*** Official Snow Surfing Thread ***

Iceman

Phil Edwards status
Apr 1, 2002
6,254
1,017
113
NorCenCal
Drove up to my folks place in Pioneer on Christmas evening. Stayed a couple days and it puked at their house the entire time. Did some snowshoeing around Peddler Hill, and down some unplowed roads near the house. Did a ton of shoveling around the house, and also got stuck in the snow at the end of the street in my Lezbaru. :LOL: Took a turn too wide and got stuck in some thick stuff buried underneath some fresh snow that was leftover from the snowplow earlier in the day. Had to shovel myself out, but then ended up with a flat tire. Turns out I had a screw in the tread, which I didn't know about because the tire wasn't losing pressure, and sheared the head off when I spun the rear tires. Changed a flat for the first time ever which wasn't too bad. Luckily have a full-sized spare. Trees and powerlines down everywhere due to the weight of snow, which usually doesn't pile up to such heights at 3500'. Had a fun stay, and made some snowpeople on the deck after I shoveled it.







 

92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
2,597
1,023
113
Waited out 3-4 days of highway closures, had to cancel our North Shore reservation and tickets, then pivoted to a South Shore mission when highway 50 popped before 80 did, plus it's a bit shorter trip from the in-laws property in Rancho Cordova.

Despite the chaos we had been seeing / reading for days on CalTrans Twitter and other sources, our ride up was really efficient. Raining overnight and scattered showers when we left mid-morning which turned to snow once we got a ways up the hill. Cal Trans let me roll through the chain check point, confirming I was in 4wd, and just warned me about some tree crews working the highway up ahead. No stopping, and hardly ay congestion the whole way up. Roads were buried from half way up all the way into South Lake Tahoe.

After having to accept that I might not be Snowboarding in Tahoe for the 14th December holiday in a row, I was pretty bummed, so needless to say when we pulled it off and the sun started coming out the afternoon we arrived the stoke was very high.



Walking out to the snow beach...





The South Shore has simply blown up the last 10+ years. First came here in 2008, and while I still love it, we generally go elsewhere around the Tahoe region. Still, lots of people investing in this area with the old properties being renovated and expanded. Parked the truck when we got in and didn't move it until we drove home. Walked to the Gondola and a couple good dinners at CA Burger Co. and Kalani's.




I really need a rockered board by now... Jones Aviator 160w + Union Falcor bindings. The wife has been on a Womens Flagship 154 for a few seasons and loves it.





Pretty A+ when you cant see any other colors but white...








The real foul was when the weather turned in the afternoon and all the lifts started shutting down due to wind, so a great morning turned until a sh*t afternoon of 20* temps, flat light, and wind, with a long wait to get out of east peak Nevada with only Comet Express open, and then back to the gondola for another hour+ wait to get out. Made me question whether we will be heading back to the South Shore during the holidays ever again.
 
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92122

Michael Peterson status
Jul 29, 2015
2,597
1,023
113
And now for the not so politically correct rant... Immigrant foreigners who have a complete lack of self awareness and no common courtesy as visitors here... We had an asian couple double load behind us on a lift and practically push us off the platform... luckily there was room so we scrambled to move over as the liftie yelled at them to pay attention and follow the rules.... when they didnt even acknowledge the liftie he said "HEY, YOU NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT I AM SAYING TO YOU RIGHT NOW" so you can tell he was fed up with these people who cant communicate or follow basic rules. The couple didn't offer us any apologies or even say a word to us once on the lift either, although one of them did mutter a few words in english so it was apparent they could have it they had any sort of consciousness!??

The real blow out was when we got back to the Gondola... no resort employees anywhere to be found trying to regulate the line, and they hadnt strung up any ropes either so it was basically a huge mob trying to funnel into a few gates that lead to the stairs going up to the Gondola building.... It was already tense enough in the 20* temps and wind and disorganized state, but of course another group of foreigners had to make a scene... pretty sure they were Brazilians as they were speaking words in spanish but some of that crosses over to their native language so who knows... they looked like Brazzo's, and were right behind us in line yelling at the top of their lungs... How long would any of you let someone stand directly behind you and yell over and over and over again in public before you told them to STFU and go look for whoever they needed to find!? So we gathered that this group / family was looking for someone else in their party, and the main ringleader dude was out next to the line walking back and forth yelling things, a complete sideshow for everyone who was already annoyed at the situation.... Well apparently they finally found the person they were looking for and tried to cut back in line... someone wasn't having it and we turn around to some heavy commotion and they break out beside the ling and start dancing..... punches being thrown as a couple of the Brazzo's ganged up one one dude who had obviously had enough of their behavior and shoved them out... The main ring leader was emotionally hysterical, spitting as he yelled "WE HAVR CHILDREN.... WE HAVE CHILDREN".... Just then a lady next to me yelled back "we all have children here, it doesn't mean you get to cut in line".

Honestly, the whole experience kind of broke me on going out for the busy holiday weekends at these resorts... some are worse than others, but Heavenly may very well be at the top of the sh*t show list from everyone I talk to. You want to be easy going and allow everyone to enjoy, but when there is a total lack of self awareness and common courtesy from people who don't even try to understand their audience and culture they are operating in, it pisses me off to the point where I want to become that angry regulator who puts them in their place..... yet even if you do that, they will never learn, it will only make many people look at you like you are the jerk...????????..........

Rant over.
 

plasticbertrand

Duke status
Jan 12, 2009
21,217
14,033
113
And now for the not so politically correct rant... Immigrant foreigners who have a complete lack of self awareness and no common courtesy as visitors here... We had an asian couple double load behind us on a lift and practically push us off the platform... luckily there was room so we scrambled to move over as the liftie yelled at them to pay attention and follow the rules.... when they didnt even acknowledge the liftie he said "HEY, YOU NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT I AM SAYING TO YOU RIGHT NOW" so you can tell he was fed up with these people who cant communicate or follow basic rules. The couple didn't offer us any apologies or even say a word to us once on the lift either, although one of them did mutter a few words in english so it was apparent they could have it they had any sort of consciousness!??

The real blow out was when we got back to the Gondola... no resort employees anywhere to be found trying to regulate the line, and they hadnt strung up any ropes either so it was basically a huge mob trying to funnel into a few gates that lead to the stairs going up to the Gondola building.... It was already tense enough in the 20* temps and wind and disorganized state, but of course another group of foreigners had to make a scene... pretty sure they were Brazilians as they were speaking words in spanish but some of that crosses over to their native language so who knows... they looked like Brazzo's, and were right behind us in line yelling at the top of their lungs... How long would any of you let someone stand directly behind you and yell over and over and over again in public before you told them to STFU and go look for whoever they needed to find!? So we gathered that this group / family was looking for someone else in their party, and the main ringleader dude was out next to the line walking back and forth yelling things, a complete sideshow for everyone who was already annoyed at the situation.... Well apparently they finally found the person they were looking for and tried to cut back in line... someone wasn't having it and we turn around to some heavy commotion and they break out beside the ling and start dancing..... punches being thrown as a couple of the Brazzo's ganged up one one dude who had obviously had enough of their behavior and shoved them out... The main ring leader was emotionally hysterical, spitting as he yelled "WE HAVR CHILDREN.... WE HAVE CHILDREN".... Just then a lady next to me yelled back "we all have children here, it doesn't mean you get to cut in line".

Honestly, the whole experience kind of broke me on going out for the busy holiday weekends at these resorts... some are worse than others, but Heavenly may very well be at the top of the sh*t show list from everyone I talk to. You want to be easy going and allow everyone to enjoy, but when there is a total lack of self awareness and common courtesy from people who don't even try to understand their audience and culture they are operating in, it pisses me off to the point where I want to become that angry regulator who puts them in their place..... yet even if you do that, they will never learn, it will only make many people look at you like you are the jerk...????????..........

Rant over.
Yes, non-immigrant non-foreigners are never lacking self-awarenes and common courtesy.

I also like how immigrants are just “visitors”.

Way to ruin your nice first post. Sheesh dickhead.
 
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LifeOnMars

Michael Peterson status
Jan 14, 2020
3,164
2,106
113
Yes, non-immigrant non-foreigners are never lacking self-awarenes and common courtesy.

I also like how immigrants are just “visitors”.

Way to ruin your nice first post. Sheesh dickhead.
Chinese are known to be some of the rudest tourists, Brazzos are generally hated by traveling surfers for good reason. Stereotypes usually have some logical observant reasoning behind them
 
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$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
60,006
16,710
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1. Heavenly sucks, always has.

2. Plenty of people in other countries have similar opinions of American tourists/expats/immigrants and it’s just as wrong

3. There are always obnoxious line cutters on crowded days at ski resorts. I don’t care if your friend is way ahead of you in line, thats not my problem or anyone else’s. If you can’t keep up he can either wait for you at the top or move to the back of the line with you. Don’t make that everyone else’s problem. I’ve seen this happen so many times and it has nothing to do with where people are from. It’s universally shitty, making this an immigrant issue is only indicative of you not them.
 
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$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
60,006
16,710
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I should also add that if you go to some resorts that draw a lot of foreign visitors like Whistler/Blackcomb they have a lot of signage exclusively in Chinese for reasons of safety. I believe in the past they’ve had a lot of issues with chinese tourists ignoring/not understanding signage and taking lifts that only service advanced terrain getting themselves in over their heads.
 
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plasticbertrand

Duke status
Jan 12, 2009
21,217
14,033
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fat and loud :monkey:

Being PC is so last century, wokeness is the new vibe jive these days. Gotta cancel anyone with an opposing position, it’s the Murican way
It's not about being PC, it's about not being a POS.

People in his story had a lack of common courtesy, they were assholes just like you.

Saying they were immigrant "visitors" adds nothing to the story but a xenophobic jab.

Go to any ski resort and I guarantee you that every person who tries to sneak through ski school lift line or insists on riding alone on a quad chair, is born and raised in the good old you es of ay.

Are you going to name their nationality every time?
Of course not, that only applies to immigrants. :poke:
 

SeaFoamGreen

Gerry Lopez status
Apr 10, 2009
1,250
681
113
NorOR
Historic storm cycle on the volcano. Similar to what Tahoe had a few weeks back. Monday got denied. Closed the road before I could get there and luckily got the 411 before getting to far and getting stuck. Heard horror stories of peps stuck in traffic for 6 hours. On the other hand some made it through the gauntlet and scored very uncrowded cold refills, yet may have had to pay in travel time getting home. Tuesday AM repopo was a nogo. All resorts and roads closed. Went back to bed. Wednesday AM weird report. 0"s in last 12, temp 24, and something about deicing chairs :unsure: Rushed it. We were amping to get some, post-holiday blitzkrieg. Ended up warming at some point in the evening and some freezing rain laid a 3/4" slab of ice on top of 3' of powder. Fook! To add insult to injury we had to ride the old 2-seater a slow 20 min ride to the top as they had to de-ice every chair on the express.
PXL_20220105_200445067.jpg
We made the best of it. Took a break. As it got skied a bit it got broken up and was dumping, so filled in some. Express opened and found the trees had decent snow without the crust, the tighter the better. Select NE facing slopes had some pies as well. Orca is very fun in the tress due to its shortness and responsiveness and the magne was clutch in the variable conditions. Oh well typical let down around here just like the fickle surf. Still a fun day and better than no snow. These huge storms are always fun to score, but just too much sometimes. Probably would have been the deepest days in decades if we could of got it before it warmed. Hopefully some more artic air with reasonable precip soon during the mid-week.
 
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$kully

Duke status
Feb 27, 2009
60,006
16,710
113
Any thoughts on where the cheapest, most accessible resorts are in Western Europe?
No idea about accessibility for Americans with the current Covid situation but I read a headline about how Chamonix is getting creamed cause britons are currently not allowed in France and they represent the vast majority of their seasonal tourism. IF you can get into France you may get lucky with vacancies and decent rates. No idea what the current USD -> EUR exchange is. Haven’t looked since the beginning of the pandemic. On a more distant adventurous note I’ve heard of good powder expeditions to Kosovo. But frankly from what I know of your abilities I don’t know that I’d spend that much or travel that far to ski or board if I were you. The bunny slope is the same wherever you go.