rwmaron Posted February 19, 2014 Report Share Posted February 19, 2014 Evidence of our day at Big Sky on Monday, February 17 - from left to right Fischer (bumpyride), Dave Nyquist, and yours truly: Big props to Fischer for show us around his locale! Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted February 20, 2014 Report Share Posted February 20, 2014 Looks like Russ might need a shovel to get back into Duluth. I'm thinking of coming up again on Sunday after this blows by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted February 21, 2014 Report Share Posted February 21, 2014 (edited) Montana Update: Sunday, February 16 - after a 15 hour drive split over two days, started off the week at Moonlight Basin. Started to snow just after the opening and we had 8" within 2 hours; spent the day finding our way around this classic big mountain setting. After all the time we spend on 600 vertical feet of 'Minnesota firm', this takes some getting used to. Monday, February 17 - Spent the day under Fischer's wing exploring Big Sky; bright sun, plenty of groom and some sweet 'pockets of pleasure' as Fischer would say. There's lots of terrain that we never got to. Tuesday, February 18 - Bridger Bowl on the menu today; good light and fresh groom made for an excellent day on Dave's slalom board. Wednesday, February 19 - At the Bowl again, this time with 6" of fresh, so spent the day exploring some steeper terrain. BB is big enough that we could find untracked powder right up to the close. Thursday, February 20 - Last day for Bridger Bowl, this time around with 10" of fresh. Spent the morning on the steeper terrain, then pulled out the slalom board for a couple of hours of carving on the groomed side. Can a day on the slopes be better than this? We're meeting Fischer for another day a Big Sky tomorrow. I've already gotten the OK from my spouse to come back out here next year. Russ Edited February 21, 2014 by rwmaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Back to Big Sky for our final day - upper lifts on wind hold throughout the day so we stayed down low. We're a bit 'skied out', but Fischer and Deb graciously spent the day showing us some terrain that we hadn't seen yet. We lingered over lunch and because of that dodged a lift failure. Fischer's color selections made him easy to spot in the base area scrum! Russ Edited February 24, 2014 by rwmaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Sunday, February 23 Back in Minnesota and back to this winter's typical Spirit weather - bright sun but below zero at the start with a brisk northwest wind. Today's posse: Bigwavedave, Jolson, khoward and I. I managed to find a soft spot will riding Dave's slalom board and spend some time on the ground but no harm done. The occasional soft spot was the only distraction from an otherwise ideal day. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Some of the nicest snow ever! Especially the early morning groom, somewhere between "Colorado soft" and "Minnesota firm",with a palpable plushness and the soft flutter sound of the board cutting across the corduroy. Rode from 9-3:30 with one coffee break. Never waited more than a minute for a lift and almost always managed to pick a run without traffic for edge to edge carving. We've now got Russ doing the board changing game on his new skinny sticks. And what dedication, after driving 17 hours back from Montana yesterday, he came out to "patrol". It was great riding with everyone today! Think we rode every run but Gandy, which looked wind scoured. Sky Hooker was particularly nice today. At least I've got the right kind of board in the photo above. Edited February 24, 2014 by bigwavedave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted February 28, 2014 Report Share Posted February 28, 2014 From today's Duluth News Tribune: 2013-14 is Duluth’s second-coldest winter on record "Pat yourself on the back, Duluthians, but don’t take your gloves off: You just lived through the second-coldest winter on record. The average daily temperature from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28 will be about 3.85 degrees at the end of today, warmer only than 3.7 degrees set in 1874-75. That makes this winter colder than those epic winters we hear about from the ’50s and ’70s; colder than the arctic winter of 1996. Colder than anything our grandparents lived through and complained about. Colder than (fill in appropriate joke here.) Surprisingly, not one single daily cold record was set in Duluth during the three-month meteorological winter. Neither were any of the three months individually near the top coldest. But the consistency of the cold was unsurpassed." So the upside is: - we weren't just imagining that it's been cold; - it keeps the crowds thin; - do you remember the last time you waited for the Express Lift? Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 1, 2014 Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 So who's coming out tomorrow to celebrate surviving the coldest winter? Anyone? It's supposed to get all the way up to -2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted March 1, 2014 Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 I'm in, for a couple of hours. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khoward Posted March 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 Got out for 3 hours this afternoon. Good groom and not much traffic, but flat light was tricky. I'm planning for tomorrow, but probably not first chair. Gonna wait till it warms up to single digits below zero. We've certainly adapted to cold weather riding. I can't remember the last time I rode with any exposed flesh. The low for Sunday is forecast at -26F. That's pretty silly for March Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 1, 2014 Report Share Posted March 1, 2014 (edited) Well, at least the sun should be warm, right? Edited March 2, 2014 by bigwavedave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 Had the pleasure of riding all morning with the boarder patrol, Russ. We had the express chair to ourselves for the fist half hour or so until a skier showed up, we didn't let that cramp our style. A beautiful morning. The groom has firmed up, Minnesota style. Bright sun and blue skies with a light breeze and temps near zero again kept the crowds down. Several layers and face mask are the standard uniform this year, but worth the price for having the runs pretty much to ourselves. Ken and Jane showed up right after Russ left. Took several runs with Ken and then quit for lunch around 2. Still thinking about coming out tomorrow. We'll see if it gets as cold as they forecast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khoward Posted March 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 Excellent sunny day, no crowds and firm groom. Planning to be out around noon when it warms up to single digits below zero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 I'm with Ken on this one......current wind chill at the airport is -45F. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted March 2, 2014 Report Share Posted March 2, 2014 Waited until shortly after noon - by then the air temperature had climbed to just above zero, though the wind never let up. Got all the way to 7F by the time I left a little after 4. But the light was good, the groom firm, the crowd sparse, and best of all, I had these two to ride with: Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khoward Posted March 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Another perfect day in paradise with great friends. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Woke up early this morning, looked at the temp and crawled back into bed. Played in the back yard this afternoon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khoward Posted March 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Laying down some nice tracks. Planning an afternoon session today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 For your consideration...... I'm thinking it's time to see some new terrain - Indianhead (in the U.P.) to be exact. We can be there in 2 hours; their website lists 24" of new snow in the last 7 days; lift tickets are $54. Housing provided the night before to any familiar long distance travelers. Would Tuesday, March 11th work for folks? Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khoward Posted March 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Count me in :) We'll see if Jane can escape, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Was thinking the same thing while conditions are still great, so count me in too! I'll come up Monday evening, maybe get a few runs in at Spirit as well, so book my room please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Coming up tomorrow, looks like a nice day, sun is forecast with above zero temps!...and a little fresh snow tonight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 About 2" of light, dry snow over the course of the evening, so tomorrow should be good....perhaps the currently unemployed local rider will be able to join you? Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khoward Posted March 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 Thinking about first chair tomorrow. I was at the State of the City Address at the Grand Ave Chalet this evening and it looked like Russ coming down the hill. This afternoon had okay groom, but very flat light and a large school group mostly in the snowplow position. Fortunately, they hadn't progressed to straight-lining the hill before leaving. Tomorrow should be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpyride Posted March 4, 2014 Report Share Posted March 4, 2014 Status Report Big Sky: Excellent to Carvelous. Need to seem some Duluthians out here to enjoy. 17 out of the last 20 Days, overnight snow-average about 4". One day with -degrees, and that was only in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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