Sunday Ellen Powder Report (1/11/09) Pix Included

[summitchallenger]

Date skied: January 11, 2009

Resort: Sugarbush—Mount Ellen

Conditions: 6-8 inches of powder and chowder!

Weather: Snow giving way to partly cloudy skies, temps rising into the upper teens.

2008-2009 Report #: 14. Powder Day #5 for 2008-2009!

Report: I will let the pics do most of the talking here. Was expecting a bluebird day with some decent snow, but not another powder day. SB reported 6-8 inches of fresh and did it ski well...they were dropping ropes left and right. First spin was to South Bound and then down Lower FIS. It was very deep, but no real base per se, so you did hit a rock or two every once in a while:

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250397_9460.jpg

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250398_9804.jpg

After that, I waited to meet up with a fellow AZer before heading to Cliffs, which was the same as Lower FIS, deep and soft, but not much base:

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250401_819.jpg

Having seen that the lines were beginning to lengthen, I decided to head to Inverness and did two spins on the natural trails there--Semi Tough first, which skied nicely, and Walt's Way, which had a thinner base but still skied very well.

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250402_1143.jpg

By now it was 11:30 and I was pondering what I wanted to hit next...so I grabbed my sandwich, ate it in the lift queue, and headed for the Summit. Rim Run had some massive snowmaking on it, as did FIS.

I hit Black Diamond and found it to be decent, but the visibility was, well, you judge:

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250403_1469.jpg

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250404_1781.jpg

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250406_2491.jpg

Still a good run. Lower Rim Run, Looking Good, and Elbow all skied quite well.

The sun did try to come out at the summit, but by and large it was in the clouds:

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250409_3580.jpg

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250413_4966.jpg

Panorama/Rim Run Snowmaking:

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250412_4611.jpg

By now I was getting worn, but I wanted to push the limits a bit more, so down Cruiser I went to North Ridge and on to Exterminator, which was mint, and then Bravo which was nice. They had a snowgun going on the headwall and there was some white ice on it, but it sure is better than rock!

Elbow:

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250416_6110.jpg

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250418_6902.jpg

That be Exterminator!!!!

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250420_7885.jpg

And Bravo:

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250421_8276.jpg

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250422_8655.jpg

Last run at about 2pm was down Lower FIS, which was good except for the nasty water bars on the runout. This week's cold should fix that.

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1975/35/104/744459666/n744459666_1250424_9396.jpg

:beer:

[boze]

Many thx for that TR & the pics, from someone who's pretty bummed to have missed out.

[Hawk]

Nice report SC. Looks like it's filling in nicely over there. I'm going to have to make an appearance for the first time this year.