This past storm cycle left long time lake dwellers speechless as they gobble up the deepest powder imaginable for days on end.  Road closures made the powder chase difficult but those who remained flexible were able to reap the benefits of head to toe pow. The white room was in full effect and breathing difficulty was reported upon powder turns as face shots presented awesome choking hazards. Cliffs hits that were previously too big to send are now incredibly sendable and your favorite resorts are buried to the brim and difficult to recognize.

Friday the 20th was one of those quintessential epic powder days. With Carson Pass closed out to Kirkwood the storm riders hit the slopes at Sierra and Heavenly. Unreal snow conditions gave way to heavy stoke amongst the many shredders at Sierra.  The ice cliffs in Avalanche bowl and the many hits and hops in Jacks Bowl offered hefty hucks and amazing cloud landings.  An abundance of hoots and hollers rang through the Sierra air as everyone was getting pitted.

Saturday the 21st, Carson pass opened and provided access to the untouched Kirkwood Mountain. Last weekend at Kirkwood took deep powder skiing to whole new level.  Turns were bouncy and landings were soft making it an all around shred fest on the mountain. Kids were learning first time back flips and adults were cannonballing off massive cliffs, just for fun. The following Sunday and Monday dropped another healthy amount of snow, closing down Carson Pass and leaving most people stuck in their driveways. Folks who found themselves stuck out at Kirkwood on Monday got the deepest pow day of the year.

Overall, it's pretty obvious how the conditions were: deep and amazing. Now we get to enjoy our mountains like we have never enjoyed them before. The snow is holding up great and resorts are still opening portions of the mountains that still hold the deep stuff, so there's plenty more to be had. Catch up on your shoveling and enjoy the sunshine in South Lake while it's here!

Cheers!

Trevor

(Trevor Smith is a Kirkwood local and powder chaser)