DonPablo

Planning to head to Buck tonight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S18cSq1oNBE

Did I hear moguls? I planning to be out Tuesday or Weds evening

Looks like its going to be 38 degrees at open Friday

I think like the lifties being overwhelmed so is the ticket office and it's just an oversight. I'm sure The hours are still 9-2. The first time I got a ticket at Buck this year, the poor guy at the ticket office was trying to trouble shoot over the phone for a guy who couldn't buy tickets online. The industry pass is on Blackout for 2 weeks during the holidays but I'm thinking the ticket office at Buck might not know that...

Gates! Gates! Gates, everybody Gates! Lots of Gates on Thursday 12/16 when I got there. Pretty rough conditions after the rain, hard snow and small ice chunks. Snow was good last night, 12/19, parking lot was pretty full but the hill didn't seem busy. Thinking about going out Christmas Eve. Online you can buy a evening ticket for 7-9 on Christmas eve...

I'm gonna go tear it all up before Bob gets there

you ever check out the live chat on the Buck Hill milk run web cam on YouTube? its just a bunch of bots talking to each other... this is our future

I went out for an hour at 2 when they opened. They had the main chair going, most of milk run was groomed, and half of crossroads. Groom was a bit lumpy, the snow was soft, almost mash potato'y, but icy is some spots. And some dirt still showing in some spots on crossroads and milk. Chairs were covered in something that looked like salt, must be something they added to the snow when blowing, its all over my snowpants and jacked now. Saw a guy shreddin on a Donek (I think) Also my fan club was there, lol. You know who I'm talking about bob...

Should be all done, think I've done the waivers twice. When you fill that out it goes into the void. Do they even bother looking? Welch has the same thing but they don't even ask if you've done it.

I miss typed, I'll be at spirit weds, and then headed to Lutsen

1/3/21 The snow as primo, firm cord. Skied the morning, then was back on the board in the evening. First time on the board, I don't miss all the weird looks, "what is that?", and hollering from the chair... Ski challenge starts this Monday, I'll be on the board Tuesday night. Not sure how long I plan on staying, headed to Spirit Tuesday, and then Lutsen Weds-Saturday.

Not sure if this will affect you, maybe you know this, right where 494 makes the bend and goes east/west, rush hour traffic can get really bad in the evening in that spot. If you're going to Hyland, you can hop off 494 in that spot, but if you are heading to Buck, that 35 min trip could be an hour trip (worse case scenario). Maybe if more people working from home wont be as bad.

Bobble and I are at Buck a lot but I've been on skis a lot lately. I'm not sure if Bobble has a pass there this year. I've never been to Hyland but my understanding is it's short and more known for its park scene. Welch is even a little further but the best in the area. I'll be there Sunday mornings and at Buck during the week in the evenings. The snowboard specific racing the series is: http://uppermidwestsnow.com/ There are three races this year, two at Buck and one at Hyland. Hard to say what the year is going to bring, in the evenings Buck is often pretty quiet just have to put up with Ski Challenge people doing some practice runs for like an hour before they race. Ski Challenge is a beer league here and runs almost every night, but their after party beer drinking thing is essentially canceled because of covid so I'm not sure how that's going to work. Some people might stick around and ski more, might be less participation, some people might be one and done. Really can't comment on Hyland but I've never been there and I live in Burnsville. Are you coming from north of Hyland, up i494?

Patti and I order some classic nordic skis this year. Pierce has been selling a ton of nordic gear, it's running out fast.

They just say that to make people feel better, no way anyone will even try to enforce that. And how the rule is stated doesn't say people that don't arrive together can't ride the lift together. Lift lines are gonna get long at some places when people in line are watching a 6 person chair go up with one person on it.

I got in a few more runs last year

Temps are looking better, now just a little sun

1/22/20 Soft snow over the hard pack, pretty good snow, but slow. Dipped into the moguls with the new snow fall. Planning to go out again after I walk the dog tonight.

1/16/20 I was out in the evening, probably only did 12 runs and had to take a break in the middle to warm up my toes. Gteam had stubbys on Warners, 4 slalom courses setup on Olympic, and 1 on Crossroads. Even when they are done with the gates on Crossroads the snow becomes like scorched earth, no one dares to go over there. I should have taken a picture of the bottom of the moguls, by 7 o'clock it looks like a freeway of tracks that cut below the moguls and across the hill to the chalet. Extra traffic because of the terrain park on Redtail? Maybe cause people ski faster when there is only a sliver of space between the moguls and the slalom course on Crossroads? Maybe its all just a sign to work on my short turns on skis? Cause if you have good short turn you can do anything

They have a sign that says its a park now at the top of Redtail but it easily missed. The beer league folks really should go left then around on the mouse pass, (kinda sucks on a board but no big deal on skis) Then they don't have to go really fast at the bottom to get around the magic carpet where tons of people congregate to get back up the hill where the bar/banquet room is.

1/12/20 Boarding in the evening, the snow was slow but way better than Welch =( They extended the terrain park further up Redtail ridge

I'm in

I skied Sunday morning, Ski challenge had pretty much taken over milk run and crossroads, there was a lot of people there racing. The Sun was out on my way to the hill then disappeared. I'll be out Tuesday evening on the board, there might even be an MK appearance...

Skiing mash potatoes is fun, the board not so much. Patti and I have tomorrow off, now thinking about giving Spirit a try Tuesday.

Patti and I are thinking of coming up to Spirit tomorrow to ski, I'll keep checking the web cam to see if it starts to rain or not...