Date(s) Skied: 1/06/08
Resort or Ski Area: Wildcat
Conditions: Packed Powder
Trip Report:
It was a weekend of firsts for me. Yesterday first time skiing Mt. Abram, today first time skiing Wildcat and while there today, in the crock pot the lady got for Christmas, my first Pot Roast.
I love firts....who doesn't?
Wildcat has rated up there forever for me for a must do area. This is especially true after this fall working and visiting N.Conway for the first time in 15 years and driving up to see the mountain. What a fantastic place. The feeling driving into the parking lot and it's just cars, one lodge and a one Quad chair going straight to the top, nothing else, reminds me of how Stowe used to be. I'm not anti-development in the slightest and I'm actually pro-development at Stowe as I think the town needs it, but man there is just something so basic and primitive about a place like Wildcat that I just love. It's skiing, that's it and that's all. Tons of soul.
The conditions were absolutely fantastic. Buttery packed powder on the groomers and smooth fun soft snow on the bump / obstacle lines of the natural trails. I was skiing with a buddy from Boston who is a low intermediate. Our first run was Pole Cat. How I had read so many great things about this trail, it's character the views - everything and man does it not dissapoint. What a ride. Nearly 3 miles of consistent pitch. You can let em' run the whole way if you want to, there's some slightly faster sections you can really just carve out, terrain features and oh my gosh views around every corner. Second run was Catapult and it was equally as great. It was better for the pitch, but in ways I enjoyed Pole Cat more as it seemed to have fewer interesections and just longer stretches where you really feel out in the woods.
As mentioned, I was with a novice skier, so basically we spent the day alternating back and forth between those two trails and Lynx from the summit and I would dart off here and there to ski sections of Top Cat, Lift Lion, Black Cat etc. I didn't dive into any Glades, but certainly got a taste of Wildcat's most challenging trails and had an absolute ball. Perfect weather and perfect non-powder day conditions obviously don't hurt.
The place was relatively crowd free. Longest line in the quad all day was maybe 5 minutes if that. I'll agree with most people's assesments in that it's more MIldcat than Wildcat. There's nothing there that offers true heart pumping challenge. That said, I think even the most advanced skiers and riders, those who spend more time across the street at Tucks, could still have fun there. I've read of Thompson's brook and I can't wait to try that someday. I'm sure when I do, my opinion of the area's expert offerings will go up a notch.
Wildcat is definitely my kinda place. I love the soul of the place. I do still walk away wishing there was more though. I had made a thread this fall about most unrecognized potential for ski areas and it was right after I drove by Wildcat. I never would like to see it become a resort, but if they could add just one more great quad chair up to the peak that's skiers right the place could be absolutely amazing. I LOVED the mountains sustained verticle, it's as run out free as anywhere - a true 2100 feet. I just wish there was a little more of it. The purists will probably hate me for this...but if I had the keys to the operation and the forest service allowed it....one more peak and another 150 acreas of terrain, just about double the size. I don't think that's too much to ask. Oh and make those 150 acreas as au natural as possible like MRG. You do that, and Wildcat vaults to top of the east in my book.
I guy can dream.....it sounds like it happened for A-Basin this year, perhaps someday at Wildcat.
Resort or Ski Area: Wildcat
Conditions: Packed Powder
Trip Report:
It was a weekend of firsts for me. Yesterday first time skiing Mt. Abram, today first time skiing Wildcat and while there today, in the crock pot the lady got for Christmas, my first Pot Roast.
I love firts....who doesn't?
Wildcat has rated up there forever for me for a must do area. This is especially true after this fall working and visiting N.Conway for the first time in 15 years and driving up to see the mountain. What a fantastic place. The feeling driving into the parking lot and it's just cars, one lodge and a one Quad chair going straight to the top, nothing else, reminds me of how Stowe used to be. I'm not anti-development in the slightest and I'm actually pro-development at Stowe as I think the town needs it, but man there is just something so basic and primitive about a place like Wildcat that I just love. It's skiing, that's it and that's all. Tons of soul.
The conditions were absolutely fantastic. Buttery packed powder on the groomers and smooth fun soft snow on the bump / obstacle lines of the natural trails. I was skiing with a buddy from Boston who is a low intermediate. Our first run was Pole Cat. How I had read so many great things about this trail, it's character the views - everything and man does it not dissapoint. What a ride. Nearly 3 miles of consistent pitch. You can let em' run the whole way if you want to, there's some slightly faster sections you can really just carve out, terrain features and oh my gosh views around every corner. Second run was Catapult and it was equally as great. It was better for the pitch, but in ways I enjoyed Pole Cat more as it seemed to have fewer interesections and just longer stretches where you really feel out in the woods.
As mentioned, I was with a novice skier, so basically we spent the day alternating back and forth between those two trails and Lynx from the summit and I would dart off here and there to ski sections of Top Cat, Lift Lion, Black Cat etc. I didn't dive into any Glades, but certainly got a taste of Wildcat's most challenging trails and had an absolute ball. Perfect weather and perfect non-powder day conditions obviously don't hurt.
The place was relatively crowd free. Longest line in the quad all day was maybe 5 minutes if that. I'll agree with most people's assesments in that it's more MIldcat than Wildcat. There's nothing there that offers true heart pumping challenge. That said, I think even the most advanced skiers and riders, those who spend more time across the street at Tucks, could still have fun there. I've read of Thompson's brook and I can't wait to try that someday. I'm sure when I do, my opinion of the area's expert offerings will go up a notch.
Wildcat is definitely my kinda place. I love the soul of the place. I do still walk away wishing there was more though. I had made a thread this fall about most unrecognized potential for ski areas and it was right after I drove by Wildcat. I never would like to see it become a resort, but if they could add just one more great quad chair up to the peak that's skiers right the place could be absolutely amazing. I LOVED the mountains sustained verticle, it's as run out free as anywhere - a true 2100 feet. I just wish there was a little more of it. The purists will probably hate me for this...but if I had the keys to the operation and the forest service allowed it....one more peak and another 150 acreas of terrain, just about double the size. I don't think that's too much to ask. Oh and make those 150 acreas as au natural as possible like MRG. You do that, and Wildcat vaults to top of the east in my book.
I guy can dream.....it sounds like it happened for A-Basin this year, perhaps someday at Wildcat.
