New Hampshire 2025

[indiggio]

1/21/2025
The wife’s another year older and time for another birthday “week” ski trip up to NH, specifically for the World Cup mogul competition at Waterville, but also hit some Indy mountains too.

Out of the house at 6am and into the freezer, big time!  Decided to stop at Catamount on the way up as I’ve never been.  The lowest temp along the ride there was -1, but bounced anywhere from there to the teens.

Rolled into Catamount just after 9am, booted up, hit up the counter to get a pass using the Indy and out to the freezer.

Looking up the mountain, only 1 of the 3 expert runs, Ripper, has snow on it.  The other runs on looker’s right were open and they were blowing on the blues far looker’s left.   

The mountain is basically beginners on looker’s left and the more fun stuff on looker’s right off the Ridge Quad.  Unfortunately that quad is a donkey, so it’s slow up and quick down.  The place is similar to Blue but much more spread out and slower lifts.

Ran down the blues which has some nice, soft freshly blown and groomed snow that was fast and edgeable, with a few slick spots in the center.

Did a run down Ripper that was quite dark and lots of marbles, but it’s got some giddy-up and a nice roller at the bottom for some good air if not absorbed.

Hit up the bar for a beer with the wife and headed off 

Brats at One Love brewery…

[trackbiker]

Thanks for the report. I'll be there in three weeks. The Schaefers have made some nice improvements since they bought it several years ago. They put a HSQ in at Berkshire East last year. I'm sure they have one in the plans eventually for Catamount.

Black Mountain, NH was bought by Indy Pass and they totally redid the snowmaking there. You might want to check it out if you have the time.

The Woodstock Inn Brewery has some good micros. Better than Love's for food and beer IMHO.

[Icecoast]

I really enjoyed catamount, Berkshire East, and even little Bosquet. What the Schaefers have done to those places is impressive.

But I still cannot get down with how they clear cut both catamount and bosquet and never replanted. Its like the Anti-Elk.

[indiggio]

1/22/2025

Well, the original plan was to head over to Mt. Abram today, but then I looked at when they open to determine when we needed to leave and discovered that the mountain is t open today!

Change the plan, as other Blue bumpers are headed to Ragged Mountain, which I had planned to hit on the way home.

Got into the car at 7:15 to -9 and headed South towards Ragged.  The temp ranged between -12 and -10 all the way down.

Arrived at the mountain about 8:45 and froze my fingers hitting up in the lot.  A short walk to guest services to get my $5 card and back out to the frigid cold.

The Spear Mt express was the only lift running at the open, so up I went.  After a pic or two, down Flying Yankee on a pristine, Deer Valley-esque groomer.  Snow was truly packed talcum powder groomed to perfection on a rolling, winding, fairly steep run where they run their races.  So much fun!!

Next I took Cardigan and Turnpike just to sample what the masses run and it was another gorgeously groomed packed powder run with lots of huge rollers for kicks.

Finally took a run down the liftline on Showboat and Showoff which was again glorious packed powder on a fairly steep run.

The other Blue bumpers showed up and we repeated the above runs because the Summit Six was having issues.  After a lunch break, they got the Six running and we took runs down the trails off skier’r right.  The most fun was Raggae Glades, the only open woods.  This place really deserves a repeat when all the trees are in play.  They place is loaded with tree runs, none of which were open due to lack of snow.

Ended the day with a few beers up in the lounge and the over to Woodstock brewery for dinner.  Definitely recommended but it does get crowded!

Meatloaf Horseshoe!

 

[Ski2Live Live2Ski]

I’d say the advantages Cat has over Blue are singnificantly more glades and steeper double blacks. The lifts are less good. A bit far for what it is though as you can get to the Catskills as easily from here and I like places there better.

[saltyant]

1 hour ago, Ski2Live Live2Ski said:

I’d say the advantages Cat has over Blue are singnificantly more glades and steeper double blacks. The lifts are less good. A bit far for what it is though as you can get to the Catskills as easily from here and I like places there better.

@GrilledSteezeSandwichdo you want to go to Catamount and the Catskills with me, Ski2Live, VTMark, and Matt Edge to ski the glades and steeper double blacks?? 

Edited 10 hours ago by saltyant

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

23 minutes ago, saltyant said:

@GrilledSteezeSandwichdo you want to go to Catamount and the Catskills with me, Ski2Live, VTMark, and Matt Edge to ski the glades and steeper double blacks?? 

Sure as long as everybody keeps their peckers in their pants