Sno 1/11 TR

[Melissa]

Hey all,

 

Just got back from my FIRST TIME ON THE SNOW this year. Last time out I was at Stowe over Easter weekend last spring. Anyways, I was super nervous that I might forget how to ski. Thankfully, I did not.

 

Started off going up the Shuttle Lift and did Highball to warm up. Snow was good on Highball for the most part, except for one part that was a bit chunky. Now, I should point out that the snow/grooming at Sno is always excellent, so when I say that one part is a little chunky, I mean a really little area that I happened to ski over. After that, I took Shuttle up again and went over to Spur, which is the NASTAR run. Spur skied well.

 

After that, I went down and did Lower Runway, which was fabulous. I honesly don't know why Lower Runway is a double blue, because those headwalls are decent. I actually think that Lower Runway is harder than Cannonball, which is an official black. Anyways, did that a few times taking the Phoebe Lift up, then I did Cannonball, which was good. Usually, I love Cannonball, but it was not my favorite tonight. So then, I went back to the upper mountain and did some more Spur runs, then some down Whistler (new lighting is great on Whistler--I don't get what the complaining is about the lighting, I think it is well lighted). Then more down Lower Runway, which I was super enjoying. So then, I was super cold (I hate layers and hats and stuff like that), and I was going to quit. But at the top of Phoebe I was like, no stop being such a pansy. So then I did a few runs down Boomer, which was awesome. Lots of chalky goodness. After that, I called it an evening. I kept my eye out for Snoskier, who was working this evening, but unfort. did not see him.

 

All in all, what a great way to start off *my* season. I totally got my skiing groove back, thank god. One thing that I really like about Sno is that they put out an excellent product. All of Lower Mountain (where I spent the majority of my time) was obviously groomed and then fan gunned over. Therefore, the snow is sort of ungroomed (not really, but not just straight cord), but the powder is so dry and fresh, that there is never a need to worry about death cookies (a la Stowe on Easter). According to the website, this is Sno's new strategy for the lower part of the mountain. In their words, they groom the lower half, and then dust it over every night.

 

Now, I am having a healthy dinner of one beer! I think PASR def. needs to have a PASR day at Sno this year!!

[riderossi]

I thought cannonball was the best so far this year that I've ridden. Did a few laps on that and boomer. Lightning was fun as usual, bumps were nice, no ice to be found. makes for great conditions when they blow on the face.

[Schif]

Glad you're finally getting out again Melissa! Hopefully I'll get up to Sno sooner rather than later and we can make some turns.

[trackbiker]

Nice report Melissa. Glad to see you finally got out. Fast Track and Runaway are always good when the Long Haul lift isn't running as most people won't skate over to those to trails from the top of the Iron Horse lift.

Unless they've made some improvements since New Years Eve the lights are better but still need A LOT of work. Instead of being totally dark, Whistler was only 2/3 dark!

Now you need to get up to Elk and tell us what you think. You live in Scranton for crying out loud! Elk is close and worth the trip.

[Brian]

(new lighting is great on Whistler--I don't get what the complaining is about the lighting, I think it is well lighted).

 

I agree.. I think they're doing an amazing job with the lighting. I think they're tackling their glaring problems quite well:

1.) Website

2.) Lighting

3.) Huge gap between Spike and Switch.

[riderossi]

I agree.. I think they're doing an amazing job with the lighting. I think they're tackling their glaring problems quite well:

1.) Website

2.) Lighting

3.) Huge gap between Spike and Switch.

Trees? I know they cut those all down so you can see the park from the lift but I'm sure everyone would rather it get filled in with some big pines. They may have also done that for the halfpipe? So that the pole guns on switch could be used to blow snow over onto spike? That's just a guess though, not sure if they have ever actually done it.

[Melissa]

I don't know if I know the difference between Spike and Switch.

 

Regarding trees. I noticed quite a few more evergreens around. I also noticed lots of baby evergreen trees under the Phoebe lift. These trees look to be 3-4 feet high, maybe higher. It would be cool if they could replant them around the mountain, esp. the upper mountain.

[riderossi]

Switch is the race course and spike the big terrain park. Spur is just a stupid little connection that shouldn't be called a trail. Cannonball also is a "double blue square" not a diamond.

[Brian]

Trees? I know they cut those all down so you can see the park from the lift but I'm sure everyone would rather it get filled in with some big pines. They may have also done that for the halfpipe? So that the pole guns on switch could be used to blow snow over onto spike? That's just a guess though, not sure if they have ever actually done it.

 

Word.

 

Be it halfpipe, filled in w/ some evergreens... they really need to do something! It looks really bad. :\

 

But really though.. it's easy to find things wrong with the mountain because when Sno took over, SOOO much was wrong with it.

 

Now they've fixed so many big things that I find myself complaining about such trivial stuff.. which is awesome.

[Melissa]

Switch is the race course and spike the big terrain park. Spur is just a stupid little connection that shouldn't be called a trail. Cannonball also is a "double blue square" not a diamond.

 

Ah, I see what you mean. I always confuse the "s" trails up top, and had to look up which was the NASTAR run. Somehow, I looked at the trail map and came up with Spur.

 

As to Cannonball, I forgot that they downgraded it. I think the entire lower half of the mountain should be blacks (black whatever). Lower Runaway and Lower Fast Track and Cannonball all get junked up with people who clearly should not be skiing on those trails. They all pile up at the top of the headwalls and then proceed to scrap off the snow, esp. under the lift on Lower Runaway and Fast Track.