That snake run got much deeper/rutted in the intervening days with ledges on every turn, especially towards the top. Most of my time was spent with the kids but I did sneak up there for a few runs on Saturday and one on Sunday. Rode it well on Saturday but not so on Sunday, was just off a little. Really fun sending barndoors of snow off the walls. Coated a few people but good, including myself, as I intercepted said barndoors a couple turns further down the run.
Not sure how I feel about closing weekends, though. Probably wouldn't do it again. I realized/confirmed that I dislike scenes - they bring the scenesters/kooks out of the woodwork. I was on edge all weekend and for good reason.
First run on Saturday, wife and kids wanted to take a warmup run on the beginner run as it's been a few weeks. My son and I were about 5 minutes ahead of my wife and daughter. My son wasn't going fast nor slow, making normal turns, just cruising. I'm trailing roughly 30-50 feet behind him or so when around me comes this flailing skier, turns right into the back of my son, knocks him straight out of his skis, crashing him into the snow face-first.
It looked really bad and I knew my son wasn't coming out of that unscathed but I also wanted to make sure that guy wasn't going ANYWHERE. Ski patrol witnessed it from the lift; kind of in disbelief the guy's pass didn't get yanked right then and there. Guy had all sorts of excuses but you skied into a 9 year old kid from behind on a beginner run who is now screaming in pain/fear - there are none. Besides first aid/triage, I know ski patrol was mostly trying to defuse the situation, especially cooling me down. I was really angry and I still am. At the very least, I hope that guy spends the rest of his life knowing he is an immense kook.
Son miraculously only had a bruised wrist, elbow, and sore throat from the helmet strap. Comforted him for a little while, went down to bottom to make sure other injuries didn't present themselves once the adrenaline wore off, and got him some hot chocolate, and he was back up there 30 minutes later. He shook it off and had a great rest of the day. Tough kid.
Sunday was a lot icier in the morning. Tried to convince the kids to wait until 10:15 or so but they were amping and they can handle the groomed crust no problem. A few runs later, we're in the Drain which is a long wide gully, has an S-turn in it near the bottom with a little kicker on it. 90% of people just take the S-turn, 10% do the kicker, no one goes up and over the whole goddamn hip. Except my son who has a ton of speed because the snow is crusty and he just sends it up and over. No air but he is hauling ass down the other side which is steep and littered with death cookies and hard traverse lines. Caught an edge on one of many chunks, his ski pops off and he face plants onto the ice, couple scrapes on his cheek, I get him over to the side immediately so he's not in a blind spot. And same ski patrolman as on Saturday skis up randomly and says "you again". Obviously he's fine, more P.O.ed about the crust than hurt, just needs a minute, and we all kind of laugh but funny coincidence.
Overall, great season, though. Didn't really get a powder day somehow but had a lot of fun days and am stocked on the progression my wife and kids made over the course of the winter; amped on next year.
