April 12, 2014, Steven's, Retro Adventure

Continuing to prove my theory correct that it's impossible to ride a weekend day at Stevens and return to the city in under 12 hours, today's trip to the northerly pass brought sunshine, snow flurries and a prolonged stoppage on the way home. After a late arrival at the start of lunchtime, we rode nonstop to close beneath partly cloudy skies. The groomers offered soft, mushy turns with buttery spring corn between them. The surface snow varied considerably in depth, roughly in inverse proportion to elevation. Except for near the very bottom of both sides, conditions never got sticky slow, but rather maintained a corn-like consistency throughout the day. Today was the resort's 5th annual "Retro Fools Day" for which they have a series of events that folks compete in throughout the day with a variety of time deduction and point bonus opportunities based on one's costume and equipment of choice. For a day which in the past has been quite wet, the conditions were excellent and the 80s and 90s gear was out in full force. Even those not competing took it upon themselves to throw it back - I saw at least one game of G.N.A.R. being played in the late afternoon (although I'm not sure what the lines are or how they're valued, maybe it's all just extra credit? )



On the drive home, we encountered a backup at Eagle Falls which turned into a 3 hour highway closure. A tree fell in the creek west of the falls, taking the power lines down to the road with it. Something arced or shorted and lit a tree touching the wires aflame which quickly spread up the creek valley. While the entire road wasn't blocked by the downed lines, the fire departments blocked the road while extinguishing the brush fire and waiting for the utility company to arrive and deactivate the lines. Just another day on Highway 2...