Snow Shred Season 23/24

adamcu280 · Nov 12, 2023

I got out for a shakedown tour today at the Great Northern Dead End and had a wonderful time! There was snow on the ground, friends all over the place, and I didn't hit any rocks.

Who else is gearing up for snow season?

Divad · Nov 12, 2023

Nice pic. Good reminder, time to repair the skins from last season and go earn some turns.

Ps wtf happened to canned food drive days at ski mountains. These venture capitalist owners too good for that now?? Lint lickers

Chris Bellows · Nov 14, 2023

Snowguns are pumping and should be sliding on snow Friday.

Chucker · Nov 15, 2023

It’s definitely time to get ready. I need to at the least get some new skins, but probably should get new skis (so that I can stop borrowing my long-suffering ski buddy’s gear

). Anyone got a spare pair of backcountry skis in about a 175 cm that they want to get rid of?

roger stephens · Nov 15, 2023

Skinned up my telemark skis many year ago and made some turns on the west side of Mazama Ridge opposite the Paradise parking lot on Mt. Rainer. That slope and the bowl on the east side of the ridge often had great powder snow. Was up there often every winter.

Roger

adamcu280 · Nov 16, 2023

Shakedown #2 on Tuesday. Put new batteries in your transceiver, make sure your airbags are charged or filled, get your first aid and gear repair kits all dialed, charge your radio batteries, check all your hardware for loose bolts...

Josh · Nov 16, 2023

Just went with kid #2 to get his season rental today. Ended up buying him a last year rental board/bindings for less than the rental would have cost. Still rented boots because I don't trust that his feet won't grow a bit more. The board may be a little small in a year or two (especially for baker) if he grows much more, but still usable as a spring/park board.

That said, the forecast isn't looking awesome. No idea when the lifts will be turning. I think the days of riding Black Friday with a tasty Thanksgiving leftover lunch in your pack are long gone.

adamcu280 · Nov 16, 2023

Josh said:
Just went with kid #2 to get his season rental today. Ended up buying him a last year rental board/bindings for less than the rental would have cost. Still rented boots because I don't trust that his feet won't grow a bit more. The board may be a little small in a year or two (especially for baker) if he grows much more, but still usable as a spring/park board.

That said, the forecast isn't looking awesome. No idea when the lifts will be turning. I think the days of riding Black Friday with a tasty Thanksgiving leftover lunch in your pack are long gone.

Well, "those days" were as recent as last season. Passholder Day was a year ago tomorrow.

Paige · Nov 16, 2023

Josh said:
Just went with kid #2 to get his season rental today. Ended up buying him a last year rental board/bindings for less than the rental would have cost. Still rented boots because I don't trust that his feet won't grow a bit more. The board may be a little small in a year or two (especially for baker) if he grows much more, but still usable as a spring/park board.

That said, the forecast isn't looking awesome. No idea when the lifts will be turning. I think the days of riding Black Friday with a tasty Thanksgiving leftover lunch in your pack are long gone.

I had a solid 10-15 plus years of hitting Baker on opening day, many before Thanksgiving Day, some on TGD, and som after.
El nino or La Nina be damned, Baker has is its own weather systems, Baker will be Baker no matter what, every year cant be 1998-1999.

Josh · Nov 16, 2023

adamcu280 said:
Well, "those days" were as recent as last season. Passholder Day was a year ago tomorrow.

Hmm, fair point. How quickly we forget.

Came across a chart for the past 10 years of opening days. 5 out of 10 were before tday. 4 out of 10 were in December. And 16/17, Black Friday was opening day.

I wish the chart went back further. My gut thinks that there were fewer late (in Dec) opening days back in the 90s/00s. But who knows, perhaps I'm just imagining that too.

Eastside · Nov 16, 2023

I graduated from the UW in 1979 and worked for a year before graduate school. Lived with my parents and that winter was a total bust for skiing. Definitely a late start. There’s another “data point” for you.

Paige · Nov 16, 2023

Josh said:
Hmm, fair point. How quickly we forget.

Came across a chart for the past 10 years of opening days. 5 out of 10 were before tday. 4 out of 10 were in December. And 16/17, Black Friday was opening day.
View attachment 90978

I wish the chart went back further. My gut thinks that there were fewer late (in Dec) opening days back in the 90s/00s. But who knows, perhaps I'm just imagining that too.

From 1989 to 2003+ I was notorious for showing up just in time for pie on T day, and leaving with the leftovers, after all, i was in my 20's lol. It would piss my mom off something fierce, but she was a skier and understood the passion.

There was 3 or 4 yrs in a row that opening day had over 20" of new snow overnight, 2 of my 3 tree well incidents happened during that time!

Fun times with some epic skiing and some destroyed legs lol!

Chris Bellows · Nov 18, 2023

Jealous?

mooseknuckles · Nov 18, 2023

Chris Bellows · Nov 23, 2023

8 inches of snow fell yesterday. Nice to feel soft, natural snow under the board. Made me almost feel like I knew what I was doing. Today will hit the groomers early and then it’s time to eat.

adamcu280 · Dec 5, 2023

It's a little moist in the PNW right now! The "glass half full" outlook is happy to have all that old faceted snow and surface hoar washed away so we can start fresh.

In the meantime, I just spent some time in BC doing some first aid and avalanche training.

Josh · Dec 5, 2023

adamcu280 said:
It's a little moist in the PNW right now!

Just a little!

John Svahn · Dec 5, 2023

Send some precip south please!
My wife just skied every month this year but we are running on man made this November/December so far. I just classic skied 7x on a 1k loop at the local nordic center. Kid is doing the same for practices so far.