Category: Cannon Mountain

2020-2021 Season, Cannon Mountain, January

CANNON-19

My third day of the season happened during the third month of the season. Some years, I have skied three days before November. Most years, I have skied three days before December. Almost all years, I have skied three days before the new year. The 2001-2002 season was the last time that I skied my third day after the new year. Spoiler alert, that same trend and that same reference season repeats itself for my fourth ski day during February.

This was my first time riding the lifts with COVID-19 mitigation measures in effect. Cannon handled the situation admirably. Most guests conducted themselves in an appropriate manor. Just a few skiers had their masks down while in line. Lift corals were well positioned with reasonably good spacing. Indoor seating areas were spread out; but I would have preferred that no mask lowering be allowed indoors, even for eating (eat outside or in your car). I kept outside except for restroom breaks.

While in the queues, some skiers tested my patience. I knew full well that solo riding impacts lines due to the current restrictions. But the signs said to only ride chairs with people who arrived in the same vehicle. Yet, many singles requested to join me. I wish folks would just follow the rules and lay off the requests to pair up.

The biggest issue was that the conditions did not merit the lines. Cannon had powder day lines for groomed hard pack conditions. My own own patronage was just as much to blame as the other skiers and riders. But understanding that concept did not compensate for the ratio of turn quality to line wait. The experience was quite uncomfortable for mediocre skiing.

I will return to Cannon later in the season when all options are on the table and conditions improve. Until then, I will earn turns and ride my indoor bike trainer.

2020-2021 Season, Cannon Mountain, December, Earned Turns

Anticipation and Indifference

Taft Race Course

I have never been less excited for a ski season; yet I have never been more ready for turns. My perspective has radically changed. I am not closely following weather forecasts nor skiing news. But I am ready to go, I am ready for turns and I want them desperately. Call it indifferent anticipation.

I found myself at Mittersill, removed from opening weekend lifts and the purportedly masked crowds. It was a race against the sun. But temperature profile was inverted, so the race was lost before my first uphill step. The natural snow was already manked despite my early start time.

The skiing was sublime where the snow was untouched, survival where the snow was already tracked. It was more survival than sublime. Turns are turns. I just want to be outside, in the mountains, and skiing. My expectations for the season are already exceeded despite having only two days tallied before the solstice.

Cannon

2020-2021 Season, Cannon Mountain, December, Earned Turns, Powder Day

The Earned Turn Season Begins

I have struggled to identify the theme or story for this post. The much delayed start to my 2020-2021 season follows the premature ending of last season; the longest amount of time that I have been off skis in twenty years. Returning to skiing should feel special. But it is hard to feel triumphant given the state of things.

Cannon historically does very well with early season wallops. The green mountain spine has its upslope, Cannon has its Gulf of Maine bombers. If this storm parked in the Gulf rather than blowing through, Cannon would have received three feet instead of a foot and a half.

I know from past experience that summit efforts are a waste of time in these conditions. The Front Five are weather protected and steep whereas the higher terrain is windy, too shallow for dense snow turns, and exposed to snow making. The best option is to stay down low, lapping the best snow at the steepest angles.

I skied Avalanche, Paulie’s, Zoomer, Zoomer Lift, and Banshee Lift; only stopping because my skins were no longer sticky due to snow exposure. The struggle of trying to keep my skins clipped was frustrating and exhausting. I had more laps in the tank. It was the best early season form I’ve had in years.

I will need that form this season. My Jay pass is currently useless due to the travel restrictions. I will get a few days with the Indy pass. But a majority of my winter days this season will likely be earned. I’ve long wanted to commit a season to more turn earning than lift riding. This is going to be that season.

2019-2020 Season, Cannon Mountain, February

Gullies & Glades

Cannon Gully

Three vacation week days after the powder day, I was doubtful that I would find much untracked remaining. But I was up for a scouting challenge. I pushed the northern and southern boundaries in search of any remaining untracked turns in some of the mountain’s most choice terrain.

After a few warm up runs in the upper mountain glades, I dropped into a remote off map gully. Was it even good to go? I opted for the lower entrance which was a safer option. The cut in had been hit hard and was quite bony. But turns in the gully were fantastic packed powder. It was the most challenging terrain I had skied so far this season and it showed in my exertion.

Things got a bit hairy down low. The untracked snow had setup poorly and packed powder was actually preferable due to more predictable feedback. As the gully choked down at lower elevations, it was apparent that things were not quite completely filled. The inevitable respite came eventually.

Cannon Trees

On to the opposite side of the massif. I found occasional untracked turns and fabulous snow in the higher elevations. But the lower elevation trees featured the same poorly setup snow as the earlier gully. I turned my skis into the packed down snow when possible. It was absolutely worth the effort, but not worth a second lap.

The holiday weekend crowds finally arrived around noontime, so I made my way back to Valley Station (where I found a two or three tram wait!) to end my day.

2019-2020 Season, Cannon Mountain, February, Middle Hard the Hard Way, Powder Day

Yardsticks

Kinsman Glade

Measuring things can be tricky, especially given how we relate to the thing that is measured. One might think that more snow is obviously better. Fourteen inches must be better than seven inches, perhaps even twice as good. Or perhaps not. Other measurements are at play as well: temperatures, crowds, snow consistency, lift line waits, duration of untracked, crowd frenzy, etc.

But the biggest measurement is whether you have anyone to share your runs with. This is a binary measurement: solo or not. I’ll always take seven inches of uncrowded bliss with a ski partner over fourteen inches solo among the crowds.

Cannon Trees

Cannon Trees

Cannon Trees

Cannonballer called me out in the tram queue and it was on. We dropped into an untracked Vista Way and found amazing coverage on the often barren skier’s right. The snow was supportive, dense, and surfy. We returned for a second run of more untracked followed by Upper Cannon and then again back to Vista to clean up.

Where was everyone? The “crowds” would not hit until later. But even then, most lifts were ski on throughout the morning.

I couldn’t help but suggest Kinsman Glade. Kinsman is one of my least favorite glades at Cannon due to its lack of maintenance and often horrid conditions. But with so few people at the summit and the snow being so supportive, this was definitely a Kinsman Glade day. Cannonballer obliged and it was killer.

Cannon Trees

After that, despite the late morning hour, I found some astounding untracked trees at Mittersill. Around 11:00am, I dropped into a completely untracked Upper Birches. Off map run followed by off map run, I slowly made my way back to the Tram and wrapped things up so I could get back for my evening shift at work.

Cannon Trees