Wednesday, Feb 18 / 2009

We're having a pretty good month here in cen cal.  This season, so far, I've already ridden three deep pow days, but Valentine's week gave us a storm that left the most powder I've attempted to ride...we got much more than Tahoe area on this one.  Our resorts were calling it 7 feet total and they weren't exaggerating.

granted, we're no Mammoth...as a matter of fact were on the western side of the Sierras from them and a lower altitude, but we do get that one day of the year when we get it really, really good.

(sorry about pics being so small, but I have a lot more of them to post and a free web host with limited storage.  If the pics don't load, my viewing quota for the hour is temporarily maxed, but you can check back later)

Chains definitely required!!!


About to jump off the lift at this point


This little trail looks sooo inviting

The mellow blanket is deceivingly deep

Want some terrain?...hope you brought a snorkel

[Edited by snurfer on 2/26/2009 at 4:22 PM]

Awesome!  It's about time Cali got some love this year.  It's so fun there when the Pacific moisture maker is turned on.  Looks like Cali is setting up nicely for an epic spring this year. 

damnit why couldn't that storm have come north more -_-

Later that morning,...



Chinese Peak


Paths to some small rock cliffs


Don't bring a knife to a gun fight...

Someone did jump off the lift ...just because they could.


[Edited by snurfer on 2/26/2009 at 4:24 PM]

looks like my region finally got another decent storm, My mountains reporting 24inches of fresh snow for tmr and they're expecting around another 5 throughout today, it'll all be untouched to since they're closed today for maintenance reasons -_-

good for you...and we want proof ;)

the week after I took these pics, we got another half a foot...and sleet...and rain.  In my noobness, I drove all the way up there expecting something worthwhile, but all I got was a thick crust layer over the old pow that I absolutely couldn't turn in and chunky ice on the groomers - ugh.

I'll see what I can get for pics today, If only it was gonna be a nice blue bird pow day. Oh well I can't complain the snow hasn't been that great this year so I'll take any pow I can get.

...later that day:

At least he knew I was watching from the lift.


This dude was neon head to toe and a tiny park board, but he managed (back leg was probably a noodle next day).


When it's this deep and fluffy, chopped pow is fun, too.


These guys are heading to the rock cliff just to the left of the far guy in black - guy above him is about to go.

It's a 2 hour drive for me, so I tend to ride from open till close. 

Finally, later that evening:



Kinda self explanitory, isn't it?




It's so easy to fall in this depth of powder, but it's even more difficult to get back up...especially near closing.


In closing, I'd like to thank Killclimbz and Silvermountain for responding to my thread.  They obviously appreciate my effort.  To all the other 100+ viewers who didn't respond...it takes some sort of contribution to make a forum.  To view but not even post a "thanks", whether due to jealousy, your spot being superior, or the photos not being very good, is just lame. 

When Tahoe was getting bombed last week (two weeks after these pics were taken) we got tons of snow from that storm, too, and had an even more epic day...
[Edited by snurfer on 3/8/2009 at 7:02 PM]

How was dropping the cliffs in the deep?

Thanks for asking - I'm not that advanced to attempt cliffs, but I fell pretty much every time I even dropped off a big rock...this powder was fluff-ffy.  I got some epic straight airs off big bumps this week's firmer pow (have no idea what was under there), but every time I tried even a 180 off a big pow bump, I ate it...not real happy with my performance past couple of sessions. 

Yeah I need to stop being lazy and get around to posting the pics of the massive dump we had a couple weeks ago, The only downside to the day was the crappy management at the mountain, One lift broke, Which they could have probly fixed the two days they were closed earlier that week but they didn't even bother doing any maintenance on those days, The crappiness didn't stop there though the one lift that actually took you to the side with all the great powder runs was actually broke most of the day as well and when they did finally get it running the speed was set at low to prevent further problems. Anyways the place was packed and lift lines were around 15mins, They picked a perfect day to ruin :).

haha thats classic 15min lines. At my local hill in New Zealand every pow day at least 2 out of the 3 chairs are not going till lunchtime and lines get well over 45min.  U guys got it so good in cali.

all the pictures above were on the middle to west side of our resort - the east side is infinitely more advanced with tight trees, logs and rock drops at practically every turn, but has no lifts at all (I didn't even bother going over there that day because I was already getting stuck so much on the intermediate stuff).  For snowboarders riding the east side, this means finishing each run with about a 10 minute walk on a flat cat track back to the lift...fortunately, the lift lines are always relatively short...but the lifts are old and super slow. 

I do realize most Californians are spoiled though...occasionally checking conditions in all parts of the country helps keep me grateful.  There's people in the midwest riding 5 second runs down ice covered landfills, for god sakes...and that's on a good day

Meh maybe I am spoiled, It's just what I'm use to though. I hit the pow, Come down to the lift, maybe wait behind a couple people getting on then im on my way in under a minute, and 15mins was probably a bit low it was more near 20 or 25.

thats how it should be bro. no waiting just riding. Ive changed to another hill for this season, unfortunatly in my country as all hills are small u gotta go to the clubfields and ride ropetows and tbars to avoid the crowds.

What resort is that you are riding at anyway?  I am not recognizing the terrain.  When you say central California, I picture Bear Valley/Dodge ridge to the lesser known stuff south above Fresno and all.

Posted by Killclimbz
What resort is that you are riding at anyway?  I am not recognizing the terrain.  When you say central California, I picture Bear Valley/Dodge ridge to the lesser known stuff south above Fresno and all.

Had to do a search of the name of the gas station in the first pic. It's Sierra Summit outside of Fresno.

Meh, I've heard Dodge and Bear classified as either.  Using the term loosely.  They are south of Tahoe, and some might refer to them as "central".  They are the "day trip" spots for a lot of people in the bay. 

So fine, Dodge/Bear are still Northern Cal and I guess Badger Pass and Sierra Summit would be Central.  I have no idea what else there is in that area.

haha....Badger Pass...Now there is a small resort.

[Edited by Agent-G on 3/22/2009 at 9:59 PM]

FKNA!  I think that qualifies as a "powder day".  Way to kill it.