Loon 2/12/05

[Zand]

Date(s) Skied: 2/12/05

Resort or Ski Area: Loon Mountain, NH

Conditions: Powder/Packed Powder

Trip Report:

I left home at about 9:30 for a half day of Loon. I arrived at a mad house. There was no room in the Gov. Adams lodge to boot up, so we had to do it in a little dark corridor near the rental shop.

The Kanc Quad has a 15 minute line, but that was pretty much our only way out. We got up and took a left down Grand Junction to Bear Pause to try North Peak. The quad had a 10 minute line, but we decided to wait because the double's lines weren't any better.

We got to the top of the quad and took a left for Walking Boss. Great black cruiser. It was groomed with some bumpy areas to the sides on the steeps. There weren't too many people on the trail, so it was an excellent run. When we got to the bottom, the quad was broken down and the whole line had flocked to the double, so we bailed to the Gondola base, possibly the worst decision of the day.

After waiting nearly 30 minutes for the gondola, we got to the summit and went down the connector trail to North Peak and went down Lower Flume from that trail. Lower Flume was bumpy and the conditions were excellent. Barely any ice and the bumps were all powder.

We got to the quad hich has a signifigantly shorter line and got on in less than 2 minutes. At the top, we took a right down sunset. It was kind of icy and strewn with beginners. Once we got around the summit, we took a left down the Speakeasy duo. The trails were deserted and they had good conditions, expecially for cruising.

Once we got to the top of the again crowded Kanc, we took a left, hitting Grand Junction, Bear Pause, and Rolling Bear. I don't see why Rolling Bear is a black diamond, but I guess it was because it was ungroomed and sort of cruddy.

We went to Camp III to eat, but they shut the grills down at 2:30 and we got there at 2:40, so we settled for a soda and cookie. The cookie wasn't the greatest, but the soda as refreshing and got us ready for an East Basin run.

At the top of the double, we got a left down Big Dipper and cut over to Angel Street. It was kind of icy and very bumpy, so it worked as a good black diamond. From the lift, triple trouble had a lot of grass showing and Big Dipper didn't look great.

We jumped on the quad and took another run down walking boss. By now, it was very bumped up and fun. I liked that trail and it may have been my favorite at Loon.

We got on the quad one more time just before it closed at 3:40 and went down Sunset, Upper Speakeasy, and to the top of the Kanc. We decided to check out Rumrunner, which was very nice. Nice one to cruise down.

Loon kept the Kanc open till 4:25 and we got in a few bonus runs on Northstar, Rumrunner, and Coolidge Street, all which were in good shape. A nice way to end the day.

Well, it was a very crowded day, but that's what happens on the first Saturday after a 32" dump. It served its purpose, a warm-up for a Sunay at Cannon. I'll have that report soon.

[Bob R]

Rolling Bear is a Black Diamond, cause in Snow years it gets very bumped up.
The lines were the longest of the year. The East Basin double had big lines even.

I was there the same weekend and the crowds were unbearable! To make matters worse the new North Peak Quad broke twice and operators had to turn skiiers away while they tried to fix it!

Loon really needs to get its act together and limit ticket sales or open the South Mountain expansion because there's absolutely nothing fun about paying $60 to wait in 30 minute lift lines.