So how can it rate a 10 when you don't even start skiing until 11:30AM?

Coverage was outstanding after 7 feet of snow in 3 days. The bottom of Chair 1 was as wide open as Robin's. Everything dropping off Fire Road was skiable: no rock bands at the top and just a few avoidable ones near the bottom of Chair 2.

Powder was everywhere. No hidden ice or crust underneath and only a few windpacked spots. Snow quality was better than the 3 powder days I had at Baldy during El Nino 1998.

Weather was not as warm as the 3 days in 1998, so powder remained manageable even in sunny exposures. There was some fog on Chair 1 after noon. The only day I've seen better snow at Baldy was March 21, 1991, when it opened at 8AM and the fog came in by 10AM, preserving powder all day.

Crowds were low due to the late opening and tough road conditions. The last quarter mile below the parking lot was nasty, and the road was shut down for over an hour to clear blocked cars. Thunder's lift line maxed out at 5 minutes, and by the time most of it was tracked out, the lower mountain was opened to skiing at 1PM. There were no lines at all after 2:30, yet freshies were still available if you knew where to look :) The opening of Chair 4 at 2PM allowed me to ski Eric's in powder for the first time ever.

Mt. Baldy Pictures, February 14, 2001

The biggest single storm total since El Nino 1983

Baldy's parking lot, waiting for the area to open

Finally on Chair 1 at 11AM. View of Bentley's

Nightmare. We were not allowed to ski down Chair 1 until 1PM, but it was still impressive then.

Another view of the Chair 1 trees.

Baldy Notch from Chair 1.

View of Emile's on first ride up Chair 3.

This was the last picture I shot near the top of Thunder. As it was about 11:30AM when I started skiing, I put the camera away, skipped lunch and feasted for the next 5 hours: 22,920 vertical, 15K of it in powder.