trackbiker Posted April 25, 2011 Report Posted April 25, 2011 Woke up this morning and the sun was out. Forecast had called for rain in the valley and a few inches of snow in the mountains. Got to Snowbird a little before 9:00 with blue skies and no wind. Loaded up on the sunscreen, bought my spring special $64.00 ticket including the tram, and took the tram to the top. 28 degrees at the top and felt like 50. Looked into Mineral Basin and knew where I was heading. There was an inch of fresh powder on top. Spent most of the morning there just rotating around the basin. They groom a couple ways down but otherwise you just pick a path and ski. Just avoid the cliffs! Headed to the lodge and had lunch outside on the deck. Got in the tram in sun and got out in clouds. It started snowing a little while later. Spent most of the afternoon skiing off the Gadzoom Lift because it was cloudy up top and the light was really flat. Snow had gotten wetter with the warmth towards the bottom and was really nice carving snow. But check out the photo with the thermometer. No wonder they get so much snow out here. 58 degrees and snowing. And it wasn't a wet snow either. No big flakes. Same old small powder flakes. Yes those white spots in the photo are snow flakes. Snowed for about and hour and never turned to rain. Limited lifts but almost everything was accessable except for trails and glades off the Gad 2 Lift. Peruvian Lift and the tunnel were closed but are listed as reopening May 13th. Everything else closes tomorrow except for the tram, Mineral Basin Express, and the beginners Chickadee lift and they have tons of snow everywhere. Got to give them credit though. Last open in UT. Planning on closing Memorial Day and reopening for the 4th of July if weather permits. Snowbird is my favorite of any place I've skied so far. They have everthing from open bowls, to glades, to chutes, to wide trails, to narrow trails. The easiest way down from the top is one blue trail and sections of it are not an easy blue. Realized I need to add captions to the photos. Blue sky morning view of Salt Lake City from the top Heading to Mineral Basin Looking up from halfway down Mineral Basin Looking down from halfway down Mineral Basin View of Little Cottonwood Canyon Lunch on the Deck. GSS, It was a grilled cheeseburger, Lays Sourcream & Onion Baked chips, and a Gatorade Natural Halfpipe Little Cloud Lift View of the Main Base from the Gad Valley area 58 degrees and snowing! Quote
Justo8484 Posted April 25, 2011 Report Posted April 25, 2011 we found some really fun stuff off little cloud this year, it was the first i'd ever really skied that area. that chair is mad old, but somehow kinda comfy too. i miss utah! 1 Quote
RyanPhillip Posted April 25, 2011 Report Posted April 25, 2011 Nice! I am hitting Snowbird May 13th! Can't wait. Quote
trackbiker Posted April 26, 2011 Author Report Posted April 26, 2011 Nice I gotta hit Snowbird... You would really like Snowbird. You can do a long weekend in Utah easy. The Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon areas are only 45 minutes from the airport and there are great ski and stay deals down in the Valley. Takes 30 minutes tops to get to any of the resorts. You can't stay closer unless you stay at the resorts and there are regular restaraunts with regular prices close by. It's nice to have a car but you don't need one. The hotels will pick you up at the airport and the ski bus is usually included with the ski & stay packages. I got a great deal this weekend. No ski packages this late but found a great hotel that includes a hot breakfast and a "light" dinner as well. Also has an indoor pool. PM me if someone is planning a budget trip next year and I can give some recommendations. Oh yeah; Love Southwest. Skis fly free. Nice! I am hitting Snowbird May 13th! Can't wait. Might not be any powder but you never know. There will be plenty of snow left. The base is really deep. Post some pics when you get back. we found some really fun stuff off little cloud this year, it was the first i'd ever really skied that area. that chair is mad old, but somehow kinda comfy too. i miss utah! There is some really good stuff off of the Gad 2 chair as well. I was there on a powder day last year and everyone headed to Mineral Basin. Gad 2 area was empty and there is a lot of really good stuff over there. I could have stayed over there all day with fresh tracks but it was my first time there and I wanted to check out the rest of the place. Quote
RyanPhillip Posted April 26, 2011 Report Posted April 26, 2011 Might not be any powder but you never know. There will be plenty of snow left. The base is really deep. Post some pics when you get back. There is some really good stuff off of the Gad 2 chair as well. I was there on a powder day last year and everyone headed to Mineral Basin. Gad 2 area was empty and there is a lot of really good stuff over there. I could have stayed over there all day with fresh tracks but it was my first time there and I wanted to check out the rest of the place. Yeah man I just am stoked to be on the snow. My brother lives in Cottonwood Heights right at the base of BCC, he just had a baby so that is my excuse to get out there one last time.... GAD 2 chair is pretty sweet, I actually love the runs on that side of the resort.I am not too sure how much longer Gad 2 is going to run though, I think they will have that closed by the time I get out there, but who knows. Little Cloud chair is fun too last time I was there in March the top of Little Cloud was a complete whiteout couldn't see anything up there on the ridge, but dropping into the Little Cloud Bowl on a pow day is one of best experiences I have ever had. Next time you get out there, make sure you check out Solitude, Honeycomb Canyon is sick. Quote
trackbiker Posted April 27, 2011 Author Report Posted April 27, 2011 (edited) Yeah man I just am stoked to be on the snow. My brother lives in Cottonwood Heights right at the base of BCC, he just had a baby so that is my excuse to get out there one last time.... GAD 2 chair is pretty sweet, I actually love the runs on that side of the resort.I am not too sure how much longer Gad 2 is going to run though, I think they will have that closed by the time I get out there, but who knows. Little Cloud chair is fun too last time I was there in March the top of Little Cloud was a complete whiteout couldn't see anything up there on the ridge, but dropping into the Little Cloud Bowl on a pow day is one of best experiences I have ever had. Next time you get out there, make sure you check out Solitude, Honeycomb Canyon is sick. Gad 2 was already closed for the season and Gadzoom closed Sunday. Don't know why they close Peruvian then reopen it on May 13th. Maybe they close the tram on the 13th and use Peruvian and the tunnel instead? Edited April 27, 2011 by trackbiker Quote
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