AlpineVistas Community Blog

An awe inspiring day in the back country.

The last two days on the mountain have been so spectacular.  I know I just keep repeating myself but the combination of new snow and blue sky is so dazzling.  The snow in undisturbed areas looks like someone has carpeted the surface with an array of sparkling diamonds!

Yesterday I was without camera but we ran into friends at the top of Strawberry right when they opened the gates to the Middlebowl Cirque.  Of course we had to make the climb and it was worth every inhale and exhale.

Today something new.  After a snowshoe into the backcountry we parked our car on the Snowbasin connector road, took the Needles gondola to the top of Snowbasin and then skied to our car.  It’s pretty mellow terrian but the last six turns made the trip a success. 

Last tracks to the car.

Snow laden pine trees and blue sky, what a perfect combination.  ENJOY.

Whose this woman in black?

What is it about new snow, blue sky, and freezing temperatures?  It seems the combination of the three create an environment that is overwhelming.  Today at Snowbasin the air was frigid, in the mid teens with a bit of a wind.  The sky was brilliant blue and there was a very thin veil of wispy clouds overhanging the peaks.  Over the course of the last few days nearly 30 inches of snow had settled on the mountain and the conifers were laden with the new stuff. 

As I waited at the bottom of a run for my friend I enjoyed watching spin drift in the air – tiny, frozen particles only visible because of the sun’s angle.  It was a moment in time when you are so glad to be alive, enjoying the outdoors, and thankful for high tech clothing and hand warmers.

More snow is predicted for tonight so maybe there’s another blue bird day in my future.  Can’t wait!

DeMoisey is clear and cold!

Despite some challenging visibility, Sunday was a blast with 15 inches of new snow and more falling all morning long.  Several ski buddies are out of commission so it was Rich and I doing the exploring on this powder day.  We’re lucky to be alive and living in such an awesome mountain environment!

Rich enjoying Sunday morning pow!

Josh, Ty, and Meredith enjoy a quiet ride on the Porky lift at Snowbasin

It’s so easy to make a judgement about the weather from the comfort of your warm covers that turns out to be plain wrong.  I awoke a few mornings ago to the sound of rain drops on the skylight (yes, it’s January in Utah so what’s with the rain?)  The good news - storms moving in from southern California were breaking the big high pressure that had blessed us with beautiful blue skies (but no new snow) for over two weeks.  The bad news, the storms were warm, bringing rain to very high altitudes. 

Family from San Diego had just arrived in town so we braved the rain drops and headed to the mountain.  To my surprise the new snow was lots of fun and the groomers were creamy soft.  The saying about a day on the mountain is always better then a day at the office is so true, no matter what the weather.  So get out there and enjoy.

Nordic Alliance entry sign at North Fork Park

A great organization called the Ogden Nordic has taken on the responsibility of grooming the cross-country trails at Weber County’s North Fork Park located at the northern end of Liberty.  It’s a great spot to find solitude (especially on a Monday - the day I visited).  You can jump off the trail at any point and go poking around in the woods.  Its northern location makes it a magnet for snow that lingers long after most spots are sprouting tulips in the spring.  There’s a $5 per day use fee that you pay at the gate, a bargain for all you get.  Of course Draba came along for the tour and so I must post his photo once again!

After a stop in the woods Draba tries to identify the location of all the tweeting birds!

Snowbasin

What is it with mountain views in the winter?  It’s very hard to express how powerful the feeling is when you gaze upon rugged mountain peaks bordered by blue sky, green conifers, and delicate snow.  Maybe it’s all the contrasts that come together to impress. 

I journeyed to Philpot Ridge at Snowbasin to snap these photos last weekend.  It was a cold, crisp day with a breeze moving silvery wisps of clouds across the peaks.  Enjoy!

Powder Mountain and the Ogden Valley from Snowbasin

Pam enjoys the view from the ridge

The skiing over the last week has been excellent!  Sunny skies caused by a big high pressure zone over the Intermountain West has created an inversion, meaning the cold temps hang in the Wasatch Front valleys and the warm temps visit the mountains.  Wind from our last storm blew all of the off piste snow flat (all natural grooming) so the snow service on the groomed and ungroomed was great.

But with no new snow and holiday crowds on the slopes, it was time to substitute a day of snowshoeing.  With dogs and girl friends in tow we set off to explore new territory - the Mountain Green benches.  The snow was of a sugar consistency and a little crunchy, but the sun was out and it was a beautiful day.  There were animal tracks everywhere - moose, deer, wild turkey, bunnies, and what appeared to be fox.  It was a fun morning in the Wasatch Back.

Jan, Trapper, Draba and Pam take a morning photo break

Janifer finds her way down a slope filled with fluff today at Snowbasin.

Yesterday it started snowing in Mountain Green at 9:00 a.m. and I was envious of all the sliders driving by my office and heading for the slopes because they were going to get all of the powder.  At 3:00 p.m. it was still snowing, giving me hope that it might continue after the lifts closed.  It was cold and the newly fallen fluff was extremely light.  The girls started making plans for an early morning rendezvous at Snowbasin.  At 6:00 p.m. it was STILL snowing.  

And so first thing this morning we jumped on the Needles Gondola at Snowbasin for a morning of turns.  The visibility was mediocre at best but we are getting used to not being able to see.  The temperatures had warmed overnight so the snow was a little denser then we had hoped, but we poked around and found the best snow on the north facing aspects that had been protected from the wind.  As you can see by the photos we found some pretty fine stuff!

Pam is all smiles on her last run before lunch!