Craig's Report - February 13, 2006

Wanting More

The Griz has been good to us this year and most days have been soft and the base abundant, even if the Morrissey snow pillow chart suggests it is just a bit above their 22 year average. So one should hardly complain when the old boy takes a rest and no new treats arrive for a week or so, but, please Mr. Griz, I want more!

More is indeed predicted to arrive later this week, but with plunging temperatures that are likely to keep this fair weather rat in hibernation. Hard to believe that as a boy I lived in Winnipeg.

In the meantime, the skiing was varied, but not too bad today. The wind was once again the key player and where it chose to scrub snow from, and to, pretty much dictated how the run would be. Cedar Ridge was surprisingly good with nice deposits between the firm, but not quite icy moguls. It appeared and sounded like Boomerang would have been nice as well, but Sunnyside was less so and one had to hunt for those precious wind droppings. The top part of 1,2,3 was lumpy, slabby and damned near invisible in the fog on the top half of White Pass.

Strangely enough, on several steeper groomed runs like Puff, Heartland and Diamond Back, it was actually nicer to ski in the remaining moguls at the side, which would catch some soft stuff in the troughs, while the smooth groomed part got polished and hardened by the wind. I saw at least one sign warning that smooth firm slopes could mean long slides and I certainly believe it.

Grooming is extensive and the prowling night cats have been straying into unfamiliar territory, such as grooming Diamond Back all the way up to Trespass Trail. The lower groomed runs, or perhaps rather the less steep ones, were all fine and although occasionally a bit noisy, could be skied with confidence. The steeper slick pitches were not truly icy, but definitely required the decisive use of edges. Less travelled off piste stuff was liable to have a relatively unpleasant wind slab.

At 17:45 it is -1 C and overcast at the house.


Looking towards Freeway and Easter Bowl from up by the Bear�s Den.

The Bear run from the same location.

The snow in the trees in the center of Cedar Bowl did not seem overly friendly to me today.

But the moguls of Cedar Ridge were surprisingly pleasant.

I wonder what happened to the rest of him. A snowboard binding was sitting in the middle of Cedar Ridge, with no evidence of the foot, board or other appendages.

I am not even sure what this is called, but it is the run they cleared a couple of years ago through the trees between Currie Powder and Concussion Chute. The top part was variable but this sheltered section was pretty good. The steep pitch behind me was not bad, but not great either.

Looking at the bottom of Currie Bowl from near the bottom of Currie Creek. That is Meadow beyond the fencing and the cat track at center left is the route that will take you to above the Deer chair and allow you to catch the Bear Chair after skiing Currie.

And this is where you emerge on Stag Leap just above the top of the Deer Chair.

A small area of rails and jumps has been set up on the upper left part of Meadow.