Snowbasin, Utah, January 21, 2010

I have to admit that this has been a a somewhat discouraging year snow far. Pretty happy to awake in Ogden a few minutes ago and have to clean the snow off my car to drive to the Starbucks in a snowstorm.

Getting ready to head to Snowbasin. Will report tonight if my hopes and expectations come to pass...

Keith,

We are looking forward to your report plus the photos.  These are desperate times.

Was there last time it snowed around new years. Basin is cool..if there is fluff. Hopefully John Paul is open. At least there is a ganjala if the freshies don't pan out.

Sorry not to post last night. I was exhausted after  a day of bell to bell powder skiing.

You sure get alot for $57 at Snowbasin.

Parked about 30 yards from the front door of the opulent lodge. Still snowing and temps in the 20's. 9 inches of overnight fluff.

Met 3 new skiing buddies in the lot. 2 from Bozeman searching for powder ("Bridger Rats") and their friend from Sun Valley who owns a climbing shop in Haley, ID. Will be hooking up with them in a few weeks when I head to Big Sky.

I was quickly spoiled by the trams, ("May I help you with your skis sir?"), the civilized way to travel up a mountain, and only rode on a lift twice all day. Never waited more than 3 minutes to ride.

While we contented ourselves with face shots off the express, Patrol worked to open up the Strawberry Tram in the afternoon. The bad news was that there was a horrible, vertigo inducing white out at the top with screaming winds as the sun came out about 500 feet from the top. Once through the fog it was face shot city.

By 3:30 the place was practically deserted and for my final run I took the John Paul chair but the bucket to the summit (the top of the men's Olympic downhill course) was closed. Freshies all the way down.

Going to Brighton today to ski free with my Crystal pass. They had 6 inches overnight. More snow predicted everyday, including a foot of new in the LCC tomorrow.

Best day of the year so far. My new friends got some pics of me which they will email soon. Here's one of them getting fresh.

That looks great - thanks for the report!  We were there (Snowbasin and Powder Mtn) over new years, and even with a low base and grass and brush sticking up, it was still a blast.  The gondolas and the bathrooms at snowbasin make a man spoiled, huh?

Glad to hear and see that you are enjoying the storm cycle in the Wasatch.  One of my "younger" downhill ski buddies just arrived in SLC on Friday and was planning to ski for a couple of days.  I emailed him your cell number. He is also a "powder slut". If you link up, don't believe a thing he says about me.