2 weeks in VT

[moe ghoul]

Spent the last 2 weeks in VT, getting up there on the 9th and skiing at Smuggs each day except for a rain event on 13th which turned to snow overnite and left 4-6" on the higher elevations. It snowed everyday thereafter with a nice storm Tues/Wednesday dropping at least a foot and more in areas. It pretty much snowed right up until we came home last nite and well, its snowing here. Looks like spring skiing will be good if the temps hold up. Weather patterns look pretty favorable so far with cold weather getting pulled down from Canada, so anyone thinkin of heading north, now is a good time. I did no touring since lift served was solid and I had a chance to check out a lot of terrain in and OB around Smuggs. Did one trip up to Jay to use up a ticket I had, conditions were firm and I only hung out for about 7 runs up there. All in all it was a great beginning for spring and feels like winter will stay around a little while.

 

Tree runs off Sterling Lift to the Notch Road.

 

 

Notch Road, ski down to the upper lot and boot back to the lift

 

 

Sterling Lift

[vinnyv11]

Man you hit a great time to be in VT it is in incredible condition and is setup for a late season push if daily ticket holders keep up.

 

Have you gone under the rope and down the backside of smuggs? I heard its amazing down there but they'll clip your ticket if caught but they won't chase you to do it.

[moe ghoul]

Man you hit a great time to be in VT it is in incredible condition and is setup for a late season push if daily ticket holders keep up.

 

Have you gone under the rope and down the backside of smuggs? I heard its amazing down there but they'll clip your ticket if caught but they won't chase you to do it.

 

Yeah, but they don't clip tickets, they just post a sign indicating that its OB. I didn't go across Sterling Pond, instead opting to take a trail that runs along the ridge for quite a distance and there are plenty of places to drop in along the way. I ended up bootpacking for 10-20 minutes, each subsequent run I hiked out a little farther. Great variations in pitch and tree density for one's comfort level.

[moe ghoul]

Nice report you gonna try to make it up to Blue Saturday for closing day?

I left all my gear in VT. Didn't plan on doing any Pokey skiing this year. Cash is tight, so I need to budget my ski dollars for maximum bang this season. If conditions hold up, I'll be heading back up there in April for the corn harvest for a week or 2. I still have a few lift tickets for some other resorts to use up off my Ski & Ride card. I definitely miss weekday trips to Blue or Elk, but I can't do it all this season. I can live with the trade off, its nice to boot up in the house by the fire and drive to the lot 10 minutes away and ski right to the lift. Conditions were so good that 99% of the runs and glades inbounds were open, so I had a rare opportunity to cover a lot of terrain inbounds that often is roped or sketchy. For example, I've heard stories about upper FIS being a sheet of ice, but it was soft fluffy bumps the past week. I still feel like I've only scratched the surface around there, but this past trip had me appreciate the resort and the surroundings. Definitely stoked I chose that location to get a place.

[vinnyv11]

Have you made it up to Jay? I heard their tree skiing is unreal.

Edited March 25, 2013 by vinnyv11

[moe ghoul]

Have you made it up to Jay? I heard their tree skiing is unreal.

I was up there St. Patty's day before the big snow moved in last week. It was cold and hard packed. I did 2 runs thru Timbuktu and it was pretty carved out at the time. They had a freestyle comp up there that day (Ski the East) so the tram ride was a bird's eye view of the comp on the ride up. Lotsa canadians skiing since they had their school break that week.

[moe ghoul]

Wow you drive in ski boots that's Baller!!!!

 

 

 

Piece of cake and less to do once I park the car. Cruise control makes it EZ.

[Johnny Law]

Have you made it up to Jay? I heard their tree skiing is unreal.

 

Little Jay/Big Jay and the 242 runs, keep this shit in your dome for when you get up there and you'll see what I mean. Strictly for the legit, don't want to go the wrong way up there and end up in Canada.

 

Moe, nice dude, super jealous. Had a dream the other night on hellbrook with waist deep......do any touring lately ? Gilpin I heard was skiing well.....hopefully I'll run into you on the rock pile later this season.

[moe ghoul]

Little Jay/Big Jay and the 242 runs, keep this shit in your dome for when you get up there and you'll see what I mean. Strictly for the legit, don't want to go the wrong way up there and end up in Canada.

 

Moe, nice dude, super jealous. Had a dream the other night on hellbrook with waist deep......do any touring lately ? Gilpin I heard was skiing well.....hopefully I'll run into you on the rock pile later this season.

There was so much low hanging fruit in and around the resort with the lifts that I blew off skinning with TC, Sequoiashan, VT Coldsmoke and TWD. If we hadn't gotten the amount of snow, I would've chased them on a trip or 2. I hope to get back up there next month, I'll PM you when that happens. Sounds like the wife will sit this one out. I got a buyer for the land on Barren Hill Rd, so I'm hoping that will be concluded in 90 days for a cash injection. Quite a few moving parts for it to go to settlement, so X the fingers.