Skisteamboat (aka X3 Skier)

Unfortunately, I had to cut this season short due to some issues back in our Ohio home so I left Sunday before the snow came back to town. Still, 50+ days this year, while a little short to the normal 50-75 days on the hill should last me until next January.

While this year was not as epic as last year, Jan and Feb had plenty of good days before the erratic weather patterns arrived. The swings between winter and spring skiing all the way up to the day I left Sunday, 22 March was certainly diffe… Continue

Today as on many others, I skied with the Over The Hill Gang, a free service offered Sunday to Friday for skiers 50+ . This service offers a guided ski along program from 0900 until your legs give out.

As the regular plan, the OTHG met near the Covered Wagon at the Gondola Base @ 0900 and then boarded the Gondola. Those who have not skied with the Gang before need to sign a wavier of responsibility at the ski school desk at the top of the Gondy and attend to whatever else one needs to do before… Continue

After a couple of days with heavy water content snow and some cloudy days, January returned with a few inches of fresh dry powder and temperatures of below zero, both top and bottom. No inversion today as the clouds hung around overnight so it was definitely colder up top than at the base. I was beginning to think I had been transported to the Sierras and Lake Tahoe with the previous recent snow conditions but today was more Steamboat like. :-)

After riding the Gondola up to -3 F country, I too… Continue

Another Blue Bird day accompanied by another pretty good temperature inversion. -2 at the Condo and +24 at Thunderhead. Makes for some interesting planning for gear. I usually plan for the top conditions and just hurry from the car to the Gondy. Saw lots of folks that were wondering what to do with all the heavy jackets, etc after reaching the unload station. Just a tip, check the Pressing Glass report for the Mountain temp before gearing up. It always shows the Thunderhead Temperature.

After m… Continue

I know I said I would not be blogging frequently but this day deserves it. Woke to a temperature Inversion and some fog in the Valley, 4 at the House while it was 24 at Thunderhead. Burned off quickly and the high clouds vanished as well by 0930.

This being MLK weekend, the Base was crowded for Steamboat, 10 minutes in the singles line and full mazes for both the Gondy and Christy Express. After exiting and heading to Rudy's, the bad juju hit me. I was making it easy down Rudy's because of the… Continue