C1erArt

If that is the case, you have to rethink your choices.

So when the line wasn’t too bad, the person in front of me got his pole basket caught in the fence just as I tripped the gate. Didn’t get thru it on time, and none of the gates would open for me after that. So I went in the ski patrol entrance. Wasn’t sure what else to do.

They have to do something about the quad. Was on the second chair up, and things were as JL described. When the lift stopped for the second 10 minute incident, and the mechanic came down a second time on the skidoo, I headed over to the Main Street lift. That got a little crowded too, but I cheated by going under the lift to the west side line. Dreamweaver and Main Street were in great shape, Main Street better than it was last week. Switch was OK, but nothing special. Left about noon time, the quad line was 10 or 15 yards in front of the gates.

Ran only the quad at rope drop, but started the six pack pretty quickly. Razors was prime, everything started to get cut up around 10:30.

No one expects the Spanish Inquisition. Same thing on the six pack Tuesday morning. Wrangler setting up six, then 3 getting on the lift. People not used to 6 getting on anyone.

Some major marbles at the bottom of Main Street, but they softened up around noon. Top and middle were always great. My last run down, there was absolutely no one on the slope from top to bottom. Switchback was my run of the day, though.

Only gapers take their skis off. Real skiers can skate up 45 degree slopes. [emoji28] Or skin up.

Probably be an online system. Nice day today, like yesterday but with Mr Sun and Mrs Bluebird. Went up to TCS, got about halfway, took my skis off and hiked up before I had a stroke. I really don’t have any self respect anymore.

Talked with a blue coater on the lift today who confirmed that KSL was going to put in a lift and new trails on the east side, and run freefall down to the lift without the merge onto Paradise. He also attributed the really good grooming conditions this year on the new automatic snowmaking system that TSL put in. As soon as the mountain closes, they can hit a button and immediately start blowing.

Should be there tomorrow at rope drop also. Looks like it will be a lot colder though.

At Camelback, the two closest lots are 30 and 40 dollars weekdays, the rest of the lots are 12, free for season pass holders.

Niece’s college roommate went off a jump in NH last week and broke both wrists and hit her head. Next day passed out and went into convulsions. OK now, but in a sensory deprivation recovery therapy now.

Thought Razors was pretty sweet too. Skied until about noon, and really needed my rocking chair in the parking lot. Talked with another boomer on the lift and it looks like they are going with the Camelback paid parking model next year. Got to pay for all that new gravel somehow.

Think you should look at replacing the helmet, most ski helmets are like bike helmets, designed for one impact with crushable foam. When I crashed and was sledded off the slope a while ago, the ski patrol was pretty insistent about a new helmet. Last year at Sunday River a guy I ski with took a slow fall on a hard slope, and knocked himself out. A short time of rag dolling it and he came to nauseous and with only a five minute short-term memory. Pretty amusing actually. Quick trip to the hospital for a concussion. Fine after a few days. He had a hard shell lightly padded helmet designed for skeleton runs with multi impacts.

Speaking of north of the slopes, apparently they are trying to put in a convenience store and gas station (and apartment building) at the intersection of covered bridge and smith gap road (north east side). https://www.tnonline.com/20220121/retail-center-proposed-in-l-gap-plans-call-for-restaurant-gas-pumps-conv/?fbclid=IwAR2H4yFc5YTN4fiCfysSEbcqlZSaCl2mpqY8hMracuSVT45yxTChiuiC33s

Dental floss.

I wondered if they groomed TCS since it didn’t show the orange ‘ungroomed’ sign at top. Was out for about an hour RAGC (right after watching grandkids - daycare room is closed due to covid). Razors was nice, a little marblely up top and a few slick spots, but overall nice. Switched edges after skiing a few days on them and the skis felt better. Widowmaker was in the best condition of the slopes I tried. Never got too crowded, but a lot of teens out.

Quick late afternoon session at Frost Wednesday with the DW. Did a run on DeMattes, and lapped Challenge on the east mountain lift. Pretty quiet. Rivershot a little ripped up on one side, but Challenge was in great shape even at closing. Looks like Thunderbolt and Exhibition might open soon, but didn’t get a look at the lower section. Free slope side parking still in effect on weekdays. Everything looked pretty with a couple inches of snow in the woods. Challenge glade had some trails thru the flatter sections. Noticed the JF races are being held at Boulder this year, assume weekend practice is being done there also.

Ice face.

And usually, the guns are shut down for the season at the beginning of February except to freshen the top near the lodge.

They can’t open more lifts because they still don’t have two of their main wide top to bottom slopes open, Exhibition (blue) and Thunderbolt (black). They only have one slope open for the blue and black lifts. Until the past couple of years, I’ve had a season pass there for 20 years, and they were always open by New Years. East Mountain might open mid to late January. I don’t think Vail wants to spend the money for electricity to blow snow, or staff up to fully open. Sad.

They did put in a large orange fence with small exits from the slope.

The valley cam seems to be specially positioned to cut out the line for the quad. Although, like right now, you can get an idea how long it is by how people are skiing as they go out of the picture.

Weren’t able to keep the quad running for more than 5 minutes and the line exploded about 10:30.

Really glad Salty had a good time.