Plattekill Heaven... Jan 21, 2011

Oh Platte how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. 50. That would be my roundabout guess for the number of people at Plattekill today. It could easily have been less. I certainly never say more than 4 people on the chairlift. That wouldn’t be 4 people on the lift line – or on one chair – but the entire lift at any one time.

I got to Platty at 9.15 and the lifts were already spinning but rather than have that powder anxiety (you know where you want to shove your husband out of the way so you can get to the lift faster so it’s not all ribboned out by the time you reach the top?) I was reasonably calm. Even had a very nice conversation about books (books!) when I was supposed to be putting on my ski boots. The conversation also turned to Volkl Aura’s the woman, Lois, was riding today.

But all this is mere words when it comes to the goods. Did I say powder? Light, fluffy perfect, feathery – all those nice adjectives we like to apply to it did apply today. There were at least 6 inches on the ground and the snow showers (thank you lake-effect gods) brought another 2 while I was there.

For my first run I did a groomer Sundown– thanks to new boots plus trepidation. This week we’d had snow and an ice storm, and I wasn’t quite sure what the base was beneath. Heaven, that’s what it was. At Lower Face I hit the powder and there was some crunch to my turns. It wasn’t skiing on breakable crust (or if there was anything to break, I was too light thanks to those new boots, which are several pounds lighter than the old one, and to my old Rossi B4s), but there was sound, that kind of crunching sound, which I always find so daunting on powder days.

Next up was the North Face side. (Incidentally I learned today from Macker that the run was originally called Barney’s Bluff for Plattekill’s original owner’s retriever who also would sit at the bar and drink…). Even on the chair lift, I could barely contain myself. Just the sight of The Plunge with all that lovely untouched powder … (see the pic).

My first run on this side was down Twist to North Face and even that had me panting. Next up Ridge Run and then all of North Face. While I write all that briskly – my skiing was hardly that. Such nice long uninterrupted runs, but there was a point where me and 3 other skiers all had to stop in the same spot. At the same time. (The most people I saw all day other than in the lodge). I asked, “Is this the rest station?” It was. And at least I wasn’t alone in needing to pause. There was a run down Free Fall and then back to the Upper Face and Lower Face where hugging the lift line I got untouched powder. At 11.00.

I could only ski till 1.30 – work beckoned. I told my client I had to get snow tires on the car today. Not an entire lie. There was snow. I was on the tires. But there was powder, and I am an addict. I have no restraint. I should say by my last run down North Face it was chop, but still a joy to ski. Give me that any day over a groomer. Or else move me to Alta.

jen-k wrote

I told my client I had to get snow tires on the car today. Not an entire lie. There was snow. I was on the tires.

Hehehe. That works!

That, without a doubt is a dream come true.  Sick! My last powder day there were no lift lines less than 20min!

Chris wrote

That, without a doubt is a dream come true.  Sick! My last powder day there were no lift lines less than 20min!

In the two times I've been to Platty I've never been in a line more than maybe 10-20 people. One of those days was a big pow day too.  Sometimes "earning turns" is just a little extra driving.

jen-k wrote

... but rather than have that powder anxiety (you know where you want to shove your husband out of the way so you can get to the lift faster so it’s not all ribboned out by the time you reach the top?)

(Need to get the ROFL emoticon ASAP.)

Looks like a great day.

What's the status of the trees?

Didn't venture too much because wife is not ready, but did hit trees a little here and there yesterday. Found some nice powder.