Central California

[~mikey b]

Danny Kelsay in flight

Dodge Ridge photo by Ethan Sandberg

[upallnight]

Danny Kelsay in flight

Dodge Ridge photo by Ethan Sandberg

Amazing shot! Nice work.

Love images that make me think — like, where did he even launch from??!

[~mikey b]

my son said “he looks funny. he looks like a squirrel. he’s just floating.”

yeah it’s an awesome shot

[LongShortLong]

The resort that never opens was quite good today. Grizzly did not open. Sounded like patrol was really busy to open what they did. Not enough employees means... Methinks management is falling down on the job, and there's a lot of snow. There was plenty of pow to go around. The face is losing all its rocks, buried. Kuma's bottom bullwheel is nearly buried. Looks like they moved a lot of snow to open Moke (and the parking lot, and hwy 4). Did I say the powder was really good? Fast, cold, forgiving, and deep.

Ah, and I found a ski for some kiddo. After three laps I figured there were enough tracks I stopped to help. Snow was so much fun though.

For the avy people, there were lots of naturals visible in the surrounding wilderness. Didn't notice crowns, so sluffs? Every major chute on Mokelumne Peak had a slide in it.

[~mikey b]

fun

[powdrhound]

Yellow Submarine was especially soft.


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[LongShortLong]

Yellow Submarine was especially soft.


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Good for you! Bet it was very nice. I didn't make 9am
Had too many of your tracks in it by the time I loaded.

[parkmeister]

Bear Valley - Sat 1/21 - Website shows Grizzly Chair closed. Is this correct? If so, is the closure due to under staffing, equipment/power issues, or something else?
Is the website reliable for Grizzly Chair status? Are there any other 'go to' sources? I really want to check out that terrain, but I'm not gonna make the drive from Sac unless I know for sure that it will be open. Also, if you ignore this post to keep the stash for yourself - I understand. Get some!

[~mikey b]

it was probably actually closed

they have a hard time

[YaBoyBlue]

Beta was for a possible afternoon opening today, more likely Sunday. Towers needed some work for damage from last storm. You’ll want that rope drop, I predict 10:30 sunday

[LongShortLong]

My impression is they open terrain as soon as they can, and will open it late in the day. Website says they are hiring ski patrol... an eager skier could have all the beta and first tracks.

Is the website reliable for Grizzly Chair status? Are there any other 'go to' sources?

Mattly's weather and the resort socials, FB, twitter etc. Mattly's mentioned Grizzly every update since MLK weekend. Day by day, the status progressed from resort closed, to road and resort closed, to we need to get down there and take a look, to we need to dig out the base and one of the towers, to windshift means more control work, etc. The most recent update I see is from yesterday and says it might open in the (yesterday) afternoon.

I haven't figured out which is the "go to" source. Sometimes I've seen FB updated before Mattly's weather. Mattly is patrol director and drops more details than I've seen at other resorts, though his update also comes out whenever he has a spare minute. E.g. none today.

FWIW - They are still digging out up there. Caltrans is still clearing the road. BV is still clearing parking. The lifts are dug out, but some lift terminals have snow walls and some are in depressions now. So in each subsequent storm those features will catch more snow and be tougher to dig out. Hwy 4 snow berms buried the (extra tall) road markers. It's deep. Would not be surprised if Grizzly's big cliff is buried. Spring corn season will be epic and long.

[GiBo]

I'm not sure what's going on with BV. Their Ops seem to struggle to keep things going during regular snow storms. Add a shit ton of snow and power outages and they've really been struggling.

Not sure if it's the new ownership, but Dodge has been killing it as far as keeping shit open/running.

[~mikey b]

it’s the new ownership

[powdrhound]

I have never seen so many cars parked so far away at Dodge on Saturday.


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[~mikey b]

BV still working on Griz


update - spinning and scheduled for tomorrow

[YaBoyBlue]

Griz was just about as good as it gets today. BV reported 6” early but was more like 10” by 9 am, skiing great and continuing to fill in. Frontside/backside/spy glass were all open early then lower mtn rope dropped about 10 am. Mechanics and vortex were especially flavorful. There was some “ski by braille” moments when the clouds closed in but overall great conditions. We finished with clean village laps including some aspects close in to the Mayan cliffs that need huge coverage to go.

Tomorrow will be Bad Boy/Haleakala, more village shots and maybe a boy stuff/girl stuff route depending on avy conditions.

[YaBoyBlue]

[~mikey b]

sounds like they’ll open Hari Kari gate tomorrow

[~mikey b]

reestablishing the West Ridge boundary

[SailCat]

Griz opened about 11

A bit of wind refill action and ski on chairs everywhere

[~mikey b]

glad you got some John

[YaBoyBlue]

West ridge was good early. Really good.

Haleakala involved the high Hari Kari traverse which with wind blown snow was disappearing every lap. But it went.

[~mikey b]

that can get sketchy

[LongShortLong]

Bear ran well this last storm. Skied well too

[~mikey b]

both are good to hear

some sorta big race this weekend