2011-2012 Season, Jay Peak, March

Sleepy Jay Day

Trees at Jay

My destination decision on Saturday was based on open terrain versus powder potential. With only two to four inches in the forecast for most of Vermont, I opted for open terrain. I assumed Jay would add something onto their reported 3-6″ from the day before. And perhaps I could locate a few lesser known stashes with two days worth of accumulation. As reports from Sugarbush can attest, I had chosen poorly.

Jay over reported the higher end of their range from Thursday. I was able to find many pockets of untracked snow but none of those pockets yielded anything close to half a foot. Adding insult to injury was that Jay got nothing from the storm. So whereas I expected 3-6″ + 2-4″ for potential pockets of 5-10″, I actually got a few pockets of 3-4″.

Which isn’t to say that the skiing wasn’t really good. Conditions were packed powder with lots of loose snow and the rare hit of powder. All trails were open except for the ridge. And base depths were significantly improved since my last visit before the massive Leap Day storm. But I still wasn’t feeling it.

Worse, I was completely out of it. Lack of sleep and tough times at work had me blurry eyed with lackadaisical legs. I wasn’t making my turns and my eyes were drooping in the trees. After a little more than an hour’s worth of skiing, I decided it was dangerous to continue forcing it, I was done.

But not before failing to rotate a jump turn, releasing from my ski, and post holing down to my sternum in a spruce trap. Extraction was a bitch to say the least. But at least I know first hand that Jay has a deep base and should weather the warmth better than most.

2011-2012 Season, Bretton Woods, March

Bretton Woods: A Matter of Degrees

No Grooming on Snake

I will address the elephant in the room straight out: Bretton Woods is flat. Really flat. Bretton Woods makes Okemo seem challenging. But outside of Bretton being protractor challenged, I really enjoyed the ski area. Everyone is friendly, the base lodge is amazing, there are four high speed quads, parking is close to the lodge on level ground, and there are tons of glade options. Does the entire Bretton Woods experience make up for the lack of pitch?

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NE Ski Blogger Summit

NSBS Featured in Leap Day Wildcat Video

Wildcat Mountain gave us the rock star treatment featuring the NSBS in a professionally edited video. I think we gave them some pretty good moves to film. Considering how bad I was hurting, I’m thrilled with my turns that made the cut.

I have a new found respect for public figures that routinely provide impromptu interviews. Without preparing answers in advanced, it’s so easy to stutter, ramble on, forget something, or just say something lame.

MadPatSki‘s recounting of his ski streak beginnings at Wildcat Mountain was sensational. Next time, he gives the overview and does all the talking. 🙂

2011-2012 Season, Cannon Mountain, March, NE Ski Blogger Summit, Powder Day

NSBS Day 4: I Am Cannon

Sick Bird on Upper Hard
Sick Bird on Upper Hard

One unifying aspect shared by attendees of the Northeast Ski Bloggers Summit is passion. That passion is not only something that brings us together but also something we feed off. We inspire each other to further those passions. One of the things I am most passionate about is Cannon. I love the mountain.

I didn’t want my fellow bloggers just to ski Cannon, I wanted them to see if from my eyes. Not to adopt my perspective but to understand something very personal about me and my passion. Maybe they would not find Cannon to be a special place, but they would at least understand what makes Cannon special to me.

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2011-2012 Season, February, NE Ski Blogger Summit, Wildcat

NSBS Day 3: Wildcat

Pat on Lynx Lair

Our Northern New Hampshire ski safari continued today at Wildcat Mountain. Before booting up, we made a stop at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center and partook in a scrumptious breakfast buffet. All the classics were skied including top to bottom runs down Wildcat, Lynx, and a nonstop Polecat. Conditions were a respectable packed powder with the rare pocket of left over powder.

The highlight of my day was finally skiing Wildcat’s sidecountry which had somehow eluded me for years. The trees reminded me of Cannon’s tight and steep longer lines, I was in my element. Though after four previous days of skiing, my legs did not allow me to do the shot justice. Despite my lack luster turns, I found the descent exhilarating. I definitely need to make some time for more exploration.

Wildcat is an interesting mountain to juxtapose against my home mountain, Cannon. Both mountains are rich in history and date back to the original New England CCC race trails. While both mountains have expanded the original trail widths and added new trails, Wildcat’s trails retain far more curves than all but a few of Cannon’s trails. I enjoyed cruising around those classic bends again.

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