Game on! Last week’s two inches was just a teaser of better things to come. A massive storm system drew moisture out of the tropics and sent cold air racing the Appalachian chain into Florida. Combined with upslope snow fall on the backside of the storm, this is the trifecta of perfection for early season powder dumps in New England. Amazingly, the Catskills in New York received the highest snowfall totals at nearly double Mount Mansfield’s reported 12″ at The Stake. But when all was said and done, Mansfield definitely received more than a foot of fresh and was the best place to ski following the storm.
Austin and I hooked up in West Lebanon and carpooled up to Stowe. Originally, we had been considering Jay which was forecasted to receive more than Mount Mansfield. But the initial snow totals suggested that the upslope did not kick in for Jay like it did for Mansfield. We met up with Greg in the parking lot and skinned up Nose Dive. After an ill advised dabble in Nosedive Glades, we skinned up to the Octagon and prepared for a descent down National.
National usually is a horrible trail to descend featuring irregular spacious mounds of snow with scraped snow in the valleys. National is one of Stowe’s well known “front four” trails but hardly merits its reputation as an expert level trail. The steep drop scares many skiers into throwing the skis sideways and scraping off the snow which then slides into unorganized mounds. Suffice to say, National hardly skis well except immediately following a fresh dump.
Seeing an beautifully untracked line down skiers right, I picked my way through some thin coverage and rocks (which had kept most skiers away) and slid into a slot of bliss. With quads burning and begging for mercy, I skied down National’s powdery bliss spraying powder clouds left and right. Happy Birthday to me one day early. At the intersection of National and Liftline, tracks went everywhere but untracked was still to be found. The tracks a testament to well over a hundred skiers and riders hiking for turns. I finished my first run of the year down Lower National making somewhat aesthetic lines where once there was untracked snow. This is the way to begin a season.
Another season comes to a close with the annual suffer fest to Tuckerman Ravine. This year finds the Ravine with more snow than usual with the Sluice patch extending nearly to the ravine floor for almost two hundred vertical feet per run. Snow conditions were a sensational spring corn quality and turns were buttery compared to the usual teeth rattling glacial ice.
En route to the Ravine on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail, I came within spitting distance of a large moose. While hiking up the trail, I noticed a group up ahead pull off to the side of the trail and started taking pictures where the Raymond Path splits from the Tuckerman Ravine Trail. I assumed I was about to pass some tourists taking pictures of a trail sign. But as I rounded the bend, I came up short and noticed the cow was walking straight down the Tuckerman Ravine Trail. I side stepped to the edge of the trail and let her pass.
Met up with Rog and his friend who were already making turns in the bowl. The usual crowd of stunned and surprised hikers gathered along the snow patch to watch us make our July turns. After taking six laps, I called it a day and called it a season.
The Author Skiing the Tuckerman Ravine Snow Patch on July 6th:
Opening weekend for the Mount Washington Auto Road is a special weekend when the East Snowfields are in play. After my first experience on the East Snowfields two years ago, I vowed to never miss an opportunity to ski the East Snowfields slacker style when the Auto Road opens.
Kingsley and I hooked up for a long planned trip to Mount Washington to lap the East Snowfields on Memorial Day Weekend. Sunday offered the best conditions with the added perk of being a TimeForTuckerman.com gathering date. I brought a cooler full of adult beverages and grilling meat though the gathering was already well stocked with both. Not many things better than lunch time burgers near the summit of New England’s highest peak on a blue bird day following four laps of the East Snowfields.
During the seven mile drive from Route 16 to the East Snowfields, Kingsley and I listened to a sensationally dramatic CD detailing the history of the Auto Road. We quickly geared up and headed over to the Snowfields where we met Austin just finishing up a climb back to the top. After some quick introductions and pleasantries, we got down to business carving huge turns down stellar baked untracked corn snow. The first run would be the best and it was very enjoyable. The snow on the snowfields was quickly cut up by over one hundred fellow slackers. The traffic combined with the high temperatures and baking snow made for mashed potato sloppy corn by the third run.
Kingsley and I ventured further afield to the southern end of the East Snowfields which offered less hammered snow and occasional untracked patches. We enjoyed turns in a barely covered rock garden before climbing back up to the gathering and grilling some meat. After beer and burgers, we took two more runs for a total of six laps and called it a day. Another sensational blue bird day on Mount Washington which marks the beginning of the end for the season.
Another sensational day on the rock pile. Due to a later start than planned, I paid the price as the lots were full by my arrival at PNVC around eight o’clock. Route 16 became a parking lot as cars angled into spots up and down the road. While gearing up at my car, I received a few odd comments from less knowledgable and experienced skiers regarding wearing shorts and putting on my boots. “You gonna hike up in those?”. Nah, I’m gonna skin up!
Snow conditions allowed for skinning from the Sherburne/Avalanche Brook Trail connection to a quarter mile up the Gulf of Slides Trail. Then I hiked for about 20 minutes and skinned the rest of the way with two or three portages. Much better coverage on the Gulf of Slides Ski Trail than I had expected. Though I will admit on the ski down, I really pushed the definition of skiable coverage to the breaking point. Avalanche damage where the first major gully crosses the Gulf of Slides Ski Trail is stunning. During the ascent, a heel blister issue began was of concern. The uncomfortability, and later pain, would get worse throughout the day but I didn’t let it stop me.
After gearing up above the First Aid Cache, I started with the Main Gully which had seen the most traffic so I figured I would hit it first. The gully was somewhat bumpy and choppy but a really great ski. Not quite mashed potatoes but beyond perfect corn. The Intuitiv Bigs have seen very little action lately but skied wonderfully today in the gullies. These skis are sensational for this type of skiing. After climbing back up the excellent boot pack lookers’ left in the Main Gully, I had a snack above the snow pack (which is creeping down quickly) and relaxed to a great view up and down Pinkham Notch. After my break, I hiked over to the next gully skiers’ left and dropped in to more sensational turns. My heel was really giving me problems at this point and skiing was somewhat uncomfortable. But the heck with pain, I had time to be sore when I got done skiing.
What a productive day I was having at work! Really busy week and I finally felt like I was making some head way and clearing off my to do list. The original plan was to leave around three o’clock and head up to Cannon for some turns. Though I was honestly thinking about working right through my normal departure time. And then I stepped outside for a moment and knew my day behind the desk was officially over.
Due to dilly dallying at work, I got a later start than expected. I also neglected to pack up the car in the morning so needed to do the seven minute door to door commute home to pick up my gear and grab a snack. Within a few moments, I was back on the road heading up to Cannon forty minutes door to outdoor. Life doesn’t suck.
Due to the late start, I hesitated as I pulled into the Peabody lot. The time was five o’clock and I said I would be home by seven. Unsure if I could pull off two thousand verts of skinning in about an hour, I decided to head Tramside and lap Avalanche a few times. I booted up Avalanche which was covered wall to wall and stumbled upon more wall to wall coverage on Extension. Well, sure glad I brought my skins just in case! In short time, I was at the top of Extension and “oh yell, why not” I was skinning up Middle Cannon to the unload station of the Peabody Quad. And then “jeez, the summit is right there…. oh hell, why not!”
I made good time but was definitely going to be running a little late. Oops. The air was electrifyingly perfect with a very slight breeze near the summit blowing cool over the snow. I was heating up something fierce and the temperature and wind were perfect despite my short sleeve. I soon had the summit all to myself. Had I stuck around, I would have witnessed a stunningly sensational sunset. But alas, a lot of snow was already in the shade and I was already delayed by fifteen minutes thanks to making good time on the skin up.
For the second week in a row, weather forecasts showed sensational blue bird days during the week and colder rainy weather for the weekend. Not to be skunked two weekends in a row during some of the best skiing conditions of the season, I requested Wednesday off from work and hooked up with the Sledhauler for an epic day in Tuckerman Ravine.
We got a late start arriving at Pinkham shortly before nine o’clock. Temperatures were warmer than expected which meant the long slog up the Tuckerman Ravine Trail to HoJo’s would be a sweaty affair which proved to be true. Touring with new boots for the first time, Sled had some discomfort on the skin up but fought through the pain. Views upon arriving at HoJo’s were stellar with gullies (both with and without names) filled in sensationally for this late in the season. We watched on as a boarder and skier slip slided and butt slided their way down Dodge’s Drop.
After a bit to eat and some quick refreshment, we were ascending towards the Bowl on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail. Sled opted to hike but I decided to continue skinning as long as possible. I skinned the entire trail to the bowl and only removed my skis once for a rock crossing. Coverage was simply sensational on the trail.
After sitting at home yesterday watching the biggest botched forecast of the season play out to the tune of great corn skiing in the mountains, I was anxious to ski. I timidly checked forecasts again this morning and did not like what I saw. I decided to lay low and check back later in the morning. Temps in Ashland, NH still had not come close to breaking 40 and snow banks next to my house were still crusty and firm. Hardly good skiing conditions or weather in my estimation. Austin and I had been debating hitting Mad River, but it did not look like the weather forecasters were going to wiff twice in a row. I suspected firm conditions along the spine of the Greens. The idea of Cardigan came up but Austin bailed and I decided even skiing terrible conditions was better than farting around at home two days in a row.
Just under an hour later, I was clicking in at the AMC Cardigan Lodge as a few flakes meandered through the air. The snow was surprisingly soft without being completely rotted through. No sooner had I started skinning than Zeke and his friend went flying past me. Not sure they recognized me but they were flying past before I could say hello. Can’t blame them for not slowing down, that run out is a pain.
Snow base was fantastic with snow starting right at the trail head. There was an average of at least a foot on the flatter sections of the Manning and Holt trails and slightly deeper still on the Clark trail above Grand Junction. I made decent time and soon enough was at the ledge above Alexandria when two skiers and a snow boarder came whacking their way down the Clark trail from above having come over from Firescrew (sounded like an arduous journey). After a brief conversation, I decided the limited amount of snowfields on the summit cone of Cardigan were probably not worth the effort, especially as the temperature was starting to drop and the snow was a tad more firm than on the ski trail.
Setting off down Alexandria for my first ski of Cardigan, I began making survival turns at their finest. The snow alternated from frozen crust to wet sloppy mush. This classic trail ended far too quickly. I left a few sitzmarks due to being unadjusted to my sloppy soft G-Rides that need replacement. Base depths were considerable. Even with the pending warm weather this coming week, Alexandria should ski well at least through next weekend. A very narrow snow bridge allowed dry passage at the end of the ski trail before the intersection with Clark, but crossing was difficult and it will surely be washed away within a day or two leaving a stream crossing at the end of the run. The ski out was uneventful. Upon reaching my car, the sky opened up and started puking white pellets. A nice final glimpse of snow fall as we leave winter behind.
The original plan was to burn one of my two remaining ticket vouchers at Mad River Glen. With free skiing being offered on the upcoming Share Holder day, I effectively had five potential days to use the ticket vouchers assuming Mad River Glen does not extended operations. Online reports from Southern Vermont ski areas indicated heavy wet snow on Friday. Northern Vermont received a few paltry but fluffy inches. Nothing looked like a lock for a great powder day based on initial reports Friday night, so the Mad River Glen plan seemed the most worth while option.
But last night the radar loop showed the Whites getting hammered. Another sign of possible White Mountain powder were the off and on flurries in Ashland. I had a hunch about Cannon and a huge craving to visit Cannon once more before lifts closed. Cannon’s snow report last night showed only 4-5″ which had me on the fence but leaning towards Mad River Glen. I decided to wait for the morning reports. With Cannon ringing the jackpot bell at 10-11″, I packed up my gear and sped up I-93 towards Cannon with dreams of powdery trees floating through my mind.
With Powder being such a rare event this March, the last week of this month have me craving warm spring skiing, corn snow, and earned turns. Temperatures on Wednesday were rather warm considering the recent stretch of colder than average temperatures. As the sun began its slow linger descent over the mountains west of the Greater Plymouth area, I headed home from work around five o’clock. The thought occurred to me that I should have been heading towards the setting sun instead of away from it.
Upon reaching home, I quickly changed out of work clothes and into ski clothes, grabbed my pack and skins, and turned the car around heading back into Plymouth towards Tenney Mountain. Despite having moved to the Plymouth area this past summer, I had not skied the local mountain all seasons despite often thinking of doing some dawn patrols at Tenney. Today’s Dusk Patrol would be my first ski at Tenney in almost a half dozen years.
Since Tenney closed for the season recently, the base area was down right deserted. I quickly geared up and set off skinning at an aggressive pace. Tenney skis much smaller than its 1400 vertical drop suggests with mostly flat and meandering trails. I skinned right up the gut of the mountain via Tote Road and achieved summit in just over a leisurely hour and ten minutes via a mile and a quarter of skinning. In subsequent weeks, I expect many additional post work skins up Tenney during which I hope to improve my skin time to well under an hour. This should make an excellent twice per week training ritual to get my legs in shape for an epic spring on Mount Washington.
Skiing conditions were less than ideal. I crested the ridge along Tenney’s summit just as the sun began disappearing in a blaze of glory. Which meant snow that was soft and somewhat corn like at the beginning of the skin was freezing up and becoming quite unforgiving. My descent involved previously groomed trails as natural snow and ungroomed trails were horrific to say the least. I utilized big sweep carved turns on low angle trails with occasional speed checks when the trail became steeper or snow conditions became dicey. This will be a sensational post work routine this spring as warmer temperatures and corn snow finally break through winter’s hold. Base depths are simply sensational with no bare or thin spots anywhere on the mountain. Trees would still be easily skiable provided softer corn snow conditions.
Lots of options were on the table today. But with the lifts closed on Friday, I figured Jay would be the best pick despite the anticipated crowds. And holy moly were there crowds. This weekend was a “Perfect Storm” of sorts. No major powder days since March 1st, almost two feet of Fresh snow heading into the weekend, lifts not spinning on Friday, early Easter Holiday weekend that usually does not come into play during April Easters, Downhill Race on Haynes (after two postponements), etc. Add in the Tram not running until noon and the Flyer not running at all and you have a recipe for the longest lines I have ever experienced at Jay. The singles line on the Bonnie extended to the second lift tower and there was a ten minute wait for the Metro Singles line at one point. Tram car waits were reported to be four or five cars. So, was it worth it?
The rush hit earlier than normal, but I was able to get in an hour and a half of competition free pick your line powder festivities before the crowds arrived. Since it stopped snowing yesterday, the wind did its thing and leveled out most of the snow into a super dense wind slab. I was glad to have my fat skis today for sure! Nailed some sensational boot to knee deep early. Boot deep was the general rule for the untracked. Decidedly not as deep, soft, or good as yesterday’s earned turn powder in the same locations thanks to wind over night without any new snow.
Things looked bleak with no Tram and no Flyer at noon time but I soldiered on despite the crowds. I would have been quite alright with those lifts not running had it not been for the lines. Full cycles from the Bonnie to Tramside were taking around 45 minutes but yielded boot deep untracked late into the day. I quit at 2pm despite having just hit yet another section of untracked woods late in the day. But the lines were beyond my tolerance level at that point and I had already taken my fill. Had the Flyer come online sooner, I might have stuck around but the chairs were not even on the line at 2pm and the Bonnie singles line was back to the second lift tower again.
Lines aside the skiing was sensational despite the extremely wind slabbed snow. Base depths extremely deep at this point. It feels like early season in the woods again due to the constant need to cross block branches with poles. Instead of blocking trees not yet buried, we are instead blocking high branches that normally do not come into play! Canopy levels are getting into head chopping range. Some downed trees and bent limbs also made normally open lanes tighter than normal.
Headed up to Jay on Friday with moderately reasonable hopes that at least one of the Stateside lifts would turn (probably the Jet). Despite hopes of a late afternoon opening, it was not to be. Friday could have been my best day of the season had the lifts spun. It was still sensationally epic skiing none-the-less.
We skinned up Meadows to Wiggle where the game planning began and continued to evolve. Skiing would involve dropping down to the flats and yo-yo’ing whatever looked good. Several tree options provided sensational knee deep powder with more face shots than I could shake a skinny touring ski at. One particularly wind favored section saw me sinking below my croch for a few turns. We ascended to the top of the Jet twice and Kitz Woods was the best I had ever skied it. We made a poor selection on the next run off the Jet sliding into an area that was severely wind buffed and not protected. The wind directions seemed to change throughout the day so it was not easy predicting what areas would offer good skiing.
We got in four runs on some of the deepest snow of the season. Knowing I had two more days this weekend and probably a rather demanding Saturday, I decided to call it quits before my legs completely gave up. The snow was dense wind blown with some mammoth drifts in places. No regrets on the decision to ski and earn turns at Jay Peak which received two feet of snow compared to other Vermont resorts that had lifts turning with half as much or less powder.
King of the Hill is the final race night for the adult corporate race league. This is not part of the regular season and is a special race following the finals costing each racer an additional ten dollars. Competition was fierce as the race is open to all corporate racers from every night which includes the higher competition Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday night racers. Instead of the usual Nastar course, King of the Hill is a top to bottom minute long giant slalom style course that could almost meet the requirements for a FIS course lay out. Much more my preference compared to the straight line Nastar courses typical of Pat’s Peak corporate race leagues.
Unfortunately, I was running late due to work and drew a very high seed number. With snow conditions being solid, fast, and firm, this meant the course was entirely scraped down by my first run and my second run was a sheet of ice. My times were surprisingly middle of the pack, not bad considering the fierce competition from the GS suits. But a far cry from my potential had I had freshly tuned and sharpened skis and a better seed number. Still a fun night overall and great way to end the race league portion of the ski season.
Tonight was a tough night for our team without our top point man. Our team was very competitive on Monday nights, especially considering the median age of our team is 30 (NASTAR heavily favors older skiers when awarding handicap points). However, our recreational oriented race team was no match for the most race suit wearing gate bashers that race during the other week nights. We finished second to last though with our top point man and slightly better runs from our key racers, our team could have placed slightly higher.
My two runs felt good despite a sluggish start on racers right and a tough run out on the flats of racers left. The course was set on Twister which was unfortunate for my preferences. Twister actually looks like a good race trail if you start at the top instead of at the flats, so I am anxiously awaiting King of the Hill next Thursday.
After hardly skiing a hard packed groomer all season, it was nice feeling the progression as I got my carving legs back under me. Still was not up to college racing form, but that aspect of my technique package has definitely slipped in favor of powder, freeriding, and tree skiing skills. I got better every week and beat out our number three point getter twice during the last two races.
This was my first full season in a NASTAR league and I came away with the impression that some rule changes need to occur to make up for some irregularities and handicapping issues that reduce competitiveness. Either that or they need to start setting a challenging race course. It is too easy for old farts to essentially straight line it towards the finish. The snowboarder on our team got better every week but his scores did not show improvement so snowboarders need a bigger handicap point boost.
Tough racing for me tonight due to barely getting to the mountain in time for the first run. My car has been having some troubles lately including needing new breaks and a wheel bearing issue. Due to the need for repairs, I did not want to drive my car the two hours round trip to Pats Peak. Thankfully, my significant other was able to leave work early and offer usage of her vehicle for the evening. Due to difficulties leaving work in a timely fashion, I arrived at home way behind schedule. Then it took me fifteen minutes to figure out how to lower the passenger seats in my significant other’s car. Suffice to say, I was slightly rattled by the time I was on the interstate en route to Pats Peak.
After a quick change, I grabbed my skis and headed up to the summit. Without a warm up run or course preview, I skied down to the start gate on Twister and jumped right into the gate barely in front of the second round of skis. Out of breathe and rather unfocused, I had no time to prepare for my first run. Adding to my difficulties was a horrid start ramp which made pole placement and a starting kick difficult. Running dead last on the course only added insult to injury. My second run was much more focused featuring a much better start but hardly anything impressive. Racing in the last slot ensured a scraped and rutted course. My time was improved but hardly a very good result.
As a team, we finished a solid second for the night and a respectable third on Monday nights for the season. Our placement was good enough to make the Finals for all nights on Thursday. Though we will certainly be slaughtered by the better skiers from other nights (especially without our top point scorer), it should be a good conclusion to a fun race season. After eight years of not racing, it was fun to be back in the race course though I am unsure if it was worth the two hour round trip drive once per week.
Cannon got a foot Wednesday and at least a foot into today and it was still snowing when I left the mountain bringing the season total to date (with over a month of potential snowfall left) to an unreal (for Cannon) 214″. Untracked from mid-week combined with last today’s snowfall for many knee deep, and often times deeper, lines from open to close. Powder billowing over my shoulders and exploding into my face never gets old. I didn’t even bother counting the face shots. It would be easy to forget the best of days earlier in the season after a month or three delay, but I think I still remember them accurately when saying today was my best day of the season to date.
Earlier in the week, I had prepared for Jay on Saturday and had planned to meet Nhski for first chair. Last night things changed. Forecasts were leaving Jay out of the storm and the big prize was Ssouthern Vermont through the Northern Whites featuring a belt of snow up right through the notch. Cannon would not come out with the most snow but it will certainly be up there in totals. Last night I decided to bail on Jay and make plans for Cannon instead.
Fortunately, I was able to meet up with some sensational skiers I have had the pleasure of sharing turns with before and make a new buddy as well, sweet. Lifts were on wind hold when we got to the mountain and I was on the fence about heading north to Burke or south to Tenney. Ultimately, I decided to return to Tenney. But shortly after leaving Cannon, I got the call that Cannon was opening, turned around, and still made the 8:30am tram (barely). Sweet!
No pictures today but pictorial evidence is usually lacking on the best of days by design, not intent. When you are skiing boot to knee deep untracked on your favorite terrain, it is hard to slow down and pull out the camera. Today ranks right up there with the epic reports from seen previously this season from Northern Vermont. If Cannon received 300″ average snowfall a year, I don’t think I would ski anywhere else. Snowbanks just south of the notch were so high that you could not see the north bound traffic from the south bound lane. Still another month of the snowy season to go? Bring it on.
