Opening weekend at Alta for the 2014/15 season was one for the ages. Never in recent memory has so much variety, strange events, and the physical manifestation of “too much of a good thing” come together in the span of three days. There was bony conditions, skiers making pancakes in the lift line, creamy powder, and a big storm that sent avalanche conditions through the roof, causing a Sunday closure of the entire mountain. Mother Nature needs to take her “mellow out pills” because she was up and down like a high school cheerleader.
Friday, November 21st was the official opening day at Alta. Overall, it was pretty typical. Skiers excited for first turns lined up at the Collins base, and cheers erupted then the ropes dropped, marking the official start to the season. The ski runs were mostly limited to groomers, but skiers could venture out into some early-season powder, while risking the safety of their ski bases. The Daily Pow was there and out together this edit of opening day:
Saturday was a pow day. A big storm tracked in from the northwest, dropping over a foot of snow in the upper Cottonwood Canyons. Skiers described it as creamy pow that fell hard, fast, and wet. Later in the afternoon, the winds picked up as the cold front moved in. Despite it only being November, skiers found deep powder to play in.
Then there was Sunday, bless her heart. Over 14 inches of snow fell overnight with a water weight of 1.5 inches. It all came in with wind gusts that reached up to 80-miles-per-hour. With sugary, rotten snow as a base layer, the avalanche danger increased to dangerous conditions. The morning’s Utah Avalanche Center forecast put the danger rose in the red on north-facing slopes. As a result, Alta announced they won’t open until 1 pm, presumably for avalanche control work.
1 pm came and went, when Alta finally decided the mountain was too dangerous for skiers. Although many were disappointed, patrol’s decision was justified as later in the afternoon, massive slides came down the Lone Pine and Stone Crusher slide paths. Witnesses say they ran full track, one after another, releasing a powder cloud that engulfed the closest Collins lift tower. It was a strange day indeed.
Hopefully, things get back to normal when Alta re-opens for the season on Monday, November 24th. Get your tickets now, because the powder will be epic!