Epic Storm: Day Three

Remember, its been snowing for over 50 hours by now. 2-3 feet of the stuff has fallen. Unusually, the snow is just as deep down in town and at the base of the mountain, as on top. Usually, it’s more like a 2-3/1 ratio, favoring the higher elevation. Skiing in powder down the bunny slope at the base – novel.

Cheryl and I once again left the house at 8:05. Today, though, there were maybe 75-100 people lined up, ready to go, completely filling the lanes leading into the loading zone. Saturday, school’s out, Super Bowl weekend, guys from all over coming together for their annual weekend in the mountains. Today would be crowded beyond all expectation.

Any runs would do today, really. Zugspitze to start seems to be the rule for me, so off I went, sluffing my way from mound to mound. Yesterday’s tracks were filled in with another 8 inches or so. Moguls were beginning to form around those tracks, but the bumps were benign – still soft, fluffy, and 2 feet deep. Slice through one at the right angle, with the correct form and balance, and your speed comes right under control. Basically, aim straight down, and find a pile of snow to turn in. We all look like heroes today.

Then, up to the Burn. The sign at the top say “Cirque close all day” – hmm, safety first, I guess, something to look forward to tomorrow. Garett Gulch is also closed, so I start out heading straight down, under the lift, showin’ off.

“Al! Al!” I look up, and see Cheryl screaming at me from the lift. Thank goodness I’m skiing well at this point. I’d hate to have my wife see me floundering in powder.

I keep going into Timberline, the only black diamond open in the Burn. Usually a bump run, it’s Zugspitze’s feisty younger brother. A bit less steep, but due to the lift overhead, probably has the same fear factor built in. I make a stop part way down, catch my breath, and look up. A lone chair lift rider overhead gives me a thumbs up. I return with a head nod and a smile.

The next hour, it’s three or four more runs, hitting the trees at the bottom: Jesse/Timberline, Timberline/Wineskin, Wineskin/Dallas, Dallas/Mick’s. These trees are generally tight, and steep enough to allow descent speed in the 2 feet or more which has fallen. And, the visibility is always better there, on a snow/fog day like this.

Once those are skied out, I head over to see what’s up at High Alpine. A big line is what. Filled with mostly young guns, hoping the rumors are true, that Hanging Valley and the Wall are open. The sign at the bottom of the lift reads Closed/Delayed, but as we crest the final rise, a line of marchers, skis shoulder or board under arm, heads up the hill to the left of the lift exit. The Long march to the Wall is open. I join the throngs.

At the entry gate, a 5 minute hike, most are heading on towards the Headwall, which offers easier access to the Wall itself. So many, so many, I think, so I stop at the near drop, into Roberto’s. At the bottom of this chute, I aim left, and enter to trees of Hanging Valley Glades. Twisting, sliding, rollercoastering, I keep on going, passing many young kids on snowboards and a few lost souls on skis. More than one flailing around in the bottomless, having fallen or failed to make an upgrade. It’s tough to get up if you go down in this stuff. Through the growing bumps of the final pitch of Waterfall, I drop onto to cat track out to Elk Camp.

Back up Alpine Springs, I see the line at High Alpine is twice as long – a good 20 minutes just to get to the hike into Hanging Vally. So I shift gears, and try my luck on a combination of Coffee Pot and the old lift line. The lift line is a steep, direct route down, narrow and well shaded, the best spot in this area. The snow, now past noon, is still untracked in many places, continuing my third straight day of epic powder skiing.

A half hour break to meet up with Cheryl, and then we take a couple of closing runs down Elk Camp. Instead of my usual route through the trees at the top and the lift line at the bottom, I move one step left, and take Bear Bottom all the way, This run starts out under the lift, then angles away, but is actually the steepest run in this area. Since Elk Camp is the haven for “low-intermediate” vacationers, very few people ski here, so the the snow has remained soft, lightly tracked, and untouched in places. So good I break my rule of “never repeat a run you’ve just enjoyed” – because it usually won;t be as good the second time around. This time, it was. Good enough so I gave up on my plan to head back to High Alpine for a crack at Reidar’s, and just headed for home.

Tomorrow promise to be the final day in this cycle. Clouds clearing tonight, temps dropping and pulling moisture out of the snow on top, then brisk and sunny tomorrow. And the promise of the Cirque opening up with all rocks covered, and 3 feet of untracked feathers awaiting. I plan to yo-yo on the Sheer Bliss lift, taking Garret Gulch or AMF until the Cirque opens up, then staying there until the crowds thin out, which they will starting at noon. Its Super Bowl Sunday, and people start to pack it in four hours before kick-off, for some reason. All the more for people like me.

I’ve been pacing myself, holding back from the urge to do 27-30,000 vertical feet a day, getting only 23-24, so that I can go the distance on this storm. Tomorrow should be the climax.

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