Category: Reports by Month

2013-2014 Season, Dawn Patrol, Earned Turns, Jay Peak, November, Powder Day

Just Another Day at the Office: Jay Peak

Upper Milk Untracked

While it wasn’t a true dawn patrol by definition, it was one in spirit. I set an alarm for 4:45 A.M. and didn’t arrive at Jay until 7:15 A.M. due to road conditions and local school traffic. It was well past dawn by the time my skins hit the snow but I was still on a time limit. I needed to be at work for a 2:00-10:00 P.M. shift. It was painful not being able to take a vacation day but not as painful as sitting the storm out.

The drive up 242 was mesmerizing. Early season dumps at Jay usually don’t deposit much snow below the base area. But the snow banks were considerable as I ascended the access road. It was full on winter and puking snow when I arrived at the Jet lot. Earlier that morning, I considered stopping at Cannon which looked to have received about half a foot. I had definitely chosen wisely!

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2013-2014 Season, November, Sunday River

Back at It: Sunday River

Locke Mountain Triple

Is it ski season already? The last four months have been a passionless slog through the fog. I missed October powder turns but it was for a good cause. We went back to Bermuda and I got my head straight (again). And as soon as I got back from sea level, I wasted no time heading for the top of a mountain, a place where I need to find myself more often. I have some big plans for this season, so let’s get it started.

Sunday River retained solid coverage despite a warm up and rain. The River uploaded guests to two trails: T2 and Upper Punch. A small park was setup at the top of T2 causing significant traffic issues due to parker goers yo-yo’ing. Word on the hill was that the skiing on Saturday was spring like. An overnight freeze fixed that but mountain ops had the guns cranking on all open trails and well beyond. The new man made mostly covered up the frozen hard pack.

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2012-2013 Season, Because, Earned Turns, June, Mount Washington, Tuckerman Ravine

Tuckerman Ravine: Because I Love It

Headwall & Snow Patch

I’ve skied Tuckerman Ravine in June and July many times. Sometimes because it was there. And other times because it was still there. But this year, I didn’t do it just because it was there. I did it because I Love It.

For three out of four runs, I was the only person in Tuckerman Ravine. I had one of New England’s finest natural areas all to myself. I was the only person in the eastern United States that was skiing. The only one. My own paradise for my own turns, experiencing something that no other person was experiencing at that moment.

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2012-2013 Season, Killington, May

Killington: King of Spring

May Superstar

I’ve enjoyed beating up on Killington over the years, especially my anti-capitalist anti-consumerism post-college-angst years (if aren’t a socialist in your 20s you have no heart, if you’re still a socialist in your 30s you have no brain). But in recent memory, I’ve always had good early and late season days there. Killington came at this season with a completely different attitude. There has been a void in New England skiing for a long time and it is nice to have that void finally refilled.

As Sugarloaf and Sugarbush both close, Killington is not just still open but talking about June. Maybe they will get there, maybe they won’t. But the talk is hardly hypothetical marketing bluster, it is absolutely doable.

Unlike in past years when “The Beast” announced an earlier than planned April closing despite ample snow just before a massive storm that they would not reopen for, Killington is honestly playing for keeps this season. And it is about time. All hail Killington, undisputed King of Spring with the earliest opening, latest closing, and longest season. Thank you.

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2012-2013 Season, April, Earned Turns, Hillman's Highway, Mount Washington

The Highway to the Highway

Mount Washington Summit from the Top of Hillman's

“This is going to hurt.”

Foreboding feelings of pain were strong going into this weekend. I am in the worst shape of my life. An honest self assessment suggested I could get the job done but only at the cost of several days of pain. But even in the worst shape of my life, I’m still more capable than I give myself credit for and I’ll need to remember that as I start rebuilding my body and, perhaps more importantly, the rest of my life.

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