Ok, TL regulars. I was hoping someone would post by this time, probably too much party.
Anyway, how was it? Several morning posts seemed to indicate a lack of snow at the bottom of the mountain?
Hope all had and have a great time at TL. Snow report indicated only 5 open trails. Webcam never works. This also on the website, hopefully referring to the Weather Report and not TL itself: "Fatal error: Call to undefined function: wp_forecast() in d:\inetpub\timberlineresort\wp-content\themes\Resurrection-remix\themes\sidebar.php on line 102"

The Colonel

Windy

(Colonel, sorry about my previous post. Someone yesterday predicted that trip reports about TL would emphasize the wind, so I thought I'd oblige.)

We arrived at TL this morning just before 9am. The temperature was right at the freezing point and the wind was blowing hard. It was chilly standing in the ticket line, esp. because I was dressed for spring skiing.

The only lift open at 9am was the beginner's chair. A ski instructor pointed out the grooming machines, explaining that they hadn't groomed Friday night. The orange chair opened up at about 9:30. At that point, Thunderstruck was open, but we saw the ski patrol taking up the sign on White Lightning at about 10:00. That first run floating down a freshly groomed WL was pure delight!

Other than a surprising number of ski school classes on the beginner's chair, the slopes were uncrowded and lift lines were absent. Plenty of snow at the mountain's base, althouth the traverse from the base of WL to the orange chair was s-l-o-w. On White Lightning and Thunderstruck, the surface went from machine groomed granular to spring conditions rather quickly. Bare spots were avoidable (but why no warning signs or poles)?

Best entertainment was the involuntary dunking booth at the base of the orange chair. A pond built up just past the loading platform, giving most riders some free water-skiing and a few a cold bath! (When the liftie couldn't find my friend's ski right away after he'd gone into the drink, I thought, "Uh-oh. This doesn't look good.")

The only significant disappointment was that TS and WL were the only top-to-bottom runs open. Lower Almost Heaven was open, but Upper AH -- although it seemed to have adequate snow -- was closed, as were all runs to skier's right of White Lightning. Maybe TL was saving these for Sunday, but I plunked down a full $35 to ski today. I know Timberline isn't making any money by opening this weekend, so, you're right, it's all good. And it was...

... my first April skiing.

Cheers,
Woody

T-line was great considering it was the only game around. Yes only TS and WL open from the top and lower AMH from the mid-station. The lower Salamander run out that returns skiers from The Drop and Off the Wall were down to dirt from this weeks rain. The Drop ran out of snow about 70 yards downhill from the last whales. Don't ask me how I know that. I had a great time. A little windy and cool but blue bird skis. Sunday should fun.

In the absence of Jimmy getting the last word in, the skiing was typical spring conditions. The drop, almost heaven, dew drop, and OTW were "officially closed" however, if you were so inclined to walk in/out the snow was the sweetest I've ever poached in April. The bumps on the drop were very excellent indeed. The base was ample everywhere, but I finally resorted to using my rock skis later on Sunday afternoon so not to "Blue Knob" my bases. You really couldn't consider it poaching since everyone was on the schweet spring snow just behind the "closed" signs including those wearing the red jackets . We finally quit around 3 on Sunday to get ready for the second biggest party of the season at t-line that honored the best of timberline's renowned ski school and winners in the local's cup race . The food was good, the beer better, and we gave ski season 08/09 a fitting closure at the only mountain that could hold it together to the advertised season's end (albeit barely) . Stories were shared, good-byes swapped, and the music and celebration faded off in the night's cool air. What did you say Jimmy? Only 7 more months till ski season? BTW, I fianlly got to ski with LH Crazie and some other posters from DC Ski . If you missed it, you missed a BLAST!