Squaw Valley Conditions Report: Steep and Deep

Bevan Waite |
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Sister cliffs. Skier: Bevan Waite; Photo: Ming Poon

Squaw is insane right now.  There is so much snow.  Atmospheric river after atmospheric river are dumping monumental amounts of snow in Tahoe and the skiing is amazing.

Dan getting pitted. Photo: Bevan Waite
Dan getting pitted. Photo: Bevan Waite

The best thing about today was the lack of crowds.  Based on how crowded it was last Friday, I was certain that today was going to be the same.  It was quite the opposite, however.  I lined up at KT at around 8:10AM expecting to be in the middle of the pack.  We were 7th in line!  After the first hour, the concentration of people greatly decreased and wait times might have been no longer than 10 minutes.

Bevan doing a tele slash by some cliffs off Alternates. Photo: 22 Designs, Troy Haas
Bevan doing a tele slash by some cliffs off Alternates. Photo: 22 Designs, Troy Haas

I had a priority list of lines to ski in my head and the fingers main air was first.  The visibility was pretty trash, but I was able to nervously ski my way to the crux of main air, look down the cliff at the landing, back up, and send.

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Dan ripping through rock garden. Photo: Bevan Waite

Next up was rock garden.  We skied some fresh wind packed turns through the chute and exited into knee deep pow turns in the run out.

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Bevan sending the Ice Goddess double.

One of the last planned priorities on my list was to hit the ice goddess.  I had always seen pictures of the cliff but never knew where it was until today.

Photo Tour:

I swear this only lasted an hour and then cleared up.
I swear this only lasted an hour and then cleared up.
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Utah Troy sending some squaw rocks into comparably wet pow than what he’s used to.
Jaimie making it look cool for the photographer. Photo: Miles Clark
Jamie making it look cool for the photographer. Photo: Miles Clark
Dan sending into the bottom of alternates
Dan sending into the bottom of alternates
Bevan stoked to send. Photo: Miles Clark
Bevan stoked to send. Photo: Miles Clark
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Jamie about to drop into sisters. Photo: Miles Clark

 

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Jamie pow slashing for the camera. Photo: Miles Clark
Absolutely nuking out. Photo: Miles Clark
Absolutely nuking out. Photo: Miles Clark
The snow keeps on collecting! Photo: Miles Clark
The snow keeps on collecting! Photo: Miles Clark

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2 thoughts on “Squaw Valley Conditions Report: Steep and Deep

  1. “The best thing about today was the lack of crowds.”

    Is this really a conditions update from Saturday, January 21st? If it is, can I have some of whatever you’re smoking? If it’s not, correct this–because it’s total bullshit.

    Getting lamer by the minute Snowbrains.

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