The weekend is only four sleepless nights away. Prep your trailer or bags, and don't forget the cooler. Another week, let's get into it.
Torment Weather Report: We like to think of August as the second warmest month of the year, but somehow, on August 24th, California's Sierra Nevada mountain range experienced its first snowfall of the season. Still three months out from most resorts opening, yet the recent dustings at Palisades Tahoe, Northstar, Mt. Rose, and Mt. Bachelor came as a pleasant surprise over the weekend. Opening day may be closer than you think...
Unseasonable cold fronts aren't the craziest thing, but it's been over 20 years since Lake Tahoe received flakes in August. Luckily, Scott Gaffney was there to capture it all. "Early on it looked like a bust, but fortunately the real storm moved in as I neared the summit. I climbed up the secret ladder to the top of the Palisades where it was full-on winter, took a bunch of shots, looked at lines and then descended over to Siberia and walked back under the ‘Sades to Headwall."
If we're to take anything from freak August snow storms, it's that there's still hope for signs like this. Sniped from Wild Mountain last week, this note reminded us of what mid-winter lift ops should look like. Even so, the MN resort recently made significant snow gun investments to battle against tough winters. "This increased capacity will grow our snowmaking capabilities by 33% when temps drop into the teens. This additional water will allow us to operate an additional 50 snow guns when conditions are right." Looking like there will be bigger terrain parks earlier in the season.
We're still in the midst of almost triple digit days (reminder not to get ahead of ourselves), and Woodward Copper's Public Park is the last summer park standing. For $25, you can head to Colorado and learn how to backlip from Bad Boy Noah and another toddler.
Big (and seemingly good?) moves from POWDR Corp last week. The multi-mountain conglomerate just sold Killington Resort, the largest ski destination on the East Coast, to a few local investors and passholders, Phill Gross and Michael Ferri. "Gross is a co-founder of Boston-based Adage Capital Management and was in the healthcare therapeutics industry. Ferri owns Valvoline Instant Oil Change franchises and Mr. Sparkle Car Wash businesses."
POWDR is now down to nine resorts in its portfolio, but that number could drop even lower in the coming weeks. The company has plans to part ways with three other resorts: Mt. Bachelor, Eldora, and Silver Star. Only time will tell...
Before you get any ideas, just know it's off limits. These stairs lead to the sacred terraces known as Monks Mound, "the largest Pre-Columbian earthwork in the Americas and the largest pyramid north of Mesoamerica."
Such symbolic mounds were built as a platform for temples or residence for a chief, with later use for mortuary purposes. It's forbidden fruit, but if that doesn't dissuade you then a top view of the 154 stairset will.
Instagram Clip of the Week: A Tuesday Mallet with Demetri Bales.