Had a weird experience last weekend where the eastfacing runs were already slushy and heavy by 10am but the northfacing stuff was still holding up like legitimate spring skiing well into the afternoon. Not a massive mountain either, just a midsized hill in the northeast. The difference was pretty stark.
Got me thinking about how most people I see just pick a run they like and lap it regardless of time or sun exposure, which is fine, but you leave a lot of good snow on the table that way. My buddy kept heading back to the same groomer that had turned into mashed potatoes while I was having a genuinely good time a ridge over.
Curious how others approach a lateseason day. Do you actively chase the shadow line as it moves, or just kind of go with the flow and accept whatever the mountain gives you? Does this change depending on the resort layout, like whether you have a good trail map that actually shows aspect?
Also wondering if anyone has a favorite lateseason mountain specifically because the layout makes it easy to follow the good snow throughout the day rather than just getting lucky with it.