{"id":1819611,"date":"2026-03-11T06:58:23","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T03:58:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1819611"},"modified":"2026-03-11T06:58:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T03:58:23","slug":"palisades-tahoe-ca-report-one-week-of-slushy-sunshine-park-paradise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1819611","title":{"rendered":"Palisades Tahoe, CA, Report: One Week of Slushy Sunshine & Park Paradise"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Report from March 3-9, 202<\/em><\/p>\n

Palisades Tahoe, California, is my home.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s where my heart lives.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I spent 18 seasons here before moving to Park City, UT, in 2018, and I long to come back every day.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Slot and Sunbowl. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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This place shaped me as a man and a skier.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It forged my career and gave me a skillset that has translated into an ability to ski all over the world, and I\u2019m forever grateful.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I spent 20 years building a community here, and that group of humans shows up for me every time I come back.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Palisades Tree. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Honestly, I can barely get on a chairlift here without running into someone I know.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I drove 8 hours and 586 miles across the desert from Park City, UT, to Olympic Valley, CA, on Tuesday, sliding in thrashed and crooked at KT-22 at 2:19 pm.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Right away, I saw Dougman, the long-time Le Chamois bartender, who yelled at me and gave me a big hug.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Siberia. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Before we\u2019d even started downhill, materializing out of the ether were the legends Tom & Lizzy Day, Uncle E, Matty Reardon, Aaron Strum, Gunnar Newquist (cover of Squallywood: The Book<\/em>), and more.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I was starstruck and comforted.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They knew right where to go, so we followed the last photons of sun onto the East Face bump line.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Strum and Gunnar. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I tried but couldn\u2019t keep up with Dougman and Matty.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Years of KT laps have sculpted these beings into smooth, efficient, snow-sliding machines.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Each bump jarred my bones and threw me off my line.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lake! Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Those same bumps disappeared effortlessly into seamless absorptive turns under these snow humans.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I laughed as I thought out loud, \u201cIf I just never traveled anywhere and skied here every day, I\u2019d be a better skier than I am now.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was true and they knew it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Crazy locals\u2026 Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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After three East Face laps, we heard the west-facing Rock Garden had opened up, and the whole crew mobbed in, knifing through the tight choke point guarded by an old stump on the left like plinko balls.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The deep, soft bumps challenged my skiing and left me glad to be back on the groomer.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On our fourth run together, we ran into the fabled patroller J Mac, who was threatening to open the West Face, arguably the best run off KT-22.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Resort chair. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He poked down, grabbing and twisting closed signs as he flew.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We followed cautiously.<\/strong><\/p>\n

My old buddy Yimmers serendipitously showed up just at that moment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tram rock. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After ripping a handful of turns down the face proper, J Mac gently stated, \u201cThis is open.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

We tore into it, relishing the snow on the 39.8\u00ba pitch, the perfect angle for kicking back and allowing gravity to do the work for you.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two more runs were feasted upon before the final bell whistled at 4 pm, sending good friends scattering to the wind like fading embers in the twilight.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tower 16 was good but getting thin. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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I walked through the door of my place with a shit-eating grin.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I was back, my friends were here, and I had a week to drink it all in.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The rest of the week went by like a blur.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dave Nettle dropping knowledge. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cBackflip #4!\u201d said the text from Aaron Fox the next morning.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Once I finally got out of the house, Fox pushed me straight into hucking meat in the terrain park despite the rock-hard conditions.<\/strong><\/p>\n

He had a jump he liked, and I knuckled it so hard on my first try that I wanted to go home right then.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rock Garden. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But I didn\u2019t.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fox always inspires me to push my comfort zone, and this day was no exception.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I came back around to the jump and watched Carson throw a stupendously huge Flat 3 Japan Grab and sail away into the light.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Moon Sunrise. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Fox laced an obnoxiously calm backflip, stirring something inside me.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was my job to straight-air the jump again, clear the landing, then move on to 360s and eventually a backflip if all went well.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But my insides had been stirred.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Eagle\u2019s Nest. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I serenely adjusted my goggles, lined up the jump, and dropped in with speed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I blacked out, and when I came to, I was upside down, spotting my landing, pulling the landing gear around, feeling the crack of the firm snow, and skiing away.<\/strong><\/p>\n

My first backflip of the trip.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Chimney. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thanks, Fox.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fox chalked up nine and I got in three.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We were enthralled.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Village. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Fox called it a day, and I chased my wife around for a few runs in the fading daylight and chatting her ear off, knowing I was in the place that makes me smile the most.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The next highlight was on Sunday, when Jason Dobbs made me ski seven Slot laps off Headwall until I was too tired for me.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite having exactly zero ACLs, Dobbs skied like a demon and made me look like a chubby cherub.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tram Rock.. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Slot skied like the California springtime dream it always knew it could be.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fast forward one day, and Fox and I were back at it in the Gold Coast park yesterday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This time, the thermometer was in the 50s, the snow was soft, and our jump had a new lip that made hitting it feel like throwing yourself off a blind cliff.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Took the marketing guy Patrick skiing. He won\u2019t forget us\u2026 Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in the park right now and I have zero courage and that jump we were hitting looks scary,\u201d I wrote to Fox in the morning.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I sent him a photo of the terrifying lip and all he wrote back was, \u201cIt\u2019s money.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Damn.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lake from Alpine Meadows. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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He was going to make me jump again.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On my first drop, I chickened out and banked a hard right, skipping off the edge of the ramp.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On my second, I started farther back and cleared it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Legend. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cGame on,\u201d I thought.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I came back and got in a 360. Then another.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Then a backflip right to the sweet spot and I felt my fear fly away like a loose hat on a windy day.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Tree of LIfe. Great Salt Flats. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One more backie, then Fox showed up and started teeing off.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Backflip after unconsciously smooth backflip.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I mostly filmed him, but got in a couple more flips and a spin.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oly Lady. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Then Fox went huge and landed way past Gucci Plateau (the smoothest part of the landing) and made it look like nothing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI want one of those!\u201d I yelled at him.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I came back up and sent one last backie with Fox filming on the lip.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Slot is open. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I started 30 feet back from where I started for my first jump of the day and pointed it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was my biggest of the day and the slow-mo video came out really fun.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We giggled and laughed, snorted and snickered, and knew we had to go straight home and not look back.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thanks, California.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Every damn day. Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Report from March 3-9, 202 Palisades Tahoe, California, is my home. It\u2019s where my heart lives. I spent 18 seasons here before moving to Park City, UT, in 2018, and I long to come back every day. The Slot and Sunbowl. Image: SnowBrains This place shaped me as a man and a skier. It forged […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,267],"class_list":["post-1819611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-snowbrains-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1819611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1819611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1819611\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1819611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1819611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1819611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}