8 replies to this topic

[KZ]

Now some of you may have heard about the powder days at squaw and how they only last 15-20 minutes untill it is almost all tracked out. Well over the past 3 days, the entire upper mountain was on wind hold. So with some great runs off of KT-22 and Red Dog and lunch, two lifts on the upper mountain were open; Gold Coast Express and Shirley Lake Express. The main runs got tracked quickly, but if you put some work in and went on a hike, you could have maybe the best runs of your life. After 2 about 2/3 up granite chief and 2 of half of siberia we called it a day. That just shows there is still a chance to experience the wonders of squaw that few experienced way back in the day.

[edmontonguy]

The Gem Lake area @ Big white is supposed to be insane after a storm (wind hold) and especially late in the season when you can ski two days and still find untracked powder.

[Allan]

You can find untracked two days later at any time at Big White! We had a drive failure on Motherlode about 6 years ago, and during that week it snowed 50/60 cms. When the lift finally opened, the lineup went from Motherlode to Silverlode and was about 20 people wide. We had to stop loading Silverlode.

[CAski]

KZ: Yeah, I have experienced the 20 minute powder days of Squaw. It sounds like you got a bit of the same experience I had at Northstar this December. However, I did not have to work for my turns at all. Northstar is the place to be when they shut down the 80 (chances are that every single other resort in the basin is closed on these days anyway).

[KZ]

I had to work, but just think of fresh powder and being the very first one down granite chief. It doesnt get too much better then that. KT was also excellent because we had 9th chair, and everyone spread out pretty well.

[liftmech]

S-lift and Union Bowl are like that as well. Fresh snow mornings the line is 15-20 minutes long and Union gets tracked out in mere minutes. The only saving point up there is that from the top of S to Union Peak is a 200' vertical hike; not that big, in my opinion, but many people prefer to go all the way around to Mountain Chief lift and traverse from the top across to Union. It may be easier on the legs, but you lose almost 45 minutes by the time you get there. There should be at least one area accessed by hiking at all (burly) ski areas for those who truly can ski that sort of terrain, i.e Squaw, A-Basin, Whistler, etc. My philosophy (based on several years of observation) is that those who can't hike aren't in any condition to ski those runs anyway. That's why I don't like the idea of a lift in Crystal's South Back. Elitist, yes. Pragmatic- that too.

[KZ]

Squaw would only a few hike-to run if the lifts arent closed, and that is the Mainline Pocket and of course the legendary Palisades above the Headwall lift (you can hike it only monday-thursday). Both are short, but i am sure it is worth it. Alpine has several hike to runs, but they are flatter, so not quite the same work. One of my personal favorite hikes is that up the Cindercone at Bachelor. THat sure is a fun runs when the rest is all tracked out.

[CAski]

I really like Killebrew Canyon at Heavenly. No one goes down there because there are signs at the top that say "Warning: Snowboarders, there will be a 1/2 mile hike at the bottom of this run to return to Mott Canyon Chair" or equivalent. Sure, there is a small uphill hike, but it is not as bad as implied (unless you do not know where you are going and end up at the boundry of the resort). However, all the same, I would not want to be stuck down there with a snowboard. But getting a little fresh powder a day after the storm was certainly worth it.

[skiracing]

the only runs at snowbird that get quickly tracked are the "groomers" that have 2-4ft of pow on them. other than that you can still find the untracked weeks after the storms if you know where to go. If you decide to hike thunder bowl (which only opens a couple days a year--last year never) you can get freshies any time.