Spring snows

[Gary]

Hey gang...just got in this past Thurs night from 5 days of skiing at Whistler. 1 day of hunting clear air due to fog, 2 days of sun/clouds and 2 days of brilliant sunshine. What made the trip epic were the snow conditions. Their base was in access of 110"...just amazing. Got up one morning it was light drizzle on the the bottom for 1000 vert...then at mid mountain it was snowing and at the top....sunshine. We would wake up to either groomed snow that soften to lucious cream cheese, or fresh snow skiing pow first thing. THe bowls were awesome for 3 of the days. Dropping in there was 8" of awesome "platform" type snow...just a blast to hold the skis and set up for the next turn. Took great advantge of the Blackcomb/Whistler gondola skiing both mountains till our hearts content. Man...like a kid in a candy shop....what can I ski first....wild how big that place is. There's just SOOOMUCH terrain!

Friday did the work thing and this weekend our local mountain still showing 16-32" base, we got 2 days of sun and frozen granualr, (fast snow) for the first 60 minutes and then.....wa hooo....3-6" of sugar powder...which I absolutely love AND NO CROWDS! I must add as a side note: the Kastle MX78's love this stuff. From groom to pow, cream cheese or sugar snow...amazing!!!!
The MX78''s have no speed limit I've been able to discern. Verstaility out the ying yang...Now, is the season over ...well 80 degrees here Sat and 75 Sunday. Maybe good days for the JJ's if the soup is ready . Not sure the season is over yet. I did bring up the golf clubs from the basement but maybe, just maybe one more trip out west...Best, g

[jbotti]

Gary, I have been to Whistler once and it is truly one of the great resorts in the World. We got almost no fresh snow when I was there, but I skied some of the great terrain and it was obviuos how awesome it would be with fresh snow. Nice Hit!! The fact that we were there during ski week and it was not very crowded has kept Whistler on a list of places to some day go back to. Vancouver is only a 2 hour flight from SF, so it's an easy trip. Glad you enjoyed it.

[Gary]

THanks J....it truly is vast and some of the best inbounds skiing I've seen due to it's size.  It's a pain to get there from the east coast, (time, customs, 2.5 hr bus ride) and the hit or miss weather but I've been visiting for about 6 years and really had one sucky trip due to rain all week. But hey, a little rain in each life must fall....as long as it's snowing on top....that's cool!

In bound rock bands, awesome bowls, sweet rippn' groomers....for all levels.

AND...I even got a chanace to run the Boarder/Ski Cross track...it's where they actually trained for the event...Hairy, fast, sweet jumps, banked turns....gotta give those competitors props.....you gotta have it together to rip in there as they did.

Gettig the goods and hitting it right is always a blessing no matter where you ski....

Still....spring snow beckons....one of my favorite times of the ski season. Just not quite ready to send my skis to the rack! Hope for you too!
G

[Ron]

spring calls and I'm off to Summit county for a few days. I must get back out and make some turns!  Also, I had to buy some new skis http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183794  I will get to play with them in some of the back bowls;hopefully, soft spring corn and maybe some new too.  These are seemingly the perfect off piste "tweener skis" I have seen. very slightyl rockered tip (like 5/10) and just a slight early rise tail, thin tail, and progressive flex from softer tip to stiff and tail at medium stiff.  Carbon ski with wood core..... oh yeah, killer tops too!

[midwif]

Ron
You are my gear **** hero!!
I wanna be you when I grow up.

[Ron]

dont grow up....
 

[jim-ratliff]

Ron
You are my gear **** hero!!
I wanna be you when I grow up.

Lynn:  I think you are closer to "hero-dom" than you realize.  I lost count, but wasn't that "ski jacket number 5" that you bought last week? 
And I know you have your eyes peeled for Nordica Hot Rod 115W ski boots this summer, and also that if deals on certain pairs of skis showed up you would be all over that???

So, Ron, don't take the compliment lightly -- she is sincere in her admiration.

[LivingProof]

Among my darkest secrets is that I'm a gear ho for jackets. One can not have enough weather protection hanging in the closet. Not always the latest or greatest, but, all keep me warm and dry.

[jim-ratliff]

DITTO.  But it's more fun to pick on Lynn.   

[Ron]

my personal opinion is that while I do like all the gear, and its fun to have different stuff, the gear fills the void of not living where I can ski,bike and such...