We are going to check out the resort chair / red dog glades tomorrow. Not asking for any secret stashes or lines, but would anyone be willing to share areas that we should NOT go to/avoid? (Safety wise or long walk mistakes). I offer your beverage of choice
Start at Far East at 9:00 sharp! It's a high speed six but shorter than Red Dog so you can get on the powder on the main runs of Dog Leg and Dog Face before the hordes get there.
Lap 2: either Red Dog or Far East depending on the line - the traverse to Far East takes a while so it's a tradeoff. Ski the nose off Far East which should not be too tracked out. Dog face will be cut up but fun.
Lap 3: repeat but ski the trees off Far East where you should find untracked turns. Dog Face might be soft bumps by now. Note: don't ski the Far East Trees first as the return road is often not groomed. If nobody has skied it before you you will waste your prime time breaking trail.
Now take Red Dog to the Resort run. Avoid the temptation to drop left on the Resort run as it is already gone (fun if you are early enough and it can be fun later but I always miss the best stuff). Stay on the groomer (often there's some fun snow to the right up against the closed signs) until you see fields off to the left. There's a lot of acreage for good low angle pow. Don't get greedy as if you get too low the return can take a while. Back on the groomer, there is a cutoff that is steep and bumpy. It's either horrible or great - if it's not too cut up give it a try.
You might get another quality lap - maybe in the trees.
By now everything is done - it's after 10. But the marquis powder run of the lower mountain (Poulsen's Gully) might be still fun. From the top of Red Dog, enter at the double black diamonds (in the Squaw days they didn't have double diamonds - they didn't want to scare you - or entice you). The gully might be wonderful soft bumps but staying left might yield some stashes in the trees. You will end up at Far East.
It's time to head up top and hope you get lucky with some late opening or enjoy the soft bumps. KT will still have a line - but your quads will be spent so the rest might help?
That was today's routine (except my shoulder pain kept me out of the Poulsen's Gulley). Hope you get a chance to enjoy the low pressure powder at Palisades.
If the powder doesn't deliver, these are still fun uncrowded runs. Challenging but not too scary with an easy groomer out everywhere. See you tomorrow?
Eric