VT Mini-Tour & Big Bear Challenge 4/4-4/7

[indiggio]

Up at usual O’Dark Thirty, finished packing up car and departed for the first stop, Stratton.

Arrived in the lot at 8:15 after an uneventful drive and a stop for gas.  Temp was 30, but a howling wind made it feel a lot colder.  Booted up and piked it to the base area to find the gondola not running.  They claimed it was due to the wind, but we all knew better...

Just going out to the 6-pack, the conditions were typical Blue-like.  Refrozen melted cord attempted to make better by a skiff of grooming.   Up the 6, various runs had glacial ice floes mixed in with the frozen cord.  This was gonna be fun!

Screamed down to the base to meet up with Slim and other Blue folk who were booting up in the lodge.  It was still mid-winter weather and conditions we told them.

Up the 6 and down to Ursa. Up Ursa In search of something softer than the bulletproof, wind-blown, filling-rattling crap we’ve been on.  Decided to start from Bear Down, which was almost skiable, and work our way around. For some unknown reason, many of the trails were roped off, but had plenty of snow/coverage which was ticking us off.

As expected, everything else was the same. There were some bumps under the gondola but were concrete and not fun at all.

After lunch we were hoping the sun would help soften things up, but it just wasn’t strong enough to overcome the cold and wind.  Some decided to take a foray into the Diamond in the Rough woods and found them to be pretty “skiable”, so we thought Moon Dance Woods would be similar, Not!  Being more shaded, they were hard and slick, bailed.  

Some of the closed runs kept calling out to us to be skied, so we obliged.  The snow was excellent and had to do it again later.

It wasn’t the greatest conditions, but we had fun anyway.

 

[RidgeRacer]

Nice! Is the this first Stratton report in the history of PASR? I skied there 16 years ago and kinda sorta want to get back.regardless...WTGAI

[Barb]

No I used to go to Stratton and I posted a TR a long long time ago. It’s a fun mountain. When I lived on the east coast it seemed huge. This is a good TR!

 

 

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[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I post a report from Stratton in 2005..I’ve skied there twice ever.  It’s nicknamed Flatton because it’s fla as evidenced by the picture.  It used to be where the rich New Yorkers went back in the 90s.  

[theprogram4]

stratton was the first place outside of PA i went to.  2 of the coldest riding days of my life.  also with a cast on my arm.  good times though

[indiggio]

Day 2 - Sugarbush

Made the drive up from Killington, but didn’t have to leave early since they didn’t open until 10am.

Pulled into the lot to 30 degrees and 0 wind and just a whisp of clouds.  Should be a far better day than yesterday, weather-wise.

Took the Bravo quad up and made our 1st run down Murphy’s Glade which was mostly frozen cord with some glacial ice spots mixed in for fun, as they’d catch you by surprise, lurking beneath a thin layer of scraped off cord.  Then down Lower Jester, which has a little better conditions.  Looks like it was gonna be another day of searching for good snow.

Rode up Heaven’s Gate and down Sigi’s which had some nice groomed snow up top but got progressively worse as we went down thru Lower.  Still it was very fast and edgeable.

Before braking for lunch, we decided to try the other side of the mountain, hoping the sun had softened the snow up over there.  Took a ride up Gate House and found the snow to be a lot better than anything we were on earlier, so planned on coming back here after lunch.

After a liquid lunch, we headed back to Gate House area and with our newly acquired courage, we decided to give an ugly looking Sunrise a whirl.  Lots of bare spots, rocks and debris littered the run, but we had a good old time picking our way down.

With Sunrise under our belt, we tried our had at Morningstar, right under the lift.  A few rocks, bare spots and bumps made for the run of the day.  

Later in the day we had the great idea of going up Castlerock.  A few brave souls were coming down Lift Line and the scraping sounds they were making turned us off that, so we headed down Castlerock run.  Having had enough of those frozen bumps, we headed back for a couple more Sunrise runs and then out to the lot for beers.

Later in the evening we headed over to Sushi Yoshi for the pre-mogul party which was more subdued than last year for some reason.

[indiggio]

Day 3 - Killington

Arrived at Bear mountain at 7:00 in order to secure a prime spot for the mogul party to low 30’s and 0 wind but lots of clouds up top.  There was about an inch or so of wet, heavy snow that fell overnight.

Made our way over to the other side of the mountain to try Superstar.  The amount of snow they have on this trail is incredible.  Off the lift and onto the top in the clouds.  Right away vertigo set on and had to immediately stop as I couldn’t tell up from down in the whiteout. Headed to the side by the trees to get my bearings and meandered down.  That was crazy!  A second run and the same thing happened, so off to the woods we went.

Spent most of the day in the woods until about lunchtime when temps started to rise and the clouds began to lift.  The fresh snow up top was a welcome change from all the scraping the previous 2 days.

Adter beating ourselves up in the bumps we headed back to Bear to catch some of the mogul comp.  We arrived just in time to see Bumphead Chris’ run.  The landing of the first jump was very steep and many had trouble with it including Chris.  A clean run down the middle bumps and good 2nd jump only to tip in at the bottom and slide head-first across the finish line.  There’s always next year!

Off to the parking lot for many Apres ski beers, food and jocularity, followed up by a fun time at the Foundry.

Edited April 7, 2019 by indiggio

[momskeeztoo]

Really wanted to have 1 last ski trip this week. Don’t think I can swing it financially right now. Gotta help put the oral surgeon’s kids through college!

[indiggio]

Day 4 - Killington

Up way too early, after too late of a night at The Foundry, packed and stopped at the bakery for a bacon, egg, Vermont Cabot cheese bagel and headed to the mountain.

Met up with the other BM bumpers and took first gondola up in 40 degree, partly sunny weather.  Ripped straight down Cascade that had surprisingly good snow the entire run. Guess it never really got cold enough to fully set up.

Since the snow was good we decided to do the peak to creek run which would have been impossible yesterday due to the warm, wet, slow snow.  A fun, full-out run all the way down to the Skyship gondola base.  After all the bumps yesterday, the thighs were screaming.

Gahskier George was up this year and had never been to Cooper’s cabin, so we had to show him that.

Off on a little tour of the mountain that included hitting a couple of the new tunnels and various woods runs.

Peaces out about 11:30 for the ride home. Stopped at the market for gas and a spicy turkey wrap with raspberry mayo.  Arrived home right at 5:00pm after an uneventful ride home.

BM represents at BMMC!

SlimBob took a cool pic of us in The Light

BM bumpers at Cooper’s cabin

[momskeeztoo]

Was it the bakery right on the access road? That place is delicious!

[indiggio]

27 minutes ago, momskeeztoo said:

Was it the bakery right on the access road? That place is delicious!

Yes.  I think so too!

[RidgeRacer]

Day 4 - Killington
Up way too early, after too late of a night at The Foundry, packed and stopped at the bakery for a bacon, egg, Vermont Cabot cheese bagel and headed to the mountain.
Met up with the other BM bumpers and took first gondola up in 40 degree, partly sunny weather.  Ripped straight down Cascade that had surprisingly good snow the entire run. Guess it never really got cold enough to fully set up.
Since the snow was good we decided to do the peak to creek run which would have been impossible yesterday due to the warm, wet, slow snow.  A fun, full-out run all the way down to the Skyship gondola base.  After all the bumps yesterday, the thighs were screaming.
Gahskier George was up this year and had never been to Cooper’s cabin, so we had to show him that.
Off on a little tour of the mountain that included hitting a couple of the new tunnels and various woods runs.
Peaces out about 11:30 for the ride home. Stopped at the market for gas and a spicy turkey wrap with raspberry mayo.  Arrived home right at 5:00pm after an uneventful ride home.

BM represents at BMMC!

SlimBob took a cool pic of us in The Light

BM bumpers at Cooper’s cabin

Middle pic is really cool. Looks like it could be the front cover of an album.

[indiggio]

1 hour ago, RidgeRacer said:

Middle pic is really cool. Looks like it could be the front cover of an album.

I totally agree!

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Indiggio did you carpool?