Powder Day…

The snow seems to be making up for lost time because December 23, 2008 was yet another powder day in Tahoe.  

I skied at Alpine Meadows today and was shown around the mountain by a super fun crew of skiers.  Being new to this ski area, it was great to get the full tour.  The snow was thin in places, but if you picked your lines wisely, you could definitely ski for real.   

Take a look at the photo below of the untracked and distinctly big-mountain “Buttress.”   Not too shabby considering that the season is only about 10 days old. 

Little Alaska…

Yesterday Adam Rucido and I skinned out to Little Alaska in Ward Canyon.  For background, Little Alaska is an area of spines, gullies and cliffs at the head of Ward Canyon, south of Alpine Meadows ski area.  The terrain is visually inspiring and great fun to ski. 

Upon reaching the top it was clear that the previous day’s wind event had created deep slabs on the most asthetic  features.  Given that all of this terrain funnels into to deep gullies, we opted for some less hazardous options characterized by open slopes leading to spines in trees.  The snow was smooth cold wind buffed powder and the run was excellent.  At the bottom, Adam immediately claimed “best of the year.”   The season is now only a week old, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that run stays high on the list for quite a while.

Fixed Mortgage Rates Now at Historic Lows…

Fixed mortgage rates are now at historic lows.  “No Point” fixed rates are just below 5% and “One Point” rates are below 4.75%.  This drop was a direct result of the Fed’s announcement, yesterday, that it plans to expand its purchasing of mortgage backed securities. 

With rates at these levels, many homeowners will benefit from refinancing.  Monthly savings from refinancing a $300k mortgage at 6.25% to a new loan at 4.75% are close to $300.  I am expecting a busy holiday and new year.

Snow in Tahoe…

At last, there is snow in Tahoe.  The storm started late last Friday night, but really got rolling Sunday and Monday.  Now there is 18 or so inches at lake level and more than 3 feet in the mountains.  This is great news for skiers, ski areas and the local economy. 

I went out yesterday morning with Jeremy Benson, Jay Lynn and Adam Rucido to ski a lap on Sherwood.  The snow was cold, light and deep.  This made for fun, but slightly scary skiing, given that there is no base to speak of.  One more storm will do the mountains well, but ski season has officially begun.