Category: 2012-2013 Season

...is AWESOME!!, 2012-2013 Season, February, Mount Abram, Powder Day

Abram is AWESOME!!

The Way Back Machine & Fractured Fairy Tales

Driving up the access road to Abram, it happened. The flood of endorphins. Arm hairs standing up a bit. An emotional reaction to a pile of rock topped by flora and frozen water under a blue bird sky. I knew there was still untracked powder on yonder trails a day after the powder day. Abram is a special place and I knew I was in for a good day.

After grabbing a seat on The Way Back Machine (man, I love that lift’s name and the area’s theme), I surveyed the snow conditions and I liked what I saw. I REALLY liked what I saw. Loose powder was everywhere and the edges of the trails had plenty of untracked. A day after the powder day.

(more…)

2012-2013 Season, Cannon Mountain, February, Middle Hard the Hard Way, Powder Day

Cannon: NE Wind FTW

After fierce deliberations during the evening prior, I decided to make a “driveway decision” in the morning. Seeing the winds on Mount Washington blowing only 40-50 MPH out of the northeast suggested that all lifts at Cannon would run and they did. Indeed, the Peabody Quad was as calm as I’ve ever seen it during a storm.

I would like to personally thank Deval Patrick for being a pussy. Otherwise, I would have feared the hoards of Massachusetts skiers heading north. Other options included four mid-sized ~1000′ areas that would have had snow and no crowds but not the same level of terrain. I’d say that I choose wisely.

Cannon reported a two day total of 16″ and that sounds about right. Six of those inches fell yesterday and the remainder fell last night. It snowed all day and they might have picked up another two inches this afternoon. Much deeper drifts could be found so while boot deep was the average, exploding knee deep was still plentiful.

(more…)

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.

(more…)

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?

(more…)

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.

(more…)