A very warm early May at Blackcomb

Summary of post for busy readers:

• fabulous Spring skiing for 4 days on Blackcomb
• It’s ridiculously warm and the snow is melting fast

This was 4 days of some of the best Springy goodness you can ever have on skis. Soft groomers early, dollops of corn by lunchtime especially around 7th Heaven, and epic lines to pick off in the afternoon off the Glacier chair.

The only downside is the temperatures are making the snow disappear very rapidly. The amount of melt in 3 weeks since Whistler closing weekend is quite staggering. This is a stupidly warm Spring. The runouts to the lower chairs were brown mush by the afternoon, and on Sunday rocks appeared on high traffic areas on 7th Heaven. The heat from the previous day did some serious damage.

Run of the trip was an 11am descent of the Blackcomb glacier. A short hike led to innumerable lines of heavenly corn snow down the full length and breadth of the broad glacier. You just picked your line and like Donald Trump on illegal immigration, let it rip without a care in the world. Below the glacier, the run out was slow, and in several places. bare. Walking required. It was worth it.

Blackcomb in Spring

Blackcomb – heading to the glacier

Blackcomb in Spring

Blackcomb in Spring

Blackcomb in Spring – Lakeside Bowl

Blackcomb in Spring

Blackcomb in Spring

Blackcomb in Spring – watch out for cougars!!

Blackcomb Glacier

Blackcomb Glacier

Blackcomb Glacier

Blackcomb Glacier stroll to lifts

On 7th Heaven, a lunch time push out skier’s left revealed high quality lines in Lakeside Bowl. Huge radius high speed turns were the order of the day while watching the pond skimmers try their luck on the melting blue edge of the glacial lake. It was all slightly surreal.

Pakalolo at Blackcomb

Pakalolo at Blackcomb

Overbite at Blackcomb

Hanging with the Blackcomb bears

Hanging with the Blackcomb bears

Blackcomb pond skimmers

As 7th Heaven closed, runs like Cougar Chutes, Pakalolo and Heavenly Basin delivered steep and soft turns. It was actually remarkable how well all the runs held up in the afternoon heat. Our standard last run of the day from the top of Jersey Cream down Zigzag was fantastic at 3.30pm-ish every day. High speed slush riding is epic fun. Just let those rockers ride the snow and hang on.

I hope we get some more in before this crazy hot Spring melts all the snow.

9,300m, 9500m, 8200m, 6900m vert

Season Totals: 66 days, 535, 700m vert, 23 powder days