snownut

Heading to our VA place in 8 days for my stepdaughters wedding. It's been a lovely summer out here until the heat wave arrived yesterday! Not looking forward to the humidity or the hot nights in Virginia. Crazy the temperature swings here in the summer because it is bone dry. 54 degree swing yesterday on my hottest day of the year Today should be another 50 degree plus difference.

Checking in from the Cascades where winter seems to last forever. Working a job at a big ski Mountain I can say I am very weary of snow and winter. Still 126” base at mid-mountain. Actually looking forward to hot humid Virginia wedding in July LOL Photos from my shift this morning and more snow coming.. IMG_4045.heicIMG_4044.heic

I have had fun working the parking crew at Mt Bachelor. Work tomorrow and a new snow cycle rolling in. Less than two months in the season here. Anyone want a 100% job in the snow let me know and I'll get get you in… cute video of my manager boss lady.. https://youtube.com/watch?v=v4mxXdFY-kk&si=aDqNgKi9eZ36SaOP

Snowshoeing, dog sledding and snowmobiling are options here through mid-April or longer. Lower cost and Zero experience is needed. US Olympic Cross Country team trains here in the late spring because it's nearly 100% there will be snowpack and trails. Had some pretty amazing winters during my 47 years living in the mid-Atlantic. However.. My 10th winter here in the Oregon high country has been a great choice with amazing winters. Not looking forward to being mostly in VA during retired years but end of the day family is most important… nice snowpack is a close second.;)

Zoom in of the cliffs today. Sadly an experienced skier died earlier last week. It's a big mountain and easy to get lost or in a dangerous area. https://www.bendsource.com/news/bend-resident-dies-at-mt-bachelor-20766994

Skied today, sky cleared to bluebird after noon. Summit still not open for deicing lift exit and avalanche blasting. I work my regular job the next 2 days so not back until the weekend. Some zoomed-in photos from the mid-mountain lift. The bowls have snow year round so it would interesting to know the current depths?

Full winter continues here in the PNW today but I think this will be the peak depth for the season? A break in the storms and nice warmer drier pattern is setting up here. Wife is in flight to Aldie to work on the summer wedding plans and the VA weather looks very spring-like! From my shift this morning. Nov photo is the day I got my part-time job at Mt Bachelor. The roof snow slide is just to the roof edge today. Spring boarding and skiing will be outstanding the next 2-1/2 months. Parking lot snow bank walls are at 20’ high or more.

So much rain a nice dry stretch would be great. 10.5 since January 1st

One of my parking crew buddies yesterday.. Pretty tall snowbanks.

Jebman, Skied hard for 2 hours after my shift. My legs get toasted at my age! The summit lift lines were too long so I skied all the mid to base trails. Basically empty since the crowds were powder chasing off the summit and west side bowls. Hard to capture how much snow there is. The cut out for the crossover ( See photo with ski patrol ) shows pretty well what a 155" base looks like. Two more clear days and warmer but still more nice snows coming this weekend. It was pretty darn cold last night. Clear and calm with fresh snowcover so 7 degrees this morning. Picture one is yesterday morning with my dogs. Forecast was 1-3" then is snowed until 2:30 in the afternoon and I measured 5-1/2" at my house Other pictures are today. That is a 2 story lodge so its buried past the first floor.

It's not much different than the east coast. Blue cities red countryside. And I am 3-1/2 hours from Portland. Almost 100% BLM / cattle ranches / wide open big sky country for 5 hours driving east until you reach Idaho…. Last check its pretty a pretty red state thereLOL..

Long term my wife wants to be mostly in VA. I certainly will never forget my years living next to the PNW Cascades. And seriously if someone from the forum made the effort to get out here we have a spare room.

Super stoked to get out tomorrow and should be a bluebird day.. What an unexpected winter… come visit.. We have a guest room. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1697064730523148/permalink/3823545251208408/

Spent 5 days at the VA home. Signs of spring everywhere and wow it was so muddy! Got back to OR yesterday afternoon in time for another little snow here at the house. Just measured and 3.5" overnight and 26 degrees. Looks like is going to be 2nd or 3rd snowiest winter out of my 10 winters here. I work at Mt Bachelor tomorrow morning then plan to ski. Around 50" since my last shift so conditions should be epic. Deep solid base with 4 plus feet of powder snow on top. Check out the cam comparison photo at the top of Cloud Chaser lift. First one was the snow cover back in November and then screen shot from yesterday with snow level half way up that tree. Looks like another 8" on the snow stake last night.

Our new next door neighbor in Bend is a retired professor from CA. He also owns a home in Truckee. He is an Avid Nordic Skiier (Big reason why he bought a home in Bend) He said we have a better longer season than Truckee. ( His garage looks like a Nordic Ski shop LOL) The Nordic Options in Oregon are amazing. The High Schools have Nordic as a competitive sport and the US Olympic Team Trains here in the spring. Neighbor goes back an forth between homes as well as all over the west for Nordic Races Hd dinner with him last week and think he was going to Utah? I will text him and see where he is now. I imagine his Truckee Home is buried! Yesterdays Nordic Report From Mount Bachelor. Always a fun read : ( Note the comment we have just passed the 1/2 way point in the season ) Saturday, March 2nd. 7:45am Mt Bachelor has been engulfed in a snow globe this week, and the flakes continue to fly today. With 6 more inches of light and fluffy accumulations overnight, the base snowpack has rocketed up to 119" deep. That translates to a long and wonderful ski season ahead. In fact, we just passed the halfway mark on this season with nearly 3 months of sliding and gliding yet to come. Intermittent snow showers and cold temps are on the menu today. The air outside the lodge is 15*F and the snow measures 21*F. Most of the new snowfall accumulated between closing yesterday and 3:30am, allowing the groomer time to blend it into a fresh ski surface. There is silky cord and delightful parallel tracks throughout the Upper Trails, Screamer, Easy Up, Woody's Way, Easy Back, Zig Zag, Upper Devecka's, Blue Jay's, and Dan's Drop. Expect light accumulations on the trails as the day progresses. If things take a turn for the deeper, we will commence snowmobile grooming ops. The Yellow and Orange Snowshoe Trails are being re-packed this morning, and the team will tackle Red Trail after that if time allows. Part 2 of MBSEF's Par For The Course race kicks off at 10am. RACERS TAKE NOTE: PAR FOR THE COURSE HAS JUST BEEN POSTPONED TO 10AM DUE TO SLOW CONDITIONS ON THE ROAD This citizen's event is entirely contained to Zig Zag and will have very minor impact to the Nordic network. Expect the race to be wrapped and cleaned up by 11:30am. Whether you are headed up to the mountain to test your race legs on the course, or you are gearing up to enjoy the fresh snow on the ski and snowshoe trails, you are bound to enjoy a big burst of winter and have a blast in the process. Expect slow and snowy roads today, and use caution on the commute. Happy Saturday, and happy snow day!