Jiminy Peak Opening Day - 11/20/2005

[Greg]

Date(s) Skied: Sunday, 11/20/2005, 9:35 AM - 1:35 PM

Resort or Ski Area: Jiminy Peak, Hancock, Massachusetts

Conditions: Manmade, bright sun, 40's, no wind

Trip Report: Was greeted this morning with a long line to the single ticket window this morning. In fact, it took over 45 minutes to get my lift ticket! Poor planning on Jiminy's part, but I give them credit for opening a second window at 9:20. Should've been done at 8:30 though. Due to my late start, I missed fellow AlpineZoner, highpeaksdrifter, who I was supposed to meet at Crane Lodge. I did spot a guy at the front of the ticket line that fit his description so I was on the lookout.

The only real trail options were West Way to North Glade or Lower Glade to either 360 or Slingshot. I took a few runs Lower Glade which were chunky and firm manmade snow. Still not bad for Massachusetts in November though. Each run the sun got higher and the snow softer. The terrain was pretty variable however, with the stuff in the shadows remaining chunky and stiff while anything in the sun was a pleasure to ski. North Glade was especially nice. They blew a lot of snow up there.

After three or four runs, I boarded the Six with a guy that fit highpeakdrifter's description. Indeed, it was him. I spent the rest of the day skiing with him and his son, Colin. We took a lunch break around 11:30 at Christiansen's and made out way back out shortly after noon. HPD and I skied till about 1:30 after we both had enough of the same run as well as wobbly early season legs. We had a great time chatting about various threads that come up on the forums. Both HPD and Colin are great skiers and were a pleasure to spend much of the day with.

All in all a great start to the ski season with an added bonus of meeting a new AZer!

Click HERE for the pics.

[andyzee]

Nice pics. Have to try to remember the format for my next report. Hey Greg, bet it was great to be out there again?

[skijay]

I have to agree with Greg on the above.

After being in Florida for a week and seeing nothing but new homes & white sands on the Gulf, and mid 80's temp, the ski fever hit me. I think it was either going from 86 degrees to 30 degrees in a matter of hours or the need to see white again.

I did ski Jiminy from 1pm to 3:30pm. The crowds were light, never a wait in the lift line. I got the 4hr ticket rate of $26. The snow on West Way remained nice and soft. Today it felt like I was skiing in March, it was a warm afternoon, no wind at the summit.

Starting around 2-2:30pm the shadows were casting on the North Glade trail causing it to firm up a bit.

This was my first official ski day on my new skis. I was a little nervous so I packed my snowblades just in case. After I remembered what to do with the ski poles, I was fine. The Salomon 1080's are very forgiving skis and go where you point them!

[andyzee]

Originally Posted by skijay

The Salomon 1080's are very forgiving skis and go where you point them!

Which 1080s are you on?

[thetrailboss]

FINALLY! Greg's trip report! Looked like a nice day to be out. Sorry to hear about the lines...

[bvibert]

Nice! Thanks for the TR Greg. Looks like a nice first day. The pics are very refreshing!

[highpeaksdrifter]

Thanks for the kind words Greg, it was great meeting you too. I hope we can do it again soon. I'm a little sore going up and down stairs today, how about you?

[Greg]

Originally Posted by highpeaksdrifter

Thanks for the kind words Greg, it was great meeting you too. I hope we can do it again soon. I'm a little sore going up and down stairs today, how about you?

Oh yeah. It's good pain though...

[Bob R]

Glad to see folks out. Names to faces very cool.

[ChileMass]

Man - that grass under the lift is still VERY green. We need some snow and fast.....

Looked like fairly decent cover for November, though......