bigwavedave Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 Wow!!! Another unreal day. Near zero degrees most of day with some up slope wind. All in all, it was a surreal day, one minute there would be bright sun, then a plume of lake-effect snow would come barreling in over the hills from Lake Superior to the north. Often there was sun & snow at the same time. Seems that the cold kept folks at home (it wasn't that cold), just a handful of people riding the chair at any one time. I started at Blackjack for some early morning powdery turns in 4-6 inches of fresh on the edges with plush groom down the middle. Had to battle it out with 5 other pow-crazed people to find fresh tracks Once tracked out, it was over to Indianhead about noon and...nobody there! 1-2 inches of un-tracked over beautiful groom... Got a case of the just-one-more run and ended up riding til 3:30 again, chilled to the bone. A magical day! Weather updraft on today's lake-effect with some cool satellite images: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/02/13/lake-superior-lakeeffect-snow-plumes-visible-from-space 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobble Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 coming up Friday evening... have boots to hand off to @rwmaron. what makes sense? Saturday > Spirit Sunday > Indianhead or vice versa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 3 hours ago, bobble said: coming up Friday evening... have boots to hand off to @rwmaron. what makes sense? Saturday > Spirit Sunday > Indianhead or vice versa? Yes, this: Saturday > Spirit Sunday > Indianhead Picking up the Indianhead passes this afternoon. Wonder if we'll see any local carvers? @Algunderfoot ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 Rode from 9-3. This is from the last run of the day. @bobble kept falling over on toeside turns coming into this steep section at the bottom....and then he sprung right back up!!! But seriously.... He makes a lay-down carve look smooth and effortless, and uses them sparingly as an occasional flourish when the impulse strikes to lay one down. There were holiday crowds, but not too bad. Never a long lift line and great snow! Hooked up with Al and Beth, and saw 1 or 2 other hardbooters. Set out from Duluth in the dark and arrived back in the dark. A long, but memorable day 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobble Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 Long day. I'm beat. Towards the end my front leg was too fatigued. Probably should've called it sooner. What's that German word for skiers that don't look, don't turn, and look like Wilford Brimley? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobble Posted February 17, 2020 Report Share Posted February 17, 2020 ohhh... i'm still feeling yesterday. I had two favorite runs at IH. unfortunately I can't remember names. run shown in photo below... just before the bottom rolls down to skiers left but then when you get down near the trees it rises up. not quite a half-pipe. It was fun as long as no one was behind me. heard a few hollers from the chair. the other was the one the far lift that had the steep pitch. first time I took it on Coiler Nirvana (12-14 scr) I blew out on ice. I went back with Donek Freecarve (9-11 scr) and had no problem with ice. wish I was recording video... stupid-stupid bobble. gah! now while I was two states away in Michigan, ms. bobble went to see Parasite at the Zeitgiest Zinema. when I came back to the hotel she told me I have to see it. she liked the movie but found it very disturbing. after the movie she walked over to Carmody's Irish Pub to calm down and then overheard other patrons talking about Parasite. all in all she had a good time. we got home around 11AM. could barely get out of the car. it warmed down here. thermometer read 36F. it was sunny. there was a haze over st. paul from the snow melting. it already feels like end of season. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted February 18, 2020 Report Share Posted February 18, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, bobble said: already feels like end of season. Hydrate and get back out there! End of season indeed. Edited February 18, 2020 by lonbordin Harden the f*ck up man! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algunderfoot Posted February 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2020 On 2/11/2020 at 8:17 PM, lonbordin said: Just how old are those lifts anyway? You'd think the land of iron ore would've upgraded those at some point. Well there are several factors that play into lift upgrades, one is the cost vs. profit margins, but as a Carver you want them unchanged, it gives you time to rest between runs, keeps the volume of meat gates on the hill at a reasonable level, and keeps the hill from being tracked out in an hour. Just look a Tie Hack Chair at Buttermilk, that area will never be the same...for the worse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted February 20, 2020 Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 Ahhh, back at IH again today! They've been making snow during this cold spell. A couple of big piles stashed at the top of the hill, for later. Wish Spirit Mt would do that, and cover some of that ice! A few more inches of lake-effect since Sunday. Snow is nice with a little better coverage on the steeps. Sundance had a firm, yet plush groom for 2-4" deep trenches Started out below zero and bright sun all day! Crossing into the Eastern time zone tomorrow to the Porcupine Mountains on the shore of Lake Superior. They're reporting 7" of lake-effect snow at the Porkies in the past 24 hrs, 16" in the past 7 days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted February 28, 2020 Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 Drove East into the snow globe again today, that would be da U.P. 3-4" of fresh over a soft, crunchy groom (it was warm the past week). The only ice is in the parking lot, not on the hill, as it should be! On & off lake-effect all day. Carving was great , like buttahcream frosting. Indianhead celebrates 60yrs tomorrow (Friday, Feb 28th) with $6 lift tickets and free groomer rides in the Prinoth. @khoward wanna go tomorrow? The snow is fantabulous. I plan to hit the road at 6am. Jane should come too. You guys would love it here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurch Posted February 28, 2020 Report Share Posted February 28, 2020 (edited) $6 tickets AND great snow - deal of this century. Should work out at a few cents per turn @bigwavedave - enjoy!! Edited February 28, 2020 by Lurch 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted February 29, 2020 Report Share Posted February 29, 2020 Everybody dressed up like hippies today, 60's music blasting, thought I was having a flashback. Rode from before the lift started til about 3, so 6 hours, got it down to a buck an hour @Lurch , I lost count of the runs. They even ran the old quad chair just for the fun of it. The place was busy, but not bad on the hill. Lot's of folks were in the bars at the top & bottom listening to live music. It was a happnin'. So, no lift lines, but did have to watch for traffic and occasionally wait for an opening. Rode with Al in the morning and then with a ski carver, Steve, who tried to match my tracks all afternoon. Conditions were excellent everywhere on the hill Making 1st tracks before anyone's on the hill.... Decided to stay in Ironwood and head over to the Porkies tomorrow, before the warm-up. Should be nice. They had some new snow the past few days. Oh, and I took a ride in the groomer at the end of the day. I start training next week 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurch Posted February 29, 2020 Report Share Posted February 29, 2020 (edited) Got to be close to a penny per turn plus a ride in a Prinroth. Life is good indeed @bigwavedave!! You will need to manage your time carefully if you are laying cord at Spirit in the evening and then slicing it into neat arcs a few hours later. Like a zen sand garden: BEFORE ENLIGHTENMENT GROOM SNOW, CARVE SNOW. AFTER ENLIGHTENMENT GROOM SNOW, CARVE SNOW. Edited February 29, 2020 by Lurch 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 6, 2020 Report Share Posted March 6, 2020 Thursday Snowing hard inda U.P. tonight--big wind off the lake! I've been layed low with the ebola flu since Tuesday morning, but I think I might be feeling better, or good enuff. We'll see in the morning. The weather forecast is starting to look like an early onset spring. Makes me feel a little panicky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 7, 2020 Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 Well, I felt good enuff to hit the road at 6am to arrive for first tracks at Indianhead. It was 6° when I left home and 26° by the time I got to the hill at 8:30. Ran into Al taking time from work to partake in what turned out to be one of the most exceptional days on snow this winter! 4-6" of new snow, mostly groomed in. 1st day groomalicious. Soft and slow at first, transitioned to softer and faster later. Surfy, carvy fun. One of those days where you find yourself looking for all the untracked groom. Trenches were getting deep. Temps were getting up near freezing when I left at 2:30. The sun made it feel warmer. Rode the 8rw's all day. Those first tracks.... Tomorrow---2nd day groom! Savoring these days as we stumble in to spring. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 7, 2020 Report Share Posted March 7, 2020 Oh boy! Super nice snow...again today! Rode with Al most of the day on the 8rw's. Later, Doobs? joined us for some turns riding a carbon & titanal F2. Beth was there too riding her SF. I rode my Gecko-plated 180 Coiler Rev later when the soft snow got all chewed up. I think we started out around 28° and got up to about 45°. The snow was just starting to get sticky when I left around 2. The forecast calls for temps to remain above freezing tonight. Great carving everywhere, except on one of my favorite runs, FIS, which was closed for races yesterday & today Had the most crowds I've seen here this year, but not bad. Never waited more than a couple of minutes to load. And still, plenty of room to carve on big boards, occasionally having to wait for traffic to pass. Another 1st track photo... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 13, 2020 Report Share Posted March 13, 2020 Indianhead offering $15 lift tickets M-W if purchased at least one day ahead. Maybe @Algunderfoot will file a condition report if he's up there this weekend. We all got a good dose of rain yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algunderfoot Posted March 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 We did get rain followed by 4-5" of heavier powder, Friday the wet snow and unfrozen based made for an uneven groom, but the texture was surprisingly good, the ungroomed pow is where I rode all day. Today was cold and very firm, but tomorrow should be solid with sun and warmer temps, more snow is in the forecast. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 14, 2020 Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 Nice! Thanks for the report. I was thinking about tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted March 14, 2020 Report Share Posted March 14, 2020 4 hours ago, bigwavedave said: . I was thinking about tomorrow. You should go... Everyone should go to a nearby resort if it is still open! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 21 minutes ago, lonbordin said: You should go... Everyone should go to a nearby resort if it is still open! Shhhh...no gatherings over 250 allowed, per order of the gov'na. We should be good. I've gone from the thinking stage to planning. Quiver in the car, alarm set, hit the road at 6am. If you hit the road now, you can be there too! Just don't touch your face! The Porkies closed for the season. Spirit remains open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 6 minutes ago, bigwavedave said: Shhhh...no gatherings over 250 allowed, per order of the gov'na. We should be good. I've gone from the thinking stage to planning. Quiver in the car, alarm set, hit the road at 6am. If you hit the road now, you can be there too! Just don't touch your face! The Porkies closed for the season. Spirit remains open. I'm in Bar Harbor, ME. The corporation I work for is in a pre we're going to have everyone WFH panic. I don't know if I'll get to make it out this weekend. If I do it will probably be Camden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 29 minutes ago, lonbordin said: I'm in Bar Harbor, ME. The corporation I work for is in a pre we're going to have everyone WFH panic. I don't know if I'll get to make it out this weekend. If I do it will probably be Camden. Nice! Post a pic of the view from the top. I did a bit of sailing on Penobscot Bay. The Camden hills were a prominent feature from the water. Always figured the view was nice from the other direction too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big mario Posted March 15, 2020 Report Share Posted March 15, 2020 42 minutes ago, lonbordin said: I'm in Bar Harbor, ME. The corporation I work for is in a pre we're going to have everyone WFH panic. I don't know if I'll get to make it out this weekend. If I do it will probably be Camden. Shouldn't that be Bahr Habah? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted March 16, 2020 Report Share Posted March 16, 2020 Rode from before the lift started at 9, til 3 when overwhelming fatigue set in. Nothing that a beer and wasabi tuna steak couldn't cure. Sun & blue sky all day. Temps started at 9° and warmed up to about 35° softening a firm morning groom. There were some crunchy spots left from last week's rain, but overall carving conditions were pretty good. Not crowded either. Rode with Al & Beth in the afternoon. Heard no talk of closing either ^Late morning tracks of the Superconductor on Leelinaw^ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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