powderfreak Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I skied Keystone during April school break in 1993....it was epic. This is their time of the year out there. Pretty nice snow report today: http://www.keystoneresort.com/ski-and-snowboard/snow-report.aspx.....and the models show another good system moving throughn mid-week..prob will add another 8-15" there. One of these years soon, I will get back west in April. Most of the places usually stay open through late April...but there's a few really good places that tend to close in early April unfortunately (like Telluride is one that I know) even though they have obscene snow depths. Yeah those Front Range ski areas get in on the snow in the end of the season...unfortunately Keystone and Breck are dreadfully boring for a lot of expert skiers, but spots like A-Basin, Copper and Loveland Pass can offer some great skiing. I've done the I-70 tour once, and although Vail gets crap for being expensive and like a carnival, it actually offers some of the best terrain in that area. Beaver Creek, too. This is the time of year they get their better snows though...the Front Range spots rarely get 6"+ during the bulk of the winter (lots of light snowfalls) which I bet would get frustrating while spots like Steamboat up north gets hammered on NW upslope flow, and spots down south like Telluride and Crested Butte get crushed on SW upslope flow. A lot of the destination resorts out there though close quite early...some due to animal migration patterns, but others just due to the fact that operating a destination resort in April is far too costly for the number of visitors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Wachusett officially called it a season. They had been talking about giving it a go this upcoming weekend... We might have bought the last lift tix of the season yesterday. I could not get there until 2-ish and we paid $10 for about 10 runs in the slop...lol It was actually really fun. some trails still had decent snow. Not sure how it would be on Friday. The summit was in rough shape since there is no place to stockpile snow up there. I thought you have a seasons pass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoarfrostHubb Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 I thought you have a seasons pass?Yup, but on weekends it was only good at night(Bronze level). You could get a ticket with the pass for $10 for the day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Another awesome day out there... but holy crap was it warm. 60s at the top and 70s at the base. Quite mild for 1,500-4,000ft elevations, especially with up to 5-6 feet of snow on the ground on the upper third. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Those skiers are dressed like it was below zero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NECT Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 May be heading up to Sugarloaf to ski Thurs & Friday.....depends on what is left after tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Those skiers are dressed like it was below zero. Yeah the wind-breaker, sunglasses and baseball cap scream sub-zero. . This was in the morning when I was carrying the camera pack. I wanted some shots early as it was way too warm to wear the pack in the afternoon. It was hot, but not like March 2012 by any means. 60F at the summit is warm but there was a 30-40mph wind ripping so you needed some jacket on the lift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Yeah the wind-breaker, sunglasses and baseball cap scream sub-zero. . This was in the morning when I was carrying the camera pack. I wanted some shots early as it was way too warm to wear the pack in the afternoon. It was hot, but not like March 2012 by any means. 60F at the summit is warm but there was a 30-40mph wind ripping so you needed some jacket on the lift. meh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Just April being April ... If the sensible weather were not agonizing to the greatest possible number of individual souls ... almost like an atmospheric goal, it would be an epic anomaly. The operational runs also show a myriad of typical spring -related variability, both from run to run, and with respect to one another. But the big high's slow retreat into the maritimes is the one feature they deal, and it will most likely plague an east wind -- to what extent remains to be seen lol ski thread morphed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Typhoon Tip Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Oh haha wrong thread. Sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbutts Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 Much of the terrain in the Sierra requires deep snowpack to open compared to the manicured trails in the east. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madroch Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Heading to Stowe Friday... hoping the warmth will reopen some of the steep stuff. Saw upper goat, upper starr and lookout closed tuesday am before the freeze-- wondering if that was a coverage issue as opposed to typical closings for thaw/freeze... are they done for the year PF? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Heading to Stowe Friday... hoping the warmth will reopen some of the steep stuff. Saw upper goat, upper starr and lookout closed tuesday am before the freeze-- wondering if that was a coverage issue as opposed to typical closings for thaw/freeze... are they done for the year PF? Thanks! Hey dude...yeah a lot of the steeps should reopen, especially Friday with warmer temps and sunshine. However, like you noticed, the Upper Goat and Upper Starr and Lookout are likely done for the season. The headwalls are just so steep and hard to hold natural snow on, especially after last weekend's warmth and crowds, I think most of the snow on Upper Starr ended up in a giant pile of slush at the bottom, haha. Upper Goat got skied to the ground at the choke points, and same with the upper portions of Lookout. It's generally too steep and rocky to turf it past those couple low tide points. National and Liftline are still well covered with no issue being snowmaking runs, and the middle Goat and Starr should be skiable as it warms up. Those mid-sections hold snow much better, even Lookout from S-53 down may be ok though there may be one or two sections requiring a little turfing. Lookout has a bit more easterly aspect as opposed to NEly and melts out quicker...it's also very rocky and burns through from the ground up. Hayride and Nosedive are fine, and essentially anything with snowmaking is fine. Fridays forecast looks good right now...good day to pick out of the last 4 of the season. I'm not sure how you are getting a ticket but if not with a discount or vouchure, make sure to buy online and save 20 bucks ($49). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Good turns with Tim Kelley today. Fun wintery day on the last week of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madroch Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 Hey dude...yeah a lot of the steeps should reopen, especially Friday with warmer temps and sunshine. However, like you noticed, the Upper Goat and Upper Starr and Lookout are likely done for the season. The headwalls are just so steep and hard to hold natural snow on, especially after last weekend's warmth and crowds, I think most of the snow on Upper Starr ended up in a giant pile of slush at the bottom, haha. Upper Goat got skied to the ground at the choke points, and same with the upper portions of Lookout. It's generally too steep and rocky to turf it past those couple low tide points. National and Liftline are still well covered with no issue being snowmaking runs, and the middle Goat and Starr should be skiable as it warms up. Those mid-sections hold snow much better, even Lookout from S-53 down may be ok though there may be one or two sections requiring a little turfing. Lookout has a bit more easterly aspect as opposed to NEly and melts out quicker...it's also very rocky and burns through from the ground up. Hayride and Nosedive are fine, and essentially anything with snowmaking is fine. Fridays forecast looks good right now...good day to pick out of the last 4 of the season. I'm not sure how you are getting a ticket but if not with a discount or vouchure, make sure to buy online and save 20 bucks ($49). Thanks-- very much appreciate the first hand report!!! Was supposed to go last (this past) monday-- what a day-- but had a family dinner commitment I could not ditch... although I tried.... and yes, purchasing on line... not a bad deal at all... too bad about starr and goat headwalls... not suprised at goat.. that headwall always seems to go first (at least in my very limited spring skiing experience up there-- underscore the very limited), but I've skied starr headwall on closing weekend a few years ago in what appeared to be a worse spring snow wise...and yup. lookout was long gone due to exposure... anyway, as long as it warms everything open should be fun... thanks again for responding... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Thanks-- very much appreciate the first hand report!!! Was supposed to go last (this past) monday-- what a day-- but had a family dinner commitment I could not ditch... although I tried.... and yes, purchasing on line... not a bad deal at all... too bad about starr and goat headwalls... not suprised at goat.. that headwall always seems to go first (at least in my very limited spring skiing experience up there-- underscore the very limited), but I've skied starr headwall on closing weekend a few years ago in what appeared to be a worse spring snow wise...and yup. lookout was long gone due to exposure... anyway, as long as it warms everything open should be fun... thanks again for responding... Most of the bump runs opened up today, but they were still a rugged. At least the new snow that drifted in, filled in the troughs so it was skiable and fun in a contest to stay in the troughs. The moguls themselves were pretty firm, haha. Looks like Liftline is on the grooming plan tonight to put a few passes down on that to give an easier way out if the moguls remain firm. Overall, today was a lot of fun though...sunshine feels warm regardless of the temps, and it was a mix of winter and spring, with north facing and shady spots holding drier snow, while anything in the sun started softening up. Woods up here were pretty fun with some left over powder turns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Most of the bump runs opened up today, but they were still a rugged. At least the new snow that drifted in, filled in the troughs so it was skiable and fun in a contest to stay in the troughs. The moguls themselves were pretty firm, haha. Looks like Liftline is on the grooming plan tonight to put a few passes down on that to give an easier way out if the moguls remain firm. Overall, today was a lot of fun though...sunshine feels warm regardless of the temps, and it was a mix of winter and spring, with north facing and shady spots holding drier snow, while anything in the sun started softening up. Woods up here were pretty fun with some left over powder turns. cant say the laat sentence many times past Mid April,sounds sweet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 cant say the laat sentence many times past Mid April,sounds sweet Yeah its primarily only skiable above 2,500ft now, as below that there's still snow, but its too low tide to be worth chancing an injury at this time of year. I will say the woods are a little sketchy in that when it melts, it does so in odd ways. Ie, like you're skiing down on a 4-5 foot snowpack, but then find an area where some running water undermined the snow and its caved in and melted out to the ground. But yeah, not too often we are skiing the trees (any trees, even if higher elevation) as we head to closing weekend. You'd like this Ginxy...with over 20" of liquid equivalent in the snowpack up high prior to the warmth and rain on Monday/Tuesday, a portion of that was released, and the summit picked up around 2" of rainfall....so probably looking at even as much as 6-8" of combined liquid came out of the upper elevations during that past event. The Gondola is closed so this occurred on closed terrain, but I was looking over the new river the cropped up in the middle of a trail...its drifted and filled in with yesterday's new snow, but its about a 3-5 foot deep chasm and the water must've been cranking through here because the mud flow stretches wayyy down slope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoarfrostHubb Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Geez that is gnarly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professional Lurker Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 That's crazy! Really wanted to get out one last time, but its not happening. I broke my ankle at work last night. Dumbass driving a forklift turned the wrong way (as they steer backwards; steer right to turn left), and he pinned my leg between his 12000 lb lift and another piece of equipment weighing as much as a car. Good news, it could have been much worse. The video footage is gruesome. Everybody there says I'm lucky to still have both feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 That's crazy! Really wanted to get out one last time, but its not happening. I broke my ankle at work last night. Dumbass driving a forklift turned the wrong way (as they steer backwards; steer right to turn left), and he pinned my leg between his 12000 lb lift and another piece of equipment weighing as much as a car. Good news, it could have been much worse. The video footage is gruesome. Everybody there says I'm lucky to still have both feet. damn Mike,geezus I had the same friggin accident in 1989,my foot was backwards, had reconstruction surgery, damn it, hope you heal well so we can ski together again next year,wow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professional Lurker Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Oh yeah, I will be skiing, no matter what. It will be a slow heal, but I've got the time... Well, my golf game will suffer this year. But its not nearly as important to me as skiing. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoarfrostHubb Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Speedy recovery. That sucks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HIPPYVALLEY Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 That's crazy! Really wanted to get out one last time, but its not happening. I broke my ankle at work last night. Dumbass driving a forklift turned the wrong way (as they steer backwards; steer right to turn left), and he pinned my leg between his 12000 lb lift and another piece of equipment weighing as much as a car. Good news, it could have been much worse. The video footage is gruesome. Everybody there says I'm lucky to still have both feet. Yikes, sorry to hear that! LOL that you actually have video footage of the accident. You live nearby so PM me and I can help out with some injury rehab and liniments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoarfrostHubb Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I don't think I have ever heard someone use the word liniments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Wow now that's rugged Lurker, all the best in the recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravitylover Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Ouch! I dread situations like that, when somebody else wrecks your world... Heal up man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radarman Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 That's crazy! Really wanted to get out one last time, but its not happening. I broke my ankle at work last night. Dumbass driving a forklift turned the wrong way (as they steer backwards; steer right to turn left), and he pinned my leg between his 12000 lb lift and another piece of equipment weighing as much as a car. Good news, it could have been much worse. The video footage is gruesome. Everybody there says I'm lucky to still have both feet. Here's to a speedy and complete recovery. Brutal. Sorry man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professional Lurker Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Thanks everyone for the well wishes! Means a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.