I arrived at Alpine at 10:30 this morning under partly cloudy skies expecting the snow to remain firm following a cold night in Tahoe. I was pleased to learn on my very first run of the day that I am, in fact, not always right.
Wolverine Bowl, which has been shielded from the sun for much of the last few days since our last storm, was a perfect spot to get my first few runs of the day in. The corduroy was smooth and chalky, with no icy patches to be found. I did, however, come across a few patches of still untracked powder near the top of the bowl and in the trees below. The entire run was riding exceptionally well top to bottom, with a few fun side hits in the gully farther down off Nick’s Run.
Following a full hour of lapping Wolverine bowl (it was seriously that good), I finally decided to unload Summit Chair to the left and give Alpine Bowl a shot. The clouds had dispersed at this point in the morning, revealing blue skies overhead. The snow was just a bit wetter and heavier here but made for some great turns nonetheless. I followed Ladies Slalom to the park under Treeline Cirque, which now has a nice two-pack of small jumps, a handful of rails and boxes, and a hip.
After a couple more Summit Express hot laps, I made my way to Sherwood via Treeline Cirque. Sherwood undoubtedly would have been great this morning, but the snow had become slushy and a bit slow by mid-afternoon. I made one run down before heading back to the front side of the mountain via Lakeview to Scott Ridge. One more run down Wolverine Bowl to Nick’s Run ended my day on a high note. The snow had certainly gotten heavier throughout the day and will become firm overnight as temperatures dip into the low-20s. Tomorrow is shaping up to be fast and firm in the morning, but things will soften up under sunny skies and a high in the low-40s.
