Stratton 2/11 Okemo 2/12

[Mess]

Awesome trip/time away from the kids.  The ride up got exciting about 10 miles from Manchester Center.  Snow Squalls started hitting the area and the 15 miles to Londonderry were pretty intense.  Whiteout conditions and could see the lines on the road to tell which side I was supposed to be on.  Pretty unnerving.  We arrived at the Upper Pass Lodge that is located 200 yards from the red Chair at Magic Mountain.  Really nice place that is getting hammered by the awful snow conditions.  Magic only has three trails opened and they closed operations on Thursday.

 

We went to Stratton on Thursday and were treated to 6 inches of powder.  We took the Gondola to the Summit and started on A green Mike's Way since it was the wife's first run since last year.  It was hard to get momentum and we quickly switched to intermediate terrain.  It was the best ski conditions that I have ever skied.  We found untracked powder until about noon.  Then some of the snow was being used into soft moguls and some ice was starting to be exposed.  The rain storm really screwed up the mountains up there.  A guy on the lift was explaining that the weekend before was like 70,000 skiers on a glacier.  We skied until about 3:00 and the legs were starting to feel wobbly.  Finally got one run on a black when my wife called it a day.  Went down Upper standard under the gondola.  Overall Stratton is a fun mountain.  We spent some time in the Grizzly bar.  Good food and a nice crowd.  Went back to hotel and fell asleep for a few hours then went to dinner at New Grille in Londonderry.

 

Got to Okemo around 10:00.  They got about an inch over night.  Headed to the Sunburst bubble.  The heated bubble was clutch on this cold day.  First run was down the main face on Jolly Green Giant.  Snow was fast as shit because of the freezing temps.  Wife was a little tentative after the first run so we headed down the coleman brook trail to the jackson Gore area.  The blue Limelite( the easiest trail to Jackson Gore) is really steep a for a blue and is crowded with people who are plowing and skiing out of control.  It dumps into a line for the Quantum Bubble.  We took that up and went down the tucker out trail.  Again the trail is crowded and I found myself dodging people who probably were skiing over their heads.  After taking a lunch break in the Jackson Gore Lodge we mad our way to the solitude area of okemo.  Finally we found plenty of open terrain.  We went down Sidewinder, Heaven's gate and Screemin demon.  We took a break after each run because of the cold .  The wife was starting to feel uncomfortable on the blue's because her legs were dying out so we headed down mountain road to the sugar house.  She took another break so I went to the sunburst bubble.  Got to do my only black of Okemo.  Upper Chief to Lower chief.  It was awesome.  Had the trail to myself and they were snowmaking at the bottom so got some nice manmade powder.  We finished our day going down the Sachem trail which is a cool trail through the woods/multi-million dollar houses and condos.  Saw an Bernie Sanders sign on one of the biggest houses.  Was going to ask if we could crash at his house next time we are up since he supports socialism.

 

Awesome trip overall.  Having a few days with my wife away from the kids was a great 40th birthday present.  I will be honest that I missed my kids when I saw other kids on the mountain.  Love to share those experiences with them.

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry about pictures not sure how to edit them upright

[toast21602]

Great report. Thanks for sharing.

[Barb]

Nice report. I have fond memories of Stratton.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Nice report. I did a Okemo/Stratton weekend with my dad in 10th grade. I have pictures of my pissed off Dad after a full yard sale on double diamond which is a pseudo glade run/bump run. Glad you got to ski some untracked powder!!!!