Today was like winning the Super Bowl. Alta 4.04.2009

[Lone Star]

The storm cycle since March 22 has produced over 160 inches of snow. That comes out to something like a foot a day for two weeks straight. My mind can't even begin to wrap itself around storm cycles like this--- so much snow in so little time.

I really didn't think it could get any better than it was yesterday, 3 days ago, 5 days ago, allllll those storms. but then today came. when i checked the snow report early in the morning, I saw that 18 inches of snow had been recorded on 0.36 inches of water. yeah, 2 percent. I thought maybe it was some kind of recording error or glitch. it wasn't. the snow continued to fall and the lifts opened to the loudest group of chair riders i've ever seen. All day, skiing under the lift meant choking on face shots while listening to people on the lift yelling and hootin' and hollerin'. riding the lift meant watching (and cheering on at the top of my lungs) some other lucky SOB get ten second long face shots, struggling to keep it up and slut it for the crowd while gagging and wondering when he'd get a chance to breathe and half-cough half-vomit all the snow out of his lungs, stomach, and mouth.

constant shoulder deep turns, Keyhole laps that can be explained only in a way string theory or infinity can be explained. jumping off everything in sight, the only worry being able to pop enough to clear rocks. falling, tumbling, looking like an idiot.... faceshot faceshot pop stomp. didn't matter. it all felt good and everything is a really good idea and should be done.

I don't understand it, I'm trying my hardest to remember every moment of it, and I am so damn thankful that I have the chance to experience this just once. The snow and the skiing was perfect. Getting to do it with people you love- divine.

(pics to follow)

[Lone Star]

(one more set of pics a few posts below)

[Jax]

oh. my. god.

[cpj.slc]

Yeah, I was as Snowbird today. It was just stupid deep. I haven't had face shots since I started skiing the Praxis, but it was just over the head all day long. I had a couple of turns where the snow was up to my armpits.

[karpiel]

You surely were on skinny skis, it's impossible to get faceshots on fatties.

[bigbuds]

^^^ Sounds like the last 4 weeks for us in the PNW. Winter was trying to make up for our poor Jan/Feb and hit us with the goods in Mar/Apr. Try explaing to someone who dosn't ski how much fun choking on snow or getting constanly blasted in the face with snow is and they will have no clue. Skiers know though....

[Goatski]

shoulda packed up and gone west yesterday. instead i skied Utah's dust - sandwiched below 6" from last night and 13" from yesterday. send out a bulletin next time the 2% is falling!

[Lone Star]

By closing time, we were exhausted. Satisfied. Almost happy the lifts were closing because there was no way we could leave the hill unless we passed out.

But then, someone realized that a little cliff band was finally ready. We've talked about it before, daydreamed about what it would be like to hit it up while the sun set in the background. the skies ended up staying cloudy, but everything else was perfect. cheers and yells of encouragement came from outside the Fort, from the Buckhorn, the GMD, and the road below. E sidestepped up and prepared to drop and someone with a megaphone at the Buckhorn picked the perfect time to declare "Dropping in 5-4-3-2-1." E obliged and gave 'er a go.


E with the mute


gettin' ready to land.



Horns went off, the crowd below erupted. Everybody who watched has seen Julian Carr go twice as big, but seeing it in person, and watching it after having experienced such a glorious day, it was cause for even more hootin' and hollerin' and screamin'.


Kee up next.












More cheers. More giddiness. Is this real? holy shit!!!! Hey Sam, when you gonna drop?? i can't hear you at all!!!! thank god the crowd is there. I knew when to get the camera ready because I could hear everyone getting riled up below as he dropped.











ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh what a way to end the day. we rolled in to the GMD and it was 7 PM. I'm beat. what a friggin' amazing day. is this real???

[the vor]

Uhhmmm, YEAH!!! 2 percent was indeed no glitch, there was seriously zero resistance from that snow. What a change from yesterday to today. Best day of the year for sure. God it was unreal!!

Tough lighting today, but those pics turned out pretty well Lone Star.

[Mofro261]

nice drops.

skiing is guud.

[DeeAre]

turns out "deep powder house" isn't just a clever name.

[stevenc]

holy damn. i want to experiance that type of snow. anyone get any pov footy of that day?

[LittleYellowFriend]

^^^ Sounds like the last 4 weeks for us in the PNW. Winter was trying to make up for our poor Jan/Feb and hit us with the goods in Mar/Apr. Try explaing to someone who dosn't ski how much fun choking on snow or getting constanly blasted in the face with snow is and they will have no clue. Skiers know though....

no you just don't understand. The skiing today was unlike anything experienced anywhere in the history of the universe. You will never understand- NONE OF YOU WILL EVER UNDERSTAND!!!!

[miniracer]

Skinny skis. Ha. I was getting face shot with the lhasa 196's Splat got out to me in time for friday and saturday. Only time I have seen better was heli skiing in AK. But this time I was in control. Most definatly hard to beat.

Just glad to have the chance to have been there.

[gramboh]

Oh my godddddddddd, I am stoked just imagining what type of day this must have been, that much dry snow, everyone there super amped about it, ahhhhhhhh driving me nuts thinking about it. Those hucks at the end must just have been icing on the cake. I really hope there is video and more photos of this, god damnit I wish I was there. A Saturday too, wow.

[gimpy]

lucky fuckers. u guys are blessed

[Nic.A]

fkna that is stoke!

[squatch]

fuck you. that is all.

[uglymoney]

Wow. This is why I always click the Lone Star threads. Checked airfare earlier this week and it seemed too high. Should have paid it.

[mc_roon]

2%?!?

I got a call from soul from the tram line today about choking faceshots from praxis.

now i believe it.

crazy pics and stoke. Your words took me there. lucky bastard...

[GBB]

fuck you. that is all.

i see your fuck you, and raise you a fuck you.

[KrazyK]

Forget a snorkel, it looks like you'd need scuba gear for stuff that deep. Amazing pics!

[PulverSchwein]

once in a while, shit happens that resets the threshold against which all future stoke will be measured

[land]

WOOOOOOOOHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH [silence due to choking faceshot suffocation] AAAAAAAAA

thats about how it was.

[land]

holy damn. i want to experiance that type of snow. anyone get any pov footy of that day?

someone probably has some good footy.
if you like videos of gray blotchy nothingness