Saddleback - December 30, 2010 - Deep Snow Edition

Date(s) Skied: December 30, 2010

Resort or Ski Area: Saddleback

Conditions: Powder in Trees / Wind Blown Powder / PP

Trip Report: We were hoping for a super-fluff day, but the early-week winds had really packed down the exposed areas. Once we adjusted to the conditions we had a GREAT day.

Place to be was the Upper Quad. 5 minute wait sometimes but not bad. The Rangeley and Lower beginner quad was a mad house. Holy crap there were a lot of people there. Saddleback missed the boat not getting the T ready to run Xmas week. I guess it turns tomorrow which will help some. Good on them though for getting skiers to Saddleback.

All the headwalls up top were sketchy, but once you got in a couple of hundred yards it was wind-blown stash everywhere. Casablanca skied well (#1 and #2 which are tighter and more protected) as well as Dark Wizard and Intimidator Glades. Found all kinds of stash in Governor. Off the Rangeley Parmacheenee Bell skied very well as usual. Gray Ghost and Weaver were mint as well for groomers.

On to the pics. Some nice ones today.

First some Casablanca Shots. #1 and #2 drops skied better as they were more protected from the wind scouring.




Then Governor gave it up for us on these next 4 shots. Trail of the day!








Rare Pics of the Old Man in Dark Wizard




Mid-Day Gray Ghost. Pretty Trail.


And I will leave you all with some deep Supervisor Stash.

Thanks. Great Memories. SB on a sunny day is heaven. lots of loose pwdr!

Anyone up at Saddleback new years weekend? We are laying low after getting into the goods on Thursday. I imagine things have gone into spring conditions a bit. Wondering if the woods are holding up...

Nice TR/images as always salsgang!
Hanging low in Bangor..but this next week looks good....

Was at Saddleback 12/30 and 1/1. Will echo everything Salsgang has said regarding Thursday turns. Coverage was deep, plentiful and light soft snow. Casa was excellent but I didn't make it down any of the headwall trails since the top looked fairly sketchy and I figured may as well keep hitting Casa while it was nice.
Long lines at the Rangeley when we arrived at 9:30. Didn't get onto the first chair until 10:45 as we waited in a long line to pick up our passes.

Mgmt moved it along as best they could by selling day tickets in two alternate locations but still very busy....lotta PEAK passes being purchased it seemed for the holiday week.
Was pretty surprised the Yurt wasn't opened but this gave us a chance to try out the new menu offerings upstairs for lunch.
The Gunslinger Burger (bbq sauce, gouda, bacon, onion rings, burger) was terrific and we liked some of the changes they made to the pub menu


1/1/11 New Years Day
Left Embden at 8:45 and got to the mtn at 10. ....not a bad ride, really Rte 4 from Phillips to Rangeley is the slowest section with the elevation change and the opportunity to be caught behind some slow vehicles.
Our friends lake house should work out well this season and we'll be up most wknds making this trek East to West.

Mtn totally socked in in fog when we arrived, no goggles all day made the most sense. It was warm enough that the teary eyes werent a problem.

Ski-on all day, all lifts. Upper quad really wasn;t worth it we didn;t think. We hit Casa #4 upon arrival and it was a rough go. Very wet, but still deep snow made for turns that felt like we were slogging through quicksand. The lack of response time combined with some exposed stumps made this our only trip through the glades all day.
ROTD was probably P-Belle and it was nice having the T open. Nice soft bumps up top that had some skiable lines formed.
Coachmen skied well on skiiers right, left of the tower was too manky.
Peachys was too variable to truly be enjoyed top to bottom but did have some ok sections.
The top headwalls off the K were pretty beat up as well, I'd imagine extensive snowmaking will be needed on those this week.

Minor setback for the mtn with the warmth but they held up better than most I'd guess.
Little snowmaking in select spots (headwalls, possibly Peachys, base of quad?) and SB will be rocking again next wknd.

I'd be curious to hear how conditions and lines were today for $29 Maine Day if anyone went.

-Chris

For the 3rd year in a row, the trip is planned, we leave Thursday, ski SR on friday, head for Rangeley Friday nite and ski SB until Tues/wed. Both previous trips cancelled for weather, etc. Wife's in the hospital since early AM today with oxygenation issues again. Storm clouds are gathering over this trip as well.

Moe Ghoul said:

For the 3rd year in a row, the trip is planned, we leave Thursday, ski SR on friday, head for Rangeley Friday nite and ski SB until Tues/wed. Both previous trips cancelled for weather, etc. Wife's in the hospital since early AM today with oxygenation issues again. Storm clouds are gathering over this trip as well.

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Bummer Moe Ghoul - best wishes to the wife for a speedy recovery.

xwhaler said:

Minor setback for the mtn with the warmth but they held up better than most I'd guess.
Little snowmaking in select spots (headwalls, possibly Peachys, base of quad?) and SB will be rocking again next wknd.
-Chris

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Thanks for the new years update XWahler. Looks like they are resetting the mountain with groomed terrain only (as is everyone). Hopefully snowmmaking + natural snow later this week will quickly open things backup.