The "OFFICIAL" 08/09 Tahoe Conditions/Weather Tracking And What's Happening Thread

[wolfy]

i was just out in this thing for the last 2.5 hrs at about 6200' and it definitely has a "big" feel to it. 10" of snow in Truckee since midnight after getting 2.7" of rain. ground winds in Martis Valley (between Truckee and Northstar for those without their maps) were going from zero to gusts in the 60-70 range within a matter of seconds- i did see a snowplume lift off Martis Dam (a first for me) when the gusts were peaking. the air was crackly with static, enough to make the dog nervous, though i didn't see any St Elmos along the power lines.
the lee sides along the crest must be loading like crazy. be safe out there...

[Fat City]

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/md/md0193.html

Heavy snow, wind and major accumulations spell an upcoming avy cycle. Be careful out there. Jam on.

[~mikey b]

all my $25 vouchers are gone to GiBo

[LightRanger]

Another crazy morning over at Squaw. 4-9' crown on HW face to hogs back took out a patroller, send out your good vibs as he's in Tahoe Forest recovering...word is that the entire top of Super Squaw will need to be replaced this summer (at least it's not KT or HW)...

Man. Prayers and vibes.

[ski_rick]

Bear Valley was exciting yesterday. Thunder and lightning had us scurrying like roaches trying to shut lifts and clear the mtn. FLASH-BOOM! That's the most gripped I've been all season. The skiing should be off the hook the next few days.

edited to add ---> I've got some $25 tix if anyone wants to check out BV this weekend. Maybe even a free one or two....

Out of curiosity, what would happen if a lift was struck by lightning while people were on it? I was riding up the NW @ Rose on Sunday, about 2/3rds of the way up we heard a very distinctive electric crackle, the lift stopped, and a big clap of thunder. Happened a second time while we waited.

I was wondering if I should jump

[thefrush]

Maybe Chair 10 will get struck by lightning and become an express chair.

[SchralphMacchio]

Maybe Chair 10 will get struck by lightning and become an express chair.

not as funny as you think.

December 05 just a few days before Xmas I was unloading off 10 at KW and had just strapped in when everything became blindingly white in an instant. Then a feeling like a thud on my chest and a loud rumble - lighting had just struck one of the sentinels or glove rock (can't remember). I looked at my buddy Joel and he said "bend over and ski with your ass in the air so it goes through your leg and not your head" with a serious look of trepidation. We hightailed it down the face while KW patrol scrambled sleds faster than I have ever seen (gotta give them props for the "lighting" fast response) and herded people off the hill. In retrospect maybe we coulda turned around and dove for the patrol shack and been safer ... anyways it continued to hail and lighting near the mountain a few more times that day. Scareeeeee.

Out of curiosity, what would happen if a lift was struck by lightning while people were on it?

My armchair physics says that as long as lighting hits the tower and not you, you should be okay because there is no path to ground through your body while you are on the chair ??? I am not going to stick my ass on a lift during a lightning storm to find out though.



+++ vibes for the squaw staff. I was very afraid of this PWL getting hammered with that heavy windloaded stuff ... scary stuff man. 4 to 9 feet, sounds like that late Jan layer that the SAC report mentioned would be a concern.

[obscure reference]

Squaw had a strange vibe today. I was waiting in line at kt when all the patrol called to upper mountain. They looked scared....for good reason I guess. Hope everyone recovers ok. Nothing opened today. Not even Poulsens gully (at least not when I left).

Tomorrow should be the day. I recommend calling in sick or doing whetever it takes to get out.

[MashedPotatoes]

speaking of Squaw, what's up with the Ubercam?? How come it no workie?

[The Dad]

Sitting here at squaw...snowing pretty good BUT....just found out from a liftie that a patroller was burried this morning (i saw an ambulance leaving when I came in and was wondering what that was??)...not sure of his status.

still hear them bombing but all the lifts are on hold for now.

Hope the patroller is ok!!

Another crazy morning over at Squaw. 4-9' crown on HW face to hogs back took out a patroller, send out your good vibs as he's in Tahoe Forest recovering...word is that the entire top of Super Squaw will need to be replaced this summer (at least it's not KT or HW)...

Vibes indeed.

(When you say Super Squaw, do you mean Squaw One?)

[~mikey b]

Out of curiosity, what would happen if a lift was struck by lightning while people were on it? I was riding up the NW @ Rose on Sunday, about 2/3rds of the way up we heard a very distinctive electric crackle, the lift stopped, and a big clap of thunder. Happened a second time while we waited.

I was wondering if I should jump

Don't jump.

Anything can happen. I've actually never heard of a lift getting hit and people getting framped, but I guess it's possible. You are probably a bit more likely to get zapped while riding a chair than on the hill cuz of all that metal. The other concern with a lift getting hit while it's running is that it could fack up the electronics. Most lifts use electricity for primary power, with deisel motors for auxiliary. They've got have some sorta safety/redundancy built into the system that blows some sorta breaker that protects the whole shitandkaboodle, but I'm not sure what it is. Ask yer friendly neighborhood lift mechanic.

[pogs4ever]

Another crazy morning over at Squaw. 4-9' crown on HW face to hogs back took out a patroller, send out your good vibs as he's in Tahoe Forest recovering...word is that the entire top of Super Squaw will need to be replaced this summer (at least it's not KT or HW)...

wow total vibes. ive had the pleasure of skiing with some patroller folk at squaw, and they were all awesome individuals.

[Jim S]

Sweet jesus, +++++++ vibes to that patroller at Squaw.

Rose was damn good today: moderately dense pow. Not blower but not a cement fest. Lots of untracked as the Rose side opened at 10am and then East side opened about 11am. Chutes were closed again.

Squaw will be cursed with my presence on Thursday.

.
.

[GreenRun]

It was not good up there this morning. The Squaw patrol is the real deal...IMHO those guy are best in the biz and put their lives on the line for our fun every day...kudos to entire team!

(When you say Super Squaw, do you mean Squaw One?)

Ya...I'm dating myself but super Squaw is AKA Squaw One...it sounds like the debris field buried the entire lifte shack at the top and the unloading station. I heard talk about chairs being wedged up into the bull wheel and being able to walk on the debris right up on top of the unloading station.

[wolfy]

the patroller from Squaw was transfered to Reknown in reno. keep 'em comin' for this guy, he had a pretty rough ride. info has to come from the "official" press release for the obvious reasons... check this evenings local news

[kidwoo]

info has to come from the "official" press release for the obvious reasons... check this evenings local news

So they can one up the stupidity of 'post control release?'


I hope broken bones are all this poor guy got. So glad he didn't get buried.

[213]

gnarls news, ++++++++++++++vibes for everyone involved in that accident.
those folks on patrol deserve way more credit than most folks give'em. no health insurance, wild hours, an generally poopy pay to put themselves in the thick of it throwing dynamite in the red and black hazard zones in sketchy conditions all so that we can have fun. not to mention draggin our broke asses out when we blow up (not to poke fun at you, scutski, I myself am included in the got jacked category)

on a lighter note...
glad the blog is getting some laughs. new post today.
http://hyphyzynoptix.wordpress.com/

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

Folks on Squaw Patrol did a great job with Scutski from what he told me. Now the grooming/cat track cutters on the other hand.....

[nrtnlites]

Sitting in my kitchen in s. Lake Tahoe and I can report that it is dumping here. Supposed to get another 14 inches or so tonight!!

[SchralphMacchio]

on a lighter note...
glad the blog is getting some laughs. new post today.
http://hyphyzynoptix.wordpress.com/

Word....

lil sumpin to tell shorty tho, rememba we have hella loadin on a wack ass snowpack, specially in el sud, and that shit is gonna react when you try an stomp tha switch 7 rodeo off tha 60 footer. just cuz you grab tail don’t make you so styly that you won’t set sumpthin off. small terrain traps best be watched out fo, it dont take much to drop a fool in tha treez and break his muthafunkin head off. inboundz minigolf meanz get yo homies to check yo style and peep tha game with beepin teknologi like this 223 lil reno i gots next to my phone.

mad windz be droppin mad hot shit into pillows of doom, spshelley where y’all got that crossloadin. watch thos flutez for propagation in obama nation yo. thiz mad wind tranzport alzo can make them windloaded pillas be found way downtown a da ridgez, so check it too.

blow it up tho.

jah live.

one.

21tres

[LightRanger]

gnarls news, ++++++++++++++vibes for everyone involved in that accident.
those folks on patrol deserve way more credit than most folks give'em. no health insurance, wild hours, an generally poopy pay to put themselves in the thick of it throwing dynamite in the red and black hazard zones in sketchy conditions all so that we can have fun. not to mention draggin our broke asses out when we blow up (not to poke fun at you, scutski, I myself am included in the got jacked category)

on a lighter note...
glad the blog is getting some laughs. new post today.
http://hyphyzynoptix.wordpress.com/

No offense taken man. I'm definitely sending a 12-pack their way, for what it's worth. Those guys are fantastic.

[Lane Meyer]

lil sumpin to tell shorty tho, rememba we have hella loadin on a wack ass snowpack, specially in el sud, and that shit is gonna react when you try an stomp tha switch 7 rodeo off tha 60 footer. just cuz you grab tail don’t make you so styly that you won’t set sumpthin off. small terrain traps best be watched out fo, it dont take much to drop a fool in tha treez and break his muthafunkin head off. inboundz minigolf meanz get yo homies to check yo style and peep tha game with beepin teknologi like this 223 lil reno i gots next to my phone.

mad windz be droppin mad hot shit into pillows of doom, spshelley where y’all got that crossloadin. watch thos flutez for propagation in obama nation yo. thiz mad wind tranzport alzo can make them windloaded pillas be found way downtown a da ridgez, so check it too.

blow it up tho.

jah live.

one.

21tres

Dude. The first pitcher of beer is on me if we ever meet in the Chamois. I'll look for a skittle thug with a tall tee trying to explain a skew-t diagram to Junior.

[LightRanger]

^^^That's hilarious. The ghetto hyphy Avy Forecast. I love it.

[SchralphMacchio]

"shit be poppin like E40 over barbed wire" is probably my all time favorite quote to describe the weather now

[cranked]

Maybe Chair 10 will get struck by lightning and become an express chair.

not as funny as you think.

I thought it was genius...created an audible laugh followed by some co-worker prarie dogging in the cube farm.

Hope everything turns out okay with the patroller...