medfordmike
Member
Skied 9 am - noon. Temperature ranged from 10-20 degrees. Overcast but no wind, packed powder conditions.
Many years ago I was a grad student at Dartmouth and had a season pass to the Skiway. At the time I was a more casual skier who only skied a few times a year at most. Over the years I have been bitten by the bug and now average about 25 days a season. I have wanted to get back to the Skiway to re-explore now that I could ski more of it. I had gone back last year after a 12 year absence but I hit it on a bad day during the worst season in my time living in New England. So today I decided to give it another go.
Everything was open but Lower LIft Line. All of Holt’s was left ungroomed and had really good coverage for so early in the season with no ice and only a few small hazards you could easily ski around. The Skiway does not have the height of the big mountains but that worked in their favor. The recent snow was all over the trails and I never found anything on the ungroomed terrain that was wind scoured, not even the summit.
Holt’s was like skiing on a private area in the morning. Wide open, good coverage, and no lines. I can’t even pick a run of the day over there since I enjoyed all of them so much. Snow was dense since it has settled but I have no complaints. The mountain even left some trails open ungroomed on the Winslow side including MD, Lower Chivers, and Cum Laude. Herman’s was open with huge whales yet to be pushed out. Given the family friendly vibe of the Skiway I was surprised so much was left ungroomed but no complaints.
Bottomline when the Skiway is fully up and running it is well worth a trip if you like a playful uncrowded mountain. It doesn’t have the steeps or hardcore technical stuff but if you want just a grin inducing day it is worth the trip.
Many years ago I was a grad student at Dartmouth and had a season pass to the Skiway. At the time I was a more casual skier who only skied a few times a year at most. Over the years I have been bitten by the bug and now average about 25 days a season. I have wanted to get back to the Skiway to re-explore now that I could ski more of it. I had gone back last year after a 12 year absence but I hit it on a bad day during the worst season in my time living in New England. So today I decided to give it another go.
Everything was open but Lower LIft Line. All of Holt’s was left ungroomed and had really good coverage for so early in the season with no ice and only a few small hazards you could easily ski around. The Skiway does not have the height of the big mountains but that worked in their favor. The recent snow was all over the trails and I never found anything on the ungroomed terrain that was wind scoured, not even the summit.
Holt’s was like skiing on a private area in the morning. Wide open, good coverage, and no lines. I can’t even pick a run of the day over there since I enjoyed all of them so much. Snow was dense since it has settled but I have no complaints. The mountain even left some trails open ungroomed on the Winslow side including MD, Lower Chivers, and Cum Laude. Herman’s was open with huge whales yet to be pushed out. Given the family friendly vibe of the Skiway I was surprised so much was left ungroomed but no complaints.
Bottomline when the Skiway is fully up and running it is well worth a trip if you like a playful uncrowded mountain. It doesn’t have the steeps or hardcore technical stuff but if you want just a grin inducing day it is worth the trip.
