 Poster: A snowHead
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I have been here a few days now. They had not had snow for weeks. It has been cold but they have very little snow making but snow in the trees is stll in good condition. The marked runs were desperately worn with rock to be avoided. It snowed early this mornng, just a dusting in jasper but a few cm of fresh powder transforming the hill, making sking fun. it has been a great day skiing, no wind & plenty of sunshine, the hill is virtually empty and the more difficult runs were hardly skied, & fresh tracks could be made all day, there was enough snow to hide the rocks but not enough to prevent bottoming out, my skis will need major repair, should have brought my rock skis as Air Canada allow you to take 2 sets in you allowance. Still gives me an excuse to get a new set next season. Modest amounts of snowfall is forcast over the next few days, lets hope so as it transforms a small hilo into a wonderland.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tues 24 Feb it is snowing. THe sky is grey and it is windy. The snowfall is continuous but so fine & light it is switling back in the air amounts to very little depth. I didn't go up the hill as visibility is hopeless & bought my lift pass allowing for 2 days off to canyon walk or dog sledge. Talkinmg to people who have been up there they say it is settling and is the finest of champagne powder but you can't see the the terrain & its bitterly cold. We are expecting tomorrow to be similar then a clear day on thursday. As Jasper is all but deserted I should make fresh tracks all day Thursday. Should be epic !
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Wed 25th Feb, was a blizzard last night. I braved it to the steakhouse at the end of the street, quite an adventure. Now 17 cm of fresh, finest snow I have ever seen. Expected high of -17 C & still snowing with north wind 17-33 km/hr. I'm going to the spa centre for a swim & a soak - got to work off that 24 oz T-bone and stack of pancakes. 3 sunny days forcast for Thurs, Fri Sat before more snow. Going to take the first bus on Thursday and have the mountain for myself before the weekenders come from Endmonton on Sat.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thursday 26th Feb. Blue sky no wind. Got the first lift up complete with face mask as it was abou -20C. The snow was boot top high on the ungroomed pistes and knee high in the trees. The snow was not champagne as it had fused together some how, it was still glorious and easy to ski as pointing straight down the hill didnt gather much speed. The rocks on the knob were covered and with care avoiding suspicious protrusions I could get down without gitting rocks. The pisted snow was dragging but my skis ran better after a coating of Zardos (?) at the ski shop. It warmed up nicely by 10 am and I could do without the mask and then later sunglasses replaced the goggles. More poeple up there than expected but still no waiting above the bottom lift & only a handful of people on 'The Knob'. I could sill find unskied snow at the end of the day but was having to go right to the boundary rope. Strange hardly anyone had skied 'Rock garden' or 'Slash' between the trees on the lower slopes, maybe because they were out of the sunshine. I had a liquid lunch amongst a bunch of smiling faces. Had to come back at 6 for a cheese & wine tasting session, the Astoria manager very proud of his wine collection let us into his cellar. Hence I late reporting as I flaked out after my New York striploin.
Friday 27th Blue sky again & warmer. I'm going to destroy what's left of unskied stuff, wouldn't want to leave it for the weekenders. Its forcast for a dusting of snow on Sunday to freshen it up again - Forecast has been perfectly accurate so far - I suppose the can see it coming for a 1000 km here in the middle of nowhere.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Amazing what a couple of days can make. Alittle cold first thing but warmed up rapidly to be a lovely springlike day & mild (relative) evening. Not much virgin snow left. Found some & was up to my was in a drift. Lovely day didn't even mind the slow lifts. Tomorrow is Alberta junior race day & with the new snow & mild conditions the hill will be busy for once. The weather is forcast to deterioate on Sunday.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Saturday 28th Feb light snow in Jasper but Marmot Basin is above the clouds and has blue sky, a little cold first thing but warming up to be a nice day. The junior races kept the kids & parents at the slalom courses so not too crowded elsewhere. Just had to avoid bunches of kids at trail crossings. Magical moments with silver needles of frost catching the sunlight looks unreal.
Sunday 1st March very mild with melting snow in Jasper and trecherous sidewalks on refrezzing. Just above zero on lower mountain but no melting. Nice day with a hint of snow. Slopes pretty much tracked out and groomed runs pisted to death. Good stashes of snow in the trees & unpisted runs, cut off by slalom coure, under caribou chair & by boundary rope have harly been skied & are great except the lift is desperately slow.
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Mon 2nd Mar. Cold start to day but rapidly warming to above freezing, lower slopes soft. The lift line moguls had been pisted overnight & the steep bits were fun early in the morning. Skied with a French Canadian telemarker who had some great stories to pass the time on the slow chair lifts.
Tues 3rd of March. The snow had refrozen overnight & had an unpleasant crunchy feel on unpisted runs. Well above freezing today. Passing clouds and intermitent snow at the peaks. My last day here. Temperatures expected to drop over next few days with possiblity of fresh snow.
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