Sugar Bowl!

We had so much rain in the Bay Area over the Christmas holidays I thought it would never stop.  I knew the cold weather and rain at home was dumping feet of new power in Lake Tahoe.  I decided to make a day trip and hone my snow-boarding skills.  I found this company, Bay Area Ski Bus that takes people up to Tahoe and back in a day.  I took a day off from work and caught the bus a few minutes from our house.   It was so nice I didn't have to make the drive alone.  I've made several snow-board "day trips" in the past and dreaded the drive home each time.   

On the bus I took a short nap, enjoyed a simple breakfast and arrived in the parking lot at Sugar Bowl by 8:30am.  I was on the slopes in time for the "first chair" at 9:00 am.  I couldn't believe there were only 10-15 people in front of me in the lift line.  It was a nice surprise as I expected big crowds 2 days after Christmas.

It turned out to be my lucky day at Sugar Bowl.   I rode the lift with several people and heard stories of the foul weather all week.  One guy told me about his time at Squaw Valley on Christmas Day.  He rode down K2 mountain for just one run.  They put the lift on "wind hold" for an hour followed by an "avalanche hold".  Squaw then moved everyone off K2 and forced them to ski/board the same area of the upper mountain.  Following the K2 closure the guy told me he waited in several lift lines for about an hour each run... ouch!

I had so much fun on the mountain I went for almost 3 hours before took a break.  At around 11:45, I stopped at the mid-mountain lodge, grabbed a cup of coffee and ate a snack.  I didn't snow-board last year and my legs were a bit sore.  It was nice to take a short break and I was able to send Sasha & Elena photos of the mountain.  

Few crowds and lots of powder!

It was great day to be on the mountain at Sugar Bowl.  There was so much fresh powder, the crowds weren't too bad and the weather was terrific!  I love it that I can make a day trip to Tahoe.  I started the day on the bus at 5am, snow-boarded until 3:30, enjoyed a BBQ with the bus crew and was home by 8:30pm.  I love winter sport! 

Black Diamond run on Mt. Disney