Wow. Couldn’t believe how it dumped all last night and this morning. Got myself to the Comet by 8:20 a.m. only to have to practice ‘patience as a virtue’ I never seem to possess. The patrol boys worked quickly, however, and I was riding the third chair with Jordan, Tim, Marie-Cat, Tom and Sandra. A lot of discussion about where we would ski, with no commitment to waiting for anybody. Powder days, eh! Not a time to be sensitive.
I bee-lined for FIS, only to get passed by Jordan, and then Tim. Spread my legs a bit too much on the first steep, and down I went, cartwheeling head over heels. Luckily there was no yard sale, and I was up and moving with Tim to my left. What a sweet telemarker this guy is!
Tough to carry your speed across the flats below Main Street, but managed to get back to the lift in one piece. Lost everyone but ran into Mike Shaw and spent the next three runs trying to out race him to the lift, before heading to Bergerstrasse and the 40 odd “patients” waiting for the gate to open. Just as I pulled up, it opened and I carried my speed through the crowd and right into the front of the patroller’s sled. Really got to wonder why it wasn’t moved before the gate was opened?
The Chinese Downhill into Putnam is always a highlight, and today was no different. I saw boarders taking out skiers, and skiers taking out boarders. Civilized we are not when it comes to first tracks!!!!
I traded drafting with a fast girl in a brown suit. We got ourselves to the top of Caliper where I think she went for Normania. I danced my way down Caliper with some wonderful GS powder turns, getting passed on the bottom flats by some straightlining boarders. Well done boys…
First on the lift coming back up was lonely, but felt great. Managed a line down Headwall, followed by Quicksilver/ Hi Lead, Chute Five, Minerva Road and the whitest White Elephant I’ve seen all year (a gift for Aussie Sheree!).
The moist air had me starting to chill, so I headed back over to a sweet lower Little Dipper to the Comet. Zooming is the term I use for describing the effortless glide down skinnier runs like Constellation and Little Dipper. Gotta love it!
Skiied Christmas Bowl to Alpine Meadows where I met up with Rental Cam and his staff. Nice to see priorities are right on a day like today. Had some sweet pow down Attridge Ridge, then across the bridge to a soggy Silver Queen. Home by 11:30 a.m.
I’m still grinning ear to ear……
Denys Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
There was 20cms of fresh snow on Thursday! Too bad my two days off were Tuesday and Wednesday. It snowed like crazy on Wednesday night, but like every Wednesday, we went for a cross-country ski. On the alpine skis, I’m not one to ski groomed runs if there is deeper snow to be found. It’s quite the opposite on the XC trails though. I don’t ever remember sweating so much to go a couple of kilometers, and with all the fresh snow falling, it was more of a workout than I had bargained for. The snow was still coming down hard late on Wednesday after the XC ski, and I knew Thursday morning was going to be a powder day. I got a couple of phone calls about how much snow was accumulating as friends were planning “sick days” for the following morning. This could all be simplified if employment contracts included a 20 cm rule. No excuses to be made, no calling in sick, it would just be expected that if there is 20cms or more of fresh snow, you would not be at work in the morning.
This should apply for accountants too…I had to work Thursday.
-Alli
Allison Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
Made it out nice and early today. No tracks on the skiway as Monika and I left the house. I guess we finally beat the Leboes….
Skied some sweet lines in Silverwoods in heavy but untouched powder. Hitting the groomed ski out at the bottom was a bit like hitting Brewer’s Pond with skis on!! Glade Runner and Robin’s Hood were definitely showing themselves off today.
Shifted gears and flew to the Comet, riding the “couch” to the top with a giggling group of powderhounds. Sure like the energy of a powderday! Carol and Keith were on board ahead of us. I could hear them laughing from 3 chairs back….
Scootered past some CSIA Interski dudes who seemed a little lost away from the groomed. We led them into a windblown Moonbeam and down to the Alpine Meadows chair. I don’t think I have ever seen it as busy as it was this morning! The snow was definitely drier on Attridge, thus the crowded chair.
Home for coffee and breaky by 10:30, and now looking to skate ski in the afternoon. Tonight it’s pond hockey with the ski school – snowboarders versus alpine. Thanks to Ewan for organizing.
More snow on the way. Just gotta ski it, eh!!
Denys the Menys
Denys Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
Whoa!!! Gotta come up for air!! What a crazy month of December I’ve just come through. If I am any example of the lifestyle up here at Silver Star, I’ll tell you it sure is a lot of fun.
It truly has been a fantastic start to the season, capped off with one of the sunniest Christmases on record. With family in town from Florida and Vancouver, I was really hoping for some sun to go with the magically snow covered trees. Well, we got it by the dayload, with each day showing Silver Star off even better than the day before. My sympathies go to the valley dwellers who don’t drive up 20min into the sunshine. It truly is magical up here!!
I’ve been skiing downhill on my new Heads (thanks Olympia), skiing cross country on my new Rossignols (thanks Valhalla), playing hockey on the pond (spanked the Firelight team! Sorry Paul & Rick) and meeting all kinds of new people at Long John’s where I work on Saturday and Sunday nights. As the village fills up, I am seeing many of the clients I have worked with during the summer months and share with them the fun of living at altitude, with attitude, in paradise. A big welcome to my newest friends Mike & Cathy at Creeekside, and David and Kira on Attridge Lane.
My congratulations to Doug and Roscoe for finishing, on time, the new Scifleet home on Monashee Rd. It must have been a push, but the house looks great! Also, hats off to the new/old Saloon! Nice to see live music back on Saturdays, and the best dancing on Fridays I’ve seen in a long, long time…. Way to go Mac, Sharon, Marty, Randy and the huge guy at the door. (Stay away from Hand Grenades! Stick with Irish Car Bombs!!)
Looks like we are entering a new snow cycle. Forecast is for lots of new on Thursday night. Could be a friendless pow day on New Years Day! Might have to curtail the after-party on New Year’s Eve. If you are out there, I’ll look for you.
That’s it for now…. Make sure you try HB Pizza. Jonas has a great thin crust pesto sauced Mediterranean that I ate tonight during the Canucks game (they lost in a shootout. Great game though)
Denys the Menys
Denys Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
With mixed emotions I sit here to share with you some thoughts on this beautiful sunny day… First of all I’m sitting at my desk and not skiing (first mistake). I would also love to be at home with my kids baking the cookies that will be left for Santa tonight. Then I turn around and look out my window at one of the most beautiful views anyone can have. There truly is something magical about the way the trees are coated in sparkling white snow, the sun is shining brightly and although it is as far away as it gets, there is still a touch of warmth to its rays, and the sky is…well a perfect sky blue. Bring in the people all smiling and laughing, the colorful buildings that give Silver Star its charm and it’s easy to see why so many people have traveled from all over the world to come spend Christmas with us here at Silver Star. On days like this each and every staff member at the resort are all here not only to ensure the enjoyment of our guests, but hopefully taking the time to drink it all in and enjoy the wonderful moments themselves. There’s magic in the air and also soon to be fireworks! The torchlight parade and fireworks show will usher in Santa and his big bag of gifts..kids at the resort get the chance to see Santa and get an early present from him before they go to bed. It’s always a heartwarming event to be a part of…just one of those great memories for the guests that I get to have as one of my own as well.
Kind of feel like I’m rambling, but you get the idea. Merry Christmas to you all and I wish for you to have a season full of memorable Silver Star moments. I’m going skiing…
RB
Robin Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
Well Ladies and Gents, Christmas is right around the corner. Whether you’re all about the festivities or you’re just stoked to have a couple of weeks off work to ski; we have plenty to keep you occupied up here.
From Gingerbread House building, Santas Gift-Giving and of course the Torchlight Parade and Fireworks there’s something for the whole family. Check our website for more details on these events. On top of that the conditions out on-hill are incredible, a few runs on Friday was all I needed to put a smile on my face and with this new snow falling right now I’m finding it slightly difficult to concentrate on anything but skiing.
I’m a firm believer that this is the season for giving so I’m giving myself one hour to get my work done before I take the new pow sticks out for a shred.
See you out there, and Merry Christmas
Svin
Svin Events, Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
I go to the Silver Star website every morning to check the snow report and temperature before I eat breakfast. Bright and early Friday morning, I see the video in the middle of the homepage: Powder Gulch Opening Teaser. The video even suggested calling in sick for Friday’s opening of Putnam for the season. I’m sure I could have come down with something, some sort of virus or flu bug, because there is plenty of that going around, right? Unfortunately, calling in “sick” when you work at the ski hill doesn’t work so well, so I made my way to the office. It started snowing, and all I could do was look out the window. So many skiers came into the village at lunch with perma-smiles and covered in snow. I knew what I was missing out on, and I didn’t want to hear how good it was. So if you ripped down the backside on opening day, don’t be honest…tell me it was terrible, icy, and no fun at all (Robin, that includes you!).
-Alli
Allison Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
In his infinite wisdom our GM, Michael Sherwood, scheduled a manager’s meeting this morning at 10 am. This was of course in direct conflict with another major event…the opening of Putnam Creek, the backside of Silver Star. Over the course of my career I have tried not to miss this day, this day that is as close to lift accessed heli-skiing as you can get. 40 runs were set to open at 9 am this morning and with recent snowfalls all signs were pointing to a pretty great morning of skiing. So, like a confused dog, I wandered around the office this morning not sure if it would be worth heading over for one or two runs…well, it was. Powder skiing is the best!!! Every year it amazes me that with an alpine base just over 100cm’s we can open up as much steep terrain as there was on offer today. Did I mention I love powder skiing!! That said, the skiing is only part of the whole experience for me…reconnecting with the ’core’ ripper crowd, the ones who called in sick to be here today, is always a re-energizing experience. Old, young, cool new gear, the old duct taped gloves, its all on display and none of it really matters because we are all there for the same reason. In the end I made it to my meeting and now, sitting here at the end of the day, all I can do is smile and think about every turn I layed down in Putnam this morning.
RB
Robin Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
Who would have believed that the skiing could be this great so early in the season! I had this massive exam to study for, but I was willing to sacrifice a few marks just so I could get some turns in on opening day. Plus, I’ve been putting on the new skis in the house and stomping around, so they were itching to see some. I tried to limit myself to only two runs, but with the great conditions and sunny skies, two easily turned into three, then four. Fresh air is good for you, and I was pretty confident that some time on the skis would help me stay focused on the books for the rest of the day. I started feeling guilty about cutting into my study time, so I did a quick run down Attridge towards home…bad idea. It was so good that I had to do another one, then another, and since it is a shorter run (and no lift lines), I easily justified one more. Short and sweet. In less than two hours I had some of the best opening day skiing that I can remember. The exam is over, bring on the snow!
-Alli
Allison Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
What’s happening opening day? Will you have any Park to shred? Will there be rails? will their be jumps? I want to shred! shred shred! You’ve heard rumors, I’ve got answers!
YES we will have features open, on opening day for jibbing! Our NEW beginner terrain park over on the lower half of Far Out will be in full swing! We’ll have up to eight features to session! Small boxes, Small rails, couple junk jibs, and a medium box will be over there to hit.
Have fun, see you there! Word up!
Dustin Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
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