Wachusett - 1/15/10

[speden]

Conditions: Partly cloudy, occasional wind, 30's to 40's, loose granular/packed powder

Wasn't sure where to head today. Thought just maybe Wachusett wouldn't be too busy today, and I could get away with the short drive. Hit some rush hour traffic on the way there, so missed being on the lift when they opened at 9 by about 15 minutes.

Started out overcast, so I had on my clear goggles. After a couple runs it was suddenly blue skies, so switched to some tinted ones. Later on the clouds came back. The temps rose rapidly during the day. Halfway through the morning I took out my coat liner and changed from gloves to just glove liners.

The snow was nice early on. It hadn't warmed up too much yet, but it was soft and not too slow, like loose granular conditions. As the day wore on it stayed pretty much like that, but started to feel more wet and grabby by lunchtime, and seemed like maybe it was starting to compact down a little. Not sure how much it will thaw today, but could freeze up somewhat tonight.

I parked in row six, but the hordes kept coming and lines soon started to build at the lifts. I ducked into the lodge for an early lunch at 11, thinking I'd be back out there when the masses went to eat lunch. But when I went back out, the lines just seemed to be getting longer. So I just took a couple more runs and called it a day.

Top of 10th

Start of the seeded bumps on 10th. There were a few people giving it a go. I even saw a snowboarder on them. The bumps looked a little on the small side, and weren't very rounded anymore.

Lower 10th

Here's what they did with the big whales at the bottom of Look Mom

More places to catch air on Look Mom

They've got a few rails on Look Mom

Kind of a weird feature at the start of the Look Mom park. Not sure how you get enough speed there to really hit it.

Eh, the lines started to build on Minuteman

The lines got even worse on the Polar Express

Smith Walton

 

[WJenness]

Thanks for the TR.

Strange to see Wa during the day...

I've only had two day sessions there, and about 40 night sessions...

-w

 

[wa-loaf]

I'm going on Monday just to run some practice sessions on the NASTAR course. Want to bump my golds up to gold+. Hoping it's not too crowded, but it seems folks are vacationing closer to home this year.

 

[speden]

I'm going on Monday just to run some practice sessions on the NASTAR course. Want to bump my golds up to gold+. Hoping it's not too crowded, but it seems folks are vacationing closer to home this year.

Could get pretty crowded during the long weekend based on what it was like today. I think I'll head further north this weekend.

 

[soulseller]

I was there Wednesday, not bad conditions but I've been spoiled by my last 5 days up north which have all been of varying degrees of powder/fresh snow.

I am really irritated by their park design this year. I have never been a park guy but I use Wa as my practice hill for bigger and better mountains so I really wish they would put a little more variety in their features. As is there is not a single feature that I feel comfortable going over especially at night. I don't really understand who they they think their market is, I see Wa as a learning hill, why wouldn't they build more reasonably sized features?

 

[speden]

I was there Wednesday, not bad conditions but I've been spoiled by my last 5 days up north which have all been of varying degrees of powder/fresh snow.

I am really irritated by their park design this year. I have never been a park guy but I use Wa as my practice hill for bigger and better mountains so I really wish they would put a little more variety in their features. As is there is not a single feature that I feel comfortable going over especially at night. I don't really understand who they they think their market is, I see Wa as a learning hill, why wouldn't they build more reasonably sized features?

I didn't get over there to look at it, but don't they usually have some smaller features over on Frannie's Folly?

 

[soulseller]

They usually do and I have to admit I didn't go over there but peering through the trees from the lift it didn't look like it was set up.

Typically Look Ma has features of varying size and they don't this year, I hope they are still working on it.

 

[Marc]

I'm going on Monday just to run some practice sessions on the NASTAR course. Want to bump my golds up to gold+. Hoping it's not too crowded, but it seems folks are vacationing closer to home this year.

MLK day is always a mad house. A couple runs should take you a solid three hours.

 

[wa-loaf]

MLK day is always a mad house. A couple runs should take you a solid three hours.

I know, singles line on the Minuteman goes quick though. But if there's a line at the NASTAR course I'm out of there.

 

[WJenness]

How is MLK night usually?

I'm thinking without the school groups it might be OK?

Or is that wishful thinking?

-w

 

[wawawawawa]

They usually do and I have to admit I didn't go over there but peering through the trees from the lift it didn't look like it was set up.

Typically Look Ma has features of varying size and they don't this year, I hope they are still working on it.

Theres a small jump and 2 ride on boxes on Frannies as of today.