Pico Peak
from Bitter Sweet
January 27, 2006, 10:30 AM

Pico Peak
from Bitter Sweet
January 27, 2006, 10:30 AM

It got fairly cold last night. Temperatures dipped well into the single digits. But this time of year, unless there is a snow storm moving in, a temperature dip at night usually means lots of sun the next day. And today was a perfect example.

The mountain this morning was set up flat and fast. The dampness that was in the base from last weeks precipitation has finally solidified. No ice was visible this morning, because of all of the snow that we have had this week, but you could tell that the base had firmed up. Snow making operations were ongoing on Outer Limits, Wild Fire, Dream Maker, Lower Bitter Sweet, and Low Road.

For this first time in a while, I can say that there was a significant number of people out on the slopes. I spoke with a number of locals who just could not pass up such a perfect day. I also talked to a lot of weekenders who played hooky to take advantage of the conditions.

I did get bumped by a snow boarder on lower Bear Claw. Went over my left ski (of course... could not be my good leg) and spun me around. The good news is my binding released. Of course, the torque on my left ankle during this process left me quite speechless with pain, as the boarder continued to rip down the trail oblivious to the collision. After the collision, I did another half dozen runs. Got a good bruise mid calf, above the top of my boot, on my left leg, but so it goes.

Today's picture was a real tossup. For the first time all week, I had pictures with multiple skiers and riders in each frame. But, the skiing pictures do not tell the story of today. The real story was beautiful, sunny, crisp blue skies that provided unlimited visibility. From Bitter Sweet, it looked like you could reach out and touch the top of Pico... hence today's picture.