Ragged Mountain - 1.16.10

[gmcunni]

Date(s) Skied: 1.16.10

Resort or Ski Area: Ragged Mountain

Conditions: Sunny & 40. scratchy snow

Trip Report: First time visit to Ragged Mountain. Was worried about MLK weekend crowds and heard rumors that Ragged was immune to such things so we headed there for the day. Family style skiing this weekend so plan was to hit greens and blues so the kids would have a fun time.

Arrived to find parking lots pretty full but pulled the old "we're just dropping off" and snagged a spot right near the lodge. Booted up and hit the 6-pack lift. the kids had never been on a 6 pack and found it "fun" that we all got to ride together.

I don't think NH has gotten much snow in past 2 weeks since we'd been up and it showed. Trails were scratchy at best. Some scrapped off powder in spots but edges were needed. Even though it was pretty warm the snow didn't seem to soften up.

Skied with the kids and everyone had a good time. Having not been there before I can't compare crowds to what is normal but thought it was VERY crowded today. We bailed on the 6 pack for several runs and hit the triple due to the line.

 

[deadheadskier]

no kidding

I haven't waited in a lift line longer than 5 minutes all season. Will be there tomorrow. Did you ski Birches? Bumps were starting to form on it last weekend. Curious how it was skiing.

Part of me is surprised. The other part happy they're doing good business this weekend.

 

[gmcunni]

no kidding

I haven't waited in a lift line longer than 5 minutes all season. Will be there tomorrow. Did you ski Birches? Bumps were starting to form on it last weekend. Curious how it was skiing.

Part of me is surprised. The other part happy they're doing good business this weekend.

didn't ski Birches. here's a shot at the base showing crowds. like i said, not sure how it compares to regular but we thought the lines where long.

 

[deadheadskier]

yeah, busiest I have seen it so far this season is about half that.

good to see if it means money for HSQ on Spear next season.

and though not the best conditions, what did you think of the mountain?

 

[St. Bear]

I was there yesterday. Birches and Sweepstakes both were beginning to show bumps, but more snow is definitely needed. The morning was extremely sketchy, but the sun warmed up the trails nicely in the afternoon, and most of the blues were skiing beautifully (Exhibition, Reggae Glades, Flying Yankee). Some of the tree runs off Spear were open (Jeffrey's Journey and Devil's Den), and while I enjoyed myself, they had no business being open. I would be surprised if they were open at all today.

 

[billski]

didn't ski Birches. here's a shot at the base showing crowds. like i said, not sure how it compares to regular but we thought the lines where long.

That's HUGE! I've never, ever, in 15 years skiing there seen a line that big or even close to that. Wow. Good for them (bad for you). I suppose though being a 6 it moves pretty fast? Did it put too many people on the trail at once?

 

[riverc0il]

The only time I have skied Ragged, about a half dozen years ago, the 6 had a line about half that size on average. Not surprising at all that it would get that long on a holiday weekend.

 

[billski]

The only time I have skied Ragged, about a half dozen years ago, the 6 had a line about half that size on average. Not surprising at all that it would get that long on a holiday weekend.

Steve, you exceeded your PM message quota. Clear something out so I can send you something!

 

[riverc0il]

Steve, you exceeded your PM message quota. Clear something out so I can send you something!

Oops, heh. Done. I always forget to clear out my Sent messages. Gotta export em' at some point.

 

[playoutside]

That's HUGE! I've never, ever, in 15 years skiing there seen a line that big or even close to that. Wow. Good for them (bad for you). I suppose though being a 6 it moves pretty fast? Did it put too many people on the trail at once?

Was there yesterday too. I don't think it put too many on the trails at once. Really the congestion was at the lifts. There were more people on each run than I've seen there before, but nothing like an Okemo, Stratton, Mt Snow on a Saturday.

I think a big contributor to the crowds was that the CHAD card was good yesterday...apparently Ragged blacked out nothing...good for them, great for CHAD cardholders. One person in my group lucked out when a cardholder was looking for a second for their 2for1 deal.

 

[deadheadskier]

Was there yesterday too. I don't think it put too many on the trails at once. Really the congestion was at the lifts.

agreed. Today was supposedly nearly as busy as yesterday and I didn't feel cramped on the trails at all.

Only congestion really is at the Headwall / Chute / Crewcut intersection and then down on Village Green, especially because of the race taking up half the trail.

There's a fair amount of space between Main Street and Lower Exhibition. I think the intersection up on Chute would be reduced drastically if they were to put a new trail in between Main Street and Lower Exhibition starting right where Town Meeting comes into Newfound Ridge. Make it an interesting fairly narrow, winding cruiser to pull traffic over.

 

[gmcunni]

agreed. Today was supposedly nearly as busy as yesterday and I didn't feel cramped on the trails at all.

i thought the trails were a bit busy but it was probably due to where we were skiing. since was with kids we were on the easiest of trails.

 

[St. Bear]

If you went on anything that wasn't groomed, you were pretty much skiing alone.

 

[RootDKJ]

didn't ski Birches. here's a shot at the base showing crowds. like i said, not sure how it compares to regular but we thought the lines where long.

Wow! If there were that many people at Blue I'd leave.