Category: November

2007-2008 Season, November, Sunday River

Opening Weekend of the Season at Sunday River

Locke Triple Unload

Sunday River in Newry, Maine became the first ski area in the Northeast to open for the season this past Thursday November 8th, one day earlier than scheduled. The early November snow making push was rather surprising considering most resorts are eliminating many days of the “shoulder seasons.” However, two new players in the region, including Boyne and Peaks, seriously upped the ante. Sunday River and Sugarloaf of Boyne beat Mount Snow and Attittash to the punch, but just barely. Bretton Woods also opened this weekend servicing limited beginner terrain.

Last weekend saw TheSnowWay.com’s author skinning up Locke at Sunday River for two runs unassisted by lifts. Today marked the author’s third day of the season and first lift serviced day. Although I appreciated the repetitions and vertical assistance, turns last weekend were much more enjoyable due to no crowds and no snow guns. But for only $20.00 after a donation of three canned goods, I certainly was not going to look else where for turns, crowds be damned!

Sunday River essentially offered up three trails for sliding along with a connector linking the Barker Summit to Locke. Both the Barker Summit High Speed Quad and the Locke Mountain Triple were in operation with the Locke Mountain Triple allowing skiers to board at the mid-station. Upper Sunday Punch and T2 were open from the Locke Mountain Summit from which both trails dumped into Cascades to the base which featured a mini terrain park. Snow making was online on Upper Sunday Punch making for an unpleasant skiing experience despite the trail having the best snow conditions.

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2007-2008 Season, Earned Turns, November, Sunday River

Earned Turns at Sunday River

Steve at the Top of Locke

When American Ski Company dissolved and sold off its assets, no one could have predicted how many great things the new ownership would do in such a short period of time. Boyne USA Resorts stepped right up to the plate and began transforming its new Maine Resorts, Sunday River and Sugarloaf, from the neglected bastard childs of ASC to the impressive resorts they have the potential to be. Both Sunday River and Sugarloaf fired up snow making during the last week of October and Sunday River managed to open T2 on Halloween via uploading on Chair 4, thumbing its nose at the tight pockets of the former owners.

After this past Tuesday’s effort at Attitash, I was eager for some quality turns to make up for the desperate display of stupidity earlier in the week. With a planned opening date of November 9th and the snow making capability to do it, Sunday River is currently the early season leader to beat. The combination of less hiking and nearly enough snow to ski back to my car made Sunday River the obvious choice for turn earning instead of Killington.

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2006-2007 Season, Jay Peak, November

Opening Weekend of the Season at Jay Peak

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Jay Peak opened for the season on Friday November 24th turning The Jet Triple Chair with The Jet as the only open trail. Due to family functions related to Thanksgiving, I could not make Jay’s opening day but was sure to get in on the action Saturday afternoon. After sleeping in and whacking off around the house in the morning, I got a late start and caught my first lift of the season around 10:30a. By then the top of The Jet had been scrapped down to a sheet of frozen snow that only the racers could cut an edge through. Lower Jet was in the sun light and offered decent fast carved turns. But the real action was under the lift on The Jet where I found loose snow, moguls, thin cover, and frozen balls and boulders of snow making sludge. An interesting mix to say the least. I took this option on all of my eight runs much to the dismay of my back and legs. First moguls of the year are always a bitter sweet experience. Even after seven days of earning turns, the first day working a mogul field uses completely different muscles and the earlier turn earning was no assistance in developing those muscle groups. Conditions under the lift were quickly deterorating after noon as most skiers of a proficient level realized that was were the nice soft snow was. By run number eight, the conditions had gone from suck to blow and my body was too sore for further punishment, so I called it a day. Day number eight marks the worst snow conditions I have skied to date this season and hopefully the worst snow conditions for the entire season, with any luck. The last four days have progressively gotten worse and it is no surprised that my first day of lift serviced skiing sucked so bad given the limited terrain and marginal snow making temperatures resulting in low quality faux sneaux. Despite having a pass to Jay Peak and living only one hour away from the mountain, I opted to take a hike in the White Mountains on Sunday. My first day of lift serviced skiing was just that bad.

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2006-2007 Season, Earned Turns, Jay Peak, November

Earned Turns at Jay Peak Under the Guns

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With Jay Peak planning to open for the Season this coming Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, I planned a double purpose trip to Jay Peak. Instead of fighting the crowds on Saturday morning to get my Season Pass picture taken, I opted to visit the office this morning and take care of business before the rush. The other purpose was of course to make some turns and claim my seventh day of the season. While Jay Peak’s Faux Sneaux left much to be desired, claiming day seven before Thanksgiving is not too shabby, especially considering the first major New England ski areas just opened yesterday.

Arriving at The Jet triple and clicking into my skis, I happened upon a pot of gold. White Gold that is. With snow guns firing and a bright sun blazing across a deep blue sky, a rainbow had formed at the nozzle of every single snow gun. The end of the rainbow led to a bountiful pot of white gold. I have never chased the end of a rainbow before; but now that I have, I know that the story is true.

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2006-2007 Season, Earned Turns, November, Stowe

Early October Earned Turns on Mount Mansfield

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“Damn, I wish it was still October.” Not often are these words spoken in New England by skiers. But based on short and long term forecasts, there is a distinct possibility that October will have been a better month to ski New England than November. Which is not to say that the skiing on Mount Mansfield on November fifth was not more than satisfactory and excellent for November. But it sure was no October 2006.

Austin, Marc, and I all arrived at the Gondola lot early Sunday morning for some skiing on Mount Mansfield. Snow Guns were firing hard on Upper Nose Dive and on the other side of the mountain. We opted to ascend via Nose Dive and make plans for the descent once we were higher up. A short hike up Nose Dive was required before we could put skins to the snow and beginning skinning. Snow coverage was still substantial and wall to wall after a short hundred vertical feet of dry land. It is still hard to believe how much snow has stuck around for so long considering the date!

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