USA 2015 - 2016 Trip Plans/Thoughts/Reviews

[rime noreason]

Andy is the best.
I am almost looking forward to visiting him again as I will need an adjustment to my new boots since the shape of my leg has changed with ruptured Achilles.

ed: Your pics of Tahoe are killing me after last year schmozzle

Hope all goes well with your Achilles injury!

I was very lucky skiing here the same time last year. For me it wasn’t bad at all with quite a few days of fresh falls between 8 – 12 inches. For me, Tahoe had better and more snow than Colorado then.

Tahoe had a lot more snow this year, both base and fresh falls. Certain trees I remember being a couple of metres above the snow last year, were either totally buried or just the tips out this year. It was much better off piste through trees this year. I’m hoping to be back again next year around the same time if all goes to plan.

Sorry @TOFF , in that case you might want to look away ……..

 

[sbm]

In hindsight, I reckon the first couple of weeks of March has to be the best time to go skiing in the US (and maybe in North America?). The crowds and casual skiers start disappearing, the base is at its deepest, the days are slightly longer and less likely to be brutally cold, and in addition the locals have strong beliefs that the late season seems to have the biggest storms! I heard that the data shows March is often the wettest month in Colorado and California, and in Utah, if not the biggest month, it seems like it barely slows down.

 

[gortonator]

Pics from Easter weekend at Crystal Mountain at:

https://gortonator.wordpress.com/2016/04/04/spring-saturday-winter-sunday-at-crystal-mountain/

They passed the 500 inches for the season that weekend. El Nino always delivers moisture, and thsi year luckily it was just cold enough to snow at the base of the Cascades mountains. There's going to be some very fine Spring skiing

 

[CarveMan]

In hindsight, I reckon the first couple of weeks of March has to be the best time to go skiing in the US (and maybe in North America?). The crowds and casual skiers start disappearing, the base is at its deepest, the days are slightly longer and less likely to be brutally cold, and in addition the locals have strong beliefs that the late season seems to have the biggest storms! I heard that the data shows March is often the wettest month in Colorado and California, and in Utah, if not the biggest month, it seems like it barely slows down.

TBH I like the period between Australia Day and President's Weekend - ie: first 3 weeks of Feb.

But as I proved this year, March works well, it can snow a lot, and yes it's technically the snowiest month, but you have to be cool with it baking between storms.

And some years it skips spring and goes straight to summer.

 

[gortonator]

TBH I like the period between Australia Day and President's Weekend - ie: first 3 weeks of Feb.

But as I proved this year, March works well, it can snow a lot, and yes it's technically the snowiest month, but you have to be cool with it baking between storms.

And some years it skips spring and goes straight to summer.

Yep - both periods are good. I'd lean earlier too but destination resorts will probably be busier during that time. But if you head north in March, baking between storms is less of a problem

 

[sbm]

Pics from Easter weekend at Crystal Mountain at:

https://gortonator.wordpress.com/2016/04/04/spring-saturday-winter-sunday-at-crystal-mountain/

They passed the 500 inches for the season that weekend. El Nino always delivers moisture, and thsi year luckily it was just cold enough to snow at the base of the Cascades mountains. There's going to be some very fine Spring skiing

I saw this photo in your report, and was like Oh my god if that's Crystal Mountain that is one hell of a ski hill

After a closer look though, that is of course Mt Rainier!

 

[Zimboo]

I'm not a Gopro fan, however this run from JH is insane!!!!

How is the entry into Corbets Couloir...

 

[gortonator]

I saw this photo in your report, and was like Oh my god if that's Crystal Mountain that is one hell of a ski hill

After a closer look though, that is of course Mt Rainier!

Crystal is one helluva mountain though. It should be on every advanced skiers list to hit. the views aren't bad either

If you look closely you can see an avalanche that happened while we were doing a run. Got to top of chair and it appeared - wasn't there on previous run 10 mins earlier.

 

[CarveMan]

Crystal is one helluva mountain though. It should be on every advanced skiers list to hit. the views aren't bad either

If you look closely you can see an avalanche that happened while we were doing a run. Got to top of chair and it appeared - wasn't there on previous run 10 mins earlier.

PNW is still on my bucket list. Wasn't going to happen on my previous trip but another time I'll come for longer with less of a schedule, and if it's going off I will make a beeline.

I've got a feeling I'll really like the skiing there.

 

[Pat42]

mount baker easy access bc mind boggling

 

[absentskier]

Jeepers, what a massive storm Colorado has been experiencing his week! From opensnow.

"The deepest storm total through Monday morning was 51.3 inches at 8,800 feet in Coal Creek Canyon, which is in the foothills about 10 miles southwest of Boulder. The total amount of precipitation at this location was 3.55 inches, for a snow-to-liquid ratio of 14.5, which is pretty fluffy for a late-season storm! Also, the precipitation total of 3.55 inches was roughly in line with the higher amounts predicted by most models, which was in the 3-4 inch range, so overall I think the models did a pretty good job with this storm.

At the ski areas, Loveland, Abasin, Winter Park, and Breckenridge are still open this week and here are their storm totals (so far … we’re going to see more snow before the storm is over):

Loveland: 30”

Abasin: 28”

Breckenridge: 26”

Winter Park: 24”

 

[Arne]

Jeepers, what a massive storm Colorado has been experiencing his week! From opensnow.

"The deepest storm total through Monday morning was 51.3 inches at 8,800 feet in Coal Creek Canyon, which is in the foothills about 10 miles southwest of Boulder. The total amount of precipitation at this location was 3.55 inches, for a snow-to-liquid ratio of 14.5, which is pretty fluffy for a late-season storm! Also, the precipitation total of 3.55 inches was roughly in line with the higher amounts predicted by most models, which was in the 3-4 inch range, so overall I think the models did a pretty good job with this storm.

At the ski areas, Loveland, Abasin, Winter Park, and Breckenridge are still open this week and here are their storm totals (so far … we’re going to see more snow before the storm is over):

Loveland: 30”

Abasin: 28”

Breckenridge: 26”

Winter Park: 24”

Pretty normal for Colorado. Particularly resorts close to the Divide. I have lost my goggle tan during April in Colorado due to excess weather during the month.
And even during the May had waist deep days, er mornings.

 

[Zimboo]

PNW is still on my bucket list. Wasn't going to happen on my previous trip but another time I'll come for longer with less of a schedule, and if it's going off I will make a beeline.

I've got a feeling I'll really like the skiing there.

Bachelor is open till May 29 this year. 2 months skiing for $160 on their spring pass. Not bad.
Much money left over for beer in Bend.

 

[Summit]

Bachelor is open till May 29 this year. 2 months skiing for $160 on their spring pass. Not bad.
Much money left over for beer in Bend.

Sounds a great way to spend at least a few weeks. If only April/May wasn't my busiest time at work

 

[gortonator]

Sounds a great way to spend at least a few weeks. If only April/May wasn't my busiest time at work

It is. Spring at Bachelor is a very fine thing. We'll be there for closing weekend. Until then, we have a few local resorts to close down in WA and then of course, Balckcomb. Just home from a superb Springy closing weekend at Whistler. With an Edge Card, Spring pass there is 61 buckeroos

 

[sbm]

This got posted to my facebook by some Boulder friends. Colorado right now

 

[absentskier]

Steamboat / Winter Park appear to be offering some deals specifically to International guests for next season. I haven't investigated this any further yet.

http://my.steamboat.com/discover-more-of-colorado-with-new-201617-international-passes-and-deals/

 

[kimberlee81]

Hope all goes well with your Achilles injury!

I was very lucky skiing here the same time last year. For me it wasn’t bad at all with quite a few days of fresh falls between 8 – 12 inches. For me, Tahoe had better and more snow than Colorado then.

Tahoe had a lot more snow this year, both base and fresh falls. Certain trees I remember being a couple of metres above the snow last year, were either totally buried or just the tips out this year. It was much better off piste through trees this year. I’m hoping to be back again next year around the same time if all goes to plan.

Sorry @TOFF , in that case you might want to look away ……..

That ^^^ was NOT what I got at Heavenly during the second week of Feb!

Hadn't snowed for eleven days when I arrived, (Sunday 7th), and didn't snow all that week. Two days later in San Diego I received an email shouting TWO FEET OVERNIGHT!! Sometimes it's just in the timing - though Tahoe's biggest snowfall month is March.

The week I was there it was very much Australian conditions - "firm packed" would have been a charitable description. It was literally not possible to ski in the trees - basically solid ice. But the sun was out the entire week, which made for fairly pleasant days. 3 - 7 degrees each day.

It's a bloody big hill. Sometimes it's tough having to decide which way to go, (see sign at lower left)...

But it's pretty much epic in every direction...

The place did start filling up quite noticeably after midday on the Friday, as it was President's Day long weekend coming up. By mid-arvo you could tell it would be bedlam across the weekend, so I was happy to call it quits. But, this was about as hectic as it got during the rest of the week...

A lazy day around town on the Saturday, then back to Reno and a flight to San Diego. And the absolute treasures you can sometimes stumble across in an airport...

29 degrees when I arrived in San Diego on the Sunday night, and the next day it seemed like every person in town was either at the beach or on their way there...

The warm, mid-winter weather kept up for the next two weeks - San Diego, LA, Austin, Fort Worth, Amarillo, Albuquerque, El Paso, Tucson, Phoenix. "Ya know, maybe there's something to that global warming," someone said to me. Ya reckon?!!

 

[Johnb007]

36cm of fresh at Heavenly yesterday and 51cm at Squaw. Wow.

 

[rime noreason]

36cm of fresh at Heavenly yesterday and 51cm at Squaw. Wow.

It's a great way to finish the season on closing weekend. Fast rate of meltage on the snow stake though.

 

[rime noreason]

That ^^^ was NOT what I got at Heavenly during the second week of Feb!

Hadn't snowed for eleven days when I arrived, (Sunday 7th), and didn't snow all that week. Two days later in San Diego I received an email shouting TWO FEET OVERNIGHT!! Sometimes it's just in the timing - though Tahoe's biggest snowfall month is March.

The week I was there it was very much Australian conditions - "firm packed" would have been a charitable description. !!

It IS a big hill. The vast areas inbetween the runs is where it’s at, too.

Feb was unusually lean for snow. More often that’s January. I arrived in the US mid Feb and remember watching the forecasts with trepidation thinking I might have left my run a bit late with most of my skiing in March. Got to Tahoe on the 25th, skied a couple of days from the 26th in sunshine and sunnies, then got slammed from early March.

Except for a handful of days, two for which @Johnb007 and his mate joined me, seems it snowed shiploads almost every day until I left. They say some people are chick magnets, maybe I’m a snow magnet .

The bottom two shots are flying from Reno to LAX, second last is Emerald Bay @Angus_McCrory, the last is flying directly over Heavenly, so you can see the Nevada runs.

 

[gortonator]

The skiing is still rather fine in the Pacific Northwest. We closed down Mission Ridge today - i got 22 days (and 10 free days elsewhere) on a $310 season pass. Nice deal

Behind on blog due to bloody work, but here's Stevens and Mt Hood Meadows from earlier this month. Stevens closed today too.

https://gortonator.wordpress.com/20...-snoqualmie-stevens-pass-and-mt-hood-meadows/

 

[gortonator]

not the US but close enough ... Whistler closing weekend

https://gortonator.wordpress.com/2016/04/28/closing-weekend-at-whistler/

 

[gortonator]

Mission closing weekend was a fine thing.

https://wordpress.com/post/gortonator.wordpress.com/4419

When wearing an Ullr drinking kangaroo on my helmet, several locals mentioned 'Aussie Keith' who spends the season at Mission every year. A very wise thing to do. Travels from Melbourne apparently. Unlikely, but anyone know good old Keith? And one local thought it was a reindeer

 

[gortonator]

end of April at Mt Bachelor - still lots and lots of snow there to have fun on

https://gortonator.wordpress.com/20...ertical-meters-for-the-season-at-mt-bachelor/

 

[FixedGrip]

The bottom two shots are flying from Reno to LAX, second last is Emerald Bay

Did that flight for the first time last year - ripper views. Was a bit more green/brown for us though...

 

[woggybot]

I'm not a Gopro fan, however this run from JH is insane!!!!

How is the entry into Corbets Couloir...

How come his knees don't explode??!!

Mine would!!

Hate the **nt

 

[rime noreason]

Did that flight for the first time last year - ripper views. Was a bit more green/brown for us though...

There is downside to that view though.......the fact you're leaving it behind.

 

[gortonator]

Crazy warm here in Pacific Northwest. Luckily there's plenty of snow to melt. Close enough to US - Blackcomb last weekend was fine Spring fun. Lots of pics at:

https://gortonator.wordpress.com/2016/05/13/a-very-warm-early-may-at-blackcomb/

Need to work this weekend so will miss Mt Hood Meadows closing day, which is a shame. Luckily weather seems more seasonable next week (ie cool), so there's hope we'll still be riding Bachelor at the end of May.

 

[chunky]

It sounds like a hard life gortonator

 

[gortonator]

To bring this thread to a close - Memorial weekend at Mt Bachelor.

https://gortonator.wordpress.com/2016/06/08/closing-weekend-carnage-at-mt-bachelor/

It was pretty epic all around.

Now time to enjoy Seattle and do some biking and hiking. Before end July trip to Wanaka