New England 2022-2023 Northeast Ski Resorts/Conditions/Meetups

[Wilhelmson]

Sunday River is starting to wear down to the ice layer. Lines have been fine for the most part despite lots of traffic up the hi. Yesterday was day 3 on my filing job and my skies weren’t grabbing like usual.
It’s not all like this though. This was just a short thing they left open so I skied it

 

[KevinF]

Sunday River is starting to wear down to the ice layer.

There was a patch of ice on Hayride that was ridiculous -- large, clear and shiny. Absolute pond ice. Thankfully I happened to stop just above it so I was able to traverse above it (which still felt super sketchy) on my way to Tres Amigos.

Happened to see Mrs. Josh just below Tres; she asked if I saw the hockey rink (yep!) and then mentioned that she and her students had ridden the six-pack so they had to traverse across it which she allowed was about the scariest thing ever.

 

[MissySki]

Sunday River is starting to wear down to the ice layer. Lines have been fine for the most part despite lots of traffic up the hi. Yesterday was day 3 on my filing job and my skies weren’t grabbing like usual.
It’s not all like this though. This was just a short thing they left open so I skied it
View attachment 192383

Where was that?? I was all over this weekend at Sunday River.. Saturday very firm and fast, yesterday had some nice softening as it warmed up in some areas. I didn't go on naturals though, and I didn't see anything like this picture happily! Lol Well except looking up at naturals that I assumed were closed.

Saturday my favorite trail later in the day was Cascade because they were blowing and it was all bumped up. Nice change from the icy groomers! Lapped it a couple of times before calling it a day around 2:30.


I didn’t get pictures yesterday, but Aurora was skiing great and Top Gun was awesome bumps from blowing on Saturday as well. 3D was nice on skier’s left, and ungroomed, once the sun was on it. A bunch of low angle stuff really softened into hero snow which was nice.

I made it up to Merrill Hill for the first time yesterday, I think the lift is only open on weekends. The trails are not super exciting, but I would recommend people check it out if you want to poke around. There are awesome views up top and from the green that wraps around to the left from the top. That alone is worth the lift ride up. I will need to go back to get some pictures, it was really lovely. The blue trail we did on our second run up there was actually pretty fun and you can see some of the ridiculously large homes that are being built now. It was pretty cool to ogle.

 

[TheArchitect]

Stowe report for Super Bowl Sunday.

had plans to meet up with @TheArchitect and then bumped into him and his son over breakfast at the hotel. Good start to the day.

Nice cruiser to start. Took a high speed lap under the gondola before it opened. And then - because it’s my Stowe tour - we hit Chin Clip for top to bottom bumps. Jim wisely decided to take another cruiser lap but his son and I persevered. And then unzipped jackets to vent the heat!

Back to the quad for some more trees and bumps. Tres Amigos was nice. Centerline had some BIG moguls which were firm but not really icy (at least not “ice” by New England standards). Took a lap down Lookout which looked better than it skied. Soft snow hiding some weird crusty layer. A few good turns, a lot more “good for you”.

After lunch we hit Spruce which was experiencing a corn harvest. Always nice, but I prefer having those days in April, not February.

Really nice spring bumps on Upper Smugg’s until we reached the exit which was basically side stepping over rocks. But the groomers had plenty of cover.

We had a great time skiing with unofficial Stowe ambassador @KevinF yesterday. I’m scarred from my last trip down Chin Clip a few years ago but we did ski a lot of bump trails yesterday, which was a lot of fun and good practice. Highlights were all over the place but Centerline, Tres Amigos and the afternoon over at Spruce stand out in particular. The lessons I’ve been taking finally felt like they were starting to click in. Thanks @James !

Noah informed me that Stowe is definitively his favorite mountain in the east, surpassing my favorite, Sugarbush. It stung a little but he’s kinda got a point. Stowe is awesome.

One last thing. If Kevin suggests taking a traverse near Lookout where you have to sidestep down a steep drop off while holding onto a sapling be aware that it’s a trap! After both he and Noah did that I attempted the same thing and the damned sapling snapped and I landed on my ass.

 

[Tony S]

We had a great time skiing with unofficial Stowe ambassador @KevinF yesterday. I’m scarred from my last trip down Chin Clip a few years ago but we did ski a lot of bump trails yesterday, which was a lot of fun and good practice. Highlights were all over the place but Centerline, Tres Amigos and the afternoon over at Spruce stand out in particular. The lessons I’ve been taking finally felt like they were starting to click in. Thanks @James !

Noah informed me that Stowe is definitively his favorite mountain in the east, surpassing my favorite, Sugarbush. It stung a little but he’s kinda got a point. Stowe is awesome.

One last thing. If Kevin suggests taking a traverse near Lookout where you have to sidestep down a steep drop off while holding onto a sapling be aware that it’s a trap! After both he and Noah did that I attempted the same thing and the damned sapling snapped and I landed on my ass.

Pretty much ANY activity that involves holding onto a sapling is a trap.

 

[TheArchitect]

Pretty much ANY activity that involves holding onto a sapling is a trap.

It is indeed. Alas, I fell for it.

 

[JCF]

Where was that?? I was all over this weekend at Sunday River.. Saturday very firm and fast, yesterday had some nice softening as it warmed up in some areas. I didn't go on naturals though, and I didn't see anything like this picture happily! Lol Well except looking up at naturals that I assumed were closed.

Saturday my favorite trail later in the day was Cascade because they were blowing and it was all bumped up. Nice change from the icy groomers! Lapped it a couple of times before calling it a day around 2:30.
View attachment 192387

I didn’t get pictures yesterday, but Aurora was skiing great and Top Gun was awesome bumps from blowing on Saturday as well. 3D was nice on skier’s left, and ungroomed, once the sun was on it. A bunch of low angle stuff really softened into hero snow which was nice.

I made it up to Merrill Hill for the first time yesterday, I think the lift is only open on weekends. The trails are not super exciting, but I would recommend people check it out if you want to poke around. There are awesome views up top and from the green that wraps around to the left from the top. That alone is worth the lift ride up. I will need to go back to get some pictures, it was really lovely. The blue trail we did on our second run up there was actually pretty fun and you can see some of the ridiculously large homes that are being built now. It was pretty cool to ogle.

I like the sound of all that !!!
Headed there tomorrow. Thursday will be 50 degrees …. That’s sounds good - and bad….

 

[JohnL]

Pretty much ANY activity that involves holding onto a sapling is a trap.

At least make it a tree...

There is one spot at Snowbird, in a cliff area, that involves grabbing onto a rope anchored into the ground and stepping down over snowish-covered rocks. (Not the one in Great Scott.) The Grumps showed me that one. And the Mrs. was yelling at me for going too slow down it! ... What could go wrong with rope (anchored?) and sitting out in the elements? And rocks. And cliffs.

 

[MissySki]

I like the sound of all that !!!
Headed there tomorrow. Thursday will be 50 degrees …. That’s sounds good - and bad….

Have fun! Just don't trust anything early with the temperature swings we are having, like spring time I guess. I was told yesterday also that Quantum Leap opened and it was great once the sun got on it on one of the sides, but I didn't catch that one myself. I wish I was going to be there for the 50 degrees..

The weather has been pretty crazy.. I'll be up again Saturday - Monday, looks like a hard freeze after too much warmth and more wet at the end of the week for Saturday and then 40s for the rest of the holiday weekend. Just have to enjoy whatever we get while it's here and really hope we have a snowy March to build more base for spring I guess.

 

[Wilhelmson]

Where was that?

Tin Woodsman.

There were some trails in really great shape too. I am trying to scare off the crowds. The weather was beautiful.

 

[Tony S]

Tin Woodsman.

Surprise, surprise, surprise.

 

[MissySki]

Tin Woodsman.

There were some trails in really great shape too. I am trying to scare off the crowds. The weather was beautiful.

Oof okay yep no surprise there! haha I was surprised to see that open yesterday, and didn't venture in.

The weather was so gorgeous!

 

[Wilhelmson]

Surprise, surprise, surprise.

If the icy moguls the rest of the way down didn’t make me feel a little off my game my kids skiing down them without a care in world just rubbed it in.

 

[KingGrump]

At least make it a tree...

There is one spot at Snowbird, in a cliff area, that involves grabbing onto a rope anchored into the ground and stepping down over snowish-covered rocks. (Not the one in Great Scott.) The Grumps showed me that one. And the Mrs. was yelling at me for going too slow down it! ... What could go wrong with rope (anchored?) and sitting out in the elements? And rocks. And cliffs.

Door #3.

 

[KevinF]

One last thing. If Kevin suggests taking a traverse near Lookout where you have to sidestep down a steep drop off while holding onto a sapling be aware that it’s a trap! After both he and Noah did that I attempted the same thing and the damned sapling snapped and I landed on my ass.

At the junction of Starr and Lookout there is a small (admittedly sketchy) traverse through the woods which starts with a drop off a small rock (two feet?) In a decent snow year, that rock is basically covered and you just slide right in. This is not a decent snow year.

I held onto the sapling / tree / branch that @TheArchitect refers to to sidestep down the rock. It didn't feel terribly secure, but the alternative was the "ice bulge" pitch of Starr which rivals Upper National in pitch. We had Noah look over at Upper National and his response was not one that inspired confidence.

Thus Bad Idea Number One (i.e., the traverse).

It is indeed. Alas, I fell for it.

Pun intended or not?

At least make it a tree...

I think it was more a small branch on a tree as opposed to a "small" tree

 

[TheArchitect]

At the junction of Starr and Lookout there is a small (admittedly sketchy) traverse through the woods which starts with a drop off a small rock (two feet?) In a decent snow year, that rock is basically covered and you just slide right in. This is not a decent snow year.

I held onto the sapling / tree / branch that @TheArchitect refers to to sidestep down the rock. It didn't feel terribly secure, but the alternative was the "ice bulge" pitch of Starr which rivals Upper National in pitch. We had Noah look over at Upper National and his response was not one that inspired confidence.

Thus Bad Idea Number One (i.e., the traverse).


Pun intended or not?


I think it was more a small branch on a tree as opposed to a "small" tree

I wish I could claim credit for the pun, but no it wasn't intentional. If only I had toppled then it would have been alright.

 

[Jeronimo]

Anybody hit the River today? I'm debating on whether or not to take the PTO day I put in for tomorrow. I've heard good and bad, I also have learned to question some people's definition of "good"...

 

[Wilhelmson]

Anybody hit the River today? I'm debating on whether or not to take the PTO day I put in for tomorrow. I've heard good and bad, I also have learned to question some people's definition of "good"...

It’s not so bad go for it. Definitely Black Hole.

 

[KevinF]

I'm planning on picking up a pair of race carvers for next season to ensure that we return to snowfall

Going through a bit of a tough time personally right now, but decided to embark on some retail therapy.

Now I just need some spectacularly solid conditions to try these things out.

 

[MissySki]

Anybody hit the River today? I'm debating on whether or not to take the PTO day I put in for tomorrow. I've heard good and bad, I also have learned to question some people's definition of "good"...

@lisamamot did you get out today?