Last Rites

It has been a hot week with brilliant sunshine and the wind gaining in strength as the temperature rose higher and higher. We were surprised to find the slopes firmer than expected some mornings during the week but the last few days it was been soft from even the daylight savings early start.

You could literally see the snow pack melting in front of you and it has taken a massive hit over the past few days as the 'Big Hair-dryer' was turned up more and more.

Can you believe it? There was both a flare run and fireworks on Saturday night - all on the October long weekend.

Today was really just a matter of 'Last Rites' for the season. Surprisingly I thought that the Supertrail (yes, still top to bottom) was somewhat better than the Basin, which had narrowed to less than 2 metres at one point in the middle of the run. I swapped to my rock-hoppers today but didn't hit any, although the snow felt quite gravely at times.

Tuesday: Mogul Mike's bump run lasted almost to the end

More of that yellow snow, this time in the Basin

Meadows snow depth indicator on Friday morning

Ski-in Ski-out corner on the Supertrail
and queuing for first chair yesterday morning

The remains of Lower World Cup with Supertrail in far left of shot

Upper Supertrail this morning
It looks better in the photo ;-)

Sundance and High Noon in background

The Bluff this morning

Wally's spring residence under the ski run, beside the Basin T-bar track

The Basin yesterday and receiving Last Rites today

Well that's it for another season - a short one for me, when comparing my 60 days this year to over a hundred days in previous years. Despite the late start and not much in the way of snowfall during the rest of the season, conditions ended up quite good. To have 'open' top-to-bottom skiing on the last day of the season is a rarity. I put it down mostly to the El Nino not providing any rain of significance during September thus preventing the snow pack being washed away, especially from underneath.

I don't expect to do any spring-time touring this year but I'll be back and forth, keeping an eye on events and things. I do expect the odd report, with spectacular photos, from those overseas during the northern hemisphere winter. Keep an eye on summer proceedings. I'll post a report whenever I have something of significance, or not, as the case may be ;-)

And finally, thanks to all those who made my ski season what it was.