Jumping Journal: February 28, 2008

Records come, records go, but this winter they just keep on going.  A little snow will do you. YEAH, another snow storm, what else is new???

 

Well after 7.5 inches of snow fell at my house Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning the area has seen two weather records broken.  The all time snow fall for the month of February was broken this year, just shy of 40 inches.  Also the meteorlogical(sp?) winter snow fall record was broken.  December 1st through the end of February.  The area thus far has seen 100 inches of snow setting an all time record.

 

Yep, more snow.  It really has gotten crazy this winter.  I arrived at the hill today around 3PM with partly sunny skies and Cannonball was already working on the inrun.  I went to work on shoveling the steps off on the landing hill and inrun.  Looking at the landing hill was crazy.  I haven't seen that much snow on the landing hill before.  It's about two feet above the grade boards right now.  The inrun is finally back to being right to grade thankfully.  Without a very warm spring this snow isn't going to go away very fast...their's just too much of it to get rid of.

 

After shoveling the steps I went to work with Dan and Bill on side stepping the hill.  Jay made one pass down the landing hill and we side stepped and raked the outside edges to make things halfway even across the landing hill.

 

We suited up around 7PM and headed on the jump for what would be one of the shortest sessions I've had on the K50 in a few years, at least if my memory is correct.  Actually, probably two years almost to the day.  During Junior Olympics back in 2006 was the last time I remember taking as few of jumps on the K50 as I did tonight.

 

My first jump wasn't all that bad, inrun was a little questionable, especially up top.  I didn't go very far, 25-27 meters under the slow conditions with the landing hill being built up higher than what it should be.

 

I was late on the second jump but I did manage to make it another meter or two further down the hill.  I was surprised that I didn't notice any effect from difference in snow depth, compared to normal, on the landing hill down in the transition.  A couple of weeks ago I noticed a difference.  Everything tonight seemed quite smooth.

 

The third and final jump of the evening I managed to nail the timing right on the money.  I went around 30 meters so again it wasn't spectacular.

 

I am going to send out an email to some one I know that has been around the sport quite a long time and knows quite a bit about hill design.  I'm wondering what kind of a difference in distance could be expected given the conditions we are seeing right now.

 

Tomorrow sounds like another day for jumping.  Oh yeah, did I mention more snow, what else is new.  Currently the forecast is for 2-6, maybe more inches of snow tomorrow night into Saturday.  Strangely enough, last night they was calling for a chance of flurries, no accumulation.  This morning they had changed the forecast for 2-6 inches.  Now I'm seeing they are suggesting maybe more than 6 inches out of this next storm.  CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY!!!  Definitely the winter I'll never forget.  Just how many times will I have to shovel snow this winter. Don't answer that.

 

Keep the ski tips up,

Crazh