Category: Vermont

2002-2003 Season, Articles, Magic Mountain, March

Taking the Skier Vows at Magic Mountain

Slide of Hans

Standing at the entrance of Master Magician is like standing before the alter — you have two choices: “I Do” or “I Do Not.” Prior to making this decision, you reflect upon your vows: “Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish every sweet turn?” “Do you swear to find the most perfect line and commit yourself to the steepest fall line possible?” “Do you pledge to respect the snow and your fellow skiers above all else?” “Do you take this mountain, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?” You calmly state the words: “I Do.”

In the back of your mind, you hear the declaration: “I now pronounce you Skier and Mountain.”

Magic Mountain once proclaimed Master Magician as the steepest in-bounds trail in Vermont. This declaration went unchallenged for many years. While there may currently be a handful of steeper trails in Vermont; including sections of Magic Mountain’s own lift line trails Red Line and Black Line, Master Magician remains a true challenge and a classic in the annals of New England Skiing.

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2002-2003 Season, February, Sugarbush

Sugarbush

After skiing the previous day at Mad River Glen, I was fairly sore but ready for more of the Mad River Valley. Staying one hour south at the Turn of River Lodge in Killington, VT reduced drive time for the low price of $20 per night. My mini two day vacation continued on Tuesday at Sugarbush, a mountain a faintly remembered from a teenage ski trip with the family. From that earlier first trip to Sugarbush, I most vividly remembered making High Speed GS turns down the windy Upper Jester and eating pizza at a local establishment. We camped out at a four season camp ground in a motor home and had an awesome weekend at Mount Lincoln. Those memorable family trips laid the ground work for my developing skiing habit that later became a major focus of my life.

I started my day at Mount Ellen but quickly found out that the conditions were less than satisfactory and the Slide Brook Express was closed during mid-week. After only one run in low visibility, I packed up my gear and drove over to Mount Lincoln. Conditions were much better and I began the morning skiing the Lynx area. After skiing the four Lynx runs, I returned to the lodge for a break before trying Castlerock. Or so I thought. Castlerock was later put on Wind Hold as was Heaven’s Gate relegating my skiing to the Super Bravo and Lynx chairs.

Overall, this was a rather disappointing afternoon at Sugarbush due to poor conditions, wind hold, and not being able to ski the Castlerock and Heaven’s Gate trails. I would return a few years later to properly sample the mountain in its entirety.

2002-2003 Season, February, Haystack

Haystack, VT

Made it up to Haystack in Vermont for the Massachusetts Day $29 deal. Haystack is the often overlooked little sister of Mount Snow and the Bastard Child of American Skiing Company. Despite Haystack being less crowded, having no lift lines, and decent terrain, the mountain has not been as successful as neighboring Mount Snow. Instead of increasing advertising and awareness, ASC simply turned Haystack into a weekend only operation to reduce friendly fire on Mount Snow.

The loss of everyone else becomes my gain! Despite the $29 deal for Massachusetts residents, the mountain remained rather uncrowded. Most lifts were ski on with an occasional one to two minute wait on the POMA Brand Barnstormer servicing the summit and the Hayfever Triple accessing two-thirds of the mountain. The CTEC Brand Witches Triple, servicing Haystack’s expert terrain, closed shortly after the mountain opened due to high winds. This lift would later re-open and was always ski-on. The base lodge was roomy and had adequate seating with a perfect window view of the mountain face.

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2002-2003 Season, Burke, January

Burke Mountain, VT

After skiing Cannon on Saturday and staying the night in Whitefield, NH, it was onto Burke Mountain in Vermont for skiing on Sunday. First Tracks!! Online Ski Magazine provided discounted tickets to its readers for this excessively cold outing. The temperatures were substantially below freezing with severe frostbite danger and the slow Willoughby Quad chairlift was not helping in that department. Most skiers took two or three runs then went inside to warm up.

Burke is a carvers’ and groomer skiers’ paradise despite its other bolder offerings in the trees. As a F.I.S. Certified Super G trail, The Dippers made for excellent wide GS turns. Bear’s Den and Willoughby are character trails that also provide excellent high speed grooming while also retaining many rolls, twists, and turns characteristic of older style trails. East Bowl was also groomed, unfortunately. But regardless, this trail is always excellent and a must ski every visit to Burke.

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