carvedog Posted January 29, 2018 Report Share Posted January 29, 2018 So today was another one....3 day groom, that is. People go all gaga over powder and I hit it hard the last couple of days and had a ball too. But today was three day groom day. That is the special time when the groomers have had a couple of nights worth of tilling the freshly fallen goodness. Now that we have a decent base of snow the third day carving has been excellent and today was no exception. Superb, chalky, groomery, beautiful, smooth goodness everywhere. And the bonus is that it was too warm to blow snow, hovering at about 30F, so no piles of man made messing anything up. Most people don't understand how exciting this is. And it was a Monday meaning not a lot of people. Well anyway, I had a really, really good morning and I know I made some skiers mad because of the trench depth. FYI this is in Sun Valley and it is just about as good as it gets. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Brammer aka PSR Posted January 29, 2018 Report Share Posted January 29, 2018 24 minutes ago, carvedog said: FYI this is in Sun Valley and it is just about as good as it gets. My Only two issues with S.V., is their 'no woods' policy, and the total Lack of Oxygen at the Summit!! I would've thought they'd have Oxy tanks there for Low-landers! But, Nooo.. Marble Bathroom stalls, but no Extra Air!? What gives? ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-nut Posted January 29, 2018 Report Share Posted January 29, 2018 I know what you mean. People think i'm crazy when I say I can't wait for the next groomer day. So much so that I keep those opinions to myself. Love it when all the powder hounds stay home and I get to rip up uncrowded untracked corduroy! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted January 29, 2018 Report Share Posted January 29, 2018 Kram told me an hour ago he's looking to a good groomer day tomorrow after sooooo much fresh the last week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted January 29, 2018 Report Share Posted January 29, 2018 33 minutes ago, Eric Brammer aka PSR said: My Only two issues with S.V., is their 'no woods' policy, and the total Lack of Oxygen at the Summit!! I would've thought they'd have Oxy tanks there for Low-landers! But, Nooo.. Marble Bathroom stalls, but no Extra Air!? What gives? ;-) You'll have to suggest a new product to the people who make Camelbaks, so you can carry your own oxygen! ;-) ;-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 30, 2018 Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 Amen brother! Saturday was the day after 2-4" of fresh pow that was groomed in. Soft snow,easy to carve in, but couldn't hold much G-force before letting go and turning into a speed-scrubbing wide trench. Sunday, the groom gods aligned. I'm guessing the fresh mixed with the man-made below. Firm, but held any edge angle you gave it. Oh man, so awesome! Some people complained that it was too hard; I smiled ear-to-ear all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger jr Posted January 30, 2018 Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRAZZ Posted January 30, 2018 Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 I actually took a day off to ride groomers... My friends are unsure about my mental state. (granted, that has always been iffy) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted January 30, 2018 Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 I rode up the chair at the Buck Hill NorAm races last year with a guy from Steamboat (where they had been having epic powder days) and asked him if he was in heaven riding all that powder. He said, rather unenthusiastically, "Yea, it's fun, but It gets boring, it's too easy. There's nothing like getting big G's carving hard!". Kinda surprised me to hear that, of course he was a racer, but still...so maybe I do live in heaven where we ride on extra firm groomers 90% of the time! I always thought I was just making the best of what we had. Our powder days are when the snow is soft enough to make 3-4" trenches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger jr Posted January 31, 2018 Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 (edited) 8 hours ago, bigwavedave said: I rode up the chair at the Buck Hill NorAm races last year with a guy from Steamboat (where they had been having epic powder days) and asked him if he was in heaven riding all that powder. He said, rather unenthusiastically, "Yea, it's fun, but It gets boring, it's too easy. There's nothing like getting big G's carving hard!". Kinda surprised me to hear that, of course he was a racer, but still...so maybe I do live in heaven where we ride on extra firm groomers 90% of the time! I always thought I was just making the best of what we had. Our powder days are when the snow is soft enough to make 3-4" trenches. Sorry to bust your bubble Dave:) There will always be something ephemeral about an great powder day. Usually the problem around here is POWDER PANIC. ( If you haven’t seen it watch Hitler wants to ski pow at Vail) In the SLC area there are close to 2 million people in the valley now. It’s seems like on a big powder day 1.7 million don’t have a job,so powder days are becoming ummm infiltrated with an aggro attitude. There are a few ways around this, the best being up the canyon and they close the road, or another favorite there’s 6” to 8” of dense snow or grauple and the report says 3”. Please sir give me another! The awesome thing for us is that on a great groomer day there is usually no pressure for the goods and there are sensations to be had that a powder day does not give you( G force, leaving the surface of the snow between turns, riding a smooth layer of hydro velvet until your legs give out. People telling you ,” you are riding a mono board”. So Dave, I see all these pictures you post and it looks like you don’t have it so bad. Great grooming, snow soft enough to get an edge in. Small hills made fun by our ability to carve these snowboard machines. I think as a group we’re pretty damn lucky to be part of this scene. Maybe your bubble isn’t busted after all. (Just don’t refer to powder as boring:) Be safe out there Edited January 31, 2018 by digger jr 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRAZZ Posted January 31, 2018 Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 Ya beat me to it. Pow days here get tracked out within less than an hour. Considering the driving conditions, the crowds, and general rarity of true pow days you can see why having a fun activity for groomer days is appealing. The challenge associated with it, double plus good. Now, blasting through the trees in Steamboat on a true blower pow day is, and will always be one of the best. I guess it's the 21 year single malt to the favourite microbrew at the pub. Different kind of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger jr Posted February 1, 2018 Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 Riding an alpine board has given me a new appreciation of resort riding. Sometimes well groomed snow is just magic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Brammer aka PSR Posted February 1, 2018 Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 I live in the N. New-England area. Pow is fairly rare, but, we Do get Dumps. It's funny, 'cause often, the best Woods will stay un-tracked, as many are fearful of what lurks under that thin veneer of fluff. So, you end up with these old, beat-up, but rugged boards being used the explore the 'day after' snow..But, you still need to have some 'edge' in getting back outa the woods.. Bring Gummi Stones, pay no more than $50 for that board, and Go Ride It! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvedog Posted February 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2018 On 1/29/2018 at 3:55 PM, Eric Brammer aka PSR said: My Only two issues with S.V., is their 'no woods' policy, and the total Lack of Oxygen at the Summit!! I would've thought they'd have Oxy tanks there for Low-landers! But, Nooo.. Marble Bathroom stalls, but no Extra Air!? What gives? ;-) Of course we have supplemental O2, but you have to know someone in the patrol shack to get the supplemental hangover cure. Not sure I get the 'no woods' reference... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Brammer aka PSR Posted February 2, 2018 Report Share Posted February 2, 2018 The Last Time I rode SV., I was Told Not to go into their woods, too dangerous. (By Ski Patrol) I almost balked, as the spacing was far easier to zip through than what I'm used to (chasing Snow-shoe Hares into burrows), but I deferred. I still Poached some, though, because... It's There, You Gotta GO! But, then again, I rode in Arnie's Back Yard (literally!) by hiking from my host's house on snowshoe. He's on a dead-end road, North of town, and my host was situated at The End of that road. I'd hike up (in Nat. park land), and ride a bit South, come out across from the 'Terminator Compound', and walk about two blocks away from the armed Guards, back to Sanity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvedog Posted February 2, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2018 Wow.....that is....just...... I have spent years of my life in the woods here. Almost every powder day afternoon. During years like last year it becomes just incredible. Everywhere the woods are filled with lines, not just a couple of tight ones. There are some black holes and some very dense and tight trees with deadfall in places but it is really amazing. And there is a LOT in play in bounds. If you start going out the gates then it just compounds the goodness. Going OB does add a bit of hazard. You should come play again. Love to be your guide. And Arnie is all right. At least he skis and cares about the environment. I have never seen him with anyone but himself around town. As in no bodyguards or anything. We do have some high rollers come thru with security but Arnie doesn't seem to be one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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