After a light early season, Leading up to the week before Christmas, our plan was to get the motorhome out and head for the snow.
It didn't quite go as planned.
On 12/16, we were forecast to get rain turning to snow- and then a lot of snow. If we were going to go, we needed to go Friday afternoon.
Unfortunately, I got home on Friday and found a few inches already down. Still after clearing out the snow, I still thought there was a chance to get the camper out of the driveway- and it almost made it. With one foot to go to get onto the road, the rear axle slipped sideways and off the driveway- and then it rained all night capped with a inch of snow to freeze it solid. Several calls to winch out a motorhome, after an ice storm, at the top of a mountain, were met with laughter and I am sure some people thought it was a prank call.
This guy agreed to come- with a truck that weighed less than the tow.- and after an hour of working things inch by inch he got us out! It wasn't exactly cheap, but it was definitely fair.
Next step- confirming the destination! We'd discussed both Powder Mountain/Snowbasin or Powderhorn/Sunlight/Aspen, and on the road decided we still wanted to try Powmow.
We drove 450 miles through the night, 2 lane roads most of the way (through Moab, Price, over Soldier Summit, and up I15 to our fine accommodations in a WalMart parking lot in Ogden. Left around noon, got there right around midnight was tired. Slept.
We caught the bus (after almost missing it- didn't realize there are only a few trips a day!) and got ourselves put together in the very low-key lodge.
It was COLD. It hit -11 the night before. We ended up burning a full tank of propane heating the camper over the course of two days. A typical winter ski trip gets us a week of heat before we need to get a fill.
For being two days post storm (and Paradise not open for the season!) things looked pretty good.
Really good.
Like... Wow.
This place is, um, large. The mountain in the background is inbounds, hike-to terrain. The ridge center-right is the top terminal of the Paradise lift.
The snow didn't disappoint.
This is inbounds and lift served to the Horizon. Or, ski off the backside down to the road and get picked up by free shuttle. Is this the largest ski area in North America? Probably not by traditional measure- but it is HUGE.
"Short Snort"
Looks tall from another perspective.
Riding Hidden Lake, scouting.
But, it was cold, so Anne went to warm up and I decided to grab another lap on the above terrain- which means a handle tow ride!
People don't really seem to ski trees here, even when they are 30 feet apart...
Over off the Sunrise platter. Nice mellow terrain.
Good for a few laps.
I traversed into the Lakeview area, which is typically accessed by Paradise.
It was good.
Well, that's day 1 pictures. I've got lots more, but it is getting late- I'll post more later.
It didn't quite go as planned.
On 12/16, we were forecast to get rain turning to snow- and then a lot of snow. If we were going to go, we needed to go Friday afternoon.
Unfortunately, I got home on Friday and found a few inches already down. Still after clearing out the snow, I still thought there was a chance to get the camper out of the driveway- and it almost made it. With one foot to go to get onto the road, the rear axle slipped sideways and off the driveway- and then it rained all night capped with a inch of snow to freeze it solid. Several calls to winch out a motorhome, after an ice storm, at the top of a mountain, were met with laughter and I am sure some people thought it was a prank call.
This guy agreed to come- with a truck that weighed less than the tow.- and after an hour of working things inch by inch he got us out! It wasn't exactly cheap, but it was definitely fair.
Next step- confirming the destination! We'd discussed both Powder Mountain/Snowbasin or Powderhorn/Sunlight/Aspen, and on the road decided we still wanted to try Powmow.
We drove 450 miles through the night, 2 lane roads most of the way (through Moab, Price, over Soldier Summit, and up I15 to our fine accommodations in a WalMart parking lot in Ogden. Left around noon, got there right around midnight was tired. Slept.
We caught the bus (after almost missing it- didn't realize there are only a few trips a day!) and got ourselves put together in the very low-key lodge.
It was COLD. It hit -11 the night before. We ended up burning a full tank of propane heating the camper over the course of two days. A typical winter ski trip gets us a week of heat before we need to get a fill.
For being two days post storm (and Paradise not open for the season!) things looked pretty good.
Really good.
Like... Wow.
This place is, um, large. The mountain in the background is inbounds, hike-to terrain. The ridge center-right is the top terminal of the Paradise lift.
The snow didn't disappoint.
This is inbounds and lift served to the Horizon. Or, ski off the backside down to the road and get picked up by free shuttle. Is this the largest ski area in North America? Probably not by traditional measure- but it is HUGE.
"Short Snort"
Looks tall from another perspective.
Riding Hidden Lake, scouting.
But, it was cold, so Anne went to warm up and I decided to grab another lap on the above terrain- which means a handle tow ride!
People don't really seem to ski trees here, even when they are 30 feet apart...
Over off the Sunrise platter. Nice mellow terrain.
Good for a few laps.
I traversed into the Lakeview area, which is typically accessed by Paradise.
It was good.
Well, that's day 1 pictures. I've got lots more, but it is getting late- I'll post more later.
then out on the hill with a couple of my coworkers gathering surveys and doing host-y stuff. Not sure where the surveys will take us today (we have a set agenda laid out for us) but I have a feeling John Paul is on the list. They groomed the men's start, BTW. Not that you'll be after groomers, but that's kind of a classic run to hit when it's been groomed. 
