Black Mountain, NH 3/1/08

[deadheadskier]

Date(s) Skied: Saturday, March 1st, 2008

Resort or Ski Area: Black Mountain, NH

Conditions: Powder, puking snow

Trip Report:

Well, in my last trip report a week ago from Black I said the place vaulted to the top of my list for places to go on deep powder days. Didn't take long, one week exactly and I was back to sample Mother Natures Bounty


Departed at 5:30 AM. Only an about two inches in Portland at the time, but it was dark and dumpint



Pulled into the parking lot at 8:20.....only three cars there. Six inches of fresh on the ground




I didn't get first chair though. I got second, but was first to the summit as the skier in front of me got off at the mid station.

First Run, First Tracks down Upper Maple Slalom, linked to lower under the lift. Upper is to the left in the photo and had the six fresh on top of wind blown slab over bumps with hardpack in the troughs. Lower was six inches on top of Tuesday's storms left overs which was very dense snow when you edged down into your turns. Beautfiul, but somewhat tricky skiing




2nd run, first tracks down Lostbo to Lostbo glades, which was the only trail closed last Saturday and I was psyched to check it out



Lostbo drops you out into some mellow cruisers on the east side of the mountain that dumps you at the triple, which I took up for my third run and hit Mr. Reu marking 3 for 3 on first tracks. If I have one complaint about Black it's that if you go to the east for Lostbo or White Knuckle, there is no cut across to the Westside where there are lower mountain steep trails. Looking at the topography, it would be an easy cut over to add to avoid the flat run out meadow trails.

Back up to the top and first tracks again, now I'm 4 for 4, on Carter Notch Glades. Hard to see it from this photo, but this is a series of drops, 8 foot, 8 foot, 10-12ish. I took the first later in the day



linked it to T2 on the lower mountain, again 1st tracks.....DANGER CLIFF



I 'sacked up' and dropped it. Solid 8 footer....first 'cliff' drop in a couple of years for me




Next was galloping goose under the summit double. This run would be great if they cut out the pucker brush so you could play with the all of the drops. Perhaps they don't clear the brush to discourage people from hitting the drops or what I think is the more likely scenario its so rare to even have enough snow to open the trail that they don't bother. This one I got second tracks, the streak ended at 4.




The snow was DUMPING HARD the whole time I was there. By 11 it had piled up to a good 10 inches, completely covering the wind blown sloppy seconds from Tuesday. It was pristine pow now and the combination of the deepening snow and my tiring legs lead me to make the switch from the B2's, to the Big Guns - the Original Power ski by Rossi - the Axiom. After a couple hundred days, they still allow me to rip deep snow like no other. Love em'

Black is where you go when you want to ski untracked all day long. I got there at opening bell and went four for four for first tracks. This last photo is of Lower Maple Slalom at 12:30. This is right under the summit lift and there are only three tracks on it.





I'm glad I got a chance to sample Black on a Powder day as the first day was good, but didn't allow me to truly sample the goods. The place is the definition of Hidden Gem. I couldn't have been happier of my choice of where to ski this past amazing saturday.

[billski]

Glad you had a great day. Black has a different vibe about it. Kinda like, nobody's rushing, no hurry, but at the same time, you just get more and more cranked to keep going back for as much as you can. You have moments when it feels like your private reserve. If you get to talking with the staff, it begins to feel like family real quick.

I used to have the misplaced notion that it was just swamped with little kids and teens, the townie hangout. I am glad I was wrong.

[kickstand]

Thanks for the torture. I was supposed to ski Black on Saturday for a 1/2 day, but because I'm an idiot, I never made it out. I would've had to go bright an early, so I probably would have been the 4th car in the parking lot.

[snoseek]

Well played. I love that place when it snows, quiet and serene with almost no competition. like 32$ right? Did you see the barbed wire fence to the left of the summit double? I almost got a peice of that a couple years back, scary.

[uphillklimber]

Hey, hey!!! We were there at 8:20 also, you cut our car out of the picture!!! We were parked on the other side of the lot, near the entrance to the bathroom area (Let's not talk about our morning drinks now).

We don't do quite so well when the snow is THAT deep, so we knew we'd be challenged a bit Saturday. We gave it all we could, and gotta say, did much better than before, but still a long ways to go in that deep powder.

What a nice mountain. And great folks there. When I went to get a ticket, a guy behind the counter asked if I was ready for this. None of this "How many tickets" stuff. Friendly types there. Like your next door neighbor.

Great, if challenging, day for us.

[deadheadskier]

Originally Posted by snoseek

Well played. I love that place when it snows, quiet and serene with almost no competition. like 32$ right? Did you see the barbed wire fence to the left of the summit double? I almost got a peice of that a couple years back, scary.

Weekend adult tickets are $39. I have a dicount card, so it was $34. Midweek is $29 I think. So, great value place to be for a powder day. As for the barbed wire, I hadn't seen it, hopefully they removed it.


Definitely my best day of the year.