Palisades 3-25:
Arrived about noon after work and scored a brilliant parking spot. Lots otherwise fairly full for a weekday.
Was planning to do my usual "day after" routine which is varying lines in Solitude and Granite but riding up the mountain the light in there looked super flat so I called an audible and headed into Silverado via Land Bridge.
Avid readers know Land Bridge might be one of my least favorite runs at Palisades but the snow today was terrific. So terrific, in fact, that I traversed up quite high under the Broken Arrow rocks and descended via the Far Side in good light and moderate density not quite pow but very surf able snow on my MFree 108s.
Once down on the flat the lights turned off and I hit a rut, lost a ski and discovered the packed flat wasn't actually packed at all- definitely no walking- had to crawl over to get my ski like deep powder stuff.
Fought my way out of the evil flat over the knoll to the steepish stuff that drops right at the base of the lift. GREAT untracked light stuff there in the shady areas, STRANGELY untouched---get it while it's hot.
Proceeded to make 4 more laps in Silverado skiing the lower bits (Trail 90, Jakes, Billies, etc) and it was very good everywhere but not quite as good as my first run on the Far Side. Then the lights went out again and I had a spectacular crash within 100 feet of the lift when I accidentally aired off Oregon Trail of all things for lack of vis.
Had to go gather myself for a bit and then went to Solitude where the vis was lousy and the snow strangely not nearly as good (more packed and dense). Back up and looking across the hill the lights appeared on on Headwall.
Headwall face was FANTASTIC (starting above the Gazex thing) with good wind sift, nice lines, hit bumps as hard as you want you'll land soft, so I did that several times. Then moved to C2 where the snow was not nearly as nice (little rotten needs to be skied more I think) and worked my way over to Horse Tails which was much better and finally various runs off of Bullet thru Enchanted Forest (don't know the name) where there were more first tracks. Finished on Headwall with a North Bowl lap which was also ridiculous good.
Finally they had KT running again so I finished the day with a West Face, which was outstanding, but not as good as Headwall. Same snow, but minus the wind sift, so a rougher ride.
IDK how long Silvy will be this good- but it's real good right now, especially if it doesn't get too hot tomorrow. Headwall was skiing like early February (outstanding) and while I've seen more snow at Palisades, there is finally pretty bulletproof coverage on the upper mountain.
I also watched many people drop National and ski in good style- it's filled in nicely- not as easy as last year, but pretty easy- and soft snow. Suspect this is the best chance of the season for heroics.