Couple shots from the weekend...

[NoKnees]

After multiple delays, finally got a half day of riding in at Kirkwood Sunday. Eastbound 88 was closed all weekend, and didn't open until today. All access was through South Lake Tahoe or Nevada via 50 and 89... 50 was opening and closing through the weekend, making it tough to get through that way. Sunday, westboard 88 was closed until 11:30am... For the first 3 hours, only the locals there got to play on the freshies...

We arrived a few minutes after 12:00, along with 50 or so other cars that had been waiting at the pass... Cornice was pretty tracked out, but the "The Wall" had not yet opened. So, a chance for freshies there... Woohoo!

Storm total through this morning, although all but about 4" fell by the end of the day yesterday... 100 - 132 inches.... Not bad for Thursday through Sunday... A lot of wind accompanied some of this snow, so it didn't stay soft and fluffy everywhere, but it was soft and fluffy in many places... The rest was just good 'ol couple feet of medium density powder... If you wanted chest deep, you had to look for it a bit harder... Waist deep was pretty common in the upper chutes and trees, kneed deep was everywhere else except the wind blown ridgelines... And this is on a 178 swallowtail with a 185lb rider. Smaller boards and heavier riders would enjoy some deeper shots... Never mind what those two plankers were wallowing in..

Anyway, the main thing about this storm is it finally allowed some of the steeper lines to get filled in... A few people dropped Once is Enough for the first time this season I believe... Nice line... Anyway, good times were had. Finally getting the legs used to boarding again....

Couple photos from the day... Trying to get back up on Wednesday after another 12-18" come in Tuesday.

[NoKnees]

While waiting for hwy 88 to open, ducking between the snow flurries, I shot a few picks of the view at my car.. Not too exciting... But good looking country...

[Tantrum]

Nice shots as always Greg. Sounds like you "earned your turns" with the amount of time spent in the car waiting for the highways and passes to open up.

[NoKnees]

Thanks Jason... It was tempting to bail and try to ride elsewhere, but glad we stuck it out... Definitely worth it... Heading back up for a day trip tomorrow.

Speaking of earn your turns, on the way to Kirkwood from the east side, South Lake side, there are a couple great backcountry spots to hit, even on high avy days like we have currently. Some great tree riding, etc... Going by those, knowing I'd be waiting in line for the road to open, made me wish my wife was a bit more into the backcountry side of the sport. Maybe someday, but I dunno.. Tough to skip out on lift served powder on a day like that. Still, if we had the gear with us, we could have got a couple great laps of face shots in the backcountry, and still made it in time for the road opening to Kirkwood... Would have been best of both worlds.. oh well... I'll keep working on her off-piste skills and comfort level and we'll see where it takes us... Still need to pick up an extra beacon, shovel and probe for her. Someday maybe... ;)

[LazyL]

Beautiful.

[Tantrum]

The backcountry sure has it's allure. Definitely after this Saturday's fiasco at Keystone. It seemed that all of Denver was up trying to get to the fine snow we've had over the last month. Not enough parking and WAY TOO MANY people on the mountain made for a very bad day.

Although, we have had 1 fewer avy deaths this year than all of last year so the backcountry is not without its hazzards. Get your wife the dafety gear and the trianing pronto!

[Tantrum]

Canuck has not asked to where the pics send you and for you to provide your own pics of the destination.

[extreme_me]

I love the shots.
Plus the effects.
Look what boredom can make you do.

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Borrow money from pessimists - they don't expect it back.
i need some snowboarding apparel with cheap snowboarding brands!