Mar 18, 2014, Alpental, St. Paddy's Leftovers

St. Patrick always brings the late winter dump. I'll let bF fill in the details once he's finished filling in the holes between the knolls in the back bowls, but in a nutshell:

• Armstrong loaded at quarter 'til 9 under blue skies
• Marketing lapped the upper mtn and delayed ch2 from loading until quarter after 9
• If you didn't hit it on the first run, chances were good it was played by your second
• Snake Dance and the lower gate cracked around 10:30. An unfortunate powder hound's knee cracked shortly thereafter in the gut of Elevator Shaft
• The debris skied damn fine

Around 11 the temps began to increase dramatically and a fine mist settled-in. Visibility dropped and the snow thickened to the consistency of heavy whipping cream. Nash gate opened after lunch, but nobody, including myself, seemed to be there to witness the occasion.

The first two hours were excellent light powder. I did not witness Nash gate opening, but a little later the kids did guide me through the gate for a couple nice but heavy runs. C2 had a 5 minute line but only til 11.

silas is getting old because he went out the gate with me before lunch.
lost him after piss pass but he's a big boy and had a lil crew escorting him.
fine conditions throughout draft dodger and suckers first few laps, then it was farming wall street going across traffic instead of with traffic.
parking was country club style and plenty of refreshments.
bF

First Fat Tuesday I've been able to make this season. Lots of fun.

Bobby- pleasure to meet ya and share some turns. Watch those pole plants in the Fan next time. Bummed I had to bail to go to work. Love to hit the gates with ya next time.

Forgot this bullet point in my initial report:

• Discovered a substantial slide in Schluct on my first run as the world dropped out beneath me mid-whiteroom and I slammed down hard onto the rock solid bed surface

... good thing them seats are padded (and the one at my desk, too). My rear-end is still sore from the obligatory butt-check an unexpected drop to ice while sliding sideways evokes.

nice rolling nash side with you matt, felsen played out nice, didn't it.
i hit me some hard spots early too getting a bit frisky plowing into the fan. tail slide to temporary pole dislodgement forcing a straight point back to chair. got it back next lap with silas blocking the uphill.
b