Happy New Year - January 1, 2009 at Belleayre

"Cold" would be an understatement for today. I think the high was 12 degrees F today. The snow was excellent, as expected after yesterday's new snow. Unfortunately the cold was very distracting. It was a three-run & go inside kind of day. And this was the warm part of the day - didn't start today until noon after sleeping-in after the New Year's Eve partying. I would say total ski time was about 2.5 hours this afternoon.

I can't believe I got yelled at by a Belleayre employee today because I entered the terrain park from the side, about 20 yards down from its main entrance, after they had just closed it. There was no way I could have known the closed sign was up. I wasn't ducking a rope or passing anuthing that said no entrance there. And I was going in to find some nice snow, not even for the features. I had just told my daughter to follow me, when I heard a guy yell, "Hey, the park is closed, GET OUT!" I looked up at the guy and said, "Sorry, I didn't know it was closed. Mind if I just ski down there and duck out?" There was another Bell guy there, and he said something like, no prob. I think he knew that the first guy was playing Mr. Macho and was overstating his position. I also think he thought I was some young kid trying to sneak in, since my face was 100% covered today. When I pulled my neckie thingie down to speak, I think the other guy may have realized the first guy's overzealousness. These guys were not Ski Patrol, they were just assigned to close the park and pick up the bamboo lollypops.

Hoping for relatively warmer weather tomorrow. The forecast says 17-25 degrees with some snow showers.... With a warm-up that minuscule, it might be an afternoon for a trip to Woodstock.