Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!floyd!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!zehntel!varian!bob From: bob@varian.UUCP Newsgroups: net.rec.ski Subject: Summer skiing ( on real snow ! ) Message-ID: <163@varian.UUCP> Date: Tue, 5-Jul-83 13:44:08 EDT Article-I.D.: varian.163 Posted: Tue Jul 5 13:44:08 1983 Date-Received: Sun, 17-Jul-83 01:39:00 EDT Lines: 36 Summer Skiing Tired of the summer ? Need a weekend away from the surf ? Go skiing ! Just returned from a Fourth of July ski trip to Mammoth, well worth the trip. There are several lifts open and a vertical drop of 2000 ft., the snow is good and not icy or slushy all day long. This miracle is achieved by snow cats constantly running up and down the slopes spraying some sort of chemical which 'freezes' the snow during the day and prevents it from freezing at night. The temperature was in the high sixties and many were skiing in just swimming gear - take the sun lotion. If you want to catch some sun (any) don't put on the #15 too early, that stuff really works. I covered up with it and skied for 4 hrs in shorts then rode 300 miles on my motorcycle in a T shirt and shorts and didn't know I had been in the sun ! Mammoth expects to be open for two more weekends and possibly into August - suggest you call first though. Still lots of snow ( >10 ft. in places ) but roads are all clear and mostly dry. Don't know if Alpine or Kirkwood will be open any more but understand that the snow there is very slushy by 11 am as they cannot spray. Does anybody know what they spray with, it's only referred to as 'salt' up there but it's not likely to be NaCl judging from its effect on the snow - could be KCl which would cool the snow as it dissolves and lower the freezing point for the night effect, but that would be pretty expensive and lift tickets were only $14. Good skiing !! Bob Palin ...!zehntel!varian!bob