Saddleback 2021004

[uphillklimber]

We got back from Saddleback a little early.We were driving up in the rain. As we got closer, it turns to snow, and by the time we got into Rangely, it is really snowing!!! We are, just for kicks, watching the tops of the trees for wind, and the are hardly moving. But when we get to the resort, noe of the lifts are turning, and the wind is howling. I check the wind meter downstairs and it says 38 mph. The locals say there is no wind in town, but the mountain is somewhat known for having winds when the town doesn't. Someone there for the first time is really dissappointed, and we encourage her not to judge this mountian on today. It's really a great mountain.

I check with the ticket desk and ask what the forecast is. We have driven 3 hours to get here mind you. They said the lower T-bar is open, with 3 trails, we can ski that for free. So we do. I have never skiied those 3 trails. Then we see the lower lift opening up. We are at the front of the line, and wait a couple minutes for the top attendant to get set up. And we end up talking to the other T-bar operator. He's heading right up in front of us. To make a long story short, they slowly open up about half of the mountain.

We ski it actually have fun, and get in a dozen or more runs, before it starts getting redundant. Then we try another trail and there is blue ice across it, from where wind has removed the snow. Then we ski intermittently thru blue ice and wind packed drifts. I am thinking that if we loose it here, the landing won't be too soft. We skiied the rest of the bunny trails we haven't done yet and call it day. The trip through Lower Hudson was very reminiscient of my cross country days and very nice, although there a traverse at each end.

http://www.saddlebackskiarea.com/

I did take some pics, but the clouds hid most of the mountain. I'll post those soon.

[uphillklimber]

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you all that we skiied half the day for free, until we realized that we hadn't procured a lift ticket for the day. We started off with the free skiing, and segwayed into the better skiing. So I went to the desk and bought the tickets just before we left. I don't want the ski mountains to get gyped, and am willing to pay for the fun. The tickets were even discounted due to the wind. I like the vision the new ownership has for the mountains, and by buying a ticket, I am part of it. They were appreciative, and asked if anyone was checking our tickets at the lift. I said we still had last weeks tickets on and probably no one noticed.

[riverc0il]

i think your report on saddleback says a lot about the management of saddleback. how many other ski areas would open up a single lift during a wind hold and let skiers ski for free? and they obviously were not being strict with their lift attendents about checking tickets... for sure many other people probably skied the whole day for free and never paid for tickets. that is a very refreshing story. i'm really looking forward to a weekend trip i plan on taking up there in march.

[uphillklimber]

Pics are up in the gallery, such as they are. They kinda had some weather there.