Author: Steve

2012-2013 Season, Burke, February

Groomer Ripping at Burke

Wind Tower at the Top of Big DipperToday was like skiing in late November with four times as much open terrain. But despite that factual description, I can’t entertain any negative thoughts about today. If anything, I was surprised how good the skiing was despite two weeks of thaws including the worst January blow torch that I have ever witnessed.

Even if the groomer ripping wasn’t fun (it was), I was just happy to be skiing after twelve straight 12-15 hour work days sans any break to speak of. I’m past the hump of my work cycle and I’m ready for winter. And even if winter isn’t ready for me, I’m happy just to be making turns.

Burke had four distinctive routes from the mid-Burke Express. Willoughby was the icy hard pack that I had expected. Chute to Bear Den was marginally better. Upper Warren’s was an improvement; solid and edgable, firm but not hard packed. Upper Dipper had the best snow due to snow making efforts. Skier’s left had enjoyable soft and chalky man made snow forming irregular bumps and obstacles.

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2012-2013 Season, Earned Vertical Assistance, January, Jay Peak, Powder Day

Jay Peak: The Boom & The Bust

Beaver Powder

I was fairly well set on skiing Black Mountain in Maine today. With generally poor conditions throughout New England, I thought it was another good opportunity to continue to work on The List during a holiday weekend. Fifteen dollar lift tickets, no crowds, and 100% open were all strong factors. But before leaving, I checked the Jay Peak Snow Report (not that one) which was reporting 5-7″ in the past 24 hours and 9-13″ in the past 48 (with upper mountain lift holds). Boom?

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2012-2013 Season, January, Shawnee Peak

Shawnee Peak

Mount Washington Undercast from Parmalee's

With Shawnee Peak crossed off, The List has now dwindled down to only one area per state (domestically). I expect the remainder of the stateside list to fall in short order leaving only the Quebec areas. Perhaps The List will expand to include more of New York such as the Catskills.

Exploring new areas has become a favorite part of my season even when exploring areas that I know I will never return to. I knew pretty quickly that Shawnee was such an area but that only heightens the feeling of exploration, knowing that this is not only a first time, but also a last time.

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2012-2013 Season, December, Mad River Glen, Powder Day

Mad River Glen: Down the Rabbit Hole

MRG Rabbit Hole Skiing

Of all the mountains that I might suspect to score a “day after the powder day” powder day (during a holiday period), Mad River Glen is not a prime suspect. But adventurous woods skiing yielded everything from packed powder to loose fluff to honest to goodness completely untracked lines, two days after a holiday weekend storm. Friggin’ sweet!

I wasn’t expecting expansive off map opportunities but Mad River Glen delivered. Throughout the morning I kept thinking “there is no way that such and such a shot is going to ski well” and invariably I would try it and score excellent snow and quality turns. Despite the “woods are thin” signage at the Single, I found the off map woods to be very well covered and one dump away from being chargeable.

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