Steamboat 4/6/10

It’s hard to believe that even in April there are Winter Storm Warnings but last night we received another winter storm rolling through Steamboat delivering a powder day on the mountain this morning.

During the winter on a powder day you have to get to the gondola early to get in line and start getting the powder turns but today even after 9am there was no one in line and the mountain all to yourself.  Late powder dumps definitely a reward for the locals.

[singlepic id=8636 w=400 h=300 float=]

Since the mountain was empty, it was hard to decide where to ride.  Especially when you see the open faces on the mountain, powder filled with 1 or 2 tracks down them.  With the high winds, I ducked in the trees to stay warm and enjoy the powder.  The trees were good but definitely with only 6 inches in some spots, you could see the crust underneath in areas.

[singlepic id=8638 w=400 h=300 float=]

I dressed as warm as I could and covered up in April

[singlepic id=8640 w=400 h=300 float=]

I ended up taking the Arbor Draft with the jib system out on the snow to see how it handled in powder riding and you know I have to say reverse camber makes powder so much easier on you.  No tired legs from leaning back all day and can actually ride centered.  Even with a jib board like the draft, it floated in the pow.

[singlepic id=8637 w=400 h=300 float=]

I get the saying no friends on a powder day but for me personally I love having friends to ride with on powder days like today.  Unfortunately today was a lone solo mission so I stayed to safer areas on the mountain in the trees where I could ride without worry of tree wells or obstacles.  Luckily today was a lone mission with tons of fresh tracks to be made like here in this group of trees where I’d be the first to drop in.

[singlepic id=8639 w=400 h=300 float=]

It was definitely a good way to start the morning with some pow turns on the mountain.