A Little Off Piste Skiing
It is a cool day in Alpine, but...............
The Unofficial Alpine Meadows Ski Report
Produced by Andy Wertheim
Tahoe/Truckee Realtor
email: andyw@sierra.net
Our real estate website: www.tahoeriverfrontrealty.com
Hello skiers,
It is a cool day in Alpine, but the sun is out in full force shining from a clear blue sky. Alpine opened Summit this afternoon, and I can only imagine how good the first turns must have been at the opening. I was on the hill to make a few turns early in the morning thinking that Summit would be running. However, I left before they began loading. The snow on Roundhouse was very good with winter conditions gracing the top surface. The snow guns were blasting away on lower Red Trail all morning.
After a few runs on Roundhouse, I decided it was time to try the telemark skis. We headed over to Ward Valley and parked at the bottom of the new Sherwood Lift. An hour later we were standing at the top of the Sherwood Lift looking at an untracked run with a dark blue lake in the background. The snow was just about perfect as we tried to remember how to make a telemark turn. I made turns around the short tops of small trees and thin strands of bushes. There was about 2 inches of powder on top of a smooth surface on the upper 1/3 of the run. The surface was a little more varied toward the bottom with a few more dried plant strands poking through the surface. The bottom was not powder on the surface, but patches of ice and stiff wind blown pack.
It was good to put skins on the skis and get a little uphill exercise on an uncrowded slope. This was an in- bound backcountry tour.
Most of the skiing I have done so far has been on rather well covered slopes with rocks hiding under a firm base. I have actually been skiing on my regular boards. The rumor mill is filled with reports declaring Kirkwood and Mammoth to be in excellent shape with a very good four foot plus base.
Enjoy your day. Andy
