March 17, 2006, Kirkwood

We arrived at Kirkwood the previous evening and parked in the RV parking lot across the street from the new Timber Express quad. The RV lot offers free parking midweek (if you have a full or mid-wk pass) and has a couple of port-a-potties for the folks crashing in their vehicles. It started to snow lightly as we arrived. The RV lot has excellent cell coverage, wireless internet via Verizon or T-Mobile plus limited TV reception. Home!<br><br>We awoke around 6:30 AM and called the ski report: 12 inches of new at the base, 18 inches on top, temps in the teens, no wind, snow showers and chains required on the surrounding highways. We pushed away all of the new powder from the vans entry door so we could get out, shouldered our skis and walked 50 feet to the shuttle stop for a ride to the main base area. We were number 8 in line and the testosterone levels were sky high. Grandma Jill was one of the few women in line. At 9 AM the closed sign was removed and the 30 powder hounds pushed and shoved their way in line to load the quad. Jill planted her pole in front of a young buck with a snowboard and wedged her way forward with the best of them. We were on chair 5 and within 4 minutes and 2000 vf we were descending in knee deep powder. Wow! You know the feeling! You came with friends but now it is each powder hound for him/herself. I kept looking over my shoulder and I could hear Jill giggling as powder flowed over her knees and dusted her face. She was having a blast. She had not skied deep powder since the compression fracture on her shoulder in December and it was wonderful watching her immersed in the powder. After the first chair ride, we never waited to load a chair for the remainder of the day. Sentinel Bowl and the Palisades provided untracked lines until lunch. The afternoon was spent on the Sunrise lift skiing untracked lines until about 2:30 PM when our legs finally gave out. Kirkwood has received over 600 inches so far this year and they plan to close April 28. The spring touring out near Fawn Ridge should be incredible. We keep hearing stories about the wonderful powder days Kirkwood had during the past month while we were in Mexico. Jill reminds me that we are here now and to stop moaning about the missed runs. WOW, what a day!<br>We are heading for Sierra at Tahoe where they are advertising that they have received 15 feet of snow in the first half of March.<br><br>Zap & Jill <br><br>Zap in the Palisades<br><br>