west carven Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 howdy was talking about art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted March 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 Wednesday 3/16, Day 60: Back on Monday I thought there might be a good window for reasonable weather so I packed up around noon and started driving up the hill. Around halfway it started to snow and by the time I got to the resort it was snowing hard and blowing sideways. I turned around and went home. Time on snow: zero. That's the 2nd time this season that I never even got out of my car. Today the weather is modestly reasonable and there has been something like 8-10" of new since the weekend with only 1" overnight. It is kinda cloudy and pretty darn cold at around 20F. I'm on snow at 12:45 and just do easy cruises on Swifty runs since El Dorado is ungroomed. It is really nice to be on good cold snow again. Out at 2:40 when it clouded over and started to snow a tiny bit. Fri/Sat/Sun have nice weather in the forecast and temps should stay low enough to make for some good groom, I hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grayontray Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 Hey! Was first days on the snow. Sheesh "First days on the snow...?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted March 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Thursday 3/17, Day 61: Gym in the morning then hit the mountain sometime before 1 to try and catch a break in the weather. There was a little more new snow and temps are still cold, in the low 20sF. I ran into a couple of young guys from Sweden on Mr. K, one of them a relatively new hardbooter on a secondhhand Coiler. They have been driving around the US for the past 3.5 weeks living in a rented minivan. They started in Florida and so far have been riding in Colorado and Utah on the Max Pass. We spent the afternoon on Swifty and Moonlight runs then they crashed at my place. If they ever wake up we will go to the hill this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted March 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 (edited) Friday 3/18, Day 62: 1-2" of new and very cold. Temps at open are just above 0F and the Swedes and I wait until around 11 to go out. El Dorado is ungroomed for three straight days so we do practice runs on Deep South. The snow is as good as it has ever been. After lunch we do Swifty runs until close. Lots of racing going on today on both Tippys and Hangman's. Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure I saw a guy on a monoski wearing a cape. Who is the Caped Monoskier? Edited March 19, 2016 by ExcelsiorTheFathead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted March 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Saturday 3/19, Day 63: A flawless sunny blue sky with only a few CIA chemtrails. Temps are single-digit cold at open and El Dorado is groomed into a perfect white sheet of corduroy. The surface is firm, smooth and fast with excellent but not hero grip. There is a little bit of cord-top chatter when pushing out hard during a laid-out turn. Properly stacked turns bite in real good, leaving thin pencil lines. Masters racing and other events are going on so there are lots of skilled skiers zipping about. I saw one hard-carving softbooter guy. The Swedes headed for the tram at open. I left at 11. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted March 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Sunday 3/20, Day 64: What a day of misfortune. It is sunny again in the morning but warmer than yesterday with temps in the high 20s from open. I went up to El Dorado to find it groomed well but it was a tiny bit on the firm side. I went down Ambush early while it was mostly in shadow. While trying to make turns I went from light into dark and pretty much couldn't see. I got a little off into the rough then went so far into the back seat that I couldn't recover and had to bail out by sliding on my chest. Then on the top of Calamity Jane I was trying to whip turns as fast as possible when I got a little jostled and caught my heelside edge, resulting in my ass and shoulder slamming full force into the firm show. I decided to just ride easy Mr. K but a couple of runs later I got stuck on the Swift Current chair when it broke down and left us hanging for what seemed like over 20 minutes. The resort offered a free pass for another day to the ticketed people but seasons pass holders got zero compensation. And then after I got home I butchered a finger with a kitchen knife and had to go to the ER to get it glued back together. What else can happen? This day isn't nearly over yet. The Swedes drove out yesterday afternoon, headed for WA. They might hit Snoqualmie, Crystal Mtn, and Bachelor in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Sounds like a rough day Art. Had a couple of those. Anymore , any day I can return within a week is a good day!!!! Definitely makes you appreciate those days when nothing goes wrong!! Hang in there!! Bryan "he says with recently bloodied face scabs slowly healing" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grayontray Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 Sunday 3/20, Day 64: What a day of misfortune. It is sunny again in the morning but warmer than yesterday with temps in the high 20s from open. I went up to El Dorado to find it groomed well but it was a tiny bit on the firm side. I went down Ambush early while it was mostly in shadow. While trying to make turns I went from light into dark and pretty much couldn't see. I got a little off into the rough then went so far into the back seat that I couldn't recover and had to bail out by sliding on my chest. Then on the top of Calamity Jane I was trying to whip turns as fast as possible when I got a little jostled and caught my heelside edge, resulting in my ass and shoulder slamming full force into the firm show. I decided to just ride easy Mr. K but a couple of runs later I got stuck on the Swift Current chair when it broke down and left us hanging for what seemed like over 20 minutes. The resort offered a free pass for another day to the ticketed people but seasons pass holders got zero compensation. And then after I got home I butchered a finger with a kitchen knife and had to go to the ER to get it glued back together. What else can happen? This day isn't nearly over yet. The Swedes drove out yesterday afternoon, headed for WA. They might hit Snoqualmie, Crystal Mtn, and Bachelor in the near future. I hope you are recovering well from Sunday's misfortunes. Bummer:o( Hang in there. Glad to hear about the Swedes! Sounded like fun:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted March 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 Wednesday 3/23, Day 65: 10-14" of new snow in the last 24h. Most of it fell by late yesterday afternoon, then a few more inches overnight. There was a break in the weather this morning so I went up at 10 to find soft snow (duh) and cool temps in the low 20sF. I only did laps on Mr. K as I didn't feel up to slogging through soft snow on anything steeper. I just cruised and surfed over chalky soft yet slightly bumpy snow. Out around 11:30 as things start to cloud up again for even more new snow. My right shoulder has a little pain still and I'm trying to baby my cut finger which has steri-strips and medical glue holding it in place. It isn't a big deal and is healing nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpyride Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 Wednesday 3/23, Day 65: 10-14" of new snow in the last 24h. Most of it fell by late yesterday afternoon, then a few more inches overnight. There was a break in the weather this morning so I went up at 10 to find soft snow (duh) and cool temps in the low 20sF. I only did laps on Mr. K as I didn't feel up to slogging through soft snow on anything steeper. I just cruised and surfed over chalky soft yet slightly bumpy snow. Out around 11:30 as things start to cloud up again for even more new snow. My right shoulder has a little pain still and I'm trying to baby my cut finger which has steri-strips and medical glue holding it in place. It isn't a big deal and is healing nicely. Hey Art Hope that finger holds well. I personally use straight super-glue. 3 layers and it holds pretty darn well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted March 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2016 Easter Sunday 3/27, Day 66: 6" of new in the last 48 hours, but I'm pretty sure that there has been much more than that since the last time I rode. The last few days have been too snowy to ride. I'm on El Dorado around 10AM where the snow is excellent. The grooming feels like "first day" and is less than perfect but I stay on it for my typical 90 minutes. After a while it seemed a little Easter crowded and some clouds made the light really flat. Out at 11:30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted March 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 Wednesday 3/30, Day 67: 1-2" of new overnight with maybe a total of 10" since I rode on Sunday. Temps in the mid-20s with a mix of sun and clouds. El Dorado just before 10 AM has 1" of new over groom and is pretty nice but on the soft side. After a little while the top gets chopped up and starts to feel a little lumpy. I did a run down Ambush and a couple down Tippy's which also was a little soft but helped keep speed down. Good turns, out at 11:30. Forecasts are calling for a few inches of new snow tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted April 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Friday 4/1, Day 68: The resort says 6-8" of new in the last 24h. I think most of it fell during the day Thusday. I'm on snow at 9:45 with mostly cloudy weather and temps around 30F. El Dorado gets the Fernando Lamas award because it looked waaay better than it felt. It must not have been groomed yesterday. Today it has a perfect, pristine groomed appearance but feels wavy and lumpy underneath. Tippy's was good but had some crazy soft patches from windblown snow. I ended up looping Ambush around six times on near-hero groom. Out at 11:15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted April 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2016 Saturday 4/2, Day 69: Up at open to see if I can get a few good runs in before the weekenders show up. No, I can't. Temps got up well into the 40s yesterday afternoon and the resort is really firm. On El Dorado I chattered into a jacket-burning heelside slide. Ambush was a little better but the early morning light is bad and the grooming a little weird. I had to bail out when I started going too fast. Even Mr K. was too firm to be any fun so I left before 10. Things will be good later today, but I don't want to deal with Saturday people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
permeated Posted April 3, 2016 Report Share Posted April 3, 2016 Hey! So I'm the swede with the hardboots. Thank you so much Art for showing us around, taking us in, and feeding us. Surviving the cold nights in Big Sky would have been quite a bit more challenging in the car... Out of all the resorts we visited, Big Sky definitely had the best conditions, terrain, and vibe. Hope to be able to come back there sometime! Also, for me it was especially nice seeing one of those monoskwals in action! ;) Season is now over for us, we managed 20 days on the slopes in total. We finished with 5 very nice days at Mt Bachelor where I saw two other hardbooters from the chair, though unfortunately I didn't manage to catch up to them. Today we reached California and got our pumping longboards out. Looking forward to experiencing all the nice things we heard about the place..... I hope to meet more cool people from this great community in the seasons to come! /Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted April 3, 2016 Report Share Posted April 3, 2016 Dan, great to hear the feedback report! Glad you are having a good experience here in the US. By all means , use the "ride board" to let BOL members you are going to be in the area. Example, Mt Bachelor, chances are the HB riders you saw may have been members and would have enjoyed showing you around. Safe Travels!! Bryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted April 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2016 Bon Voyage! It was my pleasure to help out with your exploration of the US. Sunday 4/3, Day 70: Pretty warm overnight, probably at or just above freezing. Today is mostly sunny and warming quickly. I went to the gym then got on snow at 11:35. The parking lot was really empty for a Sunday. I think that the Bozeman people must be done with skiing now. I first went to El Dorado but it wasn't groomed and was already getting too soft. On the front side Ambush was too firm. My first run down Mr K. was fine, but on the second lap it was like somebody flipped the switch on the vacuum and the Coefficient of Suck rose dramatically. Calamity Jane had less Suck. On my last run just before 1 PM I gave Tippy's a try and it was starting to hold an edge well. Not bad. Quite a variety of conditions seen in just a short time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted April 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 (edited) Monday 4/4, Day 71: Another night just around freezing. I get on El Dorado around 9:45 and find it well groomed and just a little firm as it bakes in full sunshine. I headed over to the warming hut and wasted time on my phone for a while to let the hill cook a bit longer. After I came out again it was perfect and I made several passes with hardbooter Fred from Helena. After 4 or 5 runs the top of El Dorado was falling apart quickly on the way to mushification. I went down Ambush around 11:55 and it was pretty firm, just on the edge of being able to hold an edge. The skies clouded up very quickly as precip is in the forecast. I hope it is snow. Sky card holders get a discount from 4/4 to 4/10, then free access from 4/11 to closing on 4/17. Very few people were at the resort today, but I'll bet that things get crowded again from the 11th. As I was walking out of the base area I saw a girl (!) with what looked to be a Prior 4WD. Where has she been all season? Out at 12. Edited April 4, 2016 by ExcelsiorTheFathead 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted April 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2016 Wednesday 4/6, Day 72: Back on Monday afternoon it rained at the base area but snowed up higher. In the evening it was all snow and it snowed well into Tuesday, leaving 4-6" of new. Overnight temps were at or below freezing. I'm on snow at 9:30 to find El Dorado was groomed on the 2nd shift. Even more rare, the always-groomed Mr. K is NOT groomed today. Weird. El Dorado is good but a little on the firm side. I waited a half-hour to let it soften a bit but it was cloudy and it didn't change much. After 6 runs or so I went down Ambush which was too firm, then rode Calamity Jane. To my surprise CJ was chalky soft and very pleasant. By the time I left at 12 it was warm enough at the base for some Suck to begin, even though the whole morning seemed cold because of high winds. The weather is clearing and there should be some serious thaw-freeze in store for tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted April 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2016 Thursday 4/7, Day 73: On snow at 9:30, sunny with just a few high clouds. El Dorado was a little firm at first, so I just lay in the sun down at the bottom of SoCo for 20 minutes or so. When I got on the lift again the liftie was concerned that I might be unwell, but I explained that I was just waiting for the run to soften a little. The grooming is excellent and the snow was nice and grippy for about an hour before it started to mush out. At one point there were 4 hardbooters on El Dorado: Me, Bumpy, a guy from Michigan and a local who has been under the radar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Ace* Posted April 8, 2016 Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 20160404A.jpg Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcelsiorTheFathead Posted April 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2016 Friday 4/8, Day 74: Warm and sunny again. Mountain temps stayed just above freezing overnight. El Dorado was good from around 10 to 11 before it mushed out. I did a few runs with Helena Brian who rides a new Donek Phoenix with TD3s. I'm pretty sure that he is the "brown jacket guy" that I saw early in the season. Bumpy was out there as well. After 11 I went down Ambush but it was still pretty firm. Somebody crashed hard in the NASTAR course and was being packed up into a toboggan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pusbag Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 Will be making a appearance for closing weekend. Will be on my prior 4x4 with catek os2 bindings. Let's lay some trenches Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpyride Posted April 9, 2016 Report Share Posted April 9, 2016 We moved around all day. First couple of runs down the South side groomers, until it became the autobahn and I feared for my safety. Then popped over and did several runs through the glades which were in excellent shape till 11:30. Went down hangmans to go to lunch on groomed ice. Headed up the triple hit the bowl which was soft, submarined into a soft spot which was entertaining for the chairs, I'm sure. Did a bunch of runs down upper morningside which was excellent. Went up and sat at Everet's with a bunch of Canadians and our lovely neighbor in the sun. Was a good time and the Canadians asked what the F was going on in our Elections. They said they'd let me in if Trump or Cruz (who they disowned) got elected. The last run of the day was at 4:15 or so and was absolutely the best run of the day. Skiers right bumps were the best high speed squish that you could hope to find. The whole run was pretty fabulous. Hope to repeat the day tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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