Nefarious November - Day 4 of the 2010/11 winter

Nefarious November. Day 4 - Ripping! from UnofficialSquaw on Vimeo.

Since Friday night we've gotten 64" on the lower mountain at Squaw. 'nuff said.

The past two days were so deep we renamed what we were doing out there from powder skiing to powder spelunking.

Last night's storm was different. The newest 16 inches were much wetter than the blower of the previous days and much more wind packed. Today, skiers were staying on top and ripping full-bore for the first time this season (this 4 day old season). It was the first day you were seeing flips, spins, technical lines, and as always at Squawllywood - ridiculous risks being taken. Once the mountain opens more terrain I guarantee you'll be seeing some ludicrous shit going down.

Today also marked a huge mental change at Squaw. Skier's switched from being completely blown away that it's this good this early to: all-systems-go, no friends on a powder day, lets f#@king rip it, get the hell outta my way!

Winds were insane at times today and I mildly soiled my pants (luckily they are brown) on a mid-day Red Dog ride. Red Dog is by far the scariest lift at Squaw. Add 80 mph gusts and me dangling over the gap to that, and yes, you get poo. Patrol actually closed the chair for about an hour right after that soiling.

Tomorrow's forecast is for a FULL-ON BLUEBIRD POWDER DAY. Patrol is talking about getting Shirley Lake and Siberia open. Kangaroo Kicker anyone? Heads up for the East winds tomorrow, tho. It looking like a classic Tonopah Low.

The Dirt on KSL - the new owners of squaw valley usa

Squaw Valley's credo has always been: "Hey, we got the best mountain, so you'll take what we give ya." I still remember, word for word, a statement from a season pass renewal letter mailed to every season pass holder, by Squaw, in 2003. The statement read: "Dear Alex, many consider you to be a slick scoundrel. I am one of them, but what can I do, you have the best mountain. Please take my $___ and send me my 2003/4 Squaw Valley season pass."

That credo is about to drastically change. Squaw Valley USA sold today to KSL Capital Partners based out of Colorado. Squaw's recent purchase of the Village and their getting rid of Nancy as CEO for Andy Wirth were obvious moves to make Squaw more marketable. We all knew it was gonna sell - we just didn't know to who.

KSL plans on changing Squaw's mantra and will start by throwing $5 million into improvements this season and $50 million in the next 3-5 years. They plan for that money to improve "culinary services, food and beverage, guest experiences - everything from the lift operations and ticket checkers to the staff in the parking lot." -Andy Wirth (Squaw's CEO)

Andy Wirth, Squaw's CEO, Eric Resnick, KSL's co-manager, and Mike Livak, Squaw's general manager, conference called UnofficialSquaw.com's founder Tim Konrad today for a chat. They talked for around 15 minutes in very general terms about what KSL's acquisition of Squaw means. Andy emphasized that they'll be spending part of that $50 million on improving Squaw's culinary arts, lift systems, and guest experiences. Eric said he and KSL are "really excited to be in Squaw Valley. It's one of the most unique mountains in the world." The call was basically a 'hi, how ya doin' call and somewhat of a respectful move. I think they know we've got some power with the people over here at this little website and they want us to know they recognize it.

Read Full Report

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The people are already speaking out on KSL's acquisition of Squaw. Check out these quotes from our facebook page on the issue: "Bummer! we don't want to be vail" -- "Squaw has been one of the greener resorts so far and attempted to restrict development to its existing footprint. I fear that may change" -- "Where is the "dislike" button?" -- "it could be a net positive for skiers unless you really love the funky aspects... those will probably get polished off..." -- "Private Equity can't seem to get enough of capital-destroying ski lift operations!" -- "Balls..." Will KSL listen to the people and try to keep Squaw funky? Maybe.

So, who are these guys? KSL is run by Michael Shannon (who was president of Vail Associates, a predecessor of Vail Resorts, from 1985 to 1992), and Eric Resnick (who was also a Vail executive). KSL brands itself as a "private equity firm specializing in acquisition of under performing and under capitalized businesses and add-on acquisitions." So, okay, we all know that Squaw has not been living up to it's financial, economic, and service potential lately.....but I honestly think that's what so many of us love about this place. Squaw is grungy. Alex Cushing himself is quoted on numerous occasions saying "We're in the uphill transportation business", and that's all Squaw was. In the past Squaw was know as having the most technologically advanced lift system in the world......with absolutely no amenities. And besides the new Village (which is doing so-so, I mean, have you ever seen more than half the lights in the rooms lit up at night?) Squaw is still raw, grungy, and essentially just a bad-ass mountain with a couple funky places to grab beers and food. Bottomline: Squaw's got soul. The question is: will KSL rip the soul out of Squaw like that Shaman does to the guy's heart saying "Om namah shivaya" in "The Temple of Dome"? Obviously, it's yet to be seen.

KSL's plan is to completely change Squaw, because that's what they do. They buy businesses that aren't living up to their potential, heavily invest in them, and turn them into money-makers. What does this mean for Squaw? Another village, better restaurants, more restaurants, better service, more condos, more real estate, more lifts, ice-skating rinks, more parking structures, and a helluva lot more worldwide exposure are all things that are not out of the question. What does it mean for locals? Longer lift lines, more traffic, higher property values, higher prices in the valley in general, more chain stores, larger local revenue, more jobs, continued cheap season passes, more food and retail options, and potentially a chance to invest.

Squaw's potential is enormous. It's astronomical actually. Squaw is a world class mountain, in California, with more snow than anybody, terrain to fit every skiing genre, spectacular views, a nearby airport, it's only 3 hours from San Francisco, and only 4 from Silicon Valley (where there are roughly 5,774 residing millionaires and 45 billionaires). The sky's the limit.

I think what we all love about Squaw is that it's been 'ours', and in the near future it's going to be 'theirs'. But, Whistler has gone through this and the locals still love the mountain, albeit, they mostly have to live outside of town due to the high property value. The secret to life is to staying adaptable. If Squaw becomes somewhere you don't wanna be, then get the hell out, I suppose. But, I don't think everyone is gonna feel that way.

November Pow Skiing - Are you kidding me?

November POW Skiing - Are you kidding me? from UnofficialSquaw on Vimeo.

On Nov 20th Squaw got 12-16", on Nov 21st it was 14-18", and today they anounced 10-12" more (and these are just the lower mountain numbers). So, I'll spare you the obvious declarations of how deep, insane, and surreal it was to be skiing pow like this in November because I know you can add up these three sets of numbers and realize: "Goddamit, that's freakin' DEEP!" See, you said, not me.

For the past two days we've been treated very well by Squaw's open terrain. But, today thoroughly blew the past two days out of the water. They got the Squaw Creek & Far East chairs spinning in addition to Red Dog which was the exact combination needed to access 1,350 vertical feet of preposterous powder. If you have any inkling as to the type of terrain that situation opens up, you're one of the few. If not, just image very long, very deep, very untouched powder for more turns than your VO2 Max can handle.

Once all the skiers were completely burnt-out, they opened the Funitel at 2pm and we got to witness first hand what these record storms have been doing to the upper mountain. It was impressive.

Now, as we all lay passed out on the floor after an unexpected November-powder ass-kicking, we read NOAA's latest Winter Storm Warning for tonight and tomorrow and try to smile.

* TIMING: LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWFALL WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT AND
BECOME HEAVY ALONG THE COLD FRONT TUESDAY MORNING.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 10 TO 20 INCHES AT LAKE LEVEL TONIGHT AND
TUESDAY WITH 2 TO 3 FEET ABOVE 7000 FEET.

...RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES POSSIBLE THIS WEEK...

AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE REGION ON TUESDAY
USHERING IN A VERY COLD AIR MASS. RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES ARE
POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY...THURSDAY...AND FRIDAY THIS WEEK.

All I can coherently think right now is - bring it.

(Shirley Lake tomorrow afternoon?)

Tahoe Truckee aerial Tramway?

An aerial tramway in Tahoe, huh? A tram that goes from Truckee to Tahoe City with branches that reach out to Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley. It actually sounds pretty cool. Jeff Sparksworth is considering it a reality. Essentially you'd drive your car to Truckee, park it and jump on the tram. Color coded 6-8 person gondolas would take you and your baggage to your specific destination. The idea of the project would be to eliminate the use of cars on highway 89 along with the traffic and congestion they create. The gondolas would move at 20mph taking you from Truckee to Squaw in 18 minutes and Truckee to Tahoe City in 42 minutes. "I know we’re all in an awful hurry these days and at the extremes these times may seem slow. However, when you factor in bad traffic days, the hassles of parking, and the delays caused by traffic accidents or weather, these times are reasonable." (TahoeTram.com) Hell, it also just sounds like a fun ride.

Advantages of the Tram system:

No traffic, more environmentally sound then automobiles, cool factor - attractive to tourists and maybe olympics, user cost will be cheap compared to rising automobile user costs and skyrocketing oil prices, minimal snow removal vs. road, and you'll be able to read, work, use the internet (all gondolas will have cell phone coverage & wi-fi) or just hang out vs. driving.

Disadvantages of the Tram system:

Basically the tricky part is getting the resources to build the tramway. The estimated cost of the tram would be around $500 million, which is a pretty chunk of change.

This is a very interesting idea that truly does deserve some serious consideration. TahoeTram.com has much more information including: costs & revenue projections, comparisons to existing tram systems, tram station details, routes & service areas, benefits of the aerial system, and system capacites.

"If the system could remove 5000 cars for five years, this would be a carbon value of $1,374,000 and an emissions reduction of 55,879,000 lbs." (from TahoeTram.com)

Heli Skiing California Style

Heli skiing in Tahoe. It almost doesn't sound right. How the hell can there be heli skiing in Tahoe? My brain overflows with visions of steep spines, pillows, tight chutes, perfectly spaced trees, and stupid deep pow. California style.

There are always pros and cons to a heli operation in your area, but this one is looking pretty pro for now. The heli terrain is far enough from ski areas and backcountry ski zones in Tahoe that we won't have backcountry skier vs. heli skier competiton nor get that ridiculously annoying helicopter din that is experienced constantly in Utah and Chamonix. There will also be some advantages over Alaska heli skiing with the main one being the weather. We've all heard of or experienced the viscious pissing rain of Souhteastern Alaska. It will serioulsy hurt your feelings. Another added bonus with this Tahoe operation is that they have snowcats to back you up on no-fly days.

Pacific Crest Heli-Guides is the company who will be offering the Tahoe heli skiing. Heli skiing in Tahoe has always been a difficult option due to the prevalence of Public Wilderness Areas that do not allow helicopters to land. The terrain skied will actually be Northwest of Truckee, CA along the the Sierra Nevada's Pacific Crest. The heli operation will be using a checkerboard of private land that will add up to over 100,000 acres of skiable terrain (Squaw Valley, for example, has only 4,000 acres). This is a lot of land which should lead to an impressive variety of terrain. I know we are all anxious to see photos and videos of the topography these guys have access to.

Pacific Crest Heli-Guides also runs a heli operation in Valdez, AK called Alaska Backcountry Adventures that has over 20 years of experience at legendary Thompson Pass.

I was lucky enough to get a quick interview with Dave "Happy" Rintala, the owner of Pacific Crest Heli-Guides, this week. Here's how it went down:

Me: Where are your heli ski zones, elevations, and what does the terrain consist of?

Happy: We have access to 100,000 acres of terrain, which is four times the total terrain of all the ski areas in Tahoe combined. Most of it is between Donner Summit and the Sierra Buttes, along the Pacific Crest. Lots of 8000' landings and everything from open powder bowls to steep chutes.

Me: How much is a day for one person and how much skiing should they expect?

Happy: A day costs 899.00 and includes 1.2 hours of Hobbs time to be used as they wish, either for maximum vertical or for a wide ranging tour of the longest, biggest, or steepest runs. This way the clients desires become our goals.

Me: What's the history of heli skiing in Tahoe?

Happy: It has been 40 years since heli skiing has happened in Tahoe for the general public. A couple of operations began for a couple years each, but the timing was not yet right, and they faded away.

Me: How will your snowcat operation in Tahoe will compliment the heli operation?

Happy: Our snowcat operation is known to be the best expert snowcat terrain in North America and consists of three thousand acres over seven zones. When a person books early, and there are snowcat seats available, we will reserve for them these seats so that if it is snowing on the day they were to fly, we can instantly switch to the snowcat for untracked powder.
Me: Has anyone skied where you guys are going to be skiing?

Happy: Much of the terrain we will be accessing is very remote and probably has never been skied. This season will be a pioneering experience where we will be skiing first descents regularly, and naming runs throughout the day. This is the most exciting thing to happen in the ski industry in a decade.

Damn that sounds fun. Thanks Happy.

Atomic Atlas 2011 Ski Review

182cm length = 140mm(width at tip)-115mm(width underfoot)-122mm(width at tail) / 22m turning radius

192cm length = 150mm(width at tip)-125mm(width underfoot)-132mm(width at tail) / 28m turning radius

Big Mountain/Powder Ski. Stepdown sidewall contruction. Early rise rocker in tip only. Tapering (reverse sidecut) at tip only.

Size tested = 192cm. Number of days on Atomic Atlas 2011 ski = aprrox. 35.

Reviewer = Miles Clark. My height = 6'1", weight = 170 lbs. (special note: I mounted my bindings 1cm forward of the normal mounting point)

You bet that I'm sick of all the hype, BS, and useless buzzwords that come with the typical ski review. A ski review is inherantly subjective and therefore that subjectivity should be embraced, not drowned out by ski industry banter. With this (and menatl images of face shots from last season) in mind, I present to you my humble opinion of the Atomic Atlas 2011 ski:

First off, you'll want a lot of snow before you even strap these on. I recommend that you have at least a foot of fresh snow to take these out. They really start to kick ass when you get into the 2, 2 1/2, & 3 foot deep zones. A huge ski like this is made for floatation. If you take away the deep snow, they don't provide that float, and they'll morph into a large, difficult to maneuver ski that will put you in the backseat.

Once you get them into the deep powder you'll know what they were made for. This ski gives a ton of float with the huge width underfoot and the early rise rocker at the tip. In deep snow they do not have an upper speed limit. The faster you go, the more stable and maneuverable they become.

Landing airs is made considerably easier. It almost feels like cheating. The large surface area gives you a big platform to plop down into the snow and easily stay upright on. The sweet spot on the Atlas is big and this is an advantage when landing airs because it allows you to be a little off and still make it look good.

The Atlas is an Austrian ski, so they have a lot of nose. This means you have got to be leaning way forward. If you get backseat, they'll take off on you and make you look bad. Stay forward on 'em and you'll look like a solid skier should.

Once you're able to trust this ski, you'll be able to open it up and rip the mountain hard. Which is what this ski is really made for.

Here is a one minute video of someone skiing pow and dropping cliffs on the Atomic Atlas 2011 ski.

Silverado Sledgehammer from UnofficialSquaw on Vimeo.

Tired? Need some PILLOWS?!?!!

PILLOWS!! Skiing pillows is basically the coolest thing you can do on skis. I'd say it's between pillows and steep spines, but that's just me. This first video is Jackson Hole. But, early season in Tahoe, before we get way too much snow and it drowns them out, we have some beautiful pillow lines here, too. Luckily, my buddy Adam Riscutto knows exactly where they are. Somehow, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa also seems to know where there's a few pillow lines. Check out Sage in pillowland below.

Pillows of fun from sage on Vimeo.

The video below is my buddy Adam Ruscitto crushing some fluffy pillow lines in Tahoe. Personally I think Adam is way sicker than Sage, but that's just me. There's no music on this one - I recommend putting on "Closer" (warning: disturbing video/audio) by Nine Inch Nails, while you watch Adam rip, but again, that's just me.

Trestle Peak Pillows from AdRock on Vimeo.