SallyCat

I’m in the peak lodge bar. The guns firing top to bottom and surprising Monday crowds were a bit much. I’d go back down if they happen to turn the guns off, though. Temps look to stay below 32, though, so not likely

If you're at Stratton, you're right near Magic, which would be a great choice if the snow was good. Or even mediocre.

Thanks for that overview of patrolling! I was considering volunteering 1 day a week at Suicide Six this year solely for the patient-assessment practice. (I'm just finishing EMT training and am on my town's Fast Squad, but I want more experience/confidence working with patients.) But then my employer offered me a SICK ski pass that lets me and one friend ski anywhere in Vermont, unlimited. Soooooo, I may put off patrol until next year. I'll be a better skier then anyway! I really liked your insider view of patrol work, though--it's encouraging and sounds like a good deal.

I rode the lift at a bike park Sunday with a guy who works in snowmaking ops at Killington. I asked when they expected to open and he said they were shooting for this weekend.

Oooo, my ski-industry pass includes unlimited visits to any resort in Vermont, two tickets per visit! Someone's about to make new friends!

Half the people I know here are tele skiers. I'd definitely like to try it, but I really want to work on getting my regular alpine skiing up a few notches. I'm getting some sort of ski- industry pass that's good for every Vermont resort, so imma take that thing for a ride! GSS, my setup isn't literally 50 pounds, but it ain't light. Frame bindings ski like regular alpine bindings but are heavy and less efficient for climbing. They basically look like a demo binding except that you can lift the whole thing up at the heel. Salomon has a fancy new AT binding that's supposed to climb like a tech binding but ski like an alpine binding. If I can get a pro deal on those I may try them out. Bit of snow at Killington today and freeze warnings tonight!

Just completed my dirtbag alpine touring set-up at the Pico ski swap with a pair of cheap 2014 Dynastar Cham 97s that have never been mounted. Now I have skis, frame bindings, climbing skins, and touring boots all for less than $600. The whole set-up weighs about 50 pounds and the boots are too soft, but heck, if there's a powder day I can ski from my front door.

Yes. I recall that Long John, Ridge, and Canyon were open.

Mt. Snow might be a better (and closer) option than K in November if you really want to push the season. They spent a ton of money on expanding snowmaking last year and I had a perfectly fun time skiing there in late Nov. with just a few trails open but good snow coverage and light crowds. I mean, it was November and all, but it was skiing and it didn't suck.

Done with the gym; I've folded my share of towels for a lifetime. I'll be managing the ski school at Suicide Six this winter.

I'm gonna find out this season what it's like to work in the ski industry. So far the pros are: 1. 9-5 office job, but I can ski on my lunch break. 2. My days off will be weekdays, so no crowds. 3. Discounts on equipment plus free food at the lodge. 4. I'm f/t salaried with benefits, so I don't have to deal with the unpaid shiftwork bs that ski instructors do. Cons: 1. Relatively low pay (compared to my previous job) 2. ? Not sure what else yet.

Never done it so of course posting. Looked into it last year; there seem to be lots better, easier ways to get a season pass than instructing if that's what you're after. Unless you really love instructing, which many do. If I had the money I would NEVER work during ski season.

Thanks! I'll save up for a better one (leaf, portable). Used a Pax at a friend's the other day and liked it (SO much smoother than a bong) and he was very happy with it. No sense in wasting money on a cheapo one if there's consensus that they don't hold up.

Vaporizer recommendations? Do I need to spend $200? Thx.

My bike can fit 29 and 25.5+ tires and switch the HT angle by 1 degree. I LOVE 29ers for trail riding. I thought the chip was like giving me a hundred dollar bottle of wine: I'm not good enough to notice the difference. But it's a SICK feature. I live on a mountain next to a steep, technical trail network and I work at a flowy DH bike park, so I've been using the chip like crazy this summer. The slack mode is SWEET for the park but a pig to pedal on the trails and vice-versa. I'm definitely sold on geo-adjustment! EDIT: The mechanic at my shop and I measured the bb height in both modes and weirdly it's exactly the same. I don't see how that's possible, but the ruler says it is. With the 29ers on, though, the bike feels way taller.

An enduro/dh 29er! Cool! I wish more companies offered bikes with adjustable geometry like Rocky Mountain's Ride 9 thingy. That's the way to really get a do-it-all bike that rips downhill but climbs more than "OK/acceptable."

Mods, Barb hijacked the lawn-mowing thread. 😁

Lol, just happy to have a job that doesn't land me in the hospital with stress-induced heart problems. Plus we only do general labor once a week; the rest of the time is hanging out in the shop or giving lessons; it's all fun and easy.

I spent last Thursday weed-whacking under the chairlift at 6; had never used one before and it had a cool chest harness and was really fun. The guys laugh at me for it, but I love days when the lifts aren't running and we do general labor. Trail building and maintenance, brush-clearing, weed-whacking, bike repairs, etc.; so much more satisfying than sitting at a desk and you don't have to take any work home with you. Getting to use a riding mower would be Christmas morning for me.

Thursday through Sunday, luckily! Planning my schedule accordingly!

Come to think of it, Six closes early, so I may have a decent chunk of spring skiing time, too.

Early openings and ditching the six-hour drive are some of many reasons I moved to VT as soon as I had a chance, but it's still a calculation that may not add up as much as it may seem. There's hardly any night skiing up here and I'll be working 5 days, so although it will be awesome that my days off will be weekdays, I still will probably get way less skiing in than last year. @GrilledSteezeSandwich mid-week Okemo and limited-season Magic. I skied at Quechee a couple of times last year because it was free and I only had a couple of hours and I got to ski with my cousin's kids, which was a blast. It has a nice vibe, and I say that as someone who can't stand the golf-tennis culture of Quechee in the green season.

That's why I said "kids or beginners" GSS! Drop them off at S6 on your way to the gnar. Not the most exciting terrain, but way fewer New Yorkers. 🙂

Even better!

Also, it looks like things are shaking out that I'll be working at Suicide Six in Woodstock this winter, so if anyone has kids or beginners that would enjoy a small hill, contact me about passes.