Category: New Hampshire

2009-2010 Season, Cannon Mountain, Earned Turns, November, Powder Day

Over a Foot of Fresh at Cannon!

Zoomer Triple Chair
Zoomer Triple Chair

This past week has been nerve wracking. Where to go when it snows? The storm was complicated and many forecasters discussed the difficulties of pinning it down. Doubt was prevalent about the storm right up until the storm commenced. Prognosticators suggested Northern Vermont would get the jackpot with heavy up slope. But I have seen this pattern before. Watching the radar loop last night, I observed a huge gash on moisture attacking south western Maine before slamming into northern New Hampshire and changing over to snow. I had good vibes about Cannon. And those vibes were accurate.

As we drove north on I-93, I was stunned regarding the lack of snow along the highway. Thonton, Lincoln, Woodstock, entering the Notch, into the Notch. There was nothing on the ground at all. Not even a trace amount of washed away snow. Just as we passed the Flume, Ma Nature threw a switch and suddenly two inches appeared. Gradually increasing all the way to Cannon where we stepped out of the car to find a foot of snow at the base.

A skin track was set up the Banshee Slope and we hooked up with another skin track to ascend to the top of Avalanche and then onto Spookie and Upper Ravine. Snow on the mountain was more than a foot but less than two. Generally, most parts of the mountain had around 16″ with some drifts as deep as three feet. The Upper Mountain faired worse than the Lower Mountain due to high winds. The snow was severely wind buffed with half the trail deeply drifted and half the trail bare rock.

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2008-2009 Season, Black Mountain, February, Powder Day

Ligament Damage at Black

Nothing like a forecast for a big storm to bring the powder hounds out of the wood work. Especially considering how unseasonably dry and warm February has been, beginning with a late “January Thaw” which was followed by two dry weeks. Needless to say, I wanted in on first tracks during a weekend long storm and requested Thursday off from work.

Had I waited until Friday for my day off, I would have skied better snow and probably have survived the weekend injury free. Needless to say, I did not wait and paid a horrible price for my powder anxiety.

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2008-2009 Season, Earned Turns, January, Powder Day, White Mountain BC

Powder Day in the New Hampshire Backcountry

My backcountry days are normally limited to late season on Mount Washington. But three days after more than a foot of fresh covered much of New Hampshire, it was a sure bet that even the most secret of stashes at the resorts would have been hammered into submission. It was time to take to the backcountry for a rare mid-season powder day via earned turns.

If a 5 minute hike keeps 95% of the skiers away, then a 95 minute hike keeps greater all but less than 1% of skiers away. Despite that fact, the skin track was already set and we were grateful. Temperatures remained cold but comfortable all day with almost no wind except near the summit. Sunny blue skies rained supreme with occasional cloud cover every few hours.

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2008-2009 Season, Black Mountain, January, Powder Day

Killer Powder Day at Black Mountain

Black Mountain! It has been a half dozen years since my last visit and I was LONG past due. Black is one of my favorite “smaller” sized mountains. Mostly a family paradise, Black Mountain in Jackson, NH has sensational character and charm (not to mention cheap lift tickets). Despite the general lack of pitch, Black has several short but awesome trails that ski exceptionally well on a powder day. Aside from my skiing partner and myself, I counted no more than a half dozen other powder hounds on the mountain. I skied untracked snow from open until I left at 12:30pm and for sure there will still be pockets of untracked snow left tomorrow.

Today was the first day the double was open to the summit. So I wasted no time in taking first of the season tracks on completely untouched Lostbo, Lostbo Glade, White Knuckle, and Carter Notch Glade. That involves three individual laps off the summit yielding three completely untracked first of the season runs. Boot to knee deep. KILLER!!! Three unadulterated face shots resulted from those first three runs. The cold smoke was blowing right over my shoulders and up into my face. SICK!!!

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2008-2009 Season, Cannon Mountain, January, Powder Day

Pre-Work Powder at Cannon

Nothing like ripping up two and a half hours of untracked pow before heading into work. I need to do this more often.

Cannon reported a two day total of 9-10″. This report seems accurate to me after accounting for wind effects. On the second day of the two day storm, it skied more like 7″. Though I certainly went 10″ deep in many places where no one skied yesterday.

Lots of trails were reserved and skied great. Some better than others. Minor base damage was had but no core shots. Over the saddle, definitely a lot less total snow compared to Cannon proper. Especially on the open slopes but secrets revealed plenty to make the sucky parts worth one run… but no more. Cannon lost almost all of their natural snow base on trials without snow making, so definitely not for the faint of heart. A dozen untracked runs in two and a half hours before work? Sweet!

The mountain looks great. Especially for early January. With good snowmaking temperatures to continue, Cannon should have all of their snow making trails online within the next two weeks even without any additional natural snow. For natural snow trails…. this storm isn’t going to cut it and by this weekend, it is not going to be worth it. As much as I love Cannon… you either go the day after the storm or you look else where.

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