Tahoe opening thread

**LightRanger** · 12-22-2007, 02:06 AM

Squaw good today. Did several laps on Headwall traverse, into The Slot, and a bit skiers left of The Slot. Skied really well. A few rocks in the traverse though. I'd post pics, but the internet at my folks place is SLOW.

And yeah, Sugarbowl has a tiny bit more than Squaw, having skied Sugarbowl yesterday. But at both you need to find the blown-in places. CII area at Squaw should still be good tomorrow (Red Dog was still ok today too, but skied way heavier than CII area). And I think the trees skiers way right off Lincoln, and the Crow's Nest OB area at Sugarbowl should still be good.

**unofficialandes** · 12-22-2007, 02:11 AM

Piddle farted around Castle today

Fears winter weather to bluebird just like that. Got to love Tahoe.

**alpinerider** · 12-22-2007, 01:53 PM

Alpine opened Summit yesterday at 2, for all those who said it wouldn't open till today. it was sick. Glad I took the day off work. Had about seventh chair up. Snow was awesome. Great start to the year.

Three sisters area is still pretty rocky needs a little more snow but if you traverse farther over there's some good stuff.

**Ottime** · 12-22-2007, 03:33 PM

Sitting here in dry flat Virginia land. Bet it was fun out there today. Pack it down and find those rocks for me. I guess my bases are happy.

Powstomper - how is Jim's looking? What is "sort of"?

**Jim S** · 12-22-2007, 04:57 PM

Squaw was pretty dang good today. I spend the whole day on Headwall and KT lifts.

I was happy to get 5th chair on KT and West face was money in the right places: skier's left of Snag Cliffs. The further west/skier's left you went toward Enchanted Forest and Horse Trails the better it got.

Classic Chute and skier's right of CII stayed lightly chopped up but soft. Sun Bowl skier's left had untracked all day.

Slot was good this morning--except the top 3 feet which was rock with a bit of snow-- but as expected got chopped up fast.

**slave2gravity** · 12-22-2007, 05:31 PM

I'm so pissed I had to fly to Nashville for Christmas yesterday. At least I got Wed / Thurs in this week at Kirkwood and will be back in Tahoe on the 27th - Jan 2. It would be awesome if just one more storm cycle could move in beforehand.

**jahroy** · 12-22-2007, 05:57 PM

thanks for the squaw update... even though i'm home in NH for the holidays, it's still good to know what's going on. can't wait to get some west face...

**Empty Beer** · 12-22-2007, 06:01 PM

Sierra was fun yesterday for the first day out. Fresh tracks in the trees all day. Great day for the old rock board.

Some vids:

Is this bad??

**stoicchris** · 12-22-2007, 06:24 PM

Squaw was good today, I even put tracks down light towers.

**SchralphMacchio** · 12-22-2007, 07:32 PM

Update on the Heave today: all the good stuff was "closed." Apparently this meant, if you know what you are doing ignore the signs because we are not hunting poachers or pulling passes. Still a number of stashes left that haven't been entirely schralped. Powder is now pretty consolidated up there, the heat and the wind got it pretty densified. Some parts are windscoured with a really thin crust. Definitely rocks off piste, but mostly visible and avoidable (unlike the Wood on Friday). Waterfall was riding really well toward the end of the day. Groomers by the end of the day were fluff on top of ice, and will probably be re-tilled tonight into some fast stuff for tomorrow, but you want sharp edges to really rail your turns if you want to ride that stuff.

Kirkwood was tits on Friday. Powder was keeping really nicely until about 3 PM when it started to densify and settle. Good turns in the trees and chutes left of Olympic and trees feeding the drain. Lots of lurkers, so the rock skis are definitely recommended for Kirkwood. I'm guessing most of the stashes are all firmed up and schralped by now.

Any beta from today from Kirkwood?

Wondering what wind & heat did to the snow over there. Not sure if I should hit Heave or Kirkwood Sunday.

**Tyrone Shoelaces** · 12-22-2007, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by SchralphMacchio

Any beta from today from Kirkwood?

.

Chair 10 and 4 opened today. I guess KW can say that they are 100% open now, but I've never seen Chair 10 open with so little snow. there's even less up there I think than last year. Still decent little stashes to be hand in the spots that tend to gather and keep the cold air.....

made a lap near Danger Cliffs between the Saddle and Vista and had some good turns. You have to be really careful though. It's so tempting to go nuking down a run, but cover can get thin really fast...

I was in too much pain from my boots all day to really get into it though. Hopefully my feet will feel better tomorrow.....

**idiot** · 12-22-2007, 07:48 PM

thanks for the kirkwood report.....i passed on the wood today to do some shopping.......i thought it wouln't be the end of the world to miss out on the saturday crowds....cool to see all lifts open although 10 must be SO thin........i'm going to go see for myself tomarrow.....

**lph** · 12-22-2007, 08:25 PM

Pretty much what shoe said. the quantity....not so good. the quality of snow, however, was fantastatic, chalky and cold.

after Shoe left arty and i ventured further out to skier's left on LV and got some top to bottom untracked runs that were $$$$. just buttery smooth snow. had to be really really light on your skis though.

**gimpy** · 12-22-2007, 08:51 PM

today was unfuckingwithable. blue skies, creamy boot to shin deep pow on a spongy base, no serious rock hits, and a whole playground to ourselves. many thanx to the baby jeebus.

tried to see steep last night but the projector broke and we just got sorta drunk instead. they did give us free vouchers for tonights show and i called to confirm that they got it working.

**Creeker** · 12-22-2007, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Jim S

Squaw was pretty dang good today. I spend the whole day on Headwall and KT lifts.

I was happy to get 5th chair on KT and West face was money in the right places: skier's left of Snag Cliffs. The further west/skier's left you went toward Enchanted Forest and Horse Trails the better it got.

Classic Chute and skier's right of CII stayed lightly chopped up but soft. Sun Bowl skier's left had untracked all day.

Slot was good this morning--except the top 3 feet which was rock with a bit of snow-- but as expected got chopped up fast.

Have to echo Jim S...it was a surprisingly fun day at Squaw. The Slot and Enchanted yielded some great turns, as long as you held utter contempt for your skis. Lots of hidden gems throughout the mountain.

Great day on the hill.

**lph** · 12-22-2007, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by gimpy

today was unfuckingwithable. blue skies, creamy boot to shin deep pow on a spongy base, no serious rock hits, and a whole playground to ourselves. many thanx to the baby jeebus.

tried to see steep last night but the projector broke and we just got sorta drunk instead. they did give us free vouchers for tonights show and i called to confirm that they got it working.

think i saw you on carson pass getting ready to head out.

the snow quality was really good, huh? i was very pleasantly surprised. thought i would end up skiing for 2 hours and stayed for close to 5. i really thought kirkwood woulda been more crowded with all the terrain they opened.

last run of the day the only track i crossed was my own from the previous run.

**abertsch** · 12-22-2007, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by Cirquerider

What, no pics?

The video I took is stuck in my camera until I get home in January. I left the cable at home! Bad form. I'll post it though. In the mean time, here's a pic of me that StormDay took! His other pics on in the Epic thread.

-Adam

**ansel4powsident** · 12-22-2007, 10:13 PM

amazed i could still find freshie and nice windblown at sugarbowl all day yesterday. many rocks, stumps and thicket, but nice snow from the figidaire temps.

**bennerlur** · 12-22-2007, 11:50 PM

Alpine has been good the last couple of days, particularly thursday-friday. I arrived just in time on friday after my last finals to see Summit open. Luckily the wind had packed the pow down and that kept one off the rocks. Friday was the first day I didnt get a coreshot since wednesday :/
Anyone hitting up Alpine tomorrow? I'm sure there are some nice stashes out there still to be had, and I'll be packing a dital camera with a friend. Got a gaper up from the flatlands to babysit but ill deal

**Sierra Cement** · 12-23-2007, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by lph

think i saw you on carson pass getting ready to head out.

Sunday's attentive AM Kirkwood commuters should be able to spot our work in the light of the morning sun. It was just too damn good to stop, so we got greedy, and now all the good lines are tatoo'd. But there still appears to be some great snow out by Round Top.

Originally Posted by lph

last run of the day the only track i crossed was my own from the previous run.

Yes! That is what it's all about. Zippy used the word epic when he described the skiing off 10 once they opened it today. Glad to hear you guys are getting the goods without the crowds. Enjoy it now, cause it'll all change come Wednesday.

**freshies** · 12-23-2007, 01:54 AM

hit alpine today and found some sweet, cold, shaded pow in various places. sooo sweet to ski pow again

saw OHC up on the deck and said "hey" (OHC, let's bust out the skins this coming week and poke around donner/juda area. I am game any day this week so let me know_

**RaccoonFace** · 12-23-2007, 12:05 PM

Squaw Roll Call-ish:

Heading up to Squaw Monday, and Tuesday... Any of Squaw's Usual Suspects want to hook up?

okbye

**Jim S** · 12-23-2007, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by RaccoonFace

Squaw Roll Call-ish:

Heading up to Squaw Monday, and Tuesday... Any of Squaw's Usual Suspects want to hook up?

okbye

Certainly

**MashedPotatoes** · 12-23-2007, 08:45 PM

skied the east side of Judah today. lots of tracks but good pow turns to be found midway down. also nice on the way back to the top of the lift. it's gonna crust up tho, we need another storm.

**FollowMe** · 12-23-2007, 09:11 PM

Skied Kirkwood today until noon. Not as good as yesterday but still nice with some soft snow in little nooks and crannies throughout. Got warm so I suspect things will firm up. XC skied all afternoon and got WORKED. Driving back to SLT, the Carson Pass was lit up in Alpenglow with the Full Moon in effect to compliment - very nice.