C1erArt

Great day, skied from 8:30 to 11. Tried a few runs using Phresheez and a few using Ski Tracks down Tbolt and Challenge. Phresheez gave me an average of run max speeds of 25.3, and Ski Tracks of 30.6. Phresheez max speed range was 22 to 28, and Ski Tracks range of each run's max speed was 27 to 36. Looks like Ski Tracks is reading 5 mph high. A couple of years ago I compared Phresheez against a hand held Magellan, and they matched pretty well.

Photo of the crowds building up at the top of the challenge lift.

Hit the slopes early. Cloudy with snow in great shape with the Challenge trees filling in and some nice bumps on Challenge right side. Saw JFSkiDan on the slopes. Demoed an Élan Amphibio 14 which was pretty nice - quick turning with good grip. Bad news is Tbolt not open despite the web site status (maybe tomorrow). Exhibition has a long way to go, but they are blowing on East Mtn. Got pretty crowded on the slopes so I packed it in early.

Nice snow today at boulder, but pretty foggy

Was out for a couple of hours Sunday afternoon with family on Challenge and Tbolt. Great weather and surprisingly fast if you avoided the soft areas. Skied until the red ropes went up. A good year considering the weather. Missed the bumps on Exhibition - they added a lot of variety last year and improved my skills quite a bit. Time to pick up next years season tickets and break out the kayaks.

Weather was pretty tough this week on the slopes. Everything open, but some brown beginning to show and a couple of rocks peeping out along the edges. No washouts though. Was out for a couple hours this afternoon, slushy on top and bottom, but firmed up a little in late afternoon. Elevator looking pretty thin, but some people were running it (I've spent too much time this winter working on my bases and edges, so I stayed off it). Run of the day was Floyds - left side has a hump that gives you a little air. Tried SkiTracks again - definitely giving high speeds - clocked me at 53, when in this soft stuff I think I may have hit in the low 30s maximum. Back to Phresheez. Elevator - kind of sad, but maybe next year there will be enough snow for bumps and the full width of the glades.

Got out for a few hours Sunday afternoon. Some periods of sun, not too windy. Still plenty of coverage on the trails, but Challenge glade is getting thin. Took a few runs down Floyds, but most of the time of Challenge and Tbolt, except for one yard sale run down the left side of Exhibition. Used SkiTracks instead of Phresheez. Gave a nice evaluation of the day, but the speed on a couple of runs seems a little high (47 on one run down Challenge).

Haven't seen any signs of it. Most of the hoses are put away. They did get some snow over the weekend, so the ground off the slopes wasn't completely bare.

Was also up Sunday afternoon for a couple of hours - nice weather, and the snow on the slope wasn't too bad - just a little soft on top and at the bottom. Challenge was closed for a race most of the day, so TBolt got torn up, but after they opened Challenge it was pretty nice. Floyds was in good shape too. Happy Land is tearing up my bases, but it is still a great run.

Nice day today, warm and partly sunny, not too windy. Was in my spring gear, and it was a little crowed for a Friday. Snow a little mashed potatoes higher on the hill, but not slushy. A little slow, but a lot of control - a lot of people trying out Floyds and River Shot (even got my wife to try a couple runs down Floyds). Got there around 1:30 and skied until closing. Run of the day was Elevator, still a lot of snow, and easy to get your edges into it. Put on a show for the lift trying Elevator Glade - can't get the Rossies to turn fast enough on the entrance bumps (or maybe it's just my creaky knees). Challenge glade was nice too, soft and fast as long as you didn't stray to far to the right. Really miss the bumps they had on Exhibition last year - would be a nice time now to let them build up. Should be busy this weekend.

Downloaded Ski Tracks and will try it this weekend. Normally use Phresheez which shows where your buddies are using it are skiing. It seems pretty consistent - do about 35 down the blacks and 40 if I push it on Floyds. Have used a stand-alone GPS which gives a point by point reading to check for dropouts (so I knew it was accurate), and it gave about the same speed.

Will be up this Friday morning if you want a chase video from my helmet Go-Pro.

Crunchy cord in the morning, very fast. A little softer when I left around noon. Bluebird skies, but a some wind blowing up the hill, slowing things down. Using a Dominator graphite filled wax which is working great at these temps. Looking across to elevator glade. Looks like some new man made snow for tomorrow.

There is a new sign posted (Dare to Risk It) just to the right of the entrance off Telstar. You huck over the cliff, but it is pretty rocky now. Elevator is off the right side at the flat spot above the last headwall on Rivershot. The section above that (almost under the chair lift) we are calling Elevator Glade, but it looks that old map calls both Elevator. Took a pass on them today, but did a run down Challenge glade. Pretty noisy - glad I had freshly sharpened slalom skis that I don't care too much about the based. Lots of brambles showing through again.

Out this morning, 9 degrees, sunny, a little windy blowing up the hill slowing you down on the groomers. Met up with Dan, PC and Dom for a couple runs. Blowing a lot of snow on Floyd's - might be open tomorrow. E-glade was a little crunchy, elevator is getting better. Run of the day was still Challenge glade (watch out for the snow snakes though).

Flurrying and windy up top. 24 degrees. Hit the slopes around 1 PM. blowing snow on the park, Challenge and River Shot. Nothing yet on Floyd's. T-Bolt is boilerplate, would be great for a GS race. Should be nice tomorrow.

Did they do some clearing to the right and below the clump of rhododendrons to the right of Risk It? I seem to see some hay over there.

Haven't started at all on Floyds yet, weather doesn't look too agreeable for a lot of snowmaking in the near future. Having Rivershot open takes some pressure off Challenge and T-Bolt though.

Did my obligatory yearly run of e-glade (that's not me). C-glade is nice - a little chunky but bumps are manageable. Think they cleared some trees on the cross over from the glade to the e-mtn chairlift trail, but no where enough sno to get down it. Below the race finish shack is a little thin but skiable if you don't worry about your bases too much.

Over on East Mountain. . River shot slope is open but the lower headwall is a little choppy Some snow on elevator, and elevator glade looks pretty good. Haven't seen a whole lot of clearing out work on risk it, the upper section just above the drop seems to be a little more open. But I don't think any trees were removed on the landing.

Got in at 8:30 and still pretty quiet. Warm, 38 T the mountain (was 27 at home near Blue mountain). Sunny, light wind blowing down the hill. Just got back from a few days at Mt Snow (kids have the Peak Resorts college pass so they ski 'free'). Nice long hill, but still only half open, with only a few bumps. Top of Challenge.

The problem with WMMR day isn't the slopes, but the parking. Be sure to get there early, preferably 1/2 before the slopes open.

Good to hear from you R2. Conditions aren't as bad as they could be, and cold weather is coming next week.

Light until about 10:30 when I left. Starting to pick up - had to share a couple of chairs. WNMR day is next Friday, I think.

Not sure how the 41 got on there, should be 30. The pictures of E mtn were too depressing so here is one of Challenge glade.