Author: Steve

2015-2016 Season, March, Smugglers Notch

Smuggs: Low Expectations, High Quality Skiing

As with all other ski areas right now, the coverage at Smuggs looked more like early April than early March. Many natural snow trails were closed. Firm hard pack was found on the natural snow trails that were still open. In addition to firm hard pack, many natural snow trails and glades also sported ice flows. Not your typical “icy” conditions but genuine solid blue ice patches.

After a few warm up runs including some groomers followed by a scrapefest down Doc Dempsey’s, we decided to test the trees. Lower elevation trees were scraped, firm, and brushy. I was less than impressed but I had come to Smuggs to ski with some friends rather than to find good conditions. The other guys were interested in dropping off the backside of Sterling but I was quite concerned that we’d find suspect conditions or worse.

I guided our crew into some lower elevation off map woods to test out the tree skiing. We found thin coverage including rocks and stumps to avoid. But we also found some high quality snow and awesome turns. Surprisingly, the off map woods skied better than the limited amount of on map glades that were open. After reading everyone the riot act on how bad things might be, I led a smaller group off the backside expecting to find unpleasant but adventurous skiing.

Instead, we found the best skiing of the day. I picked the line that avoided stream beds and drainages and it worked out. It worked out so well, we opted to return for a second run immediately after the first. The last few hundred feet were thwacky and bitterly thin, ending with a horrendously unforgiving dump out onto 108. But the majority of the skiing was solid packed powder with ample coverage and quality turns.

Yet another day this season during which low expectations led to significant enjoyment.

2015-2016 Season, February, Jay Peak, Powder Day

Jay Peak Powder Day: Pics Or It Didn’t Happen

Today was the tenth day and first powder day of my season. During an average season, I would have had at least that many powder days and more than double that many total days by the end of February. But this is not an average season. And today was not an average powder day.

I was only expecting a few inches, just enough to soften things up. But instead, Jay got coated in eight amazing inches. The dense snow felt bottomless even though I knew it wasn’t. I thought I might go an entire season without a powder day. But I finally got one. Perhaps my only one of the entire season.

Powder days have been so exceedingly rare this season that you might ask for pics or not believe that it happened. It did happen but I can’t prove it. After booting up, I looked at the zipped top pocket of my bag where I store my camera. And then I looked away and started walking towards the door.

I was sitting on the Jet having singled up with a father and his son. They were talking most of the ride about skiing. But then the father pulled out his phone and started typing. His son desperately tried to get his attention but the father continually asked for, no, insisted on silence so he could futz around with his device. He was out of the moment, momentarily oblivious to his surroundings, intentionally unaware of what deserved his full attention.

Today wasn’t about documenting and reporting. It wasn’t about trying to capture the conditions or available lines in ones and zeros. Today was about skiing hard, being in the moment, and treasuring each untracked turn. Every fucking one of them. I didn’t need a picture to remember today. How could I ever forget?

2015-2016 Season, February, Jay Peak

Jay: Fully Open

The Orchard

Jay just became the first major resort in the northeastern United States to be fully open this season. During the last week of February. With a rain event incoming later this week, this could very well be the high water mark for the region this season.

Conditions were packed powder with stunningly good (for Jay) groomed surfaces. I bypassed the woods on my first run from the Bonnie to rip Northway with near edge to edge perfect carves, a rare treat for any Jay Peak skier. But the reason I drove to Jay was to ski the trees, terrain that few other areas have available (particularly the off map variety).

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2015-2016 Season, February, Mad River Glen

Mad River Glen: Where Is Everyone?

Fall Line

Mad River Glen received two inches of dense snow overnight. But who’s counting? Any new snow is good this year. And two inches was good enough to open almost all of the Glen’s on piste terrain excepting Upper Paradise, Cat Bowl, Panther, Slalom Hill, and Partridge. I was amazed at how much terrain was open and how good it was skiing.

I began the day with two tentative laps down groomed terrain before venturing into the natural snow on Lower Glade. The rehabilitation of Lower Glade has substantially improved this once dreadful trail. I was amazed at how good the conditions were. Just two inches had saved the day. Conditions were thin, ice and rocks needed to be avoided. But the bumps were soft and engaging, the turns were wonderful. It may have felt like mid-spring rather than mid-February, but it was still quality skiing.

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2015-2016 Season, January, Jay Peak

Jay: Better Than It Had Right To Be

Despite receiving more snow than other northeast ski areas, Jay had no right to be skiing well during MLK Weekend. I kept my expectations low and was genuinely impressed with what I found on and off piste. Low expectations might be the single most important aspect of my season this year. At this rate, I might even remember 2015-2016 fondly despite likely having one of my lowest ski day totals in a dozen years. That said, I would dearly like to have my first powder day of the season sooner rather than later.

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