I'm really sorry about the sudden lack of new content on the site. Quite frankly, the holiday rush and great snow is keeping me away from home and off the netbook. Cold temperatures have kept the snow conditions chalky all week long, making for great skiing. And like my friend Dan Patitucci pointed out on his latest blog - its really hard to take photos while skiing downhill at the same time, so he only does it when he's "on the clock".
Last night we got 4-6" of fresh snow, making for fantastic Cowboy Powder - just enough to get my legs and waist coated, but shallow enough to feel the snow base underneath. And a few rocks and trees that haven't quite gotten covered up yet.
I'm heading tomorrow morning for a half-day of ski guiding, with Alpine Meadows' Alpine Ski Guide program through the Ski School. Its been steadily snowing since 3pm, so its bound to be good! I'll work harder to take photos - from the chairlift!
Update: 6:45 am, 30 Dec. If I'm reading the remote telemetry correctly, Ward Mountain is reporting 7-11" of new snow. That's tempered by a wind that been steadily blowing above 50 mph since 5pm, and right now is blowing in the 70's across the crest. Still waiting to see the avalanche forecast from the Sierra Avalanche Center - published around 7am. The higher snowfall is at 6800' feet, at the base of the ski area, which makes sense with that much wind crossing the crest and whipping it free of most fresh snow. It also makes for potential windslabs and trouble. I'll write more tonight about today's happenings and discoveries.
