Spring Skiing TR

[billtex]

It has NOT been a banner year for skiing in the North East. We have managed to get out a couple of time, this past weekend we did our final trip for some spring skiing at the Beast of the East;

The bumps were soft;


Other trails are melting fast;


Always stop to pay homage to the Yeti;


Ski camping in the East may not be as festive as out West...but it is convenient;


Ski's fit in the EC basement real nice;


As always-be sure to rehydrate after skiing;


That's it for this year-the skis/boards are waxed and put away...

Bill

[Bedlam]

Despite my packing and all my efforts to do a sun dance, rain remained in the forecast.



DW did some "GlowSteps" (seven to be exact) and the clouds parted.







We returned to rain, but really didn't care after our weekend away.

[silversand]

Bill:

....did you ever ski the waterfall (exit the tram at summit of Big Jay, ski down ~200 feet; climb over the rocks on your left, put skis back on, then ski nearly under the tram line...pretty close to a vertical wall of powder (about 200 feet oblique from tram line) ?

...other fave was: "The UN" (on the smaller little Jay, left side of T-bar going up)

Oh, on edit: my fave hills out west are: Sunshine, and Fortress (in the Kananaskis). Skied Fortress in the early '70s, nearly every weekend for 2 seasons...

We hiked it (Vail) in 2004 (most recently). A buddy of mine (and 3 friends) got the special pass they give to "royalty visitors" of foreign countries (from the then executive running Vail): they flew everyone out to Vail from Montreal; lodged them, gave everyone a Hummer for the week, and had a stand-by chopper near the lodge for heli skiing the whole week (you carry a special "passport" on you and flash it everywhere you go in Vail for special service)...then flew everyone back to Montreal (on board Vail's private aircraft)

[silversand]

Here's a shot of Jay I made the last weekend it was open last spring (May 2nd 2015), looking at Big Jay and the back-side of Ice Haus Arena & obliquely, Tram Haus Lodge...I made this photo from the Jay Resort Golf Course parking area.



...I skied Smuggs many, many a time; and use to visit the "Topnotch" tennis championships; "Stowe Open" (many years ago) in Stowe, VT. I've met and talked to nearly every top ranked tennis world champion from the 80s. Back then, you could walk back to the lodge talking with the world's top champions without being mobbed 🙂

[billtex]

silversand wrote:
....we (and Sabconsulting in the RV following us) drove by the Killington Skyeship base lodge last September. Pretty impressive facility. I've never skied Killington (too far from home-base), but would have liked to. I skied primarily Jay Peak, and the most distant was Smuggler's Notch.

I was looking at the stats for Killington season opening (historically mid to early October). And their season has been shortening since about 2007 (November), with a few earlier (normal) years...

Jay Peak is open now, with 49 trails and 9 lifts open (roughly a 30 inch base)....this mountain is kind of in a snow/cold pocket in the Vermont mountains.

All hangouts of Our's.
In fact, Smuggs is my fav.
The Skyeship base is only a very small part of Killington. It's a big ski area (by east coast standards...).
You can "camp" right at the Skyeship base also...but that was already closed last weekend...usually the first area to close at Killington as it is the most remote lift.
Have not been back to Jay since all the expansion...it is on the list!

Frank; my Buddy just returned from Vail...said it was great...funny how one year the West has great conditions and the next it is in the East?!
Thanks El nino...

[silversand]

....we (and Sabconsulting in the RV following us) drove by the Killington Skyeship base lodge last September. Pretty impressive facility. I've never skied Killington (too far from home-base), but would have liked to. I skied primarily Jay Peak, and the most distant was Smuggler's Notch.

I was looking at the stats for Killington season opening (historically mid to early October). And their season has been shortening since about 2007 (November), with a few earlier (normal) years...

Jay Peak is open now, with 49 trails and 9 lifts open (roughly a 30 inch base)....this mountain is kind of in a snow/cold pocket in the Vermont mountains.

[d3500ram]

Hi Bill- I almost forgot what ski runs look like when they are lined with leave-less deciduous trees. The exposed soil indicates the close of another east coast ski season... Bummer!

Not rubbing it in, but we are having a powder week up in the High Country... 'prolly close to 2' since Monday.

[billtex]

crosscheck wrote:
Great that you are out with your kids sliding on that white stuff even if this years winter is a bit of a no show. Do you plug into shore power , use a genny or are set up for dry camping?

I guess I shouldn't rub it in that our little hill (6200')is still building it's base.(235 cm). Started late Oct cross country skiing and both areas, Sovereign Lake Nordic and Silver Star Resort are closing April 3rd even though there is still good powder snow.

Last year, most of the east had winter and the west was a little shy of snow.

Dave

Yeah...this was at Killington (Beast of the East). They typically have the longest season in the North East...but even they are hurting this year. Many areas are closed already, last year at this time they were 100% open.

We are running 2 6V GR31 250AH. That is enough juice to get through a weekend (2 nights) heat/movie at night/ a few lights/shower/etc. If we were there longer we would have brought the Honda 2k.
Planning to add solar VERY soon...

[crosscheck]

Bedlam wrote:
Pretty close to the snow levels I am seeing south of you:

https://www.stevenspass.com/site/mountain/reports/snow-and-weather-report/@@snow-and-weather-report

Nice to see the coastal mountains getting a good dump of the white stuff all the way down to the Sierras as last year, even the high areas didn't have much snow until late spring. Up here in Vernon, had to dodge the rocks at the bottom on the last day last year.

Nice photos with fresh powder on the trees. I grew up in Vancouver and Mt. Baker, Stevens Pass was part of our skiing playground. Winter really is the best season. We won't be headed south until the last official closing day. Then it will be the "Red Rock Reunion"

Dave

[Bedlam]

Pretty close to the snow levels I am seeing south of you:

https://www.stevenspass.com/site/mountain/reports/snow-and-weather-report/@@snow-and-weather-report

[crosscheck]

Great that you are out with your kids sliding on that white stuff even if this years winter is a bit of a no show. Do you plug into shore power , use a genny or are set up for dry camping?

I guess I shouldn't rub it in that our little hill (6200')is still building it's base.(235 cm). Started late Oct cross country skiing and both areas, Sovereign Lake Nordic and Silver Star Resort are closing April 3rd even though there is still good powder snow.

Last year, most of the east had winter and the west was a little shy of snow.

Dave

[Bedlam]

Your TR is sure making me think about heading out again this weekend while the skiing is still good.

[silversand]

This is our snow outside the house 8 minutes ago (and we're 90 straight-line miles northwest of Mount Washington, NH !) :




This was the snow last March 11th -- and, at only neck deep, 2015 was a very low snowfall year! :

[billtex]

silversand wrote:
Wow! You actually have snow. Nice report.

We're somewhat north of you, and have zero snow outside our home (on top of a mountain in the Townships of Quebec).

Never seen anything like it. It was 57F here yesterday, and 51F out the door right now.

Had snow...

There aint' much left now.
This is the LEAST I have skied in...40 yrs?
Terrible year for snow sports in the North East.

[silversand]

Wow! You actually have snow. Nice report.

We're somewhat north of you, and have zero snow outside our home (on top of a mountain in the Townships of Quebec).

Never seen anything like it. It was 57F here yesterday, and 51F out the door right now.

On edit: and, the grass here is getting green :E