17/18 Hyak Report

Serpentine is marked as a touring trail, there is a picture of a skinny guy in tights at the entrance.
A challenging run in xc skate gear I'm sure, not so much in lift service gear. My daughter likes the banked turns, she's a 6th grader, Mom thinks its fun too!

When you're on the Nordic-only trails, it's suggested as an "easiest way down." If you have a decent snowplow turn, it's not too bad in most conditions assuming you have its full width and it's not too densely filled with downhillers screaming by. I've found it a bit easier than for instance getting onto the Central->East crossover from the White Rabbit XC trail, or taking the White Rabbit ->Outback route I mention above.

Yesterday was surpringly fun in the morning. Foggy at the top but the sun was almost poking through at the bottom of both East Peak & Hidden Valley. While thankful for the grooming (it would've been unskiable goop without it), it was uneven everywhere except for Hyak Face, which rode the best it has all year. No crowds, no parking issues, just fun lapping in the mist until the rain started in the mid-afternoon (by when I was over at Alpental lapping with FA & his merry gang of BBI misfits).

Today's report forthcoming...

Today's report forthcoming...

Wet...

Still, did a dozen laps and logged 10k+ vert. You can't spell training w/o raining, or so I'm told...

Chilly. Firm. Fast.

No real chalk to speak of like there is across the highway beneath chair 2. No lines and relatively empty slopes. Park has been relocated to Kendall and is still all snow features. Serpentine rode well despite a ribbon of ice down the middle.. Off-piste varies from dust on a crust to just crust.

Snow returns Fri. Cold & dry until then

Sure was a lot different from Monday. Knee-deep, light and continually-improving conditions made the day fly by. Was kinda surprised when Hidden Valley closed and I realized it was quarter til 4... Went bell to bell with an ill-advised foray over to Silver Fir for some power line lappies at what I thought was lunchtime. Ready to do it all over again in the morning