thesnowway.com – Page 14 – full of allusions

February 16, 2021March 29, 20212020-2021 Season, Cannon Mountain, February

Neglecting the Narrative: Cannon

The February vacation storm resembles the 2020-2021 season: a massive buildup of expectation vaporized into mediocrity. Possibilities of two feet of snow became two inches of mixed. The wind howled, intermittently pelting cars with rain and sleet. The lifts would eventually turn, but it was a tease compared to what might have been.

Lower mountain lifts opened as the weather relented. I skied all of the trails from Gary’s to Avalanche, and the glades in between. The snow was better than it had any right to be considering the weather. Tracked was often better than untracked, particularly in the trees where a thin layer of skied off snow could covered rocks.

The Peabody Quad eventually opened but not the upper mountain Cannonball Quad. The lower mountain trails were better than mid-mountain trails. Warming temperatures kept the snow soft and forgiving down low, not so much up high. The following evening, temperatures would plummet and turn moisture laden snow into concrete. Entering what should have been the snowiest part of the season, it was already the beginning of the end.

I lost the narrative this winter. Not the skiing narrative. The skiing narrative followed the foreseen arc: stay local, earn turns, observe travel restrictions, and occasionally ski Cannon when it did not feel like a zoo. I did not ski much, but I did not care to ski much. It was a lost season. I took what I got and I was happy to not miss any epic days in VT (since there were none).

Rather, I mean the personal narrative. I spent more time on my bike indoor training than skiing. I am fitter going into the spring than I ever have been before. But I lost some personal discipline. I lost focus. I floundered aimlessly this winter without making much personal progress. I probably should not view stagnation as a setback. At least I can say that I am fit as fuck for cycling season.

The story goes on and the protagonist has noticed the obstacle and works to tear it down. Onward.

February 13, 2021March 29, 20212020-2021 Season, Earned Turns, February, Tenney Mountain

More Mellow

No sense in burying the lead chronologically: When I got home, my partner asked me “how was the skiing?” I replied that it was better than staying home all day and watching YouTube. That sums up a day at Tenney; it honestly is better than than doing nothing.

I was just happy to be outside. I waited until temperatures reached double digit temperatures, which meant a late start. But not too late, as temperatures would eventually rise to near the freezing point. The mountain was quite active with at least a half dozen turn earners, plus some snowshoers, snowmobiles, families, and snow tubers.

The snow was a mix of wind blown soft pack and groomed. Did the owner groom a non-operating ski area again? It seemed like less flora was sticking up through the snow. I was not going to be skiing untracked, so the grooming did not bother me. I did not come for the snow conditions.

I made fast time to the summit and decided to ski the northern side of the mountain. Sunflower and Sweet William provide the most prolonged pitches at Tenney. I skied Sunflower and then skinned up Venus Fly Trap and hit Sweet William. Both trails have some identity, and thankfully lack the mishmash of never ending junctions characteristic of Tenney’s jumbled trail network. I finished the day off with a short hike to the top of the Triple.

I am probably all set with Tenney for a while.

February 6, 2021March 29, 20212020-2021 Season, Earned Turns, February, Powder Day, Tenney Mountain

Embracing the Mellow

It has been seven years (almost to the day) since my last time skiing Tenney. Despite living less than twenty minutes from the semi-lost area, I have only earned turns at Tenney five times in fourteen seasons. One might think that Tenney would be an ideal mountain to harvest days old untracked powder. But anything more than a few inches of dense snow will stop you in your un-tracks.

Recent snowfall suggested that a few inches of dense was exactly what I could expect. And base depths in the region were finally sufficient. But much to my chagrin, the management had seen fit to groom most of the mountain despite not being open. I was puzzled by this at first. But later, I reasoned that the condo association might help pay for the grooming given the amount of turn earners and the active outdoor community in the village. Maybe?

I made quick work of the first ascent and opted for mellow meadow skipping down Shooting Star, which was ungroomed but tracked up. It wasn’t much to write home about; but it was powder skiing. Near the base area, I applied my skins and pointed my skis straight up Morning Glory, where I briefly used the stiletto position on my heel raisers. Shocking that such a pitch exists at Tenney.

After topping out again, I headed for Forget Me Not. The trail had been mercifully groomed since my last outing, which literally required swimming through ten foot tall saplings. The final pitch was nice but not yet completely filled in. That dumped me into Snap Dragon which was enjoyable, until I found the only part of the mountain not yet opened back up by the new management. It was adventurous skiing, I did not regret it.

January 3, 2021March 29, 20212020-2021 Season, Cannon Mountain, January

CANNON-19

My third day of the season happened during the third month of the season. Some years, I have skied three days before November. Most years, I have skied three days before December. Almost all years, I have skied three days before the new year. The 2001-2002 season was the last time that I skied my third day after the new year. Spoiler alert, that same trend and that same reference season repeats itself for my fourth ski day during February.

This was my first time riding the lifts with COVID-19 mitigation measures in effect. Cannon handled the situation admirably. Most guests conducted themselves in an appropriate manor. Just a few skiers had their masks down while in line. Lift corals were well positioned with reasonably good spacing. Indoor seating areas were spread out; but I would have preferred that no mask lowering be allowed indoors, even for eating (eat outside or in your car). I kept outside except for restroom breaks.

While in the queues, some skiers tested my patience. I knew full well that solo riding impacts lines due to the current restrictions. But the signs said to only ride chairs with people who arrived in the same vehicle. Yet, many singles requested to join me. I wish folks would just follow the rules and lay off the requests to pair up.

The biggest issue was that the conditions did not merit the lines. Cannon had powder day lines for groomed hard pack conditions. My own own patronage was just as much to blame as the other skiers and riders. But understanding that concept did not compensate for the ratio of turn quality to line wait. The experience was quite uncomfortable for mediocre skiing.

I will return to Cannon later in the season when all options are on the table and conditions improve. Until then, I will earn turns and ride my indoor bike trainer.

December 12, 2020December 25, 20202020-2021 Season, Cannon Mountain, December, Earned Turns

Anticipation and Indifference

I have never been less excited for a ski season; yet I have never been more ready for turns. My perspective has radically changed. I am not closely following weather forecasts nor skiing news. But I am ready to go, I am ready for turns and I want them desperately. Call it indifferent anticipation.

I found myself at Mittersill, removed from opening weekend lifts and the purportedly masked crowds. It was a race against the sun. But temperature profile was inverted, so the race was lost before my first uphill step. The natural snow was already manked despite my early start time.

The skiing was sublime where the snow was untouched, survival where the snow was already tracked. It was more survival than sublime. Turns are turns. I just want to be outside, in the mountains, and skiing. My expectations for the season are already exceeded despite having only two days tallied before the solstice.