bigwavedave Posted December 19, 2014 Report Share Posted December 19, 2014 Sun did not appear today as advertised, so flat light and 95% firm groom and 5% un-see-able icy patches, or kryptonite, as Ken likes to call it. Still making snow. We need some new snow and it looks like we may get it early next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Flat light again today, though the patches of kryptonite were obvious and easy to avoid. Good groom; light (for Saturday morning) crowd. I'm really diggin the requirement that the patrol sweep all the runs prior to the opening! The hill opened at 10 today - I started riding at 9:30 and you can imagine how nice it was to hop back on the Express lift for another run while a line of anxious folks have to cool their heels...... I left about noon, but am planning to be back out tomorrow morning, though the forecast doesn't sound any better. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 A little bit of everything this morning - flat light early, then flat light and fog, then flat light, fog, and drizzle, then flat light, fog and snow. Looks like we're right on the border of snow and rain for next couple of days, so hoping for the best. Oh yeah, the groom was good (when you could see it). Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Ha, so, the light was flat? Have a nice Christmas. Hope to get up there after that. Keeping fingers crossed for some snow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 Saturday 12/27 Got up this morning with 4-5" fresh, powdery snow in my driveway, but still, I drove north beyond the new snow to Spirit Mt, only a dusting there, but glorious sunshine!!! I had to go though, to test my new stick... customized 175 REV with 11-12 scr 20.5 waist Good day to test this board, with a coarse frozen groom topped by fine, loose granular. Race course firm and very fast, you didn't have to carve to hard to get down to the hard stuff. Big smiles! Phenomenally smooth edge hold! Rode first chair til about 12:30 when it started to get difficult to get a clean run amongst the crowds. Ran into old man bumpy-ride, here for Christmas, riding the carving cow board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Jeez, had so much fun today, now I'm thinking about tomorrow. Any one planning on going out tomorrow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 (edited) I'm planning to be out for a couple of hours in the morning - the DSAC ski/board session starts tomorrow! Nice looking ride BTW. Russ Edited December 28, 2014 by rwmaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) Similar conditions to yesterday, an inch or so of sugar snow over hard frozen granular base. First several runs on the virgin cord were sweet, but the fine sugar snow was easily scraped off once the crowds arrived. Got to ride first runs with the boarder patroler. Check out the rocker on the nose of my new REV. Edited December 29, 2014 by bigwavedave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebionicman Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 Anybody riding tomorrow 12/30? I was thinking about heading up for the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 Erik; Just a 'heads up' - the DSAC ski/snowboard camp will be in progress, so you might find a bit more traffic than normal for the holiday break, though the cold may keep attendance thin. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 (edited) I was thinking about tomorrow (sunny, but very cold), and after talking to Russ, I'm leaning toward New Year's Day--warmer, no camps, hopefully people recovering from the night before will keep the crowds down for the first part of the day. I'll post again if I decide to come up tomorrow. Eric, I'm not coming up tomorrow. I've got a lot of stuff I should do, and temp's are supposed to be sub-zero. Planning on New Years Day. Edited December 29, 2014 by bigwavedave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebionicman Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Thanks gentlemen for the updates. There are camps at Buck as well. I'll probably just got out for a couple of hours till I am frozen. I'll try to get up later on this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Just checked the Spirit website - opening at noon on January 1st (I could've sworn that it was listed as 9am open the last time I looked). Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 (edited) Just checked the Spirit website - opening at noon on January 1st (I could've sworn that it was listed as 9am open the last time I looked). Russ Well, that's just not right!! I coulda sworn too! Heck, makes me want to swear now! Every other area is open reg hours--maybe it's a misprint? Might head down to Buck for a few turns instead--$22 early-bird ticket--for the AM only. Let me know if you hear different about Spirit hours. Edited December 31, 2014 by bigwavedave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 31, 2014 Report Share Posted December 31, 2014 (edited) I'm on the fence, still might come up to Spirit--forecast for snow showers overnight and before noon and clearing skies and sun after noon--I can see getting that first virgin run from the top before they open and still hop on the first chair up. On the other hand Buck likely has better snow, but the forecast is for 90% overcast (dreaded flat light). Either way likely to be crowded. Hutner is talking about significant snowfall north this weekend. Edited December 31, 2014 by bigwavedave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted January 2, 2015 Report Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) Everything worked out according to plan...1st tracks New Years Day under blue skies, 1" of fresh on top of groom. Snow was great for carving, they have been making snow and there are still piles of snow that need to be groomed in. Rode with Russ and his son for a good part of the afternoon. Saw another carver, but never caught up with him. Left at about 3:30 when it started getting busy. Great way to start the new year! Edited January 3, 2015 by bigwavedave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted January 3, 2015 Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 (edited) Looks like Duluth/Spirit is getting a bit of snow. Thinking tomorrow should be great carving conditions, despite having to brave brutally cold temps, the upside being it will keep the crowds away. Gonna watch the website to see that they don't decide to close down like last year. Spirit closed Sunday...posted on their website, guess I'll have to build a boat in the basement... Edited January 3, 2015 by bigwavedave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted January 4, 2015 Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 Saturday, January 3, 2015 Flat light, temperature in the mid 20s, light snow in the afternoon. Good groom, though the high traffic spots tended to get scraped off pretty quickly. Stayed on the Express side until it got busy, just before 11am. After responding to an accident and lunch, stayed on the B lift side (Cinder Snapper and Blue Ruin). By the time I headed back to the Express side, every lift was running! I'm guessing they'll be closed both tomorrow and Monday. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolson Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Will be a late start again for me this year......but close to getting out and looking forward to seeing everyone. Work, a bum knee, the flu, and building out a bedroom at my daughters house for next - soon to be arriving grandson have all kept me off the hill. I was one of the sorry fools that arrived for 9 AM first tracks on New Year's Day.....and found then found out about the noon opening .....wth.. ...anyway sounds like the faithful are hard at it and see you all soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted January 8, 2015 Report Share Posted January 8, 2015 Hope someone gets out in that new snow today! I'm planning on Saturday and getting there early to make first tracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted January 9, 2015 Report Share Posted January 9, 2015 I was out for a short session this morning - couple of inches of new, though hard carves found the still firm underlayer. Should improve with the next couple groomings. Heard a rumor that Jim might be out this weekend. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 (edited) 1st tracks at 8:45, and got a couple more runs in b/4 9--my new job description--official groom accessor--makin' sure everything's good to go for the general public. Rode til 1:30. Snow was good. 1.5" of groomed packed-powder over the icy base made for nice carving conditions. The Spirit snow report today called this, "surface groom". Later in the day some spots were scrapped off exposing the icy base. Started out below zero and was warming up when I left and the hill started to get busier. Traffic level was like a busy-ish weekday, in other words, lots of room to carve it up. Double Jaw was fun, as they left some of the snow-making piles for some groomed rollers. Spirit seems to be putting a lot of time and effort into park development to keep the "freestylers" entertained. I'm not sure if they're trying to attract their business or simply attempt to contain and segregate them in their own playground for the safety of others. Found the lost boys! Jim showed up for several runs and really carving low--new stiffer boots thanks to Russ!! Ken appeared after Jim left and did a few runs with me. Edited January 11, 2015 by bigwavedave 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 Sunday, January 11, 2015 Flat light and temperature in the single digits; the upside was the near-perfect firm groom. Both masters and juniors racing on the Gandy side so I stayed on the Express side; a couple of hard spots on Fourpipe but no where else. Thin crowd for a Sunday, so as Dave would say 'lots of room to carve it up'. Just as an aside regarding the masters racing - I think there ought to be a BMI and/or weight limit above which it would be considered poor taste to wear a speed suit. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 Just as an aside regarding the masters racing - I think there ought to be a BMI and/or weight limit above which it would be considered poor taste to wear a speed suit. Russ Glad I stayed away from that side of the hill yesterday! Coming up on Tuesday. Looks like it should be good, a bit chilly, but sunny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Bringin' DaMonstah with me tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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