1/8/10 TR

[millerm277]

lue Mountain - 1/8/10

Date(s) Skied: 1/8/10

 

Resort or Ski Area: Blue Mountain, PA

 

Conditions: Soft with an inch or two of fluff on top from the weather, getting more hardpacked around 3PM.

 

Trip Report: Skied 9:30 - 4PM, glad I left then based on the 6 buses I saw coming up the road on my way back home, excellent conditions by Blue Mtn standards (which would be "eh...not bad", everywhere else).

 

ROTD was definitely Switchback, spent a long time flying down that. Dreamweaver wasn't bad, the bumps on Challenge were fairly interesting early on. Everywhere except the turn on Nightmare had at least decent conditions all day. Watched lots of people fall in the most entertaining ways, I even saw someone ski into the snow boulder field past the edge of the groomer track on Paradise.

 

A couple of minor annoyances though:

1. The D chair was spinning all day, but because the lift attendant was too lazy to stand out in the cold, every time the line disappeared, he'd put the closed sign up and sit in his shack, meaning that there was always a line for the C when there shouldn't have been. I completely understand not running the lift, but if you're going to keep the lift turned on, and have the staff members paid to run it, open the freaking lift.

 

2. They roped off Connector halfway across, leaving the beginners to find that their trail suddenly ends and to make the decision to either duck the rope (which most didn't), or proceed dangerously through a crowded terrain park. I don't quite get how that's acceptable.

[toast21602]

conditions were great first thing this morning. i was up with angry hugo for most of the morning. had the gopro out again and was shooting some video and photos. just trying to get used to the thing and what it can do. lots of fun. great conditions. grooming was good.

 

and about the issues you had: riding the double chairs is pretty much a waste of time if the quad and 6pack are up and running. you can make it to almost most of the mountain from them. and the stuff that you cant make it to, isnt usually worth hitting anyway. as for the rope being up, i was pissed about that too because i could get back to the upper lodge that way. but when main street is closed for grooming and blowing there is really no other option. beginners who go that way can very easily turn down 'crossing' or whatever its called to take mainstreet back down. its nothing to be pissed about since it was posted on the website this morning and the closed trails board in the lodge. if you missed it, its your own fault pretty much. i just forgot about it when i was up there today.

 

anyway, back out tomorrow morning for some more turns.

[AngryHugo]

Totally fun today. Hope I didn't slow you down too much, Toast. Hope that video of your lift buddies came out. A couple of Blue Mountain classics for sure.

 

Aside the from the first day, the grooming has been really good. The jumps have been shaped really well, too. Really enjoyable season so far.

[First Grade Teacher]

 

A couple of minor annoyances though:

1. The D chair was spinning all day, but because the lift attendant was too lazy to stand out in the cold, every time the line disappeared, he'd put the closed sign up and sit in his shack, meaning that there was always a line for the C when there shouldn't have been. I completely understand not running the lift, but if you're going to keep the lift turned on, and have the staff members paid to run it, open the freaking lift.

 

2. They roped off Connector halfway across, leaving the beginners to find that their trail suddenly ends and to make the decision to either duck the rope (which most didn't), or proceed dangerously through a crowded terrain park. I don't quite get how that's acceptable.

 

1. You can't teach stupidity.............you inherit it from Joel. The only way to become more dumb than Joel is to work for him!

 

2. This is just another case of poor management and design. Not only do they rope of the stupid crossing thing but then they put a terrain park on the next easiest way down. The beginners are scared to death and don't have the skills to go through the park or down Mainstreet.

 

So many of the problems that Blue has are caused by the top lodge location and could be solved by building a REAL valley lodge! Instead of focusing on that they will be spending all their money and effort on a new water park! Don't expect to see any REAL improvements at Blue for the next 10 years. Unless you like to swim you are fucked. Is the water park at Sno open yet? How about the gas fire pit at Blue? Anybody eat at the upscale rotiserie chicken place in the Vista lodge yet? The tail is wagging the dog!

Edited January 9, 2010 by First Grade Teacher

[zaldon]

I had a good day at blue, I showed up at the lower parking lot at 9am went in to buy my ticket and some guy offered me a comp pass for $25 bucks. I rode until about 11am and went home for a long lunch break and returned at 4pm and rode agian until 6pm. conditions were decent, and the crowds weren't to bad.