Why six instead of five? Because five isn’t good enough to convey all of the great days! I am including multi-day trips as one day bringing the list total to nine out of thirty nine. But who’s counting? These are the six trips from this past season that gave me the most smiles and excitement.
The 2010-2011 northeast season was a good season, most notable for its consistency. But consistency does not a great season make–as evidenced by my lack luster 39 days (one third less than hoped for). While there was no mid-winter thaw, there was also not many epic powder days. And a difficult work year kept me behind my desk for some of the better ones.
Many of my favorite seasons are noted for extreme inconsistency but also very big storms (often followed by rain/thaw/freeze events). Consistency of small storms did allow for 41% powder days this season. But I would gladly take a lower percentage for twice as many big days.
Despite a mid-October foot of fresh at Killington, the season got a late start with little snow and cold until December. But what a December it was with half of my top six days of the season, including a thirty incher at Cannon. A warm November made snow making difficult for ski areas. And the weekend spring corn harvest was hampered by frequent rain and cold in late March and April. But January and February were amongst the most consistently cold and snowy in recent memory.
Whereas I might not remember 2010-2011 for its epic powder, I will remember it fondly for the new explorations and the people I shared those days with. Seven areas were crossed off The List this season including much anticipated trips to The Balsams and the Adirondacks. And what reader of thesnowway.com doesn’t remember the Okemo Shit Show (the most heavily commented Trip Report on TSW)?
Despite a few bumps and bruises, I stayed off the disabled list and got back to Tuckerman in July. I had many things I wanted to accomplish this season, some were done and some were not. But I’ll remember the season for having accomplished what might be the most important of those goals:
Perhaps instead of specific goals detailing places I want to ski and things I want to do, I should rather set a general goal of discovery, rediscovery, and adventure. That this season might be remembered not for the epic conditions but rather for the epic adventures and new explorations. And for the people I shared those adventures with instead of skiing solo so often. A season in which I never wake up and think that I might go skiing if not for the less than perfect conditions. But rather, that less than perfect conditions open up possibilities of exploration that I might not have otherwise considered.
Top six days of the season coming later this weekend.
Following up on prior late season Tuckerman Ravine trip reports Tuckerman Ravine: Because It’s There and Tuckerman Ravine: Because It’s Still There, I originally planned to name this post Tuckerman Ravine: Just Because. Because It’s There and Because It’s Still There are worthy reasons, whereas Just Because was not sufficient. Instead, I went in pursuit of realizing dreams.
After nearly ten years of longing for a pair of quality sea kayaks, we recently realized that dream with a pair of Eddyline Fathoms. The investment was substantial but the timing was finally right. People wonder why I have never skied out west despite being a die hard skier. Being a die hard skier does not necessarily mean being one dimensional. There is more to life.
So instead of sliding down snow, I found myself gliding across water. We found ourselves at Dog Cove on Squam Lake. We put in for a relaxing paddle amongst the mountains of the Squam and Ossipee mountain ranges. Long have I seen Squam Lake from the other perspective–it was wonderful to finally see the mountains from the lake instead of the other way around.
Thanks to Ski Mad World, I recently became aware of the new northeast ski blog J&E Productions. While the blog is new, jandeproductions.com is not. J&E Productions has been featuring trip reports, pictures, and video for a dozen years and counting (longer than my own online skiing presence).
While only just recently moving towards a blog format, it could be argued that J&E Productions might be the longest active New England ski blog (if not in denotation, then certainly in connotation). The creator of J&E Productions may be more familiar to most readers by his online handle J.Spin, whose reputation for quality trip reports and snow analysis on regional forums is widely known. Please consider adding this excellent blog to your bookmarks.
Welcome to the ski blogging community, J&E Productions!
While hiking back up for my third run, I overheard a descending hiker mention that “you only see snow in July so many times in your life.” That is true for hikers and die hard skiers alike. Having now skied in July four times, I almost started to think of it as a regular occurrence. Something to be expected as normal and just another part of my season. Which it is. But that comment in passing reminded me that no ski day should be taken for granted, especially a July ski day.