Waterville Valley 1/11/6

billski · Jan 12, 2006, 10:49 AM

Date(s) Skied: Wednesday 1/11/06

Resort or Ski Area: Waterville Valley, NH

Conditions: LSGR, Mashed Potatoes

Trip Report:

Was originally going to Loon to run mid-week NASTAR, but a call to Race City and I found out a little "mishap" occured at the start house. A snow cat got a tad too close and did structural damage to the staring deck and shack. Uh-oh.

Two other choices for mid-week Nastar - Bretton Woods and Waterville. Quick call to BW and I was advised to "postpone my travel". Freezing rain from Franconia notch northward made the highways impossibly treacherous. So the wheels turned to WV.

A few specs of moisture on the windshield around Plymouth, but that was it. Temps stayed in the 30's all day, so I dressed lightly. Only a touch of rain - a bona-fide 5 minutes of moderate rainfall at noon.

Conditions were mashed potatoes. It was quite heavy snow (as compared to day-before's PP, so a local told me). I had two Wide World of Sports "agony of defeat" moments - first and last runs of the day. First run was just not anticipating how heavy the snow was. Last run, I was simply tired, running fast. Crossed tips (pow!). That's the last time I say what I had the week prior, "I haven't crossed my tips in years." Har, har, har!

Coverage was quite good, a few pieces of dirt here and there, but no rocks or stumps. Nothing scratchy. Almost no one in the woods. Skiing was great, a bit more work than usual. Best trails were (again) black diamonds, where not many people went.
Gema and True Grit were in great shape. Not really bumped up. True Grit had a couple big troughs in it's mid-section. Watch it or you'll be a flying saucer.

A lot of runs on Chute and Upper Sel's getting to the racecourse.

Spent the afternoon trying to un-do the damage I did to my NASTAR record over at Crotched. Tricky course. One wide gate mid-section (common) kept screwing me up. Turn, early, turn early, I kept saying but not doing... Finally, runs 7 and 8, I get it. Victory! By the way, WV has one of the best-managed NASTAR programs I have ever seen.

Overcast day. Moderately busy, moreso than I expected. Lots of ski teams/clubs practicing. Filled with collegians all day and senior in the AM. Damn good seniors if I may say so too.

Old Tecumseh was the best cruiser, most desolate.
My favorite trail is Periphery, mostly because of the winding trail layout.

WV lost power mid afternoon - fortunately I was in the lodge. Lights in the lodge went off. It was very weird to see all the lifts suddenly stop in synchronicity. Within 5 mins, the generators had been fired up and ran the place the remainder of the day. Dunno what happend, most of the employees were oblivious to it.

The other weird thing was seeing a bunch of guys with "MIT Ski Team" jackets. Woah. Now I work with a lot of MIT grads and they are great folks, but I never expected this!

Bob R · Jan 12, 2006, 4:58 PM

Nice report. I have not been there since Thanksgiving weekend. Sounds like the elevation helped keep the temps a little lower.

**thetrailboss** · Jan 12, 2006, 5:50 PM

Yep, MIT and others have to drive north to find decent places to train. Saw Babson at Sunapee on Tuesday.

stomachdoc · Jan 13, 2006, 12:37 PM

Yea, I see the MIT guys at WV all the time. Some of 'em are awesome.....they must incorporate the study of physics into their skiing technique!

Jan 12, 2006, 10:49 AM	#1 (permalink)
billski Mt. Greylock Outing Club Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Lexington, Mass. Posts: 3,422	Waterville Valley 1/11/6 Date(s) Skied: Wednesday 1/11/06 Resort or Ski Area: Waterville Valley, NH Conditions: LSGR, Mashed Potatoes Trip Report: Was originally going to Loon to run mid-week NASTAR, but a call to Race City and I found out a little "mishap" occured at the start house. A snow cat got a tad too close and did structural damage to the staring deck and shack. Uh-oh. Two other choices for mid-week Nastar - Bretton Woods and Waterville. Quick call to BW and I was advised to "postpone my travel". Freezing rain from Franconia notch northward made the highways impossibly treacherous. So the wheels turned to WV. A few specs of moisture on the windshield around Plymouth, but that was it. Temps stayed in the 30's all day, so I dressed lightly. Only a touch of rain - a bona-fide 5 minutes of moderate rainfall at noon. Conditions were mashed potatoes. It was quite heavy snow (as compared to day-before's PP, so a local told me). I had two Wide World of Sports "agony of defeat" moments - first and last runs of the day. First run was just not anticipating how heavy the snow was. Last run, I was simply tired, running fast. Crossed tips (pow!). That's the last time I say what I had the week prior, "I haven't crossed my tips in years." Har, har, har! Coverage was quite good, a few pieces of dirt here and there, but no rocks or stumps. Nothing scratchy. Almost no one in the woods. Skiing was great, a bit more work than usual. Best trails were (again) black diamonds, where not many people went. Gema and True Grit were in great shape. Not really bumped up. True Grit had a couple big troughs in it's mid-section. Watch it or you'll be a flying saucer. A lot of runs on Chute and Upper Sel's getting to the racecourse. Spent the afternoon trying to un-do the damage I did to my NASTAR record over at Crotched. Tricky course. One wide gate mid-section (common) kept screwing me up. Turn, early, turn early, I kept saying but not doing... Finally, runs 7 and 8, I get it. Victory! By the way, WV has one of the best-managed NASTAR programs I have ever seen. Overcast day. Moderately busy, moreso than I expected. Lots of ski teams/clubs practicing. Filled with collegians all day and senior in the AM. Damn good seniors if I may say so too. Old Tecumseh was the best cruiser, most desolate. My favorite trail is Periphery, mostly because of the winding trail layout. WV lost power mid afternoon - fortunately I was in the lodge. Lights in the lodge went off. It was very weird to see all the lifts suddenly stop in synchronicity. Within 5 mins, the generators had been fired up and ran the place the remainder of the day. Dunno what happend, most of the employees were oblivious to it. The other weird thing was seeing a bunch of guys with "MIT Ski Team" jackets. Woah. Now I work with a lot of MIT grads and they are great folks, but I never expected this! __________________ Millions and Millions of Lifts Served. Since 1976 ACE

Jan 12, 2006, 4:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bob R Sunday River Feb 27 2008 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Nashua NH, Campton NH, Sunday River Posts: 7,045	Nice report. I have not been there since Thanksgiving weekend. Sounds like the elevation helped keep the temps a little lower. __________________ Skiing is my addiction. Need a condo in the southern White mountain region?. http://nh.craigslist.org:80/apa/895368489.html

Jan 12, 2006, 5:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
thetrailboss BSP 2008 Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Now Playing at Sugarbush and Burke. Posts: 10,943	Yep, MIT and others have to drive north to find decent places to train. Saw Babson at Sunapee on Tuesday. __________________ Live, Ski, or Die! Trailboss' Ski Videos now on YouTube! Trailboss' Photo Albums. 66 days for the 2007-2008 ski season!!!! 40 of the 48 New Hampshire 4,000 Footers Completed and Counting!

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Jan 13, 2006, 12:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
stomachdoc Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Wayland, MA Posts: 156	Yea, I see the MIT guys at WV all the time. Some of 'em are awesome.....they must incorporate the study of physics into their skiing technique!