Kirkwood, CA 3/24,25,26

Your timing was perfect.  With the current storm cycle, there should be some incredible riding during the competition.   Jill and I usually get season passes at Kirkwood because the terrain is so varied, they have backcountry access gates and being on the Crest they receive huge amounts of snow along with  fierce wind.  We usually buy a senior 5WOOD pass for $149 and there are no taxes on the season passes.  Incredibly cheap, seeing a day ticket is $76. This year we were unable to use our season passes due to my spine surgery and Jill's ACL reconstruction. Kirkwood rolled over our passes until the 2011/12 season.  Great customer service.

Hopefully, you will be able to traverse out to Martin Point, Covered Wagon Peak and Mellisa Corey.  A few years ago The Sierra was hit by a powerful storm cycle and it was named “Miracle March”.  Looks like a repeat scenario this season.  Post some photos if you’re not submerged in the “white room”.   

It's CRAZY how cheap the passes are here. They have next year's on sale and a full-on pass is $349 which includes their extended spring season this year. They also have some very beneficial senior as well as youth day rates.

It's a very cool mountain. Unfortunately VERY little of it was open because of the ungodly amounts of snowfall (not to mention high winds, blowing snow and vertigo-inducing lack of visibility) so we didn't get to explore nearly as much as we wanted to. Great pow skiing was had in spite of the limited options. Like I said before, I can see why people are devoted to this mountain.

Today the snow didn't fall as much but the winds were still high and a few more lifts opened, but we were pretty busy with the competition stuff. Backside remained closed. We did get out to the sentinel area a few times on previous days.

My son finished 13th in a field of 37, so he's reasonably pleased with moving upa few spots since Grand Targhee. There were some HUGE and very exposed airs being sent (one of them completely insane by Crystal's own Lloyd Dahlem - the only other Washington entry besides us. He unfortunately crashed on landing - but did receive the highest line score of anyone in the competition and deserves huge kudos for sending it like that) and some of the kids actually seemed to know how to turn even though they are super extremo. No injuries either which is always a nice way to finish a comp.

I've been snapping pics along the way, but have doubts about how they'll come out considering how bad the visibility has been most of the time. If they're any good I'll add them when we get home.

Sorry for the wind limits on skiing....I luv Kirkwood...kind of a slow mellow place, but with some great snow and great ski lines. Congrats on your son.