Tour de Valley 2013 (part one?)

It is becoming an annual tradition in our little neck of the woods to ski Hidden Valley (AKA Hidden Bump) sometime after closing day. Today was the day but rather than the usual social gathering, it was a solo tour for me and the dog. Telemark Dave actually got a day job, so had to go to some training course, the Peelstickah is in Wales, of all places, and the rest, well, kids, school night, who knows.

I parked at the secret spot that puts you halfway up the hill and assembled the tools of the trade:


I am really pleased that my new spring glasses match the green circle signs:


Except for a patch or two, there is lots of snow and our local lakes are quite frozen. Don't let that grey layer fool you, there is probably 20" of ice out there.


I skied up Nischan's Run and Lazy Lady, then down the Flying Dutchman to Wildcat. Utah is coming back to report that the choke on Wildcat will go. Back Trail, Member's Dip and The Face await in the distance.


Utah wisely backs off the gnar of Member's Dip. Very scary! For three turns.


After negotiating Wildcat I skied up Back Trail, following the tracks of some super-human skate-skiers. After this second ascent it was definitely time for a refreshment:


Hey, Utah, does this new jacket make me look fat?


When you ski with your dog and a camera, you take a lot of pictures of the dog. Here he is looking more dignified.


Returning to the car, we visited the snow guns, at rest for the warm season:


And went up a hill we had previously gone down. The dog found something to eat in the middle of my turn.


Of course, when you park at the middle of the hill, you have to ski up to get back:


The creators of the skate track appeared when I returned to the car. Young, fit, on skate skis. We chatted, I let them know that I was more about the down than the up. Whatever, the skater boyz went up, up, up.


I have called this post "part one?" because there is enough snow to have a part two. Let's hope some of the other regulars can make it for that event!

Looks downright slarvy.

Good coverage too. What is the annual snowfall of Hidden Bump?

The TechnoAlpin M18 Snow Cannons seem to contrast the Hinterlandian vibe.

I like the grainy spy photo of the nordic terrorists.

Harvey44 wrote

Looks downright slarvy.

Good coverage too. What is the annual snowfall of Hidden Bump?

The TechnoAlpin M18 Snow Cannons seem to contrast the Hinterlandian vibe.

I like the grainy spy photo of the nordic terrorists.

Very slarvy, Harvey. I believe it is called "peelaway corn" by the aficionados.

According to the Weather Network, we get an average of 306 cm (120 inches) and it does tend to stick around. The Bump did a great job at snowmaking this year, those M18s came in handy. There is two feet in some places on those runs.

Ya, those Nords were a little daunting. They skated up stuff I was sidehilling. Of course, I was on heavier gear. Puff, puff.

Harvey44 wrote

What is the annual snowfall of Hidden Bump?

It might be hard to believe, but we still have the odd patch of snow on our Ottawa lawn. Al lot has melted in the last week, but there is still some snow.

Camp Fortune closed last week (last of the locals) with a lot of snow left. They were hoping to open this weekend, but a bering broke on the chair last Sunday at 12:30pm and they shutdown for the season at that time.

Bummer.

Sick Bird Rider wrote

, and the rest, well, kids, school night, who knows.

maybe the web site was down