The weather forecasters, news anchors, and well…pretty much every Utah TV personality has been really down on snow lately. I understand their point—I’m sure the incessant shoveling and messy shoes get old. But for us skiers, you can never have too much of a good thing—or can you?
I got a call from a friend on Friday morning, stuck in the line-up of cars waiting for Little Cottonwood Canyon to open from one of its many recent closures. Don’t get me wrong—closing the canyon is absolutely necessary for avalanche control work and maintaining safety. But sometimes you just want to go skiing. “Want to head up to Powder Mountain?” my buddy asked. I didn’t take much convincing.
Within 30 minutes we were on our way north from Salt Lake City to the mellow vibes and fresh snow at Powder Mountain. Recent strong winds made for a double-edged sword: the smooth, buffed out snow was ridiculously fun and fast, but you had to pay attention to the occasional hardpan variable patch which could easily toss the less wary to the ground. The attendees at the SuperFly Open at Powder Mountain were clearly having a great time in the wind, with kites ripping up and down the open ridgelines.
With the biggest base I can remember at Powder Mountain, the skiing was simply off the hook. In typical Pow Mow fashion, we were feasting on fresh right to the last run of the day; something that never ceases to amaze me.
