Author: andreas

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It’s over

After the latest Pineapple Express, it was clear that the season was over, but it took me a week or so to register. The season was as disappointing as last, but this year I got to go backcountry skiing once versus not at all last season. And it wasn’t even proper downhill, it was mostly to get out there.

For the second season, I didn’t make it to Lookout mountain. It just wasn’t enough snow and then it was gone. No tree skiing on the backside either because it just never opens up. After the three deaths of the season, I am sure Northstar will be even more conservative in the future.

It is what it is, there isn’t anything I can do about global warming.

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Blackout days are the best

It was slightly busy at the cafe, but then I could just walk straight up to the lift and load.

The conditions were better than I thought. The snow still has some bounce in it and it was only getting a little scratchy around 10.

Tomorrow the parking is already fully booked, so I will definitely stay away.

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Up and down

Conditions are deteriorating while the lift operations improved slightly. Even with no new snow, they are not able to open Comstock at the time you arrive from Arrow. It is what you want it to be.

Conditions were definitely warm. You could tell that the snow had been exposed to warm weather, it just compacted without the ability to push back.

Mostly overcast
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I feel robbed

Yes, it’s a resort milking as much money as possible. 20 dollar parking. 20 dollar Chardonnay at the rustic mid-mountain food establishment. That’s part of the deal if the resort was on top of it. Instead, they are all caught with pants down. Nothing is open and they can’t even run the lifts that were running yesterday, even though it only fell 1 inch over night. Families are using the single line to move ahead faster, and it is causing a lot of issues for us other guests.

Two runs and I was ready to throw up. There is a Northstar in hell.

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New skis

I just picked up a new pair of skis for the season, Icelantic Saba. Let’s hope they live up the my expectations.

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Ski days

2011-2012: 37 days
2012-2013: 20 days
2013-2014: 26 days
2014-2015: 28 days
2015-2016: 47 days
2016-2017: 38 days
2017-2018: 40 days
2018-2019: 42 days
2019-2020: 20 days
2020-2021: 39 days
2021-2022: 28 days
2022-2023: 26 days

2023-2024: 25 days

2024-2025: 16 days

This was by far the least active season. Even though I went to Japan for a week, I lost interest due to bad conditions everywhere. I do remember a few good days though.

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Disappointing season

What a disappointing season! It started with some normal skiing in December. I even got to bring out the powder skis for a few times. Then Japan was disappointing as well with only a tiny bit of fresh snow. The head cold that I got while traveling lasted for a full month, but at that time I heard it was just ice on the runs, so I haven’t had the urge to go. At this point I just want spring instead.

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Season 2022-2023

It was a season that started very late, so it wasn’t possible to do much backcountry. Most backcountry slopes were never even filled in.

2011-2012: 37 days
2012-2013: 20 days
2013-2014: 26 days
2014-2015: 28 days
2015-2016: 47 days
2016-2017: 38 days
2017-2018: 40 days
2018-2019: 42 days
2019-2020: 20 days
2020-2021: 39 days
2021-2022: 28 days
2022-2023: 26 days

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Crowded

Since it is Saturday, I suggested that we should leave the house at 7:30. We left on time, but arriving at Northstar they waved us in to a spot that is definitely not walkable. Lose.

Conditions were good, top of the mountain maintained the good snow quality, but mid mountain showed signs of rain.