Steins gets groomed more often now almost once a week if not a little more. OG rarely groomed but Ripcord almost every night. Not grooming OG all the time takes pressure off Downspout.
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Where is the STEEPEST GROOMER in the east?
- Thread starter deepsouthmafia
- Start date
Steins gets groomed more often now almost once a week if not a little more. OG rarely groomed but Ripcord almost every night. Not grooming OG all the time takes pressure off Downspout.
But only 1 of these shots was taken on a groomer. lol
Yes you were, March 2013, MRG:
Scoping out the icefalls:
Crank again, this on a big groomer near summit of Lincoln Pk at Sugarbush, Mar 2013:
Another at Sugarbush, looking good.
Snowmass, Longshot, March 2016:
View attachment 22775
slatham
Well-known member
Wow didn't realize they were grooming Steins that often. The strategy with OG and Rip Cord makes sense given the issues with Death Spout.
Kleetus
Member
I would add Skyward or Cloudspin at WF to the list. A little less steep than others mentioned (Rumor at Gore, Ovation at K, White Heat at SR), but the vertical makes up for it. Long sustained steeps for sure that are normally groomed right out.
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Sent from my SM-G892A using AlpineZone mobile app
SB definitely reversed the grooming strategy for OG and Ripcord about I want to say 6 years ago or so give or take. Ripcord gets groomed for nearly every "weekend" day (so let's say Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights it will regularly see the winch cat). Mid-week it is groomed much less often (presumably to avoid running a heavy cat over it too often and compacting it into too much hard pack).
OG is groomed more on an as needed basis. They'll let it bump up but groom the bumps if they get too icy or sometimes before a storm to reset the trail.
Stein's does not see a groomer quite as much as tumbler suggests if the weather cooperates. It really depends on the conditions. They tend to try to let it bump up. Last year with the freeze/thaw cycles it had to be groomed a bit more than the year prior. Holiday periods are another time when they might groom it more often too.
benski
Active member
Since Sugarbush switched from grooming OG to Ripcord both trails have had less icy. For some reason there was no snow above Spillsville on Organgrinder when it was groomed regularly.
deepsouthmafia
New member
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HOLY SMOKES you guys, theres a lot for me to sift through here. Nice work! I was out all weekend, figured this would of dropped off the first page long ago.
There appears to be a TON of good beta. Super cool.
There appears to be a TON of good beta. Super cool.
bdfreetuna
New member
Whiteface might not have the single best "steep groomer" but it's got a lot of solid contenders including Hoyt's High, Skyward, Cloudspin, and some of the trails on Little Whiteface.
In addition plenty of less steep trails and run outs that aren't actually flat so you can ski the whole place pretty fast.
I can't think of a better area for ripping groomed vert all day.
In addition plenty of less steep trails and run outs that aren't actually flat so you can ski the whole place pretty fast.
I can't think of a better area for ripping groomed vert all day.
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
Glad it's not just me. Need the, "This isn't relevant" meme.
Yeah, I don't really know why anyone would seek out a bevy of steep groomers, but if that's what you're into, I think Whiteface would probably be the place to go.
mbedle
Well-known member
I know that we are a dying breed, but us hardbooters seek out the steep groomers. Actually, we seek out only groomers!!!
bdfreetuna
New member
spring_mountain_high
New member
You sure nothing to do with being from PA?
imma stand up for the keystone state here...anyone willing to ski 500ft of scratchy groomers under dim lights after work is hardcore...you have to REALLY love skiing to ski in PA
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slatham
Well-known member
I agree. I learned in PA, SOUTHERN PA at that.
mbedle
Well-known member
You sure nothing to do with being from PA?
LOL - more to do with the fact that riding a carving board in hardboots is near impossible in the woods or bumps... I have a permanently bent pinky to testify to that fact...
bdfreetuna
New member
I can def see the appeal of long steep groomers on a directional snowboard. Pretty fun on skis too.
The steepest groomer I can remember last season was Prosser at Northstar on "Lookout Mountain". The steepest section of that was like Lower Ovation just much longer.
One of those trails you do not envy the Snowcat operators.
The steepest groomer I can remember last season was Prosser at Northstar on "Lookout Mountain". The steepest section of that was like Lower Ovation just much longer.
One of those trails you do not envy the Snowcat operators.
jimmywilson69
Well-known member
Dam Straight!
I live 5 miles from ski Roundtop. In the 17 years I've lived here, they have dramatically improved their snowmaking and grooming. The place still gets criminally skied off, but its what I got.
As long as it is cold, they can make snow and keep the surface respectable.
Hawkshot99
Active member
That means you have never been in a winch cat before. Such a cool and scary feeling looking over the edge as the head wall falls away. Keep your feet planted on the dash to hold you in the seat.
At the bottom as you turn around thinking that was cool but now you just see a white wall lit up by the headlights. The ride up pins you back in the seat like the first hill of a roller coaster!
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jimk
Well-known member
Hawk, that was a great post that really got my attention. I'm another who started my ski career in PA (Blue Knob, 1967). Never taken a winch cat ride, but respect those with the cojones to do so. There is a scary story about a mtn manager at BK back in the 70s and 80s, named Emmett if I remember correctly. Blue Knob has one truly steep run called Extrovert. The steep part of Extrovert lasts for about 600 continuous vertical feet. The full run has not been groomed in decades. But back in the 70s and 80s Emmitt was known to run a groomer on it once in a great while. One time he was grooming it and the groomer machine slipped out of control and slid for a good distance. Believe Emmitt was unhurt, not sure about the machine, but that was the last time he tried to groom it.
I heard that more recently a groomer manufacturer came to do a one-time demo and groomed Extrovert with a winch cat.
View looking down upper part of Extrovert:
another:
Degrees pitch Extrovert @ Blue Knob, PA: 634 vertical over 1317 length = 25.71*.
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Hawkshot99
Active member
Hawk, that was a great post that really got my attention. I'm another who started my ski career in PA (Blue Knob, 1967). Never taken a winch cat ride, but respect those with the cojones to do so. There is a scary story about a mtn manager at BK back in the 70s and 80s, named Emmett if I remember correctly. Blue Knob has one truly steep run called Extrovert. The steep part of Extrovert lasts for about 600 continuous vertical feet. The full run has not been groomed in decades. But back in the 70s and 80s Emmitt was known to run a groomer on it once in a great while. One time he was grooming it and the groomer machine slipped out of control and slid for a good distance. Believe Emmitt was unhurt, not sure about the machine, but that was the last time he tried to groom it.
I heard that more recently a groomer manufacturer came to do a one-time demo and groomed Extrovert with a winch cat.
View looking down upper part of Extrovert:
another:
Degrees pitch Extrovert @ Blue Knob, PA: 634 vertical over 1317 length = 25.71*.
I managed the ski shop at Jiminy Peak for 6 yrs. I got introduced to the guy who winches 2nd shift one year. He took me out for a ride and it was awesome. He was real cool and told me what nights he worked, and if I ever wanted to go for more rides to just meet him at the tops of the runs he was on, throw my skis in the woods, and hop in. On nights I was out skiing and conditions were less than desirable I would go meet him and ride along for a while. I have ridden for all the front face trails.
Using the http://www.hillmap.com/ link posted earlier in this thread, I found Jerrico at Jiminy to have a sustained top to bottom pitch of 25 degrees over .35 miles and 800 ft of vert, and the steepest spot I found was 31 degrees.
