After loosing the first to open battle to Killington, Sunday River responded by offering significantly better terrain at a cheaper price for the Veteran’s Day weekend. While Killington offers two trails off North Ridge with hiking to download and a top to bottom route that “may require walking”, Sunday River has three and a half unique top to bottom runs in addition to a connector trail. Unfortunately for Sunday River, the snow condition quality did not match the route count quantity.

The snow was groomed granular with varying amounts of frozen ice pellets. Cascade may have been the worst so called groomed trail that I have ever skied in my life. Needless to say, that trail did not earn a repeat. T2 was very firm hard pack. More granular and ice pellets was found on Sunday Punch.

Right Stuff was aptly named but it was the best of the worst in that regard. Where the snow was sun exposed, the skiing was marginally better. Everywhere else… well, it is always good to be on my fourth ski day before Veteran’s Day and I’ll leave it at that.

It wasn’t horrible and the variety was nice. But I am certainly spoiled by a half foot of powder at Jay earlier this week. I took a dozen runs focusing on getting a feel for my new skis and working on refining the early season technique. It wasn’t bad skiing, but it was what it was. Sunday should yield softer conditions and Monday should be down right spring like.