Okemo January 14th, 2007

loafer89 · Jan 14, 2007, 4:32 PM

Area skied: Okemo Mountain Resort

Date skied: January 14th, 2007 from 9:00am to 1:15pm

Surface conditions: Loose granular, Machine Groomed, Packed Powder (upper mountain)
ice, rocks, bare spots, thin cover.

We started out the day driving up in a steady rain from Coventry at 6:00am and it turned over to a freezing rain around exit 4 in Vermont and unfortunately the precipitation stayed in that form right up to Okemo Mountain

.

We started the day at a nearly deserted Jackson Gore base area, with maybe 10 people at best in the cafeteria on MLK weekend

, honestly I was astonished at the lack of skiers.

We took the Coleman Brook Express chair up to the Jackson Gore Express and skied Sunset Strip to Lower Mountain Road. Lower Mountain Road was a disgusting mix of ice, rocks and slush and was very crowded. We waited in a 3-4 minute line for the North Star Express Quad and skied Countdown/Sprint/Moments Rest which had a more pleasant semi packed powder surface. Snow was being made on Challenger and that was the first time that I have seen a snowgun in action since December 8th

Much of the day was spent doing laps on the South Face Express Quad as this enabled us to stay above the fog and the freezing level. Precipitation was primarily freezing rain/sleet and we built up quite an accumulation of ice on our gear. The weather did change to a light snow for about 45 minutes aroung 11:30 and we took a few packed powder runs on Dream Weaver and Stump Jumper. Stump Jumper was the pick of the day with nicely groomed snow and some fun wales to ski over.

We started back down torwards Jackson Gore by skiing Sapphire to Village Run, which was extremely thin and the snow on Village Run was mud colored. A ride up the Solitude Express Quad took us to Escape/Blue Moon which where very thin with alot of exposed ice and bare spots to Lower Limelight which had great soft snow on it, but was very crowded.

The temperature had risen above freezing by 1pm and it was lightly raining when we left at 1:30 to drive home.

Rushski · Jan 14, 2007, 6:38 PM

Two days after my day at Okemo with very different results. We had much better than expected conditions on Friday and old had a few dicey trails that they left open.

It's all in the timing this year...

billski · Jan 14, 2007, 6:41 PM

thanks. your report is making my decision extremely difficult as a day tripper. should I getup early and go somewhere with the hopes that it has changed over to snow? Or will it just be wet and crowded again. Plan A fell through a couple weeks ago: go to a small-ish area. Plan B was to sneak out early, but I live in metro Boston, so it's a drive to anywhere good. I may have to get up at 5am just to decide if I'm going up or going back to bed....
thanks!

loafer89 · Jan 14, 2007, 6:51 PM

We are heading up to Sugarbush tomorrow as I do not think that Okemo will be far enough north to stay all snow and I would not go back until they made more snow or got some substantial natural stuff. The lower part of the mountain was in rough shape today.

billski · Jan 14, 2007, 7:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loafer89

We are heading up to Sugarbush tomorrow as I do not think that Okemo will be far enough north to stay all snow and I would not go back until they made more snow or got some substantial natural stuff. The lower part of the mountain was in rough shape today.

I believe you are dead-on correct. It appears the line will be Middlebury Vt across to Waterville Valley, NH. I am glad I'm going north of that line on Thursday, but it is driving me crazy to stay home. All I can hope is that it stays cold for a while.

KevinF · Jan 15, 2007, 2:12 PM

Nice writeup. I was at Okemo on Sunday as well. The South Face area was definitely the best conditions around. I didn't wait in a line anywhere all day. I expected the precipitation and NFL playoffs to keep the crowds manageable, but my God, Okemo was practically deserted.

The fog really rolled in around 1ish; I skied down Upper Chief. I might as well have been blindfolded, because I could see absolutely nothing. Worked my way over to Jackson Gore in the afternoon, where it was somewhat clearer. As loafer said, some of the connector trails are in horrendous shape, but they were still skiable. I didn't put any holes in my ski bases.

Did you happen to notice a guy in a dark blue jacket, silver helmet, Elan Magfire skis? That would have been me.

Jan 14, 2007, 4:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
loafer89 Sugarloaf Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Coventry, C.T Posts: 3,644	Okemo January 14th, 2007 Area skied: Okemo Mountain Resort Date skied: January 14th, 2007 from 9:00am to 1:15pm Surface conditions: Loose granular, Machine Groomed, Packed Powder (upper mountain) ice, rocks, bare spots, thin cover. We started out the day driving up in a steady rain from Coventry at 6:00am and it turned over to a freezing rain around exit 4 in Vermont and unfortunately the precipitation stayed in that form right up to Okemo Mountain . We started the day at a nearly deserted Jackson Gore base area, with maybe 10 people at best in the cafeteria on MLK weekend, honestly I was astonished at the lack of skiers. We took the Coleman Brook Express chair up to the Jackson Gore Express and skied Sunset Strip to Lower Mountain Road. Lower Mountain Road was a disgusting mix of ice, rocks and slush and was very crowded. We waited in a 3-4 minute line for the North Star Express Quad and skied Countdown/Sprint/Moments Rest which had a more pleasant semi packed powder surface. Snow was being made on Challenger and that was the first time that I have seen a snowgun in action since December 8th Much of the day was spent doing laps on the South Face Express Quad as this enabled us to stay above the fog and the freezing level. Precipitation was primarily freezing rain/sleet and we built up quite an accumulation of ice on our gear. The weather did change to a light snow for about 45 minutes aroung 11:30 and we took a few packed powder runs on Dream Weaver and Stump Jumper. Stump Jumper was the pick of the day with nicely groomed snow and some fun wales to ski over. We started back down torwards Jackson Gore by skiing Sapphire to Village Run, which was extremely thin and the snow on Village Run was mud colored. A ride up the Solitude Express Quad took us to Escape/Blue Moon which where very thin with alot of exposed ice and bare spots to Lower Limelight which had great soft snow on it, but was very crowded. The temperature had risen above freezing by 1pm and it was lightly raining when we left at 1:30 to drive home. __________________ Ski School - A place where novices are turned into menaces. 08/09 - 7

Jan 14, 2007, 6:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
billski Mt. Greylock Outing Club Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Lexington, Mass. Posts: 3,421	thanks thanks. your report is making my decision extremely difficult as a day tripper. should I getup early and go somewhere with the hopes that it has changed over to snow? Or will it just be wet and crowded again. Plan A fell through a couple weeks ago: go to a small-ish area. Plan B was to sneak out early, but I live in metro Boston, so it's a drive to anywhere good. I may have to get up at 5am just to decide if I'm going up or going back to bed.... thanks! __________________ Millions and Millions of Lifts Served. Since 1976 ACE

Jan 14, 2007, 6:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
loafer89 Sugarloaf Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Coventry, C.T Posts: 3,644	We are heading up to Sugarbush tomorrow as I do not think that Okemo will be far enough north to stay all snow and I would not go back until they made more snow or got some substantial natural stuff. The lower part of the mountain was in rough shape today. __________________ Ski School - A place where novices are turned into menaces. 08/09 - 7

Jan 15, 2007, 2:12 PM	#6 (permalink)
KevinF Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Marlborough, Massachusetts Posts: 169	Nice writeup. I was at Okemo on Sunday as well. The South Face area was definitely the best conditions around. I didn't wait in a line anywhere all day. I expected the precipitation and NFL playoffs to keep the crowds manageable, but my God, Okemo was practically deserted. The fog really rolled in around 1ish; I skied down Upper Chief. I might as well have been blindfolded, because I could see absolutely nothing. Worked my way over to Jackson Gore in the afternoon, where it was somewhat clearer. As loafer said, some of the connector trails are in horrendous shape, but they were still skiable. I didn't put any holes in my ski bases. Did you happen to notice a guy in a dark blue jacket, silver helmet, Elan Magfire skis? That would have been me. __________________ Arc \'em or park \'em

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Jan 14, 2007, 6:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
Rushski Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Nashua, NH Posts: 665	Two days after my day at Okemo with very different results. We had much better than expected conditions on Friday and old had a few dicey trails that they left open. It's all in the timing this year...