Leaderboard

Thursday 4/14..day 2 of 6.. This morning I awoke to the first alarm I had set 6:17am and forced myself out of bed, went to Einstein’s bagels and bought one bacon egg cheddar tomato and onion everything bagel and one toasted everything bagel just with butter. I was hungry blame it on the gummies also had a medium coffee and an Arnold Palmer half and half tea and water. Hydrated to the max nice caffeine assisted duece..got dressed fast..four layer player again but last two layers don’t go on until the parking lot. The drive to abasin was semi spicy and snow covered with a few areas of blacktop. I maintained about 40 miles an hour and guy behind me was slower so the backup was behind him. Pulled into the lot at 840am I was a row closer to the lodge than yesterday probably because Loveland pass was closed. Cold boot up in 8 degrees or so full on snow globe went to men’s room then on one of the first chairs..at like 9:01am. I wanted easy country club hippie powder to start so did two fast laps on the lower mountain blues which were groomed with an inch or two of fluff on top, a few deeper areas on the sides of the trails but also some crusties below. An easy and pleasant start got on black mountain express a third time over to Lenawee which had people like every 20th chair. Everything is untracked or lightly tracked but visibility was not good especially the top of Lenawee...was also super windy at the top. I skeet skirted over to the beavers and was in the woods a little bit..some untracked in the woods but some hazards only rode the beavers lift one time and the top half of that lift ride above the tree line was freezing. I skipped Montezuma bowl today..semi high traffic and bad vis..I found the low visibility terrain off Lenawee wasn’t bad mainly cause it was all untracked and enough small groups to use as reference but if you were full charging and hugged the sides there’s definitely was coral reef that will send you ass over tea kettle even off the blues and single blacks. I thought about going inside to thaw out my toes a little and have a beer and soft pretzel but was still full from breakfast and did another run and a half on the lower mountain. The last run I call a half cause I pretty much went far right in search of perd and got it on two moderate pitches on green runs. Was a short ski day but no lines, breaks was cold, windy, snowy..the sun is trying to come out now in Silverthorne.

Up the montezuma lift and the goofy patrollers said welcome to the Zumba enturo. There was absolutely nobody on the back side or Lenawee like maybe people every 20th chair. Back on the upper front face, I actually waited for a group to get in front of me because the visibility was so bad and that area is essentially tree less. Even though I was following people I got vertigo a few times. The snow was so so good packed powder or a few inches of untracked everywhere. I accidentally ended up on a bump one on one of the later morning runs and was a little icy underneath. Even the black mountain express had no lines, I didn’t even ride the lift with anybody. I didn’t go on the Pali lift, I want better Vis for that terrain..looking like I’ll be back at Abasin tomorrow again..maybe it will be a degree or two warmer and the sun will come out. After skiing i went to the mountain Lynn cafe for steak and eggs then had some edibles and a long nap and enjoying a French dip Sammy right now from Cheba hut.

Thanks and no altitude sickness so far. I have been drinking a lot of water and Gatorade. The only beer I’ve bought for the room so far is a 12 pack of negro modelo. It’s only like 4.4% alcohol. Silverthorne and especially Abasin has been in a snow globe. There’s been another inch of pixie dust on my rental car at least four times. Report coming soon.

First cut of the season.

The hotel we stayed in in Innsbruck was built in 1473.

Hey All, I’m back from another fun ski day at Abasin. I arrived there at about 835am and it was 4 degrees with blowing snow and moderate winds. I picked up my pass and loaded the Black mountain express a few minutes before 9am. First run was just a mix of lower mountain Blues..groomed runs with about 1.5-2” of cold chalky pow wow. Second run was a repeat of the first as knew that lower mountain pow wouldn’t last and the good thing about those lower trails is the visibility is good as there are trees. Up black mountain express a third time and over to Lenawee, up Lenawee first half of the lift ride comfortable and second half my face froze...then took the rope row over to Montezuma bowl..I took a few pictures and with the temperature zero and real feel probably minus 10 taking off gloves to do anything was not a good plan. Top of Montezuma bowl had no visibility and areas of wind scoured ice with deep shabby snow along the snow fence. Was survival skiing but lower down was a more consistent few inches like on the front side. I then ducked into the woods for a safety break and skied to far before cutting back to the lift and did a little skinning with no skins. To be continued.

zoom meeting are very productive...

There are a lot of sharks lurking..I’m glad I’m an agile mofo

No bubbles.

WTGAI! I always enjoy the Colorado Skifari reports and it looks like you hit it at a great time which is good stoke for all of us back in PA

Fucking titty sparkles There is not a soul in almost all of your pics, that shit alone is like a dream and your eating good in the neighborhood. Props for always keeping safety first, that spring pow is gold but can be treacherous.

Article about Philadelphia airport parking. https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2022/04/13/philadelphia-international-airport-parking-lots-full-easter-weekend/?amp

As it turned out, did not get much skiing in. The days were in the mid to upper 50's, the nights well above freezing. Snow was sloppy. Way more people in some areas them I'm used to (well, the last 18 years anyway) and then there was a sand storm from the Sahara which did not improve conditions. Never go somewhere to ski in March, it's too unpredictable. Below are three little videos from the trip. Not much skiing, but plenty of food for Doug.

I thought the same when I flew to Denver in Aug 2016 for the first time. The Rockies look small even from the plane. Then I proceeded to do nearly the same exact thing you did today. Landed at DEN, rented a car from Alamo, stopped for lunch off I-70 in Denver, and then drove to Idaho Springs. Then I was like wow when I saw the Rockies up close. Make sure you stop at Buffalo Bill's grave. I've been there twice. Oh and Casa Bonita.