and another gorgeous spring weekend day

Sunday was like Saturday, only moreso.  It was warmer - from 34 F, well into the 50s by afternoon - and the snow was softer and there were fewer people.  We could see why Alta is only open on the weekends now, with so few people skiing even then.  It would reach the 70s in the valley and folks have turned away from skiing to more summery things, like cycling, rock-climbing and golf.

Going over the permanently-closed 

section on Sunnyside

Not us.  We were back at it, again staying at Sugarloaf for the morning.  We immediately noticed that the snow was already soft, right from the start, and it got stickier more quickly than it had the day before.  I stuck with laps on Devil's Elbow, Rollercoaster and Extrovert; H attempted one run in Devil's Castle and determined that one run was plenty.

Literally no one on the slopes

After a quick and early lunch, we only stuck it out until just past 1 p.m.  The heavy, sticky snow was taking a toll on my legs (with 10-15 fewer ski days this year, my legs are not in as good a shape as I would like).  Still, that left us with time for tailgate beers in the sun before heading back home for a road ride (H) and dandelion-pulling (me). Ah, spring.

Off of Main St., with Wildcat lift behind me

gorgeous spring weekend day

Alta is only open on the weekends through May 6, 2018, now - although when you get weekends like the one we just had, you can't really complain.  Saturday was spectacular: sunny and clear, with temperatures ranging from 28 F in the morning to the low 50s (at the base areas) in the afternoon.

 Wow - that sky

The trails on the front side were pretty firm when we got up there but the sun-bathed back side was skiable right from the start.  We stayed at Sugarloaf for the morning, just doing laps as the snow got softer and softer.  Skiers' left down Extrovert got quite nice, in fact.  H, with stronger legs than I, did runs both into Yellow Trail/East Greeley and Devil's Castle.

People trekking into Devil's Castle

Alf's has closed for the season so we did a quick lunch at Watson's Shelter.  Watson's is not our favorite since it is so much smaller than Alf's.  But there were scarcely any people skiing, plus it was warm enough to sit on the deck were you so inclined, so there was plenty of seating.

Sugarloaf chair selfie

After lunch, the snow got heavy and sticky fast.  We abandoned Sugarloaf to ski Collins and the top half stayed pretty skiable.  From just above the angle station to the base, however, the snow was suffering under the strong sun, grabbing at our now-waxless skis.  We quit at 1:30 p.m. and, after a quick change at the truck, nabbed patio seats for a couple of beers.  The Goldminer's Daughter's patio was fairly well-attended, with people coming and going in between ski runs; at the Collins chair, the lifties had taken down the unnecessary corral and folks were able to ski right onto the lift.  The epitome of a spring ski day, by all accounts.

It's even pleasant in the parking lot

closing day (or, let us be frank)

This has just not been my ski season: I don't know what hit me, but starting Saturday night, I began to come down with a head cold and when the "let's go skiing for Alta's closing day!" alarm went off Sunday morning, I just couldn't do it.  I felt like I'd been flattened by a steamroller.  But H, undaunted, headed off to celebrate Alta's closing day, wherein they don't actually close for the season but they close for midweek operations, reopening on Friday/Saturday/Sunday through the first weekend in May.  Maybe.  If there's enough snow.

Frank!

At 10:30 a.m., he texted me to say that the parking lot is busy - lots of cars and tailgating - but the lifts and trails were not.  Shortly thereafter, he texted me again to say that Martha was disappointed in me for missing closing day.  Believe me, Martha, I was disappointed with myself.  He had lunch at Alf's for the last time this season; the other restaurants on the hill will be open for a while longer yet, and then by 2:15 p.m., Frank was "in full effect," as evidenced by the photo above.  Please refer to these prior posts for a full explanation of what Frank is.

Parking lot party

H skied until closing despite the less-than-ideal conditions - the snow had frozen up overnight and although Sunday daytime temperatures were mild, the cloud cover kept things from softening up - and then listened to the band playing in the Wildcat base parking lot for another hour before coming home.  Thus endeth Alta's official 2017/2018 season, not with a bang but with a bit of a whimper.  We think we'll get back up there for a couple more days, conditions-dependent, but at this point we're ready to move on and put this ski season behind us.

never mind spring - here's another 26"

Mother Nature gave northern Utah a late spring gift last week in the form of a big ol' storm that dropped 26" up at Alta Thursday night/Friday.  By all accounts, Friday was a fantastic day to storm-ski.  We couldn't get up there then because of work but we made sure to be up there on time Saturday morning. 

Pretty good coverage in Catherine's Area

Since the ski bus has ended for the season, we had to drive up.  It felt weird, being able to bring multiple pairs of skis and lots of clothing options, but at the same time I was grateful to be able to do so.  I knew I wanted my Rossignols for the morning, when we might be able to find some deep stuff that wasn't too skied-out, but as the day wore on, and the snow got heavier and more clumped up, I'd want to switch to my shorter Salomons.

That's as far as you get in Devil's Castle

Catherine's Area and the Backside had been open on Friday but we figured we could still find some good stuff out in Catherine's.  After a warm-up run on Collins, we went over to Supreme and did a run in our favorite gate off the first Catherine's Area meadow.  We were surprised to find some scratchy spots where the newer snow had blown away, but generally speaking it was pretty good for mid-April.  On our next run, we went all the way in at Catherine's Area, moving past the few other skiers in there.  We took in the view at Catherine's Pass, noting several backcountry skiers skinning up from the Brighton side, then did our run through the glade.  The snow here was fantastic: deep and soft and protected from the wind.

View from Devil's Castle

We did a run in through a lower gate off Rock 'N Roll, going through the trees to come out under the Devil's Apron where a ski patroller and his dog (either Fitz or Lucy) checking things out up there.  Ski Patrol had been working all morning to get Devil's Castle open and when it was, we went in - for our first time all year.  The snow was definitely heavier than it had been out in Catherine's Area but it was still soft and skiable.  I just did one run but H went back in for a second go at it, that time hiking all the way in, as far as he could go, until the rock cliff stopped him.

H shreds the Castle

After lunch, the sun started to heat things up, making the snow heavier, and I did go back to the truck to switch out my skis.  We then skied around from lift to lift, searching out the best conditions and hoping for that buttery snow we'd had last time (not to be found, however).  By 2;30 p.m. my legs were toast and we headed home.  Closing Day (whereby Alta closes for daily operations but re-opens on weekends through the beginning of May) coming right up!

A rare shot of us both.  I need to bend my knees

'Tis the season - springtime - when ski resorts start to close.  Many in Utah have already closed: some earlier than expected due to the low snowpack, like Powder Mountain, others as planned.  There are a few that are still hanging in there but I'm just not sure Alta is going to make it as long as they're hoping too.  The season-to-date snowfall is 335", which is far below their historical average of 500".  Heck, I'm not even sure Alta will hit 400" this year, although the colder storm approaching for the weekend may help towards that goal.  At any rate, this is what's left so if you're still looking to get some turns in, you better get on it sooner rather than later.

From Ski Utah: