trackbiker

GP was awsome on Friday! 8" of fresh dry powder! Fresh tracks into the afternoon. Went to GP with two GP virgins last Friday. Their choice, not mine. They had never been there and wanted to check it out. It was very windy and snowing sideways as we walked to the lodge from the parking lot. Debated about paying their exhorbitant $58.00 all-the-time rate. Headed straight for the east side. Very little wind on the mountain and 8" of fresh dry ungroomed powder. No lift lines. Lots of great fresh glades. It snowed all day and just enough snow and wind to keep refreshing things. Even when it got skied into piles it was so light you just skied right through it. GP is in it's own microclimate. Just like last weekend, not a lot of snow even at the I81 exit, but a ton at the mountain. When we were leaving it was again very windy in the parking lot. But one of the best ski days so far this year including CO and VT. Old, slow lifts, but hit it on the right day.....

Skied GP from 12:00 to 7:00pm. Expected crowds and icy conditions. Crowds were nonexistent. Longest line was maybe 5 chairs. Conditions were excellent. They got 7" of snow on Thurs. and did a great job grooming. Packed powder everywhere until we left. Some icy spots on Arcadian Gate where the water had puddled during the warm spell but easy to ski around. No bumps but Odessy was high speed packed powder. Best trail of the day.

I would expect conditions to be pretty good on Tuesday. I was at Greek Peak on Sat. and conditions were excellent! Elk had a little bit of snow last week and their grooming is much better than GP. There is still some natural snow cover above the Pokes. They likely blew some snow for Pres. Day weekend. Give us a report when you get back.

What GSS said. I was there last Sat. night. Lodge and parking lot were crowded. Slopes were empty. No lift lines to speak of.

Thanks riderossi, that clears things up for me. If Sno updated their website once in a while it would help. They must have left the conditions reports in the ticket windows since Fri. since it had the Long Haul listed as opening at 5:00. I wonder if the same ones are still there today? I just looked at their website. Long Haul is listed as "Closed".

Go to Sno on a weekend. No lift lines and the conditions are good the whole day and into the night. Camelback sometimes runs the old FG doubles on weekends but it seems the new owners are after the gapers who ski once or twice a year rather than than a regular crowd and don't often run those lifts. They have no lines if running but the mountain is likely skied off by lunch time anyway. Sno is only about 30 min. farther than CB on I380. See my report in the Sno forum.

Skied Sno Sat. night. The parking lot was the most full I've seen it when pulling in for a weekend night session. Conditions were pretty good. Some slick spots in the center of the headwalls on the lower mountain but if you skied the sides things were pretty good. Some nice powder in spots. Some improvements in lighting but the right side of the headwall on Boomer is still completely dark. The 2 lights on Whistler are a huge improvement from skiing in the dark and Whistler had the best conditions. Lift lines were still really light. Only maybe three chairs early on if you got behind a group skiing together. After 7:30 they were mostly ski-on. The lodge is still a disaster. I think the slopes are empty because everyone is in the lodge. Still bags and junk piled all over and under the tables. They took out the wall of $3.00 lockers and lined it with video and arcade games. Now instead of a high school cafeteria I feel like I'm booting up in a bowling alley! The restaraunt area looks nice. Nice atmosphere and uncrowded. Will likely have lunch there in a few Fridays if I can talk my Jersey friends into going to Sno instead of Greek Peak before a Saturday get together at Elk. What's up with the Long Haul? When I checked the website before I left it said it was closed. Was glad to see it running and took 3 rides on it before hitting the North Face. At the ticket window they had a list of conditions and lifts. There was a "5:00" next to it. Did it open at 5:00? When I was there last year they would close it at night. All in all a good night. I'm sure CB and Blue were skied down to ice way before my 6:00pm arrival at Sno.

Good to hear they are doing well. The great conditions and lack of lift lines makes it a great weekend altenative to crowded slopes and lift lines at the other local ski areas. I keep recommending Sno to other skiers but very few check it out. Seems most people would rather wait in a long line for a high speed lift or they'll drive past it to go to Elk for the terrain. I still don't believe the numbers but can't blame them for exaggerating. It creates a "buzz" that will hopefully get some more people to check it out.

While I don't doubt that their numbers are up, I would take the Snow numbers of 1000 season pass sales and 30% increase in skier visits with a grain of salt. Last year they claimed season pass sales of 700 while the actual number was 400. Based on that and nearby Elk's numbers, I would estimate their season pass numbers at 600 and increase in skier visits at 17% max. Any regulars notice 30% more people on the slopes?

Nice report GO. Did they have the Long Haul lift running? How were the crowds in the lodge?

I think it's the snow toobers that crowd up the lodge. By toobers I mean the one's who grow roots in the lodge. I swear for every actual tuber there are at least 3 people (mom, dad, & grandmom, etc.) sitting in the lodge all day saving a table with their crap piled all over it. I hope they eventually build the separate tubing lodge that they talked about when they took over.

What GSS said. March is actually the snowiest month in VT. It could rain but usually all the trails are open and it likely won't be -15F like it is right now in Stowe. I usually schedule a trip to VT in early march for those reasons. Two years ago I was at Stratton on April 3rd, Easter Sunday. 6" of fresh powder and one of the best days of the season.

The Rocky Mountain Inn also has private rooms at great rates in the WP area. The rooms are big with multiple beds if you have a family or group. A frig in every room, free movie rentals and breakfast is included. They also offer discount tickets to WP. I don't know the discount because I had a B1G1 coupon.

Just got back from spending the weekend in Fraser skiing WP and Loveland. WP is a bit out of the way due to crossing the Berthoud Pass on Rt. 40. You don't wan't to cross it more than you have to especially if the weather is bad. It's about 45 min. to WP from I70 in good weather. You didn't say if you're traveling alone or with someone, but either way, here's a great place stay in Fraser. The Rocky Mountain Inn & Hostel Private rooms are $109.00 on weekends and dorm rooms are about $30.00+. Free shuttle stops 50 yds. away and takes you right to WP. Less walking than if you drive and walk to the gondola from the parking lot. WP day tickets are $92.00 so use the pass or buy discount tickets at King Soopers in Denver. If you're going alone the dorm rooms are a great deal and you'll meet some interesting people. You may even have a room to yourself. Have fun and give us a report. Conditions this past weekend were Powder on Packed Powder!

The only thing I would recommend, for the least crowds, is Jack Frost Fri., Sno on Sat., and Elk on Sun. You could reverse Elk and Sno but Sno will definitely be the least crowded and JF the most crowded on the weekend. Also, Sno often doesn't run the Long Haul lift on weekdays. Not that you'll ride it much because it is an 11+ min. ride but it is a nice break now and then. Have fun!

Welcome to the threads happyjack, If your 4-day trip is a long weekend, do Elk on the weekday portion and your kids will have no problems with Elks blues. Delaware is essentially a double green. Lenape on the other side was regraded this year and should also not be a problem. Tioga is a nice long twisting beginner trail. West Slope is a nice wide slope for beginners. Like Moe G said, Sno is flatter at the top and the kids should have no problem there. If you take them to the bottom, Lower Runaway (double blue) gets progressively steeper and has some turns at the bottom, so you don't want them to be carrying too much speed into the bottom part. Sno is never crowded, even on weekends. For where to stay; Clarks Summit is about in the middle with easy access to I81. Look for some ski and stay deals. Kids love anyplace with an indoor pool. If it rains, visit the Lackawanna Coal Mine tour and/or the Railroad Museum in Scranton. Have fun and be sure to post a report. Always looking for objective reviews.

Moe, Great report. Loved that you scammed the $15.00 preferred parking! Seems the new management only wants the NY, NJ gaper crowd. Did they run any of the doubles, or just let the gapers stand in long lines? I was there Tuesday and they shut down the Raceway Triple at 6:00 with long lines at the quads. The gapers were left with icy conditions top to bottom. Lots of people getting hurt. I won't be back.

Can't remember all of the details, but that company went bankrupt about a year and a half ago while real estate was still booming.

Some of the best deals are right at the resorts midweek. Stratton, Okemo, and Mt. Snow have $59.00 ski and stay specials. Why stay in the Fleabag Motel then pay $70-$80 for a lift ticket? Even for $99.00 each, it beats sleeping in the car. The deals might require double occupancy but they may allow just a single last minute, or find some one to go with you. People will often go if you do the planning. I'm planning a trip to CO between New Years and MLK. There is only one weekend between and the bookings midweek are slow so there should be deals in VT as well. If you are looking for cruisers, S. VT is the place for you. Shorter drive and Mt. Snow, Stratton, Okemo, Bromley, and Magic are all close by. Bromley and Magic have $39.00 midweek tickets. Only go to Magic if it snows. They're old school VT skiing, no high speed lifts and grooming is minimal. The bottom line is, just go! It's not expensive if you do your homework. Check out some ski and stay specials on line and some off site places have deals with more than one area, so you can stay at the same place and ski two areas.

Is it still $50.00 for a weekend pass at Sno? Is the Long Haul lift still closed? Is the weekend PRPS weekend ticket at snow still $47.00 vs. $46.00 at Elk? Does Elk still have better grooming and more top-to-bottom trails with 1000' vertical than Sno? Does Elk have more black diamond trails with more vertical than the the 4 trails on Sno's north face? Did Elk have more skiers visits this year than Sno? I'll gladly pay $1.00 more to ski Elk's better terrain and variety of terrain over Sno's 4 north face trails. Because that's all Sno really has to offer expert skiers who don't care about their half pipe. How is that half pipe doing? by the way?

And who was the person to make the second personal attack as opposed to a rational response?

Up to page 2, and who is the first one to start the personal attacks and profanity as opposed to a positive rational response?

Have a good circle jerk guys. My prediction is that Sno has new ownership by 2014.

You're responding to a post to GSS? I think he can respond all by himself! Get help dude!

My point exactly!