So what's the weekend going to be like? The temperatures are coming down on the mountain tonight and tomorrow so the snow should be setting up, and we will be able to groom most of the normal groomed trails. Up top the 8-10" we got is a lot drier and skiing pretty good. I came down Paradise today. Yesterday, it rained then froze and then snowed on top. Good powder but you hit ground on some turns. However. it was edgeable ice rather than rock, and I actually did zero damage to my AC-4's. Down lower the snow was heavier and more funky and the runs on the ungroomed were thigh burners. However, when trails like Spring Fling, Birdland and Lower Organgrinder are groomed out tonight, I think they will ski really nice tomorrow. We purposely only groomed a few last night to let it set up, drain and the human groomers today have set the mountain up for good machine grooming tonight. Two of the three forecasts I look at are showing some rain or snow showers late Friday and then partly sunny days on Saturday and Sunday, so the final weekend at Lincoln Peak could actually be quite nice before we finish the season over the next few weeks at Mount Ellen.

The snow we got will definitely keep top to bottom at Lincoln Peak through the weekend and will allow more skiing at Mount Ellen after this weekend. We were able to reopen trails like Domino, Hammerhead and Tumbler today, but I wouldn't count on them for too many days. But Steins', Ripcord and FIS have good depth.

On Monday, the razing of the Gate House begins to allow construction of the new base lodge which will be ready for the opening of Lincoln Peak in December.

Thanks! Thigh burners is right. Looking fwd to more turns this weekend

How are Exterminator and Black Diamond looking?

...all this SB conditions and construction feedback from, so to speak, the Summit. Thanks, Mr. Smith.

I'm hoping Sunday will have me grabbing turns. It's looking 98% likely. Sweet.

Good snow report. Thanks!

Ski Yah this weekend.

Since I started this, I thought I should give you an update. I only had time to do a few runs today at Lincoln Peak. The groomed (Jester, Snowball, Spring Fling, Downspout, Birdland, Lower Grinder, skier's right on Murphy's) were really nice. The upper mountain was a bit firmer but nice and the lower was softer and wetter near the base. I saw M.A. as I got off Heaven's Gate and asked if she had skied Ripcord. She had not but thought it was going to be "athletically challenging". That sounded interesting, so we started down together, she and a friend on skier 's right and I on skier's left "Athletically challenging" was the perfect description. Unlike Paradise the day before there were hard, large, lumpy icy moguls covered by variable powder. Some was light and dry and in other spots it was chunky. M.A. bailed to Spillsville and said it was must better but still challenging in spots. The net result of this experience is we are going to winch skier's left of Ripcord tonight to make it more skiaable for the weekend. If the temperatures come up and the sun comes out both the ungroomed side of Ripcord and Organgrinder will have good spring bumps. So too will Stein's, FIS and Black Diamond. If it does not and that may be the case now at the top of the mountain, the ungroomed may still be "athletically challenging". I did not get to ME, but the report is that FIS is similar to Ripcord and that Exterminator and Encore are skiing better. We have groomed one-half of Elbow and left bumps on half.

Unisys weather is calling for some Friday rain, 40% of snow showers Saturday, and partly cloudy Sunday. Weather.com is calling for some afternoon rain tomorrow turning to snow/snow showers overnight and snow showers to partly cloudy on Saturday with some moderate to heavier NW winds. Our own forecaster, Tony, is calling for a possible mix tomorrow am, some rain later in the day to occasional showers overnight with Saturday flurries in the am and becoming sunnier in the pm and partly sunny on Sunday. He thinks that temperatures will be in the mid to high 20's at the summit on both days and the mid to high 30's at the base on both days. So, who knows. My guess is that the skiing and riding will be OK with good to excellent on what we groom and a question depending on the temperatures and the sun on what isn't groomed. But since it is the last weekend at Lincoln Peak this season, why not plan to come out and see what Mother Nature decides at the last moment? This winter the only forecast I believe is what actually happens on any given day.

Our season pass party is in the Gate House lodge starting at 6pm on Saturday.

Just checked the Weather.com hourly forecast.

Shows few showers starting at 1, tomorrow. Temps show 45°.

Hmmm... 45° on a freshly groomed Ripcord and Organgrinder? That could be some sweet skiing!

Of course the standard warnings apply... Temps not shown at altitude, Weatherfolk seldom have a clue, actual milage may vary.

Still, if it turns out the way they say, might be some fun up there.

Friday night into Saturday morning says rain to few snow showers. Might be nothing, but there have been some very nice days that were only a "few snow showers".

Come out and play. Say goodbye to South for the season. Say goodbye to the Gatehouse Lodge.

We're running out of season. The bad snow of April, you would kill for in October.

Mix bag in weather predictions. Thanks for the up-date.

What is a pass holder day...you may ask. It is a day that looks fair to pour so you go out to do your 3 runs and do not pack a lunch. Only to return to your house at 4:30 becouse it turned out to be great skiing with no one there.

Guess I should not pack a lunch.

(I'm hoping for a little...no a lot of elevation snow showers.....Still doing my snow dance!)

Quote:

Guess I should not pack a lunch.

Or maybe just save your appetite for the passholder party?

Lostone wrote:

The bad snow of April, you would kill for in October.

Well said!