6/14/09
I got back from visiting family in Seattle just in time for closing day on Mammoth Mountain. We started off by hitting Fascination and Far West. These runs are very well maintained and salted all spring, and the snow was snooth and fast. Chair 3 was next with nice groomed down Center bowl, and a great rutline down Wes Bowl. We headed up top for Wipes and Drops, and finished the season with the best snow of the day on Terry's. There is still plenty of snow on the mountain, and I wish they were going a few more weeks, but it was a great season, even with the wet and warm weather for the last couple weeks. I will still get a few more turns in the backcountry, but the lift season is over, so thanks for reading my blog, and thanks to all my friends for skiing with me, especially Will B, Preston, Victor, Bec, Susan, Stacy, Drew, Amy, Jan, Tim, Pat, Scott, ET, my Dad and Cara. Enjoy summer, there are only about 19 weeks until opening day!

6/2/09
The unusual spring weather has not been kind to our snow. Daily thunderstorms, and warm nights have resulted in dirty sticky conditions off piste, and some premature suncup growth in the backcountry. The best skiing is on runs like Cornice, Terry's, Gremlin's and St. Anton. The off piste is better on the weekends when skier traffic cleans up the Wipes and Drops. We may get a bit of snow Friday. A little fresh frosting could be nice.
Wes Morrison

5/27/09
It's always a little sad when they close Chair 2; the mountain seems kinda small with just 1, 3, and 23 open. Of course, the skiing is still pretty darn good, and the runs are totally empty (except for the spring pipe and park). Early is better right now, with the best conditions between 9am and 11am. Don't forget the lifts close at 1pm, and be sure to check out Terry's.
Wes Morrison

5/18/09
It can be hard to choose what ski to use in the spring. Lately, I have been using by 70mm wide K2 Crossfire, which are fun for carving the frim early morning groomed runs, and great in the Wes Bowl rutline. But, when it's time for some sloppy off piste snow, they are far from ideal. My obSETHed and Sidestash are much better once things get soft, and I'm not in the bumps. obSETHed is 105mm wide under foot with mini rocker tip and tail, while Sidestash is 108 with mini tip rocker, and two sheets of metal. A bit of rocker is awesome, it makes for a very stable yet super manuverable ski. Next season every ski over 100mm wide that we carry will have rocker. Sometimes I use my old Outlaw in the spring, at 88mm and two sheets of metal they do just about everthing fairly well. Tomorrow I think I will start on my Crossfires, and then switch to my Pontoons(huge with big rocker).
Wes Morrison

5/15/09
Ellery Bowl on Tioga Pass is perhaps the best roadside skiing in the Sierra. You can park right at the base and skin up to the headwall, or car shuttle from Tioga Lake, and hike up the back. Preston, Viktor, Rachel, George and I opted for the car shuttle, and dropped in at noon. The entrance was an easy traverse under an intimidating cornice and some nice steep turns up top. The snow was perfect, with nice corn all the way down to the dam at Ellery Lake. A quick reverse of the shuttle, and it was off to Whoa Nellie Deli for mango margaritas, fish tacos, and cheesburgers. Spring in the Sierra is the best!
Wes Morrison

5/14/09
We did a more mellow tour today. The west slope of Mt. Dana has some great rolling terrain, and easy access from the Yosemite Park entrance. Stacy, Rebecca and I climbed to about 12,000' and decided the best snow was below us, so we clicked in and had at it. 2,000' of corn that didn't get sticky until the very bottom.
Wes Morrison

5/12/09
Preston and I skied the Powerhouse Chutes off the Dana Plateau today. We did it the easy way; leaving my Subaru at the Powerhouse, and driving Preston's truck up to the restrooms. We booted up Glacier Canyon, and then skinned across the Plateau to the top of the Powerhouse Chutes. Entrances can be very scary in this area, and we brought a rope just in case. Fortunately, we found an "easy" way in, and some great spring snow on the 45 degree 1000' long chute. Then it was time for a fun corn cruise through the massive cirque, before hitting a last steep bowl that narrowed to rock lined throat with a little blue water ice thrown in for good measure. Our last turns were on a narrow tounge of snow with a small creek bubbling through in places. We ran out of snow about 200' above the road, and had a quick bushwack back to my Subaru. After driving back up Tioga Pass to pick up Preston's truck we made a beeline for Mono Cone, and had a well earned cheeseburger and milkshake lunch. It was a perfect day, and one of the best runs ever.
Wes Morrison

5/10/09
A big group of us hit Gaylor Peak this morning. Let's see, it was Cara, Stacy, Rebecca, Amy, Racheal, Viktor, George, Preston, and me. We got a reasonably early start, and were skiing down by 11 am. The skiing was great, with nice corn and sunny warm skies.
Wes Morrison

5/9/09
I love the rutline that forms in Wes Bowl every spring. Actually, it is the product of a dedicated bunch of bumpers. Anyway, it's a beauty; straight and fast, with perfect rhythm. The top and bottom sections are fairly flat and easy, but the middle is deep and challenging. Preston, Stacy and myself were lapping it together, each taking turns leading the others down. It's really fun to get a group in a line, and let it rock.
Wes Morrison

5/8/09
False White is a classic spring tour off of Tioga Pass. You park at the Saddlebag Lake Rd. turnout, and skin about 2.5 miles and 2500' to a perfect east facing bowl. The bowl itself is about 1500' of wide open 30 degree heaven, and the lower gullies are another 500' of sweetness. Preston, Stacy and I timed it well, and had great snow top to bottom. We started skinning a little after 8am, and clicked in about 11:30.
Wes Morrison

5/6/09
The sun finally came out, and the skiing was outrageous today. I headed straight up top, and hit Dave's with an air-to-straightline run that would have been really scary without perfect windbuff. Next up was a couple really nice laps on Heuvos Grande; the wet storm filled it in the entrance, so no air required(but optional and fun!).Everything on the top of the mountain was great, with super smooth snow, and the best coverage of the season; especially in the tight spots.
Wes Morrison