Tahoe Bluebird Powder Day; SteemitPhotoChallenge Entry

After a dry start to the season with snow totals around 30 percent of average, Lake Tahoe received some help from mother nature over the weekend. A winter storm brought significant snow to the area with totals ranging from 3 to 5+ feet (1-1.5+ meters) in 48 hours.

The wind calmed and and the skies cleared creating one of my favorite environmental conditions. A bluebird powder day!

On days like these you can feel the excitement in the air. Skiers and riders buzz with anticipation. Once the avalanche control work is complete and lift ops are ready it's time to start loading the chair. A cheer erupts from the crowd!

I'm spending the morning on the face of Heavenly Ski Resort which is on the California side of the south end of Lake Tahoe. Accessed by Gunbarrel chair or the Aerial Tram, the face is approximately 1600+ vertical feet (500 m) of north/northwest aspect ranging from 30 to 40° of slope angle.

My skis of choice for today are the Spatulas. Designed by Shane McConkey, they were the first skis to incorporate reverse camber and reverse side cut. I like to break them out a couple of times every year for old times sake.

Most of the shots are video screen grabs taken with my GoPro Hero 5 mounted on the ski pole in wide mode; 2.7 K at 60 frames per second. On one of my runs my camera was set to time lapse mode.

It's difficult to resist the urge to charge hard however with such a shallow snowpack there are plenty of "snow snakes" just below the surface. With the current conditions it's a good idea to be a little conservative and stay light on your feet.

Do you enjoy a bluebird powder day? What is your favorite activity in the snow? Let me know in the comments.

Lots more adventures to come! Be sure to follow to join in on the fun!

Upvotes and resteems are always appreciated!

See you next time! George