California/Nevada 2019-2020 Tahoe Ski Resorts/Conditions/Meetups Thread....

[Rainbow Jenny]

First little touring day of the season on Saturday from Donner Summit SnoPark. What a pleasantly sunny day until 2 or 3pm!

Dug a snow pit entirely by myself for the first time. Nothing like learning by actually doing. Need a new probe, the markings have all worn out. Snow saw is on the wish list now. Beacon search exercise went well, 4 for 4 with first strike.

Probably a 2,000+ calorie day with sore shoulders and arms but still all smile from ear to ear.

 

[Philpug]

Did I hear correctly, Northstar still doesn't have Backside or Lookout open?

 

[textrovert]

Did I hear correctly, Northstar still doesn't have Backside or Lookout open?

I wonder what's going on. Backside, Promised Land and Martis Camp all not yet spinning. For all the snow they keep reporting, those should be open by now. Unless, the 6000-7000' elevation rain is really hurting them.

Northstar Lift & Terrain Status | Northstar California Resort

Get daily Hours of Operation and ski lift and trail status.

www.northstarcalifornia.com

 

[textrovert]

Last night's cold storm seems to have over performed a bit. Sierra reporting a foot.

This is from bottom of West Bowl, their lowest elevation point (6640')-

 

[SSSdave]

Clear, dry cold air Sunday with a modest depth of fresh cold powder.

See today, Heavenly now has its ignored Galaxy lift open that though only mid elevations has much obscure terrain with trees that tends to be a wise choice after other zones have tracked out on fresh snow days with lower snow levels and enough base. For those unfamiliar with what is out there will suggest looking at the trail map and then taking the groomed boundary Perimeter trail.

Notice Kirkwood at 10am shows their Backside closed again (versus On-Hold...later to open) after opening yesterday. Maybe KW is letting the cold dry fresh layer on Vista and Thunder Saddle settle for a day?

If so, that bodes well for this fan as may drive up to KW tomorrow Monday morning earlier than I would otherwise as there was 6 inches of fluff last night to add to the 11 inches Friday. Will lodge cheap in SLT Monday night then Tuesday ski Little Dipper at HV before exiting as the weak mid week storm moves in.

There is a new weekend only ski bus service, Tahoe Convoy, scheduled to start after New Years, from San Francisco to Squaw, Alpine, and North Tahoe towns all the way to Incline. Much lodging along that route is involved with package deals. A wisely added service as there are now a whole lot of physically active young adults working hi tech in The City that don't even own a car given its massive public transportation and high parking rates.

The old ski club I joined but never used last winter that has a cabin along that route, has a 10% ride discount that I'd expect probably is similar to lodging discounts. Eastbound bus leaves SF train station on 4th St Friday's a bit before 6pm while the return westbound leaves Sunday's from the Incline end about time lifts close. So different from other bus services that are single day trips without lodging and with similar pricing.

https://www.tahoeconvoy.com/

 

[Andy Mink]

Rose had about 4" of really nice, light fresh last night. Slide side was pretty tracked out by 8:45-9. Rose side didn't have as much fresh on some runs. Looked like maybe it got windy and blew up the hill. Beautiful puff piles all over with nice chalky firm beneath. Trees are skiing well, at least the bit I popped into.

Top of Upper Ramsey's. Much more lumpy bumpy across the traverse than usual. I'm thinking that's where the snow blew to.

Looking down upper Ramsey's. Not scraped clean by wind but not a lot of fresh. Still really, really good snow.

From the top of Outlaw on my way to Miller Time.

Looking down Miller Time. My first foray into the Chutes this year.

Looking across Miller Time. Really nice fresh with some underlying wind buff.

The money run of the day may have been Pioneer Glade. Not too many people go in here. Beautiful fluffy bumps.

 

[Andy Mink]

I just reread my prior post. It included "beautiful fluffy bumps", "trees are skiing well", and "foray into the Chutes". These are three things that would never have happened just a year or so ago, especially not on the same day!

 

[Wannabeskibum]

Clear, dry cold air Sunday with a modest depth of fresh cold powder.

See today, Heavenly now has its ignored Galaxy lift open that though only mid elevations has much obscure terrain with trees that tends to be a wise choice after other zones have tracked out on fresh snow days with lower snow levels and enough base. For those unfamiliar with what is out there will suggest looking at the trail map and then taking the groomed boundary Perimeter trail.

Notice Kirkwood at 10am shows their Backside closed again (versus On-Hold...later to open) after opening yesterday. Maybe KW is letting the cold dry fresh layer on Vista and Thunder Saddle settle for a day?

If so, that bodes well for this fan as may drive up to KW tomorrow Monday morning earlier than I would otherwise as there was 6 inches of fluff last night to add to the 11 inches Friday. Will lodge cheap in SLT Monday night then Tuesday ski Little Dipper at HV before exiting as the weak mid week storm moves in.

There is a new weekend only ski bus service, Tahoe Convoy, scheduled to start after New Years, from San Francisco to Squaw, Alpine, and North Tahoe towns all the way to Incline. Much lodging along that route is involved with package deals. A wisely added service as there are now a whole lot of physically active young adults working hi tech in The City that don't even own a car given its massive public transportation and high parking rates.

The old ski club I joined but never used last winter that has a cabin along that route, has a 10% ride discount that I'd expect probably is similar to lodging discounts. Eastbound bus leaves SF train station on 4th St Friday's a bit before 6pm while the return westbound leaves Sunday's from the Incline end about time lifts close. So different from other bus services that are single day trips without lodging and with similar pricing.

https://www.tahoeconvoy.com/

Shh- don’t give away the secret spots off of the Galaxy chair

 

[Pequenita]

Dug a snow pit entirely by myself for the first time. Nothing like learning by actually doing.

So what did you see in the layers?

 

[Alexzn]

5-6 inches of light blower pow at Squaw up top, a bit less at the bottom, but still plenty to make it really fun. Lots of wind overnight made for some bare patches in the sea of powder, so you just had to keep your eyes open. Squaw patrol gets an A for opening both Headwall and Broken Arrow for hiking. Squaw lift ops gets a D for consistent problems with lifts all weekend, not running Headwall at all (and I think there is enough snow at the bottom for a ramp), not running Solitude when Shirley was slammed, and not running Emigrant at all. Not that I particularly care about this one, but today not a single tree run on Shirley was groomed, so if you are an intermediate skier visitor, you were pretty much SOL. This is one week better the big holiday slam starts. I heard that lots of foreign workers are arriving this coming week so things will hopefully improve.

this photo is from Saturday:

 

[jwilli]

I enjoyed the soft bump practice at Squaw today. Took advantage of the conditions to finally get Tower 16 checked off my bucket list.

 

[Eric267]

Goods at Alpine today. High-T rocking in both directions with plenty of good turns to be had throughout the whole afternoon with a bit of work. Really deep in some spots with others wind blown down to sheer hardpack so needed to keep an eye out for sure. Stayed pretty cold and with the low angle sun this time if year should be pretty well preserved pockets of leftovers for tomorrow.


Any yeah @textrovert @Philpug no backside or martis as of yet. N* is kind of slacking. Was out for a bit tues/thurs afternoon and word from patrol was martis before backside but no real eta. Too bony down low on backside was the word. I imagine martis will open by midweek. Kind of a shame since all the trees and low sun have been preserving the snow nicely over the past week or so. Definately better quality cold pow than I found at squaw or alpine prior to this weekends storm.

 

[Rainbow Jenny]

So what did you see in the layers?

I’ll tell you more in person.

Just realized this is a Tahoe resort’s thread, so in the future I should post touring elsewhere but I couldn’t contain my excitement. Only gone touring in Tahoe 3 times vs. ~100 in resorts, pretty rare but hope to change that.

Today is a Tahoe XC day, first time xc around Tahoe!

 

[oldfashoned]

As reported Alpine was fantastic yesterday. Boot deep powder all day. Some firm spots and a rock here and there. If you worked at it you could even get a little fresh tracks late afternoon. Typical deep spots are excellent.

 

[textrovert]

Missed the weekend powder... But got to squeeze in some groomer action today morning at Diamond Peak. I was chair rider #5 up the mountain.

I optimistically took my Mindbender 108s out, haha. MX89 would have been better. Still, it was fun to put them on edge.

Perfect soft corduroy-


Turn, turn, turn-

 

[dbostedo]

^^^
As a bit of a photo geek, I kind of love that the grooming was regular enough that you got a moire pattern out of the run in that first shot.. blown up here:

 

[textrovert]

As a bit of a photo geek, I kind of love that the grooming was regular enough that you got a moire pattern out of the run in that first shot.. blown up here:

I did notice that! "Don't wear this shirt when you're on TV"

Reminded me of the diffraction patterns generated by Bahtinov masks that are used for focusing in astrophotography.

 

[ProLeisure]

Skied at Squaw the last two days. As others have said it’s been great.

They opened Emigrant today. The Funnel skied exceptionally well. And the Attic into the Corkscrew area of Granite was unbelievable. Fantastic snow. (Sorry no pics from these areas. Too busy skiing.) West Face and Red Dog Ridge area was also a lot of fun.

It was a beautiful, cold, crisp, sunny day.

Taken from Squaw One Express chair.

Looking at Headwall from Squaw One Express chair.

Looking towards Rock Garden off of KT.

Looking towards West Face from Squaw One Express chair.

Looking towards Tower 16.

Top of Emigrant.

 

[SSSdave]

At HV late morning. Cold low 20s. Looped Little Dipper for about 3 hours. Bumps grew large quickly below tower 12 with sticks and rocks down at the bottom to navigate through slowly. First run skied tower to tower 13 12 11 10 9 8 but felt mechanical not able to lock into a flow and made a few awkward turns I was able to pull back into control. When others ride with me, and they find out I can ski the bumps below, of course some ask for advice. I tell them I'm no instructor and instead just watch where I drop in off the road at tower 13.

So on my next ride up, another old guy asked me. Skied just down to tower 12 again but this time like the king maybe because I had an audience to show off to haha. Slapped me into it. He waved in approval haha. As he left over to Comet, a group of old bump skiers I know came ripping by. We all stopped way down at tower 10 and laughed a bunch reacquainting for the season. Was pretty much in the animal mode from then on locked in the zone. A lot of perceptual forces jumping jumping jumping locked into the visual flow. At least a couple one stoppers and most others 2 to 4 and at this wimpy early time of my season, stop with long breaks.

In a $53 Stateline inn room after visiting Raleys for food. Will be back about 10am tomorrow.

 

[ProLeisure]

I picked up some frontside skis this fall for midweek groomers. (Blizzard Firebird WRC). After two days of abusing my body at Squaw I thought it'd be fun to try the new skis out at Alpine today. Super fun skis. Unfortunately, the light started to get flat which made the rolling groomers a bit of challenge for me. Still had a great time.

I had Sherwood groomers pretty much all to myself for several runs.

Taken from Sherwood chair.

Panoramic picture. I never get tired of that view.