abe

This is re: XC (not touring): I use NNN-BC ("backcountry"). It is a slightly beefier version of the NNN ("New Nordic Norm" - the new click-in xc standard). I find the regular NNN too flimsy to do well not in groomed tracks, of which there are none within a few hours drive (Closest place is Crystal Lake up by Muncy). In an ideal groomed track NNN will allow a better kick and glide technique though. I usually use metal edged waxless Rossignol BC65 positracks. They do fit in set tracks but regular track skis are usually a bit narrower and dont have metal edges. The metal edge really helps climb and descend any sort of slope, and they also have a very slight side cut. These skis do very well for what I use them for, in our typically very marginal snow conditions on ungroomed rolling terrain. I sometimes use a pair of old long and skinny Fischer race skis, those need to be waxed and work best if you already have a track laid in but they are fast! You can do a more legit kick and glide on those. They had obsolete 1st gen SNS bindings or something which we replaced with NNN-BC when the boots fell apart and they have become much more stable. Another option is 3 pin or 75mm duckbill boots which is what old school XC and telemark setups also usually use. Depending on the boot and binding those can give good downhill control.

Holy cow didn't realise you said 100% open when I checked snow report. Way to go Montage, that definitely seems like improvement for them!

I returned to Vermont for the 2nd week in a row since some friends decided to meet up there. Rolled in at 9, one friend unfortunately waited for about an hour for rentals so definitely would reccomend renting off mountain for those that need to. Just as busy as last holiday week and staff in the lodge was a bit thinner. Word is Elk has not been unaffected by staff shortages but I think all things considered they have been managing pretty well. Still no north double. Similar ~5min lines, north quad line moved much slower than east doubles as expected. Snow quality was amazing, best I've skied since Plattekill powder day last year. Blue skies and fairly cold but Elk doesn't seem to get that windy those spruce and pine trees really do help Lehigh open on natural snow. Pretty fun run There are zero tracks in the woods lmao if you want to get your pass pulled seems like there would be enough snow. Tunkhannock and middle of Seneca left ungroomed and are beginning to bump up nicely. Tunkhannock was a bit icy though. Big whales on bottom of Seneca those will probably be pushed out. Kickapoo and several additional blacks are open nearing 100% terrain. Run of the day was the race course which opened when they were done. Amazing amazing snow Stopped at Denny's in Scranton to destroy our arteries and managed to avoid the monkeys on the loose on I80 best headline of the year so far lol https://abc7.com/monkey-truck-crash-danville-pa-monkeys-escape/11498297/ https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/21/us/monkeys-truck-crash-pennsylvania.html

Wow Elk was packed today surprised it was not busier at Montage

I am going to go this year once they open Stembogan, I mean, I really would like to ski Extrovert but the stars would really have to align for me to be able to get there on the approximately 1 day per year it is open Maybe I'll get there Presidents weekend since they are not blacked out on Indy pass then They slowly but surely opening terrain - will open to the bottom this weekend + terrain park. Stembogan might be soon up on the snowmaking list. I was following their snow report last year too, I don't think they are that far behind in comparison, we had a late start last year too very similar.

Wow I saw your report on NYski blog and checked Greek Conditions, so much more is open, snow everywhere, all lifts running

I had it coming when I compared Elk's RFID to Blue's

Lol like I said amateur hour Its 2hr40 to Elk, 2hr 10 to Montage, 1hr40 to Blue

On rare occasions myself or a friend doesn't pay attention and the blue gate scans your pass but it is not possible to get through because there are people in the way on the other side. Then you are blocked from trying again for several minutes because blue assumes you are trying to get your buddies in without each having a pass

This new wintry mix is turning sloppy in Lancaster. I had to ski it in da moonlight before the rain melts it away. Wet and gliding surprisingly well on new tracks. The previous snow had been skiiable until wednesday Full🌝Moon It would be cool if the ski areas around here continued the party a bit later until like midnight especially under the full moon. I know there are some xc operations that do that.

My only complaint is that it doesn't show the time when it runs out when you scan it like at Blue. I wasn't sure the exact minute I started and was unsure if I would get rejected on the last run. It starts when you first scan like at Blue. Also Elk charges you $5 for the card unless you reload which irks me a bit but whatever. All their other prices are very reasonable.

Elk's new RFID system works far better than Blue's btw. Very sensitive and doesn't lock you out if you don't get through in time. Somehow the crowd was managing to load the chairs to full capacity without aid of an attendant

At least 1 of those doubles lasted well into the Bear Creek era, I remember riding it

I am planning on going up for a day once chair 2 or some glades open. Seems like you should have some pretty nice snow tomorrow. It is even accumulating in the woods on top of the stuff from last week way down south by me.

By the lodge the doubles line and the halfway double line almost converged at peak busyness but it was still only a 5min line over there max. Not bad at all for a holiday I thought Quad line may have been slightly longer but I was using the singles line so it wasn't bad either. Lift ticket line was kind of long maybe 15min, you can do RFID in advance online this year and print it out right to the quad if you plan ahead. Elk has almost all of their terrain open and definitely has a good product out right now. They said they are hiring but seem to have plenty of staff around other than 1 of the 5 ticket windows being unstaffed and west double not running (which I think was to conserve snow product and not indicative of a staff shortage anyway)

(Downhill) Ski day #1 of the new year for me, I didn't go last week because I had covid, oops. (Glad to get that out of the while I'm on break I guess) Absolute amateur hour on my part, I rolled into Montage bright and early for opening, tried to redeem my Indy pass, it's blacked out (duh 🙄) - well at this point at Montage I figured I am most of the way to Vermont so I just cruise up 81 to Elk, eating my crunchy bologna sandwich which had frozen solid because I left it in the car last night. Elk was busy but I probably didn't wait more than 5min for a lift, those lines move deceivingly fast. Trails were not crowded at all. Snow quality was great except the far west trails which were a bit slick. Line at the quad was a bit longer than at the lodge because they weren't running the double over there, I assume to keep those trails from become slicker since there were a few routes not open over there. It was warmer than I expected after driving up in 0 degrees this morning, it was 28 when I left but definitely had chilled after the clouds showed up. Beautiful day before then. Elk should be opening a few more trails soon that they blowing on today. Apparently it was deserted yesterday and last night due to the cold. I got one last run in perfectly timed, a good time to quit too as my legs were getting pretty tired from telemarking down the (not quite) 1000 feet of vertical excitement looking like a noob. I had a very large and very reasonably priced slice of pizza and coffee, got a personal elk wagon back to my car, and started cruising back down 81 towards Lancaster just in time to catch some nice wintry precipitarion. Well if I had been thinking I would have taken the northeast extension and 222 back but I was not, I pull off 81 in Pine Grove and soon come to the realization that I am on route 645 on top of Blue Mountain in my outback with all-season tires with several inches of fresh wintery mix in the dark. So I decended in 1st gear and 1 hour behind schedule finally roll into Lancaster after stopping at Turkey hill to clean the ice off my wipers. Anyway the skiing was great and I can't say the drive wasn't interesting.

Lancaster this morning. It isn't very thick and I had some trouble getting the right wax combo, the skiing on this should be better once it resolidifies tonight.

True but Bear Creek is less than half the driving and ticket price as Blue for me although night rates for Blue not looking too bad at all compared to the day ticket surge prices I need to ski Bear Creek first so I can truly appreciate the epicness of Blue when I am there! (Also my downhill skis are in the shop so I would not be able to rip those hot Blue blue laps as I will be limited to tele)

I might go up a night this weekend seeing as they plan on being mostly open by then Even though they are not very large, it is impressive since most places might still be around 50% open or less this weekend

Definitely aim to use both Montage days! I need to check out Blue Knob once they get a snow dump and I plan to haul it up to Greek Peak at least once also, haven't been there since I was a kid If I can pull it off I'm trying to do a spring break tour of like Cannon, Waterville, Jay, Saddleback, and/or Whiteface. I would love to check out Magic too sometime but good chance that doesn't happen this year. Too many really cool looking places on this pass

When the ticket price returns to double digits Probably spring I have to use up my totally radical Shawnee days first from my Indy Pass

I'll be rolling up to Blue in my new whip

Oops the beach skiing joke was already made Delaware is not 2 plate and their vehicle inspection is very lax I should register my car in Delaware

Southern Delaware got half a foot - anybody want to go xc skiing on the beach? At least it's cold now I was near Tussey today would have gone for 2hr but they are now closed because most of their snow is gone

I put my wiring up in smoke before... I had used too thin a wire gauge for the connection to the track, when the train derailed not enough current passed through to trip the circuit breaker and the insulation burned off of the wires