Cypress 2014/15

[LeopardSkin]

Hey Alton! Let us know how it goes at the Sky Chair tomorrow!

[Jerry]

Last of the silver pass days before the block out . Cypress ETA 0945 . Merry Xmas

[LeopardSkin]

Let's elphin' go!

[Alton]

Hey Tony/Jerry - how was the ski chair?

[Jerry]

Clear sky 09:45 Dec 25 conditions were good for the first 6 runs . The snow quickly detearated, turning light brown as more and more rocks appeared with the increasing traffic. 10:45 uploading on lions chair to access sky chair. Run was limited to cat track on groomed hard packed snow. Over all there was a very thin layer over a hard and some times icy base. 2 runs later , I call it a day. Conditions should improve as they pile on the double m snow as the freezing level stays low.

[LeopardSkin]

Yes, the snow was firm. However, it was easy to carve through it with 88° edges (ie. sharper than normal) on my Burton Vapor 157.

[drh]

I wasn't going to bother going up to Cypress today as it's been so marginal this year. I did set my alarm for 6:40 am, but didn't drag my butt out of bed until almost 7. When I looked outside it was pouring rain and since the Cypress report said they'd received 10 cm before 6 am and it was still snowing heavily I thought I'd take a chance. I got to the hill before 8:30 am and there were still parking spots in the Lodge Lot - and it was still snowing. It was somewhat foggy to start off so I did Fork, which was nicely groomed with about 4 cm of fresh on top. Rob did upper Jasey Jay and said that there was some serious powder, although I was somewhat dubious. The fog largely lifted on the next run so I took upper Jasey Jay. It hadn't been groomed all night plus they must have had the snow guns going because the powder was bouncing off my waist when I was deep in the turns. Rob & Bob estimated it was 30 cm deep. I had guessed 20. There were surprisingly few people there, possibly because some had stayed out too late partying, and others were expecting a 10 am opening (Eagle opened at 9 am). Jasey Jay was skied out after my fourth run on it. We did Panorama a couple of times then we were in the first three chairs going up Sky. The first run was very foggy but it was better after that. Beautiful soft powder on T33. Did a few turns slightly past the ropes and got some bonus powder. Rob and Bob did lower Fork but their bases may have suffered. I didn't want to get chased by the ski patrol on the first powder day of the year so I declined.

[LeopardSkin]

Lifts opened at 8:50. Snow off Eagle Chair was full-width. Coverage was good with the occasional pebble showing. Good firm softpacked hero corduroy. Crowd was non-existent for the first half hour. When we left at noon, the lift line at Eagle was about 5 minutes.

Didn't try the Lions side. Someone reported poor coverage on Collins.

Tomorrow looks to be a good day.

[Roxstock]

I rode both side on cypress today from 9:00 til 3:00. I was surprised by the coverage, better than I expected. It was a fun day other than bailing hard on the jump at the top of Malle Ricker. I think I may have cracked a rib! Lots of pain killers and try to get out kiteboarding tomorrow.

[LeopardSkin]

Weapon of the day: Dynastar 3800 - 163 cm pow stick.

Mostly 4" fresh & dry over groomed. It was snowing heavily throughout the morning. Vis was a little flat. The less popular runs were knee-deep!!!

The freezing level soars to over 2000, 3000 metres for the next several days with rain starting tomorrow in the alpine. That might be it for this season.