Elk 1/22/22

[abe]

I returned to Vermont for the 2nd week in a row since some friends decided to meet up there.  Rolled in at 9, one friend unfortunately waited for about an hour for rentals so definitely would reccomend renting off mountain for those that need to.  Just as busy as last holiday week and staff in the lodge was a bit thinner.  Word is Elk has not been unaffected by staff shortages but I think all things considered they have been managing pretty well.  Still no north double.  Similar ~5min lines, north quad line moved much slower than east doubles as expected.

Snow quality was amazing, best I've skied since Plattekill powder day last year.  Blue skies and fairly cold but Elk doesn't seem to get that windy those spruce and pine trees really do help

Lehigh open on natural snow.  Pretty fun run

There are zero tracks in the woods lmao if you want to get your pass pulled seems like there would be enough snow.

Tunkhannock and middle of Seneca left ungroomed and are beginning to bump up nicely.  Tunkhannock was a bit icy though.  Big whales on bottom of Seneca those will probably be pushed out.

Kickapoo and several additional blacks are open nearing 100% terrain.

Run of the day was the race course which opened when they were done.  Amazing amazing snow

Stopped at Denny's in Scranton to destroy our arteries and managed to avoid the monkeys on the loose on I80 best headline of the year so far lol

https://abc7.com/monkey-truck-crash-danville-pa-monkeys-escape/11498297/

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/21/us/monkeys-truck-crash-pennsylvania.html

Edited January 23, 2022 by abe

[momskeeztoo]

22 hours ago, abe said:

managed to avoid the monkeys on the loose on I80

Hahaha. 

[momskeeztoo]

Kickapoo is my favorite trail there. Also really like Lehigh. Not steep or challenging, just a nice walk in the woods, and most people won’t bother with it, so you’ll have it to yourself. 

[saltyant]

Good thing I didnt go to Vermont today. These people should get at least small hot cocoas.

[Benm]

just saw this on the news

[enjoralas]

46 minutes ago, saltyant said:

Good thing I didnt go to Vermont today. These people should get at least small hot cocoas.

They should get one free day to ski the woods

[saltyant]

55 minutes ago, enjoralas said:

They should get one free day to ski the woods

I once met a guy who skied in the woods at Elk. He was a total badass.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

15 minutes ago, saltyant said:

I once met a guy who skied in the woods at Elk. He was a total badass.

Wow

[momskeeztoo]

3 hours ago, enjoralas said:

They should get one free day to ski the woods

According to the local news, everyone will be compensated for their tickets 

[indiggio]

I wanna know WTF this person is doing???

[momskeeztoo]

Telling people jump and I’ll catch you?

[indiggio]

Just now, momskeeztoo said:

Telling people jump and I’ll catch you?

That video would be one for Jerry of the Day.

[toast21602]

28 minutes ago, indiggio said:

I wanna know WTF this person is doing???

Looks like they are waiting to guide the person that is being downloaded from the rope. 

[Benm]

i wonder if that lift services beginner terrain. 

imagine being panicked over being plucked from a lift, then having to navigate those bumps lol 

[saltyant]

16 minutes ago, Benm said:

i wonder if that lift services beginner terrain. 

imagine being panicked over being plucked from a lift, then having to navigate those bumps lol 

It does, I've taken it numerous times and there are grate green circle, blue square and black diamond runs off it. That bump run can get pretty gnarly unless you're @indiggio

Edited January 31, 2022 by saltyant

[JFskiDan]

i call this a huge success.  Doesnt appear as though anyone was inured, nobody stuck over a water main break, and the video i saw looks like it was a pretty organized evacuation.  

[Schif]

Great job to Elk's ski patrol for doing a great job and no one got hurt. I guess that's what you get when you can source your patrollers from VT. 

The news said it was a problem with the gear box. They should have popped a Ford transmission in there as a back up. 

[indiggio]

33 minutes ago, Schif said:

Great job to Elk's ski patrol for doing a great job and no one got hurt. I guess that's what you get when you can source your patrollers from VT. 

The news said it was a problem with the gear box. They should have popped a Ford transmission in there as a back up. 

Makes me wonder how many hundred Blue Mountain Ski Patrollers it would have taken to evacuate a single chair?

[toast21602]

7 minutes ago, indiggio said:

Makes me wonder how many hundred Blue Mountain Ski Patrollers it would have taken to evacuate a single chair?

I'd be willing to bet they would do just fine because they have training. Any time that I have dealt with Blue's SP for anyone or myself requiring medical attention they have done things incredibly well. We give them shit because they used to blow whistles at us while we skied like assholes, but I think the overwhelming majority of them know what they are doing. Now if the lifts had to evacuate the lift, that would be a different story. 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

11 minutes ago, indiggio said:

Makes me wonder how many hundred Blue Mountain Ski Patrollers it would have taken to evacuate a single chair?

That’s rude to throw shade at the BMSP. From what I heard from concussion ted, it’s harder to become a ski patroller than get a masters degree. 

[Benm]

better start practicing because that quad is getting pretty suspect

at least elk had a wide open area to work with. would probably be a lot trickier in the narrow paths in the woods cut out for blue's lifts. 

Edited January 31, 2022 by Benm

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Yup the quad at Blue is low key Suss

[antman12]

It stopped on me and mixi yesterday. After 20ish seconds it did the little 2 step sputter and we both said “aw f*** here we go.” Fortunately it was only stopped for about a minute. No plans on riding it except once a morning or so to hit CS. 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Just now, antman12 said:

It stopped on me and mixi yesterday. After 20ish seconds it did the little 2 step sputter and we both said “aw f*** here we go.” Fortunately it was only stopped for about a minute. No plans on riding it except once a morning or so to hit CS. 

On weekday mornings we have no choice. 

[JFskiDan]

43 minutes ago, Benm said:

better start practicing because that quad is getting pretty suspect

at least elk had a wide open area to work with. would probably be a lot trickier in the narrow paths in the woods cut out for blue's lifts. 

Its also interesting to note that the trail doesnt seem to be littered with random skiers there to help, and by help i mean take photos, post to instagram, or FB.  Not sure whats going on above the main focus in the pic, but i think it is probably another set of patrolers evacuating another chair.  

Unfortunately our interactions with SP at Blue are mostly whistles and arm waving, but they do need a certain amount of respect due to some pretty significant training.  

But they did also open Razors that one morning when it was shiny ice the entire run.