Hard to believe I could possibly be disappointed today; but after yesterday's romp and continued snow storm, I had myself psyched up that Thursday would be the day of the decade. Perhaps it was for first sliders, but I was held up at work most of the day only boarded the Willoughby Quad at 2:50 P.M.
I was able to get in four runs before the quad was shut down "due to wind" at 3:50 P.M. Went into the trees on the first run and was rather disappointed. The snow had been slaughtered and I was not going to get perpetual refills like Wednesday. Next I took a wonderfully packed/loose powder Willoughby to Birches where I found occasional untracked while trying not to get stuck in knee to thigh deep powder.
The snow consistency is amazing and unbelievable all at the same time. I have never seen better base building snow as what has covered Northern Vermont this week. Everything is open with great coverage. Despite several feet of snow fallen; once this snow got wind loaded, you just could not sink more than half a foot to a foot down into the snow.
For my third run, I dropped into the elevator shaft for completely untracked figure 11's straight down a five foot wide chute with the occasional trees to dodge. Sweet! Figure 11's and straight line steep chutes are perhaps the best terrain for this type of snow.
My final run of the day involved dropping Fox's Folly which is finally 100% open. Folks on the quad provide a wonderful cheering section while I hucked two jumps off the rolls of the trail. Washed out on the first one but stuck the second landing. This whole hucking jumps with powder landings thing is kinda fun, I never used to be one for taking big airs (not that I would call the hops on Fox's "big air"), but I have really been enjoying the new challenge and fun feeling of popping a perfect drop and sticking the landing.
Aside from the general lack of untracked snow, the packed/loose/wind slabbed powder was phenomenal to ski today. The reciprocal Jay/Burke Mid-Week Pass has paid off big time these past seven days. Looking forward to more before/after work turns now that Burke finally has a flame going.