Heavenly Resort scheduled to open next weekend...is it ready?

[ah2bqat]

Hi guys,
We have season passes to Heavenly and are getting excited about the opening of ski season.  Last year it opened with over a foot of fresh pow on top of a good natural base.  This year is a bit different.  Unfortunately.  The good news is that there are still 7 days for Mother Nature to gift us with a good snow storm.

For those who are interested, we took our little nini (plane) to see how things were up at Tahoe proper.  Do try slideshow mode so you can read the descriptions and know what you are looking at.  (well sort of)

http://s618.photobuc...07%20and%20counting/


...oh, did I mention I just got a new!(to me) pair of K2 Burnin Luvs yesterday, too?  Yeah, it's going to be a big change to move from my 136cm 'ice skates' to 160cm big girl skis.  They are just soooo beautiful! The mountains are, too. so I don't mind spending a month or more back on the beginner runs.  There are a lot of 'em and sprinkled all over the mountain.  ...and I only paid $120 for these guys, including bindings  



Not so much as a scratch or nick on the top plates, with only minor wear on the bottoms that a decent wax will take care of.  Yum!

[ah2bqat]

You whoo!  Meb Wistress!  Can you please move this pup to the Forum Chit chat Please?!?   

I seem to have lost my mind again and didn't realize where this 'new topic' would wind up.  My apologies!

[clgwli]

It's been forever since I went skiing but I so love being on top of a mountain full of snow.  I no longer can ski due to a knee injury but I would love to see that in person!!!! Stunning photos you took!!!

[ah2bqat]

OOOh, Squigs!  That really sucks!  I'm so sorry about your knee.  I hope time will help heal it so you can enjoy winter sports with your son, at least.  I find staying by the fire all day is just BORING.  Shopping, on the other hand.......

I'm planning on wearing my hard brace again while I get used to the weight and length of the new skis.  i have no desire to tear that weak ACL again.  it took 3 years to get where I didn't have to wear it when  skiing or doing the elliptical machines.  I still won't do stairsteppers.

[clgwli]

Sadly the knee accident happened a long time ago, but it never healed well.  I can't run or ski for very long.  It just isn't strong enough.  Regular neoprene braces aren't enough for skiing or running but the reinforced ones are uncomfortable for me for some reason.  I never found one I liked.  I enjoyed it for many years but sadly one bad move with rentals where the bindings didn't pop, I hyper extended my knee.  It was so stupid too since we were on a tiny trail where there was barely room for parallel skis.  My cousin was in front of me (and 5 or so at the time) and so I decided after I picked up speed to fall on my butt/side to rest so she could get further ahead.  As I was going to the side,  my ski got caught under a tree root that was covered with snow and it jerked me much harder than I expected.  My binding didn't pop so as my body went to the side, my leg stayed straight.  My knee popped out of joint and then as I tried to walk down the hill my knee popped back into place and I fell again.  It wasn't good... knee was swollen about 4x normal for a while.  It never recovered after that really.

Sadly the knees just take way too much pressure while skiing for me to be comfortable doing it again.  Kind of like when a rubber band loses it's "stretch" my knee has done the same thing.  So everything still feels weak after a while and my knee will swell if I use it too much.  So since I was so young when it happened, I just decided to be kind to the joint so I don't have to deal with surgery later in life.

I don't mind too much... I enjoy watching skiing from lodges too

Though the best skiing near by is a state or two away.  I hated skiing in Ohio or even near by WV after skiing in NY.  We do a lot of sledding around here at least that is fun for us.  I'm not huge into snow long term so that's probably a good thing  

[Diamondsbylauren]

Aw squig- so you won;t be doing the double black diamond with us ( pun intended!)

Bloo- what lovely pictures- thank you for sharing!!

[oldmancoyote]

OW OW OW OW OW.

Sorry, that's the coyote in me. Having managed to get both of my knees in plaster for tendon problems (one skiing, the other on a motorbike), I have great sympathy for you, Elaine. Mine recovered almost fully, but they still hurt if I exceed what they think is a reasonable quantity of exercise.

[clgwli]

Aw squig- so you won;t be doing the double black diamond with us ( pun intended!)

Black diamonds were always so much fun too...

OMC I'm sorry you've had issues with your knees as well.  It is never fun and a bummer at times when you can't do things you like to do.

Ah2, I really do love these photos and would love to see more as the season gets under way. 

[shiba]

This hill is a couple hours away from me.  They are planning to open Thursday.  Not nearly as much fun as a plane ride to check things out.  I think this is the same mountain range.

http://www.skibanff.com/conditions/cams

[ah2bqat]

I'd have to check the geography - Banff is a great deal further north than us.  Still, how cool!

We are headed to Mammoth later this week to test the snow there, and loosen our knees up,since it is already open for a week or more.   

[shiba]

Maybe not, I think I am thinking of Vail.  The Rockies do head south but I don't think that far.  Your mountains might be the same as the ones that come up through Whistler- on the west coast which would make more sense.

[Diamondluvr]

Loved all the pics, does look like they'll need a little more snow before they open  Have fun with the new skis, I'd love to hear what you think of them-have you demoed the Burnin Luvs or will this be your maiden voyage on them?  I've considered trying them myself-heard they are a little stiff(I that like in a ski), which won't be an issue if you are an aggressive skier.  Have fun and ski safe!!!  

[flyingdiamonds]

Looks like a great day for flying!  And soon some great days for skiing!
What kind of plane is that - Fuel cap looked like a bonanza?

[ah2bqat]

Spot on, FD!  It's a Bonanza V-tail, and DH has owned and loved it since early adulthood.  As he puts it - you can sleep in plane, but you can't fly a house.  Silly man has obviously never met my great aunt, Babba Yagga.

DL, Heavenly uses the Comanches as their normal rental ski and I really loved them, but they were too expensive, or maybe I'm just too cheep.  I ended up buying kid sized Rossies, which were ok for learning - they couldn't go fast and were easy to turn, but sort of embarrassing once I started playing on the intermediate slopes.  Plus, before last year I wasn't sure if I would really enjoy skiing all that much.  After 50 first lessons, I still hadn't gone beyond the bunny runs.
 I demo'd some Tru Luvs at the end of last season and had a remarkably bad time with them - probably because I didn't warm up and get used to the length and feel of them on the bunny runs first.  I know these are going to give me fits for a while, but that's ok.  I plan to grow into them.  I hope.  Maybe.  Please??? They were just so beautiful I couldn't pass them up.  

[flyingdiamonds]

Those V-tails are nice.. My dad has one as well but i used to teach on the newer normal tailed ones.  Nice plane... Ok on gas and good speed!   

[ah2bqat]

   It's my birthday,
Got my skis waxed.
Ran the bunny run,
Didn't fall down.


Well, It's not REALLY my birthday, but it sure feels like it!  Even tho we haven't had a trace of snow in weeks, and still none on on the horizon, Heavenly has been open  since the week before Thanksgiving.

I've been stressing over my 'new' skis - what with them being almost 30cm longer than my last pair and considerably heavier.  I surely didn't want my first day on a notoriously icy and skinny bunny run, which is the only baby slope open .  Nevertheless, we went up the mountain and it was great fun.  Still having some issues with sharp turns, but truly find these news skis a marvelous change.  So smooth!   Give me a couple weeks and a good snow, and I'll be ready to run all over the mountain.  Nice to know i can wear my big girl panties, now. 

This place truly rocks.  Even though less than 100 of the 48,000 acres are open, the runs that are open are in great shape.  It is just a bit weird to look at rocks and greenery under the lifts.  Not a snowbank in sight around the town, either.
Staff is in top form and very cordial, even to us locals.  Now, all we need is some real snow!

[ah2bqat]

SNOW,  We're finally getting some real SNOW!

Don't get me wrong, the manmade stuff is great, because Heavenly has the best groomers in the world.  BUT, real snow is so much more  awesome!  Can't wait for tomorrow morning!

[Trinkette]

I completely missed this thread. So, first off, my sympathies to each of you who have experienced serious knee injuries. Just thinking about the swelling gives me the willies.

1) Although I love skiing, and was competent enough to be offered a job teaching (eons ago), I completely gave it up after SEVERAL knee surgeries (even though I have the frou frou custom brace and it used to fit snuggie enough to wear riding horses... I still hated it and never wore it). I completely severed my ACL and got myself a new one... Anyway, as much as I miss skiing, I DON"T MISS THE LINES, THE COLD CHAIR LIFTS, CLOMPING AROUND THE LODGE IN STUPID SKI BOOTS, AND ESPECIALLY, NEGOTIATING THE LADIES ROOM IN OVERALLS AND SKI BOOTS... BLECHHH.

2) OTOH, I love Beechcraft Bonanzas... especially those with the V-tail. Highly controversial back in the day. When I was quite small, we had a little Piper Tripacer... however, no comparison to the mighty Bonanza, I'm afraid!

3) I am glad the snow makes you happy, ah2bqat. ENJOY!!!