Remember the good old days when the Jordanelle Express gondola was a great locals’ secret? Now we even have choices out on U.S. 40 — turn left for heated seats, turn right for a cozy gondola cabin. I swiped right last week for a midweek morning outing.There was a time when the Jordanelle Express was my base camp. I would keep my skis in the overnight valet, boot up on the benches, and leave my boot bag tucked in a corner. Now, the place is downright civil with bistro tables and nowhere to hide your street shoes. I snagged an early spot in the parking lot, booted up in the car, and headed to the lift.I have always found the Jordanelle Express a place of solitude and relaxation before starting my morning routine on the slopes. That morning, I found myself in a cabin with three Texans. One guy was from Houston, so we chatted about C.J. Stroud and the Texans. I’m Stroud fan but made it clear to him I would be rooting for Patrick Mahomes on Saturday. And I was tactful as I confessed to the couple with Dallas roots that I never was a Cowboys fan. So I’m not sure I made any friends.Coming out of the Jordanelle gondola building, I always feel like I’m walking onto a stage with thunderous applause. I’m very big on the same old, same old routine there. I click into my Tyrolia bindings. Do a warmup run down to Snow Park, catch a lift up on Carpenter, one lap on Bald Mountain, down to Quincy, play around on Lost Boulder, ride Northside, then ski down Hawkeye to Lady Morgan, maybe one run up on Empire, then head home. It’s a nice DV tour. Some days I’ll blend in a scone and tea at the Goldener Hirsch Cafe. It’s a satisfying morning for me.But that morning I decided, “Why not do a warmup run on Mountaineer?” So I did.Fourteen Mountaineer runs later, I called it a morning.In a way, it was reminiscent of lunch hours when I worked at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Center of Excellence. I could cut out at noon, make six or seven Mountaineer runs, and return to my desk by 1.So none of this was planned. It just occurred. At 9 a.m., the first glints of morning light shot between clouds over the reservoir, illuminating the freshly set corduroy. The edges of my Peak 88s had wonderful purchase as I arced big sweeping turns under the bridge, having the run all to myself.So, let’s do it again. Why go anywhere else?Standing atop Mountaineer, you have one of the most unobstructed views to the north of anywhere at the resort. It’s a panorama from Murdock to Grandview Peak to Mt. Ogden and back to Lewis Peak.It just got better and better as the sun came up. Occasionally, I would see another skier. But not many.One sad aspect was that there was no one to ride with me on the lift. About halfway through my morning, I scooted by a guy with ski blades. He caught me at the lift and rode up. I was curious. “So … how do you like your blades?” “I LOVE them!” “OK … what motivated you to do this?’ “I had a knee replacement a year ago and wanted to do something different. Oh, and I like wearing snowboard boots.” (Yes, snowboard boots are allowed at DV). He seemed to be having fun. Later, I found myself shopping online to check out a setup. I don’t know … maybe?As my morning was winding on, the early morning broken clouds turned to full-on overcast. Gone was the pristine corduroy. I had skied it all out. It was quickly being replaced by loose powder over a shiny donut-like glaze. I pushed hard on the front of my Dalbello boots to hold an edge as I made turns down the centerline. I could hear someone coming up from behind on my left. I caught a glimpse as a DV patroller ripped down the left edge line, making these fabulous tuns on the ice with his powder-wide Rossi Sender 106 Ti’s.Very nice turns! I decided it was time to go home.The post Ridgelines: A Mountaineer morning appeared first on Park Record.