3-19 Belleayre/Highmount

Hawkshot99 · Mar 19, 2007, 7:23 PM

Date(s) Skied: 3-19-07

Resort or Ski Area: Belleayre/Highmount

Conditions: Packed powder/Knee deep powder

Trip Report:

Decided on Sun. that several of us from work were gonna head on up to Belleayre, for the day and go play at Highmount a bit. Highmount is a small ski area right down the road from Belleayre. It closed around 20 years ago, and has sat like the day it closed.

Now the fun. We arived at 9 and took the normal runs from the top. Not really sure on the names, but they were alot of fun. There are some nice steeps there. After a while we decided to try out "Cathedral Brook" a double diamond on the map that was pretty long in length. We skated along the top ridge for a long distance then took off the skis and hiked up the hills(normally this is a cat-access trail on the weekends) When we go to the trail it was nice chopped up powder bumps. We decided to drop into the trees, which were great. No tracks, and not to thick. Had a great run down and decided it was time to go do some real fun trails.
Our guide for Highmount grew up skiing there before they closed, but hadent been there since the year they closed. He is a awsome skiier who lived out in Tahoe for years and was looking foward to some pow. After cutting through the woods we arived at the summit of Highmount. Others had been there, but the place was sweet! The first trail down was considered a Blue by the trail signs we could see. This was a decent diamond in my mind. We dropped into the trail, skiing above the boots the entire time. (The trails have not been maintained so there is lots of sapplings growing in the trails, but for the most part we could go great.) After getting down we had to get bak to Bell, which was a challenge, but worth it.
In total we did 4 laps of Highmountexploring the trails. It was easy getting around all of them except for 1. It was a wide pow trail at the top that had no tracks. We were lovin it till we realized why there were no tracks. Covering the entire trail was a forest of sapplings no more than 6-12 inches apart. It was scary trying to get through, and a serios workout poling through them all. It dumped out into awsome untouched powder.

Probally the best ski day I have ever had!!!

Hawkshot99 · Mar 19, 2007, 7:24 PM

There were pics and vids taken, but they are all on friends cameras, so I will post when I get them.

MarkC · Mar 19, 2007, 8:26 PM

I was at belleayre and highmount as well today. It was sweet. I got to belleayre at around 1pm took a few runs groomers and in the bumps (all trails are the same at bell so there is no point in remembering which is which). At around 2:30 I met up with some friends and parked a car and headed down deer run towards highmount. Took 3 runs and it was about as good as it has been this season. The pow was not too heavy and surprisingly not that windblown. I did see a bunch of other tracks. I am surprised that I did not run into you.

Hawkshot99 · Mar 19, 2007, 8:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkC

I was at belleayre and highmount as well today. It was sweet. I got to belleayre at around 1pm took a few runs groomers and in the bumps (all trails are the same at bell so there is no point in remembering which is which). At around 2:30 I met up with some friends and parked a car and headed down deer run towards highmount. Took 3 runs and it was about as good as it has been this season. The pow was not too heavy and surprisingly not that windblown. I did see a bunch of other tracks. I am surprised that I did not run into you.

We saw tracks, but not a sole over there all day. We were the red tacoma in the parking spot.

MarkC · Mar 19, 2007, 9:08 PM

i did see the red tacoma. I was in a green jeep cherokee but i park a bit up the road due to prior trouble. Be careful because techically you are trespassing. If you ever are going to make the highmount trip again let me know. I am always looking for people to take the run / help with the car situation.

skidbump · Mar 20, 2007, 5:54 AM

And keep talking about it and pretty soon someone will get screwed for doing it.

Mar 19, 2007, 7:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
Hawkshot99 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY Posts: 1,915	3-19 Belleayre/Highmount Date(s) Skied: 3-19-07 Resort or Ski Area: Belleayre/Highmount Conditions: Packed powder/Knee deep powder Trip Report: Decided on Sun. that several of us from work were gonna head on up to Belleayre, for the day and go play at Highmount a bit. Highmount is a small ski area right down the road from Belleayre. It closed around 20 years ago, and has sat like the day it closed. Now the fun. We arived at 9 and took the normal runs from the top. Not really sure on the names, but they were alot of fun. There are some nice steeps there. After a while we decided to try out "Cathedral Brook" a double diamond on the map that was pretty long in length. We skated along the top ridge for a long distance then took off the skis and hiked up the hills(normally this is a cat-access trail on the weekends) When we go to the trail it was nice chopped up powder bumps. We decided to drop into the trees, which were great. No tracks, and not to thick. Had a great run down and decided it was time to go do some real fun trails. Our guide for Highmount grew up skiing there before they closed, but hadent been there since the year they closed. He is a awsome skiier who lived out in Tahoe for years and was looking foward to some pow. After cutting through the woods we arived at the summit of Highmount. Others had been there, but the place was sweet! The first trail down was considered a Blue by the trail signs we could see. This was a decent diamond in my mind. We dropped into the trail, skiing above the boots the entire time. (The trails have not been maintained so there is lots of sapplings growing in the trails, but for the most part we could go great.) After getting down we had to get bak to Bell, which was a challenge, but worth it. In total we did 4 laps of Highmountexploring the trails. It was easy getting around all of them except for 1. It was a wide pow trail at the top that had no tracks. We were lovin it till we realized why there were no tracks. Covering the entire trail was a forest of sapplings no more than 6-12 inches apart. It was scary trying to get through, and a serios workout poling through them all. It dumped out into awsome untouched powder. Probally the best ski day I have ever had!!! __________________ 19 Rossi Mutix-175 Scott Mission- 178 Scott P3- 178

Mar 19, 2007, 7:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
Hawkshot99 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY Posts: 1,915	There were pics and vids taken, but they are all on friends cameras, so I will post when I get them. __________________ 19 Rossi Mutix-175 Scott Mission- 178 Scott P3- 178

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Mar 19, 2007, 8:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
MarkC Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Long Island Posts: 488	I was at belleayre and highmount as well today. It was sweet. I got to belleayre at around 1pm took a few runs groomers and in the bumps (all trails are the same at bell so there is no point in remembering which is which). At around 2:30 I met up with some friends and parked a car and headed down deer run towards highmount. Took 3 runs and it was about as good as it has been this season. The pow was not too heavy and surprisingly not that windblown. I did see a bunch of other tracks. I am surprised that I did not run into you.

Mar 19, 2007, 9:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
MarkC Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Long Island Posts: 488	i did see the red tacoma. I was in a green jeep cherokee but i park a bit up the road due to prior trouble. Be careful because techically you are trespassing. If you ever are going to make the highmount trip again let me know. I am always looking for people to take the run / help with the car situation.

Mar 20, 2007, 5:54 AM	#6 (permalink)
skidbump buddy the wonder dog Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: hyde park,ny Posts: 384	And keep talking about it and pretty soon someone will get screwed for doing it.