spring conditions

51 degrees at the base, 40 degrees at the summit, "moderate" winds (and by "moderate," they meant "blowing so hard that many people - including me - were holding onto the chairs just in case, plus both H and I ended up leaning way into the wind at one point and it was totally holding us up"), firm-to-frozen at the higher elevations, soft in the middle of the mountain and sticky/grabby at the base, and a parking lot that was half full at most.  That's what it was like skiing at Alta today.

I think it would have great spring skiing if the sun had come out and softened the snow at the higher elevations.  As it was, anything ungroomed was mostly pretty clattery but we did find a couple of runs with nice soft bumps.  The clouds stuck around tho', and that wind is ushering in a new storm that's threatening to drop 12-18 inches in the mountains and 2-6 inches down in the valley.  It'll be interesting to see what tomorrow brings!

We stayed up there for three hours then went home so H could go for a two-hour bike ride and B and I could do our first-of-the-year 3 mile loop walk.  It's started to sprinkle now but the purported storm hasn't moved in quite yet.  I'm eager to see what it brings although both H and I confess to some spring fever in the wake of Friday's sunny and 70s.