rwmaron Posted December 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2019 Thursday is my patrol day so I’ll be there! Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 11, 2019 Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 Spirit has been blowing snow day & night since temps dropped on Monday! With sub zero temps, clouds of snow have enveloped the hill and it appears as if on fire with snow smoke rising hundreds of feet in the air and drifting off in the wind!A spectacular sight in last night's moonlight. With mother nature contributing a few more inches tonight, it should be fun when they reopen tomorrow. ....Paging @khoward.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 12, 2019 Report Share Posted December 12, 2019 Sublime! If I didn't know better, I would think I'm in the land of milk riding with @softbootsurfer The recipe: 5-6" fluffy light snow over groom + hazy sunlight through gently falling snowflakes + no crowds/no lift lines + a carving buddy @rwmaron to do some syncro-carving and share the stoke. This pic is of my first run before the lift started. I forgot my camera (that's also a phone), but then saw a nordic skier stop to take a photo of my tracks (so I knew it they were special). I caught up to her and she kindly sent me the pic. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 14, 2019 Report Share Posted December 14, 2019 It just keeps snowing! Didn't ride much today...triskaidekaphobia infected Spirit... Express lift problems, so hike to Summit Chair which stops & goes. Nordic races on ski trails at base, so only 2 trails were usable from C chair. Flat light and now too much traffic for only two trails---not fun for carving. Went out again at night. Haven't done much night riding since I was first learning to carve. Forgot how trippy it is, especially while snowing and especially if the hill is quiet, but being a Friday night it was far from quiet. And it's still snowing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted December 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2019 10 hours ago, bigwavedave said: triskaidekaphobia Well actually Paraskevidekatriaphobia or Friggatriskaidekaphobia too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 14, 2019 Report Share Posted December 14, 2019 On 12/14/2019 at 9:28 AM, rwmaron said: Well actually Paraskevidekatriaphobia or Friggatriskaidekaphobia too! Well, that explains it!...and you would know...(if you ride with Russ, you can not ride chair #13) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 15, 2019 Report Share Posted December 15, 2019 Went out again last night trying a different set-up with the Geckos on my 175 Rev. Never felt comfortable, not sure if it was the crazy night riders or me. Out for 1st tracks this morning on firm & cold (-10°F) cord under a hazy sun. Rode the Super & XC. Not very crowded, so lots of fun. Later tried the Geckos again with the soft bumpers on the REV--better As trippy as night riding is, I think I'm a morning person--but I'm not giving up on the night riding yet. I think if it's not busy it will be nice, especially with the Gecko shock absorbers to smooth out the late day crud. Finally spotted Ken and took a run with him before he left. Turns out we've been just missing each other on the hill a few times so far this season. He'll be back out Tuesday. Snow making at -10°F from my back window this morning....Looks like smoke...or snow-nadoes? A few minutes later, on my way to the hill, warm clouds aloft moved in... By the time I got to the top of the hill the warm air had forced the snow clouds down, creating a thick fog for about a ½ hour. The surface of Lake Superior was blanketed with thick lake-effect snow clouds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted December 16, 2019 Report Share Posted December 16, 2019 2 hours ago, bigwavedave said: not sure if it was the crazy night riders or me. I've ridden a lot at night... Like a crazy amount. Spirit could use more lights. That said night is always different... A large portion is a change from visual to physical feedback. I tend to lap the same couple of runs really internalizing all of the subtlies of the surface. In addition I find reducing velocity to be really important as you can easily overdrive the headlights. Those nights when it's just you and the mountain personnel can be magic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 16, 2019 Report Share Posted December 16, 2019 1 hour ago, lonbordin said: I've ridden a lot at night... Like a crazy amount. Spirit could use more lights. That said night is always different... A large portion is a change from visual to physical feedback. I tend to lap the same couple of runs really internalizing all of the subtlies of the surface. In addition I find reducing velocity to be really important as you can easily overdrive the headlights. Those nights when it's just you and the mountain personnel can be magic. I did a lot of night riding years ago. After work, zip out to the hill and try to perfect that carve. The beginning of my carving addiction. I'm remembering how trippy riding at night can be. It's a very different sensation. And then, I've also been having flashbacks of all the night skiing I did at Pine Top in the 60's. At Spirit , I keep getting startled by the giant shadows zipping up & down the hill, cast by chairs moving in the light's path. Using the Geckos makes that late day chop disappear, but I ended up doing larger radius turns and going very fast because I couldn't flex the board as easily. It was smooth, but a little scary when I realized how fast i was going when I tried to stop. I tried all soft bumpers today and I think that helped improve the flex and get tighter turns. Still some experimenting to do with the Geckos. Sym/asym; centered under bindings or shift out towards nose & tail or in towards the middle... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 A gaggle of carvers today! Ken, me, Martha, Russ... Makes a mess of the slope in short order... *oh, and Jane was there too...with her new Coiler BXFR! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurch Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 One of the gaggle is not like the other 3 Dave! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 Ha! You noticed, I'm the normal one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted December 18, 2019 Report Share Posted December 18, 2019 6 hours ago, Lurch said: One of the gaggle is not like the other 3 Dave! You're right @Lurch a carving Patroller is different indeed! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwmaron Posted December 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2019 Good times today - I’ll be back for more on Thursday morning! Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 19, 2019 Report Share Posted December 19, 2019 Russ & I on the hill for first chair. Light was flat for the first hour or so, gradually becoming sunny. Rode with a couple of other carvers, Leighton (who I met last year) riding a new OES extreme carver, and Abby making some nice carves on a Donek BX and softies. Snow was Minnesota firm ( 1' deep trenches) with some softer areas, and some harder, plus an uneven groom...yeah, I'm kinda picky Played around with the Gecko set-up some more later in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobble Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 @bigwavedave the weather down here is terrible. there's rain/ice. between Faribault and Lakeville there are 6 jackknifed semis. we're debating whether to head up to Duluth but leaning towards staying home. if we head up it might be later today. It would be nice to get out of the house. this weather... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 4 hours ago, bobble said: @bigwavedave the weather down here is terrible. there's rain/ice. between Faribault and Lakeville there are 6 jackknifed semis. we're debating whether to head up to Duluth but leaning towards staying home. if we head up it might be later today. It would be nice to get out of the house. this weather... I haven't been on the hill for a few days. Snow outside my house is crusty hard from freezing rain and warm temps last week, but there's still a lot on the ground. The storm hasn't reached here yet, but it should be all snow today. Then mixed precip is forecast turning to all rain tomorrow, but they're predicting snow accumulation of 2-4" Sat-Sun, 2-5" Mon-Tues. Lake shore flooding with big NE winds tonight and tomorrow! I suspect the roads might be better tomorrow when it gets above freezing. Let me know if you decide to come up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobble Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 2 hours ago, bigwavedave said: Let me know if you decide to come up. decided to stay put for reasons... https://www.facebook.com/moiraanne/videos/10157313815734079/ our driveway and street were glazed this morning. right now its raining and buck is closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 39 minutes ago, bobble said: decided to stay put for reasons... https://www.facebook.com/moiraanne/videos/10157313815734079/ our driveway and street were glazed this morning. right now its raining and buck is closed. Wise choice. Snowing heavy here now. Travel to Duluth today through the transition from rain to snow would not be fun. Spirit looks packed on the webcam today. I might go out tonight when the lights come on, if the crowds dissipate. Spirit is open everyday through 1/5, 9-8:30. Rain tomorrow (wouldn't be surprised if Spirit closes, but the lake should be whipped up by high winds), turns to snow on Monday. Mon afternoon might be be ok, but Tuesday has the potential to be great and beyond as temps drop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonPablo Posted December 29, 2019 Report Share Posted December 29, 2019 Patti and I are thinking of coming up to Spirit tomorrow to ski, I'll keep checking the web cam to see if it starts to rain or not... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 29, 2019 Report Share Posted December 29, 2019 1 hour ago, DonPablo said: Patti and I are thinking of coming up to Spirit tomorrow to ski, I'll keep checking the web cam to see if it starts to rain or not... We got about 2+" of wet snow so far. Just came back from the hill--closed early due to weather. Lumpy mashed taters--not much fun. East wind is 20mph (up the hill) and is supposed to be gusting 45 by tomorrow, and of course raining. I won't be surprised if they call it for tomorrow, so check the "mountain message" too. Forecast calls for 6-7" new snow Mon-Tues. New Years day is supposed to be sunny and cooler, with the new snow, should be nice. Planning to make 1st tracks. Of course, Buck should be getting new snow also on M & T. Here's a good storm forecast summery... https://www.weather.gov/dlh/weatherstory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 29, 2019 Report Share Posted December 29, 2019 Hard rain, big wind most of the night. Snow north at GR and Lutsen... ...more snow is coming. Crazy big storm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonPablo Posted December 30, 2019 Report Share Posted December 30, 2019 Skiing mash potatoes is fun, the board not so much. Patti and I have tomorrow off, now thinking about giving Spirit a try Tuesday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 30, 2019 Report Share Posted December 30, 2019 8 hours ago, DonPablo said: Skiing mash potatoes is fun, the board not so much. Patti and I have tomorrow off, now thinking about giving Spirit a try Tuesday. So far, only a dusting of snow today After all the rain it was frozen cord and flat light today. Don't tell me that's fun on skis too It's starting to snow now, so hopefully we'll get the forecasted 2-5" tonight to soften things up. On the bright side, it will be sunny tomorrow, but expect holiday crowds BigSnow UP seems to be getting some lake enhanced snowfall. https://www.weather.gov/mqt/weatherstory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigwavedave Posted December 31, 2019 Report Share Posted December 31, 2019 Only ½-1" overnight, at best, with a big wind, so just dust on crust this morning. 2 runs and done for me, despite a nice sunny day. We now have a couple of feet of ice base, just need several inches of actual snow to make things right. Might be over to the U.P. for me after the holidays. 14" reported in Ironwood since yesterday. @Algunderfoot are you out there? Even Giants Ridge might be better--less rain, more snow from recent storm. @rwmaron ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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