Yo Lci!!

[big mario]

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!!!!
mario

[big mario]

After perusing the forcast for the next few days, it looks like it is going to set up wicked hahd for sunday! Better pack your awesomeness
mario

[John E]

Great carving on Saturday. Beautiful weather and great groom. Started to get a bit crowded by 10. We went over to Lift 8. Once again the groomer under #8 was really great. By noon it was starting to get pretty soft down low. We quit about 12:30.

The snow is getting really thin. Bare patches opening up on the south facing slopes. If they don't get any snow this week, it may be pretty sketchy next weekend. And they're staying open until Mother's Day? How was it on Sunday?

[inkaholic]

Great carving on Saturday. Beautiful weather and great groom. Started to get a bit crowded by 10. We went over to Lift 8. Once again the groomer under #8 was really great. By noon it was starting to get pretty soft down low. We quit about 12:30.

The snow is getting really thin. Bare patches opening up on the south facing slopes. If they don't get any snow this week, it may be pretty sketchy next weekend. And they're staying open until Mother's Day? How was it on Sunday?

Sunday wasn't nearly as nice weatherwise but the snow didn't warm up as quickly. The bad part was how flat the light was. It also wasn't as crowded as Sat.

Kai spent the day riding the 136 Rossi from Miss Kate. He did very well with the larger radius. Later in the day he even stuffed it down into Drifter. No vid since I forgot the camera, only a still off the phone.



Ink

[John E]

Ink - The weather Sunday in Denver wasn't as nice as expected. Started off overcast and the mountains looked pretty socked in. It did get a bit clearer later in the day but not the sunny day promised. Too bad the clouds in the mountains didn't bring snow with them. Great pic of Kai.

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

Going up Wednesday. I'll check in upstairs near the bar to see if anybody is around, then head to whatever is groomed at the top of #2. After that I'll check out #4 and #8 cuz I haven't been there yet, then head back to #6. May be on Switchback after noon.

[lonbordin]

Hoping to be there tomorrow. No idea where I'll be... just look for the worst carver you've ever seen trying to catch a fast skier... that'll be me.

Which board to start with?
Liberation w/ CATEKs
Donek FC w/ F2s
Donek Axxess w/TD3s

It's a problem to decide!

[inkaholic]

Going up Wednesday. I'll check in upstairs near the bar to see if anybody is around, then head to whatever is groomed at the top of #2. After that I'll check out #4 and #8 cuz I haven't been there yet, then head back to #6. May be on Switchback after noon.

More than likely none of the LCI will be present. We all work during the week. Play is on the weekends. Have fun!

Ink

[John E]

In the high 60s down here in Denver. Probably pretty warm up there as well. Please give us an objective report on snow conditions.

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

Objective? What's that?

I showed up way too early just because I got up too early. Groomers were stilll coming down Home Run. Up #1 at open. Tempest was groomed but bumpy and hard, as if it was really soft when the machines went over it. Up #2. They claimed that Fire Cut was groomed, but only the far left third had new cord. Lame. The top of #2 was smooth but crusty hard, covered with frozen mini-cookies the size of dog kibble. Turtle Creek was great at open, all the way down thru the "Loveland Nexus of the Universe" area to the #6 load. Mambo and Home Run were fine; maybe they got groomed last. The top of Drifter is closed because they are building some stupid jump there. What a waste of a perfectly good run.

Next to #4. Lots of bare ground visible around some trees and wind-blown ridges, but the runs are still covered well. I took Zip Trail to #8 and did Chet's Run for the first time. It wasn't groomed as wide as I would have liked, but despite being a little crunchy in places it wasn't a problem to get a good edge in the whole way down. I really enjoyed it, and ran it four times. The chutes to the tunnel were closed, so I had to go back up and head back to #4 on Zippity Split. When that cat track met up with Zip Trail, I found that there was no clearly marked way to get down. I just traversed some unnamed, ungroomed slope until I got to the groomer under #4. Scrub was too steep and too hard for me to deal with so I just skidded down, but someone with skill could have gotten an edge in.

Over to #6. I ran Roulette several times despite it not being groomed. It was ok, considering. Later in the day I did Fire Cut after it was impossible to tell that any of it had been groomed. It was bumpy but doable; not scrapy.

I didn't go to Switchback today. By 1-2PM things were softening up everywhere. Places that were crusty at open were now soft. Other places had gone to mashed potatoes. Just about every kind of snow condition existed somewhere for some amount of time. Carvability migrated around the hill like a drunken, concussed elephant. I left at 2 with the parking lot running like a muddy river. Cold temps at open, but uncomfortably warm by early afternoon. I wish I could have gone back to Chet's Run after it had softened a bit, but #8 is a little inconvenient to get to.

And strangely enough, there were a total of 5 carvers on the hill, plus Pete on skis. More crowded than a normal weekday, but no lift lines beyond a few people.

Finally, Plum is fast when it's warm. (shameless product placement)

[lonbordin]

Do you know how hard it is to catch other carvers on an unfamiliar hill? We finally caught up to Excelsior and Matt late in the day after seeing them carve here and there.

Saw Tony and his ride (Ed?). At one point we saw all four of them together. Then they were gone. Then we saw them from another lift... my son and I were laughing... too funny.

Loveland was great. I really appreciated the length of runs and the speed of the lifts. No really! Kept me from getting tired and allowed a full day on the hill.

We ran into that issue on the Zip trail coming back from 8 as well. I caught some air and had my only CO wipeout so far on the way to Scrub. One's edges would have to be REALLY sharp to carve Scrub today.

[big mario]

Ice and I got on 1 at 8:33. At 8:33:45 lift 1 stopped for about 40 minutes. Power went out as well as the back up deisels. Patrol was getting ready to evacuate. They would have had fun with my fat ass. finally got up to the top and went over to 6. 6 stopped with us on it a 3rd of the way up . Waited 20 minutes. Went up again, lift stopped right after we got off. Went to 1 did a run, at the bottom, 1 was stopped again. Went to the darkend Rat and drank beer. Conditions = Very firm. The Sheriff was on skis, Blasphemer. That is all.
mario

[John E]

One Inch of New Snow! Break out the powder boards!

So - An hour on the lifts with one run on "very firm" snow. Beer at 10AM. Sounds like a true Loveland day.

In past years I sort of knew when it was my last day / last run. I may have already taken my last run and didn't even know it.

[big mario]

So - An hour on the lifts with one run on "very firm" snow. Beer at 10AM. Sounds like a true Loveland day.

John,
We actually managed 4 runs, but it was tough to get any kind of rythym when your front leg and ass cheek are asleep from being on those no footrest lifts for so long. I didnt' mind the firmness of the snow, I just was not in the mood for sitting on the lift wondering when it was going to fire up again when there was a perfectly good pint or 2 calling my name
mario

[arneburner]

A nice cool day for solo carving at Lovey. An inch or two of new over a nice firm groom. Firecut, Roulette and Chets (under 8) were nicely groomed. Two fun boards to ride. Should be more fun tomorrow with Tony and Kevin to ride with.

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

Nice day at Loveland. I arrived real early and took a spot at the LCI Round Table of Awesomeness. Kevin shows up around 8:20 and is fielding phone calls from others on the way. Arne, and Tony arrive and we all go up #1, but not before I fall on my butt entering the load because it is just a block of ice. The weather is sunny and brisk with little wind as we ride down to the #2 mid load and go up. Firecut is groomed nicely from the lift towers out to about 2/3s the width of the run. Good enough. Drifter is open again, and the jump from last week is now gone.

Out onto the bowl, the surface is surprisingly soft. The new snow of the past two days has been preserved well by the low temps, and the runs are almost buttery. Firecut soon has deep ruttage. In most places, you really can't feel the ice from last week. It is down there somewhere, but well hidden today. Pete and Matt arrive next and we all gather on #6 to tear up Roulette several times. Next back to #1 where we found Spillway/Richards to be in excellent shape. Around 11:30 I hit the lodge to quickly eat, then headed out on my own to the Valley. Switchback was good. It was firmer than many of the runs in the Basin and was fast. I left around 1:30 with the parking lot only 60% full. It was getting pretty warm by the time I left, but maybe it won't be so warm to thaw much. Tomorrow could be good firm grooming.

Did anybody go to Chet's today?

Here's a montage of riding shots.

Firecut from #2

Roulette from #6

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

Spillway from the #1 unload. I-70 is below, and I think we are looking down exactly at the East portal of the tunnel.

Looking down Switchback from the top of #3, I-70 is below. The run is wider than it appears here.

Looking up Switchback on #3 at the mid-unload.

[big mario]

Nicely done Art, that shot of firecut is making me jones somthin baaad!!! Good job on catching how steep spillway is. Glad to see that Pete is back on the proper conveyance
mario

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

When I was at my car getting out of my gear, they were testing the diesel on #1. I'll bet that more than a few people gave them heck for Sunday.

[John E]

Anyone been recently? Anyone going this weekend? Conditions?

[snowboardfast]

Was up wensday. Very hard groomers. It softened up later in the day and I had a blast riding chair 4 when it was soft. I will be going up Sunday and it should get warm enough to soften again. I will be riding chair 4 as soon as it is soft as I would rather ride softer snow than hard groomed snow.It is supposed to get up to 49 on Sunday so should be good if you like slushy snow. I rode last sunday as well and the groomed snow was very hard and I rode slush later in the day and had a blast. The groomed runs softened up earlier in the day last Sunday then they did on Wensday. I think the snow will soften up earlier this Sunday as it is not supposed to be as cold at night? the other nice thing about last Sunday was light traffic. i rode the whole day and left after 4 p.m. and drove straight home. Spring conditions- ride the slush and have fun on your all mountain set up!

[inkaholic]

May be out Sunday to ride hard groomers, need to test the Vist out. Anyone else besides Matt attending?

Ink

[big mario]

Anyone else besides Matt attending?

Ink

I will be up, I think Ice will be up also

[teach]

I'm finally getting back out to Loveland next weekend. Probably a bad weekend to expect lots of carvers... but waiting didn't seem like the best idea either. Anyone planning to be there?

[inkaholic]

I'm finally getting back out to Loveland next weekend. Probably a bad weekend to expect lots of carvers... but waiting didn't seem like the best idea either. Anyone planning to be there?

Teach,
It's a 50/50 chance that someone will be at the hill. With the nice weather on the frontrange many have already started their summer activities. Keep us informed of your plans.

Ink

[teach]

Looks like I may get to the Valley this time--closes Sunday according to the web site. Has anyone ridden there recently?

[jp1]

Looks like I may get to the Valley this time--closes Sunday according to the web site. Has anyone ridden there recently?

teach, Do it, Switchback

[big mario]

Teach,
what JP said. You should feel right at home, we have had some seriours melt freeze as of late, so the snow has been firm to double extra firm. Bring metal if you got it. Switch back is awesome, and should soften up well before the rest of the basin. Right now I am planning on being up on Sunday, albeit for a short day, may have to ride really hard and skip post ride bloviating and beers, and we should have a few others. They just got 6.3" of new, and temps are forecasted to stay below the mid 40's for later on in the week, so conditions should be good. Pay attention towards the lower reaches of the hill, it is getting thin
mario

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

I'm going tomorrow.

[Dusty Bottle]

Teach,
Haven't been up in a couple of weeks due to warm weather and associated activities, but definitely planning on Sunday. And with the recent snow, others may show up as well.

The season is coming to an end way too soon and the weather report is more warm weather!!!

SO WHO ELSE IS IN FOR SUNDAY?????

James