Indy Pass Extravaganza 2025

[PSUFrankenstein]

12 hours ago, GrilledSteezeSandwich said:

Gotcha good thing you had a spare pair. Most skiers only have one pair of ski boots.  How long is the hike to the above treeline stuff?

I'm not sure on the hike.  I talked to someone later in the day and he said the best way to access is hiking up right after the top of the lift.   I was trying to hike up below the above treeline stuff but apparently it's best to go up and across the top of the mountain 

[trackbiker]

Nice report and photos! Love Saddleback. Nice views driving up Rte. 17 too.

You're staying at Burke hotel but not skiing Burke? Burke is 50% off with the Indy Pass.

[PSUFrankenstein]

4 minutes ago, trackbiker said:

Nice report and photos! Love Saddleback. Nice views driving up Rte. 17 too.

You're staying at Burke hotel but not skiing Burke? Burke is 50% off with the Indy Pass.

I'm doing Burke today.   Drove here from saddleback yesterday afternoon.   They have a special midweek rate so I don't think they do 50% off the $45 rate but maybe that changed since last time I was here.  Regardless,  I got the lift ticket with the hotel stay.   I think it was around $225 for the hotel room, lift ticket, and breakfast included from the Cafe.  Pretty good deal for staying slopeside 

[trackbiker]

Sounds great.

Looks like East Bowl is open but I'm thinking the flat run-out at the end probably isn't too fun on a board.

[PSUFrankenstein]

12 minutes ago, trackbiker said:

Sounds great.

Looks like East Bowl is open but I'm thinking the flat run-out at the end probably isn't too fun on a board.

The run out sucks but East Bowl had the best snow last time so I'll at least check it out once.  Muleskinner at Saddleback reminded me of East Bowl.   Muleskinner is steeper and not a bad runout although also seemed to get icier than East Bowl

[PSUFrankenstein]

Burke is a 15/10 east coast powder day. Not a huge amount of snow but soft and still some untouched snow after a few hours 

 

Pics probably suck because it's cold and my phone keeps fogging up.   Started off on East bowl.  Runout sucked with fresh snow but so worth it.  Then hit upper and lower power line.   Did a glade run and wilderness,  both good.  Then a groomer, big dipper i think...then shoot, a groomer, to ledges and something else to the bears den bar.  Hill farmstead and chili for an early lunch 

Edited January 29 by PSUFrankenstein

[PSUFrankenstein]

After lunch, back out for a few more runs.  Did upper and lower bear den to Graham slam, which was a nice ungroomed intermediate.   Then did power line again and also hit Sasquatch glade.  Took a break to refill my Gatorade and book tonight's hotel, then back out. 2 runs down wilderness, then a few other runs after that, hit Doug's drop, borderline, lews leap, and a few others. 

Ski patrol did drop the ropes on a few trails that weren't listed as open this morning.   A lot of the glades weren't open, but overall an awesome day. Left around 3, still snowing.  Drove to Hill Farmstead after that for a Nelson IPA and picked up some stuff to go.  Staying in Waterbury tonight and planning on hitting Bolton Valley tomorrow.  Their report from this morning showed 3" and it's been snowing all day, so I'm expecting more by tomorrow morning. 

[PSUFrankenstein]

Stopped into the retail shop to see what they had for boots and talked with the worker for a while who is originally from Lancaster.   He reminded me that Burton has a flagship store and factory tour in Burlington so I'll probably head over there after Bolton Valley and bring my boot in.   It's empty here at Bolton, I'll take some pics in a bit 

Edited Thursday at 02:40 PM by PSUFrankenstein

[PSUFrankenstein]

Bolton conditions today range from deep powder to windblown ice on the upper groomers.   Lower mountain groomers are great and the glades are incredible.   Did a few groomers and natural snow trails, along with enchanted forest, then 2 runs down Vista glades.   On the second run in Vista, I found a pair of sunglasses so I returned them to lost and found and heading out and over to timberline lift in a few 

[PSUFrankenstein]

More pics later but Timberline side at Bolton is incredibly good.  Especially Adam's Solitude and @GrilledSteezeSandwich woods

[PSUFrankenstein]

After a quick stop at the lodge, I did Vista glades again.   Some fun drops in there and deep snow.   Then back to the top and did Cobrass to Five Corners, which had some nice snow.  Up Timberline to Adam's Solitude,  which was a fun glade...nice wind lip at the top to jump off, and a few cliffs (didnt do those).  The runout is actually pretty fun, single track with a good enough pitch to avoid getting stuck in the deeper snow. 

Did Doug's woods twice after that.  Really fun glades, hit some small drops.  Also did Spellbinder twice, steeper bumps at the top and mellow powder field at the bottom.  Show off under the lift was a fun intermediate that still had some powder.  Did Adam's Solitude again and launched the wind lip at bit too fast and ate it...after that, I decided it was time to head back to the Vista side.  Did a groomer down to the beginner double and hit a green trail with good powder but too mellow of a pitch as expected 

[PSUFrankenstein]

Got done riding shortly before 2...grabbed a beer from the car and back to the lodge for some pork belly and tuna onigiri and a Japanese coffee. 

Then headed to Burton headquarters in Burlington.   Stopped at the retail store, who sent me to the repair shop next door.   Chatted with the guy there for a bit, but after looking around their website,  I already knew the boots were out of warranty.  He told me to file an online warranty claim anyway and give him the details.   I played with the shop dogs while I waited...he came back 5 minutes later and said a pair of boots is being shipped free of charge.   HUGE mf'n shout out to Burton for being awesome. 

Then stopped at Foam brewers for a few beers.  Took a walk along the marina along lake Champlain and getting dinner at Burlington beer now 

[PSUFrankenstein]

Pics...

[PSUFrankenstein]

Day 6 and final day of my trip...stayed in southern NY last night and drove to Shawnee this morning.  Conditions were actually really fun.  Fast firm corduroy...light rain but much warmer than the past week up north.  Mostly did the blue/black trails near the lift, but Renegade was great so I skated over there 5 times. No lift lines and being a smaller mountain, the high speed quad gets you to the top pretty quickly.  Now at Shawnee craft brewing...nitro porter, pale ale,  and a cheesesteak pizza.