Alta/Snowbird March 30-April 1, 2019

JTG · Mar 30, 2019

So, got in line for Collins at 8am (9:15 open). Shared the lift with a local West Point grad all morning. Honestly, so far this morning I have met no less than 10 people from NYC, Troy, Albany, many Saratoga. Go figure! Some transplanted out here, others not. Rather than waiting for gates to open Scott took me to all his go to powder spots that skied incredible while bombs were going off. We skied Sugarloaf and Supreme, took a trip out to Catherine’s. So good. Chasing a local didn’t allow for many pics the first couple of hours.
Scott needed to hook up with his 71 year old dad, so around 11 I figured I’d hit Sugarloaf and see what was happening at the Devil’s Castle gate. Sure enough people were lining up, so I jumped in line about 20 people back. Another local I shared the morning lift first thing pulled up behind, and I figured I was in the right place. Waited about a half an hour, but met one of the Albany peeps who now hails from DC. First run out dropped in relatively quick. Hard to pass up the powder!

Second Devil’s run I took the traverse as far as you can. Work, but well worth it. Incredible scenery, and long, wide open, steep high speed powder.

Time to go do another Catherine’s lap, then maybe save the legs for a big BC day tomorrow. Well, maybe after a PBR, because I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that on tap before!

JTG · Mar 30, 2019

A few ‘Catherine’s at 3:00 on a late March powder Saturday’ shots.

And a little more Wasatch/LCC porn.

JTG · Apr 1, 2019

So, another great day today. I was pretty beat up from yesterday so I got a leisurely start. First run did a warm up out to Catherine’s. Still soft powder on N facing aspects up high, but got crusty/crudy as you got lower. So, rather than ski groomers or crust I decided to take a walk.

It was a loooong walk, shouldn’t have left the skins back at the Lodge. That’s the side-step/boot pack/skin track to East Castle, starting lower left with the peak in the upper right.

Seeing as I didn’t have two hikes in me I had to choose between East Castle or the Baldy Chutes. A rare treat to have either available. East Castle is extremely avalanche prone and doesn’t open often, plus it still had lightly tracked powder, so East Castle it was.