14/?? The OFFICIAL Tahoe Thread

[TahoeJ]

Okay. Can we at least bitch about the endless traverse lines at Alpine cutting across to Beaver? ;-)

(not serious, doesn't actually bug me)

[buildakicker]

http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fun...p-a-bro/335477

Just want to bump the link. Throw in a few bucks to Abro if you can.

[TurxSki]

Hardly news but looks like KW might be closing tomorrow.
Expect back-pack checks getting on the lift...
...'s ok though 'cos N8 buried a keg up top today 😋

[Huckwheat]

Ya usually the traverse cut isnt as bad as it is now. However Id say the reverse traverse takes priority to the palisades seeing as it is the main access to allot more terrain than a small cliff band which people treat like the holy grail of resort skiing in Tahoe. The palisades is more of a 'gym' than a gem with too much hype for what it is, a few straight lines, some big airs and a micro amount of steep skiing. Its got history sure but its not the 90's anymore and skiing has progressed so much further than 2 second straight lines with heinous runouts.

I feel I can comment on both of this.

First, this year is weird, and I get what Patrol was doing. The bottom of Headwall is just too bare to open, so it isn't just "budget hold" type stuff. I think Patrol did well to both let people ski off Sibo, and once traffic died down on Wed, let people hike up. To the point on Traverse line though, I have run the Palisades a lot in 15 years and have the ability to hop a standard traverse track......this was a different animal this week. Due to traffic, and warming on Wed, there were like 5 full on setup traverse lines......just really crazy. So....made Palisades different.

To play Devils Ad to Powfiend......I think Patrol could do more to prioritize Palisades over RT. Palisades is special.....like really fuckin special. It is what separate Squaw from average resorts. Letting the masses make a few average turns down North Bowl and Hogsback, over allowing the unique level of Squaw rippers put down a hour or two of epic, creative, mind blowing lines for "the record books". Seeing some guys, like Aaron Fox and the like, hucking the box (25-30), or a really tricky alternate Extra, is what makes Squaw, Squaw. The lines going down Wed afternoon (from 2-3pm) were no joke.....seeing that shit blows my mind. The powder turns off RT were meh all day.......that shit could have waited til 10-11am.

[Nevada29er]

Hardly news but looks like KW might be closing tomorrow.
Expect back-pack checks getting on the lift...
...'s ok though 'cos N8 buried a keg up top today ��

From Coop's FB post, it looks like they're going to try to stay open through next weekend.

Any reports on how the bottom half is fairing?

[claymond]

As of yesterday, the Drain is filled in ok til the very end, where there's a snowboard width patch of snow between rocks and the creek at one point. A patroller was shoveling snow onto it early in the afternoon. I'd have to think that will require walking within a day or two. Patches of rock and dirt on the low angle area by the botom of 10, but mostly snow. Plenty of coverage up high once you get off the top of ridges.

[Ottime]

^^^ Did you notice if the ridge lookers left off 6 has snow to ski on? As in heading into WagonWheel along the ridge.

I've got shit to do at my buddies cabin next weekend, so I'll likely be at KW closing day. Has anyone looked into Thunder Bowl recently? Still would like to hit it this season.

[powdrhound]

Patrol had been shoveling a path around to the ridge. The fun part was the section where the 18" wide path had one side dropping off the edge of the cornice. No missed turns allowed. But that was last week...

[Fish Rider]

^^^ Did you notice if the ridge lookers left off 6 has snow to ski on? As in heading into WagonWheel along the ridge.

I've got shit to do at my buddies cabin next weekend, so I'll likely be at KW closing day. Has anyone looked into Thunder Bowl recently? Still would like to hit it this season.

Tb on thurs.

[old goat]

I feel I can comment on both of this.

First, this year is weird, and I get what Patrol was doing. The bottom of Headwall is just too bare to open, so it isn't just "budget hold" type stuff. I think Patrol did well to both let people ski off Sibo, and once traffic died down on Wed, let people hike up. To the point on Traverse line though, I have run the Palisades a lot in 15 years and have the ability to hop a standard traverse track......this was a different animal this week. Due to traffic, and warming on Wed, there were like 5 full on setup traverse lines......just really crazy. So....made Palisades different.

To play Devils Ad to Powfiend......I think Patrol could do more to prioritize Palisades over RT. Palisades is special.....like really fuckin special. It is what separate Squaw from average resorts. Letting the masses make a few average turns down North Bowl and Hogsback, over allowing the unique level of Squaw rippers put down a hour or two of epic, creative, mind blowing lines for "the record books". Seeing some guys, like Aaron Fox and the like, hucking the box (25-30), or a really tricky alternate Extra, is what makes Squaw, Squaw. The lines going down Wed afternoon (from 2-3pm) were no joke.....seeing that shit blows my mind. The powder turns off RT were meh all day.......that shit could have waited til 10-11am.

To play devil's advocate to you--aren't there plenty of other places at Squaw (when there's snow) where people can go fast and big without the issue of the runout being an intermediate traverse and bowl? Isn't what makes the Palisades different the fact that you have an audience?

[claymond]

Ottime, plenty of snow on the ridge out to Wagon Wheel. Route options at the bottom are limited, but I think it will hold up for another week if you don't mind scratching your skis some.

[JAREDS]

I'm confused. I read squaw is closed but alpines open on weekends? Does that include the next two weekends? Anybody know?!

[gone2alpine]

Where are you reading that jareds?

Alpine's last official day with lift served was April 5th. Squaw has extended their closing to the 19th. Alpine has been offering up some excellent human powered ski experiences with deep powder last week and good corn this week.

[mogul5480]

Ottime - Mildbill and I did thunder bowl to martin point on Saturday. Coverage was great on the main way down, but the upper section before the rollover had an inch thick in breakable crust. Once you make the right turn and head for the steeps, the snow was cold and soft. That said, the big lines were pretty tight. Bill straight lined one little chute at the bottom. The other two were out of my league. One had a 15 foot mandatory ice cliff with a sketch landing and the third was bare rock. I kept to the high line above all the chutes and got about 20 fresh pow turns before it flattened out and got crusty again.

The skin out was a bit annoying. Hot weather and no snow. Had to boot pack much of it. Made worse by dropping my helmet in transition and having to ski down another 100 yards to retrieve it.

Martin point was mank, but it was untracked mank and the top inch was creamy enough that it was actually really fun.

Prob crusty now on that whole aspect until it corns up.

[mattyj]

Looks like Squaw and Troy have finally come to terms: http://squawalpine.com/gondola

[TahoeJ]

I have to admit, the idea of having three separate gondola loops linked together but can still run independently is a pretty smart way to do it. Should cut down on the KT line.

http://moonshineink.com/news/two-mountains-one-gondola

[4matic]

Squaw>Alpine Gondola makes Squaw hotel lodging more attractive to tourists. Alpine doesn't have ski in>ski out hotel.

[Huckwheat]

To play devil's advocate to you--aren't there plenty of other places at Squaw (when there's snow) where people can go fast and big without the issue of the runout being an intermediate traverse and bowl? Isn't what makes the Palisades different the fact that you have an audience?

Maybe that is part of it......but a good show like knowwhere else makes Squaw what it is. That said, there aren't many other places at Squaw that enable that type skiing. Scary straightruns, giant hucks, uber steep turns for those who want it......all in one place. It is a rare find. My point was Squaw should embrace that when they can (but like I noted......this April isn't a normal year, and when Headwall runs, there isn't much issue).

[NakedShorts]

Squaw>Alpine Gondola makes Squaw hotel lodging more attractive to tourists. Alpine doesn't have ski in>ski out hotel.

Sounds like a $40 tourist attraction (per tourist of course).

[SchralphMacchio]

http://moonshineink.com/news/two-mountains-one-gondola

According to Wirth, around 25 percent of skiers, or one out of four, ski both mountains on any day.

This does not seem to pass the sniff test, but then again I only ski at Squaw or Alpine like one day a year. Does this even make sense to you regular Squaw or Alpine skiers? Of course, the higher Squawlpine makes that number, the better they look in the EIR ...

[s.p.c]

This does not seem to pass the sniff test, but then again I only ski at Squaw or Alpine like one day a year. Does this even make sense to you regular Squaw or Alpine skiers? Of course, the higher Squawlpine makes that number, the better they look in the EIR ...

They are watching everything.

[LightRanger]

They'd actually have to put the supporting data in the EIR, which Wirth obviously didn't do in the video/interviews.

There's another thread going on it.

[TahoeJ]

This does not seem to pass the sniff test, but then again I only ski at Squaw or Alpine like one day a year. Does this even make sense to you regular Squaw or Alpine skiers? Of course, the higher Squawlpine makes that number, the better they look in the EIR ...

No, it's total bullshit. Being discussed here: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...e-Base-to-Base

Bullshit aside, I can see some benefits to it, mainly that there would be another storm day way up the mountain so it would help cut down on the KT / Red Dog shit-show.

[mcski]

Even 2.5% would be a stretch, but if you're gonna lie, lie big.

[skier666]

[added by me yearly] Where's the Tram from Silver Lake to Kirkwood????? [/added by me yearly]