I skied today!

[Little Lightning]

Went to A-Basin. What an awesome day! Snow fell all day, lift lines under 5 minutes except for around 11 am. Only 1 run open but snow was very good.

Management is running the new HSQ slower to keep hoards of skiers off the run so we weren't fighting the masses. Bad news is the lift broke down for approximately 1/2 hour. We had just gotten on so by the time we made it to the top my feet were frozen. Ski patrol offered us free hot (cold) chocolate. Good news is the chair was shut down just long enough for me to warm up. By that time every had left the top and we had the run and a little fresh powder to ourselves. :D

Just annouced on NPR that El Nina means it's going to be a snowier winter for the northern and central mtns.

 

[Kim Kircher]

Sounds great. I'm jealous. I was going to go touring up at Chinook Pass near Mt. Rainier today, but the pass closed due to heavy snow and avalanche hazard. If it keeps snowing lower down, I'm going to try to hike for some turns tomorrow.

 

[Muppet]

Not jealous, not jealous at all. Nuh -uh.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[SkiPow]

Way Cool, LL! Love A-Basin!

 

[jayce]

I'm jealous! It was 85 degrees here today.

 

[ski diva]

I'll join in:



Weather permitting, my first day looks like November 22.

Glad there were some Divas out representing us today, though.

 

[skibum4ever]

Very jealous! Glad the snow was so good!

Hope you had nice companions on the chair when it was stopped.

 

[Little Lightning]

It's still snowing here. Last night, on a Denver news channel, the town of Silverthorne reported 24".

A-Basin will announce more terrain open today. Ramrod will be open by weekend and as soon as it opens they will move the snow making farther up the mtn.

Local radio station said it's one of the best Oct. snowfalls in years.

If this weather continues I may make 100 ski days.

 

[2ski2moro]

Even our local news showed the snow in Colorado. I am SO ready. Take some turns for me, please.

 

[SnowHot]

This looks like the funnest WROD I've ever seen........
https://www.arapahoebasin.com/ABasin/snow-conditions/web-cams.aspx

 

[bounceswoosh]

So jealous. We're probably going to A Basin Saturday, but I'm not sure if it's worth it ... looks like it will be in the 40s Friday, and I hear the crowds have been huge even throughout the week.

 

[Little Lightning]

We found the lines yesterday to be about 5 min. until the lift stopped.

I think snow conditions will be ok, remember the sun is low in the sky, A-Basin is at a high altitude, and temps are cold at night.

If you can get there at rope drop you'll probably be ok but I agree, this weekend is probably not the best time to go. Actually, during the season Sun. afternoon is often light, everyone is trying to beat the rush back to Denver.

The crowd wasn't huge, we got there at 9:30 and parked in the lower lot, it didn't fill the entire day. Today may have been a different story.

 

[ski diva]

Anyone who skis early season, PLEASE take -- and post -- pix. For the rest of us unfortunate souls.

 

[frenchgirl]

So lucky!

 

[2ski2moro]

Yes, please. I will certainly glean vicarious pleasure through your adventures.

Or videos. Videos work, too.

 

[ScottishSki]

Sounds lurvely - and I guess it's only going to get better.

Never been to A-Basin, hoping to get there this year (I have a secret plan to try and ski every area in Colorado!)

 

[Jilly]

Never been to A-Basin

Take a look in the trip reports for "babes on board at A-Basin". It's this past years report on a Diva weekend at A-Basin. Some of us easterner's even make it!

 

[Rosie Facer]

too!

Our local mountains got their first icing sugar dusting on the peaks this week but I reckon it will be at least another month before we get anything like. The freezing levels are way too high :( I hear it's looking better up in Whistler though.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I forgot to take pics (actually didn't take my phone at all, since there's no service at A Basin), but I skied there today. It got crazy warm Friday, so the base shrank quite a bit. I think I heard something like 16" today.

DH and I arrived before the lift (singular) opened, and we were able to get parking in I think the third row. Rock star parking. Ate breakfast at the cafeteria, then suited up. We didn't get to the lift until it had already started, but there was already a line of several hundred people lined up to ski.

There were three runs open - two blues and a green, all starting at mid-mountain, so pretty short. One of the blues already has a small terrain park with a few jumps on it, and people were making good use of it. We managed five runs before we left at 11am. So five runs, maybe 10 minutes of actual skiing, in 2.5 hours.

The snow was better than I've ever seen on an opening weekend. It was quite a treat, although I'm sure nothing compared to the powder Monday and Tuesday.