by DK | Dec 27, 2016 | .
On Monday, the 26th of December, Shooting Star and Camus Loop ski trails at Park Creek were dragged and looking solid enough for skating and touring. At Alturas Lake, the Trail to the Lake as far as bridge junction, Over the Hill, and South Loop were ginzu groomed on Monday for skating and touring and the first classic tracks of the year were set, Wapiti and Sheep Thrills trails were rolled. However, on Tuesday, December 27th, those trails and tracks are once again disappearing under a blanket of snow. Moderate to heavy blowing snowfall will be making travel and skiing difficult. Up to a foot of snow accumulation is expected. The 26th and 27th of December are the feast days of St. Stephen, the protomartyr.
Saint Stephen with a rose, in and out of the garden he goes
Country garden in the wind and the rain
Wherever he goes the people all complain
Stephen prospered in his time, well he may and he may decline
Did it matter, does it now? Stephen would answer if he only knew how
Lady finger, dipped in moonlight, writing “What for?” across the morning sky
Sunlight splatters, dawn with answer, darkness shrugs and bids the day goodbye
Did he doubt or did he try? Answers aplenty in the bye and bye
– Robert Hunter
by DK | Dec 23, 2016 | .
On Friday, December 23rd, the birthday of the sun, ski trails are still kinda rough but improving in the Sawtooth Valley and Stanley Basin. At Park Creek, our groomer pushed his luck, got the snowmobile unstuck and packed those far out Sego and Larkspur trails for the first time. At Alturas Lake, the ginzu groomer was dug out and given a spin on the Trail to the Lake as far as the teepee, Over the Hill, Wapiti, and South Loop.
by DK | Dec 22, 2016 | .
On Thursday, December 22nd, the resurrected, invincible sun once again rules the skies above the Sawtooth Valley’s cross country ski trails. What a beautiful day! At Park Creek, Lupine, Shooting Star and Camus trails were rolled on Tuesday, but deep snow bogged down efforts to expand the trails. The groomer slowed, sank below the surface, and refused to move any further through deep drifts on the way to Skyrocket. After Friday’s predicted snowstorm, Park Creek’s hirsute groomers, Grandpa Grey Beard and the Barbarosa Emmetosa, plan a double dose of trail work for the weekend. At Alturas Lake, all trails except for North Cabin were rolled on Wednesday. A major dig to free the Alturas Ginzu Groomer from its snowy tomb is planned for today. Davinius, the Alturas trails mastermind, was proudly pileated for the last days of Saturnalia, wearing his red Phrygian hat to symbolize revolution, freedom and the pursuit of liberty. He was taking full advantage of the Saturnalian tradition that permitted slaves to disrespect their masters without the threat of a punishment as he called out at passing skiers, “Yo Saturnalia! Get a job, lead butt!”
by DK | Dec 20, 2016 | .
On Tuesday, December 20th, at the Park Creek ski area, the grooming Yankee Forker and his assistant, the bearded Emmonite, planned on packing out trails to the farthest reaches of that ski area through, as of yet, untracked snow. Davinius wished them lots of luck. It was Solstice Eve and the sun seemed barely alive. Snowflakes filled the sky, weighing down tree limbs and blowing across drifted meadows. The electricity flickered on and off as power lines sagged, flashing fiery sparks. Not a fit day for man nor beast thought Davinius as he remembered grooming through the deep snowdrifts bordering Alturas lake. On Monday, he had rolled the ski trail across Alturas Creek and all the way to the Lake, where he’d been rewarded with a vision of two bald eagles soaring and floating above the ice on howling wind currents. “What could that have meant?” he wondered, as he turned and headed back to the highway, rolling more soft corduroy along Sheep Thrills, Wapiti, the Connector, South Loop and Over the Hill. He had no doubt that those eagles loved one another and his thoughts turned to the pretty girl from the village.
by DK | Dec 17, 2016 | .
On Friday, December 16th, the following Sawtooth ski trails were rolled through deep new snow… At Park Creek – Lupine, Shooting Star and Camus… At Alturas Lake – The Trail to the Lake as far as the bridge junction, Over the Hill, South Loop and Sheep Thrills. On Saturday morning, the 17th of December, 2016, the 2,513th anniversary of the dedication of the temple of Saturn in Rome and the first official state celebration of Saturnalia, temperatures in the Sawtooth Valley dropped to their lowest of this ski season. Minus 28 degrees fahrenheit was reported at the Smiley Creek Airport at dawn. The temperature had only risen to minus 9 degrees by 11 a.m. More trail grooming will hopefully take place this weekend if the temperature manages to climb from its present bone chilling zone. Davinius, the old pagan groomer was happy for once to stay indoors and began his Saturnalian Saturday by stoking the home fires and lighting candles to symbolize his ongoing quest for knowledge and truth. He then turned to celebrating Bachus, and randomly shouting out “Yo Saturnalia!!” in good cheer. “Ho, Ho, Ho Saturnalia!” responded his friend, the pretty girl from the village, as she pulled another loaf of banana bread from the oven.
by DK | Dec 14, 2016 | .
On Monkey Day, the unofficial holiday celebrated internationally on December 14th, the ski trails at Alturas Lake and Park Creek are in the best shape so far this ski season, which is to say, at least they do exist and they are skiable. At Park Creek – Lupine trail, Shooting Star, Camas loop and some of the trail in Dry Gulch were rolled flat. At Alturas Lake – the Trail to the Lake, Over the Hill, South Loop, Sheep Thrills and Wapiti were all rolled flat. Expect trails to be soft, narrow and somewhat rough with no classic tracks or ginzu grooming. Now that the ski trails have finally been beaten in with great struggle through the deep early snows, the National weather service has issued a new storm warning stretching from 11 a.m. on Monkey day until 5 a.m.Friday morning with predicted snow accumulations of 10 to 14 inches and locally higher amounts in excess of 24 inches. Such serious monkey business in the upper atmosphere may slow ongoing grooming efforts.
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