Lake Tahoe Trip

[pku]

Snow condition on Ski Resort around Lake Tahoe are very bad.

We may switch our plan and I think Snowrider should also get a back up plan.

Of Course we'll wait until Chinese New Year to decide.

Snow in Inner BC is pretty good right now.

[taichiskiing]

Snow condition on Ski Resort around Lake Tahoe are very bad.

We may switch our plan and I think Snowrider should also get a back up plan.

Of Course we'll wait until Chinese New Year to decide.

Snow in Inner BC is pretty good right now.

No worry, at least for now; to my experience, the season maybe started late, but the snow will come by the time Feburary comes around; in fact, I'm predicting heavy snow (or a series of snow storms) begins within next two weeks. (of course, my prediction of early season start was wrong, so much for predicting weather, :) ) The snow season begins usually starting from the northwest early in the season then moves on to the south and sometime to the far south to LA area, then bounce back to the Tahoe area, and that still is this year's weather patterns exactly.

No bump or tree skiing yet, but on the groom trails, the snow coverage is good, and Heavenly does an excellent job grooming them.

Taichi Skiing/Flatboarding: flatboarding icy trail, Stagecoach, Heavenly - YouTube



Good luck for all of us, :)
IS

[snowrider]

Snow condition on Ski Resort around Lake Tahoe are very bad.

We may switch our plan and I think Snowrider should also get a back up plan.

Of Course we'll wait until Chinese New Year to decide.

Snow in Inner BC is pretty good right now.

We still go no matter what because the air ticket cannot be cancelled. The air is much more expesive this year. Couple years ago, it was $300+, but this year it costs almost $500 round trip per person. Let's pray ...

[snowrider]

Good news is coming. I knew that ...

[pku]

Good news is coming. I knew that ...

We need at least 5 feet of snow to cover Gun Barrel

[snowrider]

BIG good news! The drought is ending! Some big storms are coming! What they say is that snow will fall on those terrains above elevation 7,000", which means that we will have SNOW storms there! Some people even say it will have at least 3-4 feet and as much as 6-8 feet of snow coming. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

http://tahoeweatherdiscussion.com/

[snowrider]

It snows from today to 27th so far. That is terrific!

[pku]

It snows from today to 27th so far. That is terrific!

It seems the Mother Nature is giving us a joke since we have long for this trip. Only 13" fell and doesn't seem to get heavy for few days.

We got a meeting last evening and don't feel worth to come without enough snow to ski the ungroom.

I feel really sorry to Snowrider and Taichiskiing especially for Snowrider since he plan the trip mostly for us. I owe you once and I'll treat you to dinner once you come skiing on Whistler or pass by Vancouver.

[taichiskiing]

It seems the Mother Nature is giving us a joke since we have long for this trip. Only 13" fell and doesn't seem to get heavy for few days.

We got a meeting last evening and don't feel worth to come without enough snow to ski the ungroom.

I feel really sorry to Snowrider and Taichiskiing especially for Snowrider since he plan the trip mostly for us. I owe you once and I'll treat you to dinner once you come skiing on Whistler or pass by Vancouver.

“雷聲大，雨點下”？ I wouldn't blame you, we do need a couple of snow storms to cover up the grounds for you flatlanders' satisfactory, but we locals just have to make due. The good news is Heavenly did get three feet of snow in this searies of storms, but the bad news is it appears that would be all we get for next 7 days. Once the storm door is opened, it usually snow every seven to ten days; I was sure that we would get another snow stroms before the Feb 6th; now you guys decided not coming, we're probably going get "dump" on. I think that Snowrider and I would much appreciate you guy's efforts. Anyway, have a great skiing season.

Powder day today, be gone skiing soon.

Have fun, and good luck, :)
IS

Ps. Who else is not coming? Really sorry for you guys' deposite and season pass.

[taichiskiing]

.....

Powder day today, be gone skiing soon.

Have fun, and good luck, :)
IS

Ps. Who else is not coming? Really sorry for you guys' deposite and season pass.

Great news for you guys, all the "ungrooms"/trees are covered nicely (25"~35"), open, and 80% are skiable (though officially, the word is "not adviced," for the time been). Mott Canyon, Killebrew Canyon, and the Face/Gun Barrel are remain closed, but the Face are also covered nicely, and Gun Barrel is one of their "star attractions" and has the snow making, so I think it'll be open pretty soon, even without next storm; (they would like the snow to settle a bit before they open it). I'm pretty sure that most of the terrain, if not all, will be opened by the time Feb 6th comes around. So, there's no reasons to be sobbed, you guys should get ready for the trip; skiing is good.

Taichi Skiing/Flatboarding: shadow powder skiing, Canyon Express/Double Down, Heavenly - YouTube



:)
IS

[taichiskiing]

Great news for you guys, all the "ungrooms"/trees are covered nicely (25"~35"), open, and 80% are skiable (though officially, the word is "not adviced," for the time been). Mott Canyon, Killebrew Canyon, and the Face/Gun Barrel are remain closed, but the Face are also covered nicely, and Gun Barrel is one of their "star attractions" and has the snow making, so I think it'll be open pretty soon, even without next storm; (they would like the snow to settle a bit before they open it). I'm pretty sure that most of the terrain, if not all, will be opened by the time Feb 6th comes around. So, there's no reasons to be sobbed, you guys should get ready for the trip; skiing is good.

:)
IS

Taichi Skiing/Flatboarding: shadow powder skiing, Canyon Express/Double Down, Heavenly - YouTube



Made a few more runs for you guys, from top to bottom and lift to lift, the mountains' snow coverage is good.

Taichi Skiing/Flatboarding: Shadow skiing Ponderosa trees, Heavenly - YouTube



:)
IS

[taichiskiing]

Made a few more runs for you guys, from top to bottom and lift to lift, the mountains' snow coverage is good.

:)
IS

Taichi Skiing/Flatboarding: shadow powder skiing, Canyon Express/Double Down, Heavenly - YouTube



Taichi Skiing/Flatboarding: Shadow skiing Ponderosa trees, Heavenly - YouTube



And they groom some trails perfectly every night for you.

Taichi Skiing/Flatboarding: Shadow skiing Ridge to Mombo bypass, Heavenly - YouTube



:)
IS

[snowrider]

It seems the Mother Nature is giving us a joke since we have long for this trip. Only 13" fell and doesn't seem to get heavy for few days.

We got a meeting last evening and don't feel worth to come without enough snow to ski the ungroom.

I feel really sorry to Snowrider and Taichiskiing especially for Snowrider since he plan the trip mostly for us. I owe you once and I'll treat you to dinner once you come skiing on Whistler or pass by Vancouver.

pku - Thanks for letting me know. I am upset but understand your situation. It's hard to be an organizer for you when people want to quit. Same here, it is hard for me to tell my group that 鼎鼎大名的 溫幫幫主 is not coming to ski with us, while I have been promoting the ski trip with your famous name. Also my group's orginal plan was to ski Aspen or Jackson Hole because we have skied Lake Tahoe before. I persuaded my group into skiing Lake Tahoe ... I did not expect this to happen. Anyway, we will have at least 11 people going. We will meet Taichiskiing at Heavenly no matter what.

Taichiskiing - Have you received the email that I copied to you? We have a big group coming soon. Could you please at least be our mountain host, guiding us to cruise Heavnly, and I also need your help to explain this situation to my group ... because I don't know how and what to tell them.

[pku]

pku - Thanks for letting me know. I am upset but understand your situation. It's hard to be an organizer for you when people want to quit. Same here, it is hard for me to tell my group that 鼎鼎大名的 溫幫幫主 is not coming to ski with us, while I have been promoting the ski trip with your famous name. Also my group's orginal plan was to ski Aspen or Jackson Hole because we have skied Lake Tahoe before. I persuaded my group into skiing Lake Tahoe ... I did not expect this to happen. Anyway, we will have at least 11 people going. We will meet Taichiskiing at Heavenly no matter what.

Taichiskiing - Have you received the email that I copied to you? We have a big group coming soon. Could you please at least be our mountain host, guiding us to cruise Heavnly, and I also need your help to explain this situation to my group ... because I don't know how and what to tell them.

我知我們是不夠義氣，但我們是想滑樹林和饅頭，但雪這麼少便很難滑這些地方，開四天車真的很幸苦，所以快定取消，很對不起。請原諒我們，你來或路經Vancouver 一定請吃飯，再說一聲對不起。

[snowrider]

我知我們是不夠義氣，但我們是想滑樹林和饅頭，但雪這麼少便很難滑這些地方，開四天車真的很幸苦，所以快定取消，很對不起。請原諒我們，你來或路經Vancouver 一定請吃飯，再說一聲對不起。

好了 pku 別放在心上
沒事沒事
以後偶們去 Whistler 還要來找你做 mountain host !
請別放在心上!

希望太極兄這次能陪偶們滑上兩天!

[taichiskiing]

pku - Thanks for letting me know. I am upset but understand your situation. It's hard to be an organizer for you when people want to quit. Same here, it is hard for me to tell my group that 鼎鼎大名的 溫幫幫主 is not coming to ski with us, while I have been promoting the ski trip with your famous name. Also my group's orginal plan was to ski Aspen or Jackson Hole because we have skied Lake Tahoe before. I persuaded my group into skiing Lake Tahoe ... I did not expect this to happen. Anyway, we will have at least 11 people going. We will meet Taichiskiing at Heavenly no matter what.

That's the spirit. The way I see it, skiing is an adventure sport, so should be a skiing trip. A skiing trip is for skiing, as well as for a "trip." Ski a new place is always exciting: different shapes of mountains, different terrain make up different lines, as well as the snow textual, and weather, etc., they are all parts of new "skiing environments," which may require different techniques... something "new." Going on a trip, you're going new places, seeing new scenery, and doing new things, which are different from your daily routines, so it's refreshment; and the most exciting of them all in a trip is to deal with "unknown" and "solving it without missing a beat," imo. (Every problem also comes with a "gift," after you solve it.) Not all well-planned "skiing trips" are fine and dandy, storms may close the mountain passes, winds may put the upper lifts on wind-hold, and/or jammed in a rush "snow bound" skiers' traffic, etc., which may all ruin the skiing; a skiing trip is like gamble, you may win sometimes, and sometimes you lose; realizing that and do the best you can to enjoy it, then you will always have a wonderful "skiing trip."

Taichiskiing - Have you received the email that I copied to you? We have a big group coming soon. Could you please at least be our mountain host, guiding us to cruise Heavnly, and I also need your help to explain this situation to my group ... because I don't know how and what to tell them.

Yes, I've received your email. You have worked so hard for this trip, guess I have to oblige to show you guys around. The weather forecast is not so good [for snow], maybe tomorrow a little bit moisture passing through, nothing substantial, then will be sunny all the ways to Feb 6; nevertheless, on the bright side, you guys get to ski what we locals coined "disgustingly gorgeous [sunny] days," and beautiful scenery, skiing in it is really very pleasant for you city folks. And thanks for the last storms, which laid a firm foundation, the skiing is good. Heavenly grooms most of the trails every night, so the groomed trail skiing is good/excellent in the morning, and the trails turn to exciting "icy and bumpy" skiing in the afternoon.

Heavenly skiing: Wolfgang and locals, Olympic Downhill, Heavenly - YouTube



For the "ungroom"/trees, we have to wait for sun softens the snow, that would depend on weather temperature,

Taichi Skiing/Flatboarding: shadow skiing Olympic, Heavenly - YouTube



For the moguls, little dipper, and a few bump runs are open,

Taichi Skiing/Flatboarding: shadow skiing, Little dipper, Heavenly - YouTube



Have fun, :)
IS

[snowrider]

...
Yes, I've received your email. You have worked so hard for this trip, guess I have to oblige to show you guys around. ...

For the moguls, little dipper, and a few bump runs are open,
...

Taichiskiing - Thanks! Your video shows nice soft blue bumps. I cannot wait to try them. One question about GoPro ... I tested my GoPro, but images vibrated and shaked a lot. I see that your video quality is relatively better than mine. I am wondering:
1. How did you mount? (I did not use vented helmet strap mount. I used curved adhesive mount to attach the camera to my helmet.)
2. What is your GoPro's configuration? I did not make any change to the default configuration, which is 960 and 30. Is that a good configuration?

[taichiskiing]

Taichiskiing - Thanks! Your video shows nice soft blue bumps. I cannot wait to try them. One question about GoPro ... I tested my GoPro, but images vibrated and shaked a lot. I see that your video quality is relatively better than mine. I am wondering:
1. How did you mount? (I did not use vented helmet strap mount. I used curved adhesive mount to attach the camera to my helmet.)
2. What is your GoPro's configuration? I did not make any change to the default configuration, which is 960 and 30. Is that a good configuration?

You're welcome. I use helmet strip to mount my gopro. The vibrated images most likely are caused by loose helmet, loose seat/clip on the mount, and/or your head unstable/get bounced on the uneven ground/bumps; here's an example of shaking images.

Snow Pipers - YouTube



When the helmet bounces too much, I use my hand to hold down my helmet, not sure what you can do when your hands are holding the poles, but nevertheless, you need to keep your head/helmet very steady. Tighten up the helmet and duck-tape the loose seat may help a bit.

I use 1080 and 30; 30 "frame per second" is the "normal" speed, 60 and 120 fps are for slow motion. 960 makes straight lines much curvier (fish eye lens); 1080 gives the "maximum" performance for the camera.

Now, when you're on a trip, you need to figure out how to charge your battery (given that the battery is tightly fitted, changing battery in the snowy field is not recommented), as well as how to recycle your memory cards. I use 32G memory card, the largest memory my camera can use.

Gopro's configuration is not that easy to change in the field, so you need to study how to do it before hand; bring the manual along.

Have fun, see you soon, :)
IS

[snowrider]

... The vibrated images most likely are caused by loose helmet, loose seat/clip on the mount, and/or your head unstable/get bounced on the uneven ground/bumps.... Tighten up the helmet and duck-tape the loose seat may help a bit.

I use 1080 and 30; 30 "frame per second" is the "normal" speed, 60 and 120 fps are for slow motion. 960 makes straight lines much curvier (fish eye lens); 1080 gives the "maximum" performance for the camera.

Now, when you're on a trip, you need to figure out how to charge your battery (given that the battery is tightly fitted, changing battery in the snowy field is not recommented), as well as how to recycle your memory cards. I use 32G memory card, the largest memory my camera can use.
...

Yes, your Snow Pipers video showed exactly how my GoPro images shaked. After reading your post, I found the problem. Their clips are not tightly integrated. I now put two layers of tape. Hopefully, it won't vibrate anymore. I also set it to the same configuration as yours (1080 and 30). I have 2 16G SD cards. With this configuration, I see that the screen shows each can shoot 2 hours and 17 minutes. Probably I just not to worry about charging battery for now because trip is coming soon. I might simply turn off the power when I am on a lift.

[taichiskiing]

Yes, your Snow Pipers video showed exactly how my GoPro images shaked. After reading your post, I found the problem. Their clips are not tightly integrated. I now put two layers of tape. Hopefully, it won't vibrate anymore. I also set it to the same configuration as yours (1080 and 30). I have 2 16G SD cards. With this configuration, I see that the screen shows each can shoot 2 hours and 17 minutes. Probably I just not to worry about charging battery for now because trip is coming soon. I might simply turn off the power when I am on a lift.

Your battery will only last for two hours, and less if the temperatures are cold; for 5 days of filming, you definitely need a charger. Gopro battery is charged with a USB terminal on a PC/Imac/laptop(?), there are also "wall-outlet" chargers, as well as car cigarette lighter chargers; you probably don't have time to order them; check out REI, they may carry some. And if you don't download the clips you shot, you may still run out of memory too. But anyway, have fun.

So, what's your plan to come to Tahoe?

:)
IS

Ps. What forecast said "maybe a few snow flakes" turned to be a few inches freshy snow, way cool, did some trail powder skiing, skied some bumps today, and the moguls on Little Dipper are getting bigger. A fun day.