed for the season.

I think my Big Sky pass with 3 "prime" days and unlimited early/late season skiing is going to turn out to have been a bad investment. Only used 2 of those days, the pre-season didn't happen, and I'm not sure I'll get any post-season action either (if the closing date holds, I can make it for closing weekend...but I'm not doing that if the snow is trash and the tram's not running).

 

[otc]

Ugh, and those stingy bastards won't even give me a discounted MTB ticket in the summer:

That's even true on the $2400-3150 "Gold" season pass...which is absurd, but I would probably feel compelled to pay for if I lived in Bozeman.

 

[UnFacconable]

Yeah, it's hard for me to really get that excited about spring skiing. We have a solid base but there is a good chance we are close to the end of this season's snowfall.

My ski club (and kids' ski team) only has 3 weeks left and with their spring sports kicking off already, it will be tough to get back up to the hill more than 2 additional weekends. The only reason we are going up this weekend is because one of my kids didn't get assessed last week (the other one did) and really wants to get to a certain assessment level before the end of the season.

I got plenty of good days in and feel great about the season I had overall, but I would much rather have a great early season than an extended season.

 

[otc]

Spring skiing is my favorite, but...it is always a fine balance to get the conditions to hold.

I have guests this weekend, then my dad is coming back for a week, and then maybe some more guests at the end of the month? Not sure why everyone chose the worst winter to come visit...

 

[imatlas]

I love Spring skiing in California.

Fast icy groomers in the morning, mushy bumps at mid-day, surfy slush in the afternoon, napping in the sunshine on the lift...

And I prefer backcountry skiing at this time of year, when wet slides are the primary objective hazard, rather than persistent weak layers or wind slabs.

 

[imatlas]

I've got 5 days booked in a couple of weeks; I'm teaching disabled veterans for 3 of them, which should be a blast. Heh.

 

[UnFacconable]

Spring skiing is my favorite, but...it is always a fine balance to get the conditions to hold.

I have guests this weekend, then my dad is coming back for a week, and then maybe some more guests at the end of the month? Not sure why everyone chose the worst winter to come visit...

I love Spring skiing in California.

Fast icy groomers in the morning, mushy bumps at mid-day, surfy slush in the afternoon, napping in the sunshine on the lift...

And I prefer backcountry skiing at this time of year, when wet slides are the primary objective hazard, rather than persistent weak layers or wind slabs.

I get why people love it - and if access to the mountains is easy, it can be a great way to spend a few hours. I used to love grabbing a beer at the Ice Bar at Alpine on a nice April day, but at this point in my life, Jan/Feb skiing is where things work out best for me.

 

[Fueco]

Eldora is reporting 40” since yesterday, with maybe another foot coming tonight. It’s the biggest snowfall in decades, according to their website.

They may not open tomorrow either…

 

[Fueco]

Rolled into Eldora at 11:00. The luck of the Irish was with me today…

 

[mhip]

I’d sign up for this…