Recent Ragged reports?

[hammer]

Any recent reports from Ragged? Was planning on going to Crotched on Sunday and waiting on Ragged for President's Day but I may have to change things around...

 

[hammer]

Went to Crotched on Sunday...conditions were great but the lodge was packed with racers and their friends/family. Would not go again when one of those events is going on.

I was considering going to Ragged on this Saturday the 13th, but their calendar says that there is a "USASA SL GS" event. I believe that this is a USA Snowboarders Association race.

What impact will this event have on trails/crowds? Guess I'm really crowd-averse...

 

[deadheadskier]

During most race days this season, the crowds have been manageable. The races have been taking up the Town Meeting slope, however I heard talks that eventually they want to designate Flying Yankee the race trail. I'd be surprised if they did that this weekend as they want to show the racers a good experience and the Spear Mountain Triple isn't exactly a good experience. It will create 10-15 min lines on the six pack, but much less if you're willing to take the singles line. Spear will be ski on. Despite lines on the six pack, the trails will be comfortably spaced.

Somewhat limited terrain open now. All of the natural snow trails are closed. You've basically got the three top to bottom runs on Spruce and 5ish variations for the main mountain, with the race taking away one of those. I'm not typically a groomer skier, but I find myself thinking Ragged could use a bit more variety in that department. Perhaps the pipe is compromised, but they do have it on Birches and I think the mountain would be best served to regrade that trail and make it a groomer.

I'll probably be there for a few hours to get some exercise, but my hopes aren't all that high of it being anything stellar. Was considering a drive over to somewhere in Vermont, but I don't have the time to make it up to the Northern areas that have the snow right now. Looks like the southern part of the state will get skunked for the most part.

 

[speden]

The most recent trip report I've seen on Ragged is from 2/6/10 over on snowjournal. They have kind of a running thread on Ragged.

Sounds to me like the snowmaking isn't that great at Ragged. Once they've blown snow on a trail, they move on and don't come back to refresh. So conditions sound like they are pretty firm right now, and some gravel churned up on some trails.

See the last posts here:

http://www.snowjournal.com/page.php?cid=topic15918&start=2

If they get some new snow on Wednesday, that should improve the conditions.

 

[deadheadskier]

Very true regarding the snowmaking. My observation is not their air/water capacity, but the number of guns they have. It seems inefficient how they need to move guns all over the place to open new trails. Some tower guns on the main trails would do well. I know a patroller told me Sunday that they were done making snow for the season.

Overall, the opinions I'm hearing from long time pass holders is that the snowmaking efforts and grooming this year have been better than ever before.

I was there this past Sunday and all of the groomer trails were in excellent shape. Only place I encountered any ice at was Headwall (which is almost always the case) and Chute......both high traffic trails. Lower Ridge, Newfound Ridge, Exhibition, Showboat, Yankee I'll skied near perfectly. Then again, the place was empty due to Superbowl Sunday. Overall this season, I've been impressed with the trail conditions, but I think it mainly has to do with minimal traffic beating them up.

 

[speden]

I know a patroller told me Sunday that they were done making snow for the season.

I've been checking their trail report from time to time, and noticed an apparent lack of recovery since the big rainstorm. Seems like it took out all their black trails, and I wondered why they weren't able to blow snow on them and get them open. I know they can't do anything about the glades, but it seems like they'd want a few of their other black trails open.

I don't know if you noticed the post in the snowjournal thread on 12/26 about them pumping water from the bog. Apparently they are trying to get a permit from the state to allow them to double the amount of water they pump from the bog.

Based on that I'd say their snowmaking is constrained by their water supply, and then the shortage of fixed guns. Hopefully they'll keep making progress each season.

 

[Angus]

Went to Crotched on Sunday...conditions were great but the lodge was packed with racers and their friends/family. Would not go again when one of those events is going on.

Skied on a PM ticket and arrived to the race which closed one of the nicer trails on the mountain. IMO, it did not impact lift waits - max 6 chair wait - at all. Per an earlier thread...a good amount of loose man-made powder over boiler-plate. I thought the conditions were above-average for a post-rain recovery.

 

[deadheadskier]

I've been checking their trail report from time to time, and noticed an apparent lack of recovery since the big rainstorm. Seems like it took out all their black trails, and I wondered why they weren't able to blow snow on them and get them open.

Only black diamonds with snowmaking are Showboat and Headwall really. There is pipe on Birches, but I haven't seen it used all season. I know that when the new ownership bought the place, it was said that much of the snowmaking infrastructure was inoperable. Perhaps that is the case with Birches.

 

[hammer]

During most race days this season, the crowds have been manageable. The races have been taking up the Town Meeting slope, however I heard talks that eventually they want to designate Flying Yankee the race trail. I'd be surprised if they did that this weekend as they want to show the racers a good experience and the Spear Mountain Triple isn't exactly a good experience. It will create 10-15 min lines on the six pack, but much less if you're willing to take the singles line. Spear will be ski on. Despite lines on the six pack, the trails will be comfortably spaced.

Somewhat limited terrain open now. All of the natural snow trails are closed. You've basically got the three top to bottom runs on Spruce and 5ish variations for the main mountain, with the race taking away one of those. I'm not typically a groomer skier, but I find myself thinking Ragged could use a bit more variety in that department. Perhaps the pipe is compromised, but they do have it on Birches and I think the mountain would be best served to regrade that trail and make it a groomer.

I'll probably be there for a few hours to get some exercise, but my hopes aren't all that high of it being anything stellar. Was considering a drive over to somewhere in Vermont, but I don't have the time to make it up to the Northern areas that have the snow right now. Looks like the southern part of the state will get skunked for the most part.

Thanks...think I'll pass on Saturday then. Town Meeting was the main trail for my daughter and she has issues with higher lift chairs so it doesn't seem like a good situation for her.

Now I have to find a different time to go, have SkiNH passes to use or lose...

 

[57stevey]

Perhaps the pipe is compromised, but they do have it on Birches and I think the mountain would be best served to regrade that trail and make it a groomer.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo! No regrade, we love that trail! When it's open.

Did I understand you to say Showboat is open? It's not showing as such on their report. :blink:

 

[deadheadskier]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo! No regrade, we love that trail! When it's open.

Did I understand you to say Showboat is open? It's not showing as such on their report. :blink:

You trust their trail report? :blink: :lol: Showboat was open on Sunday with a deep base. Only way I could see it not being open now is if the creek is running hard at the bottom and it ate away the snow 'bridge' where you cross it.

As for the regrade....a minor one, just in the flat middle section where there's some ledge and it would require significant snowmaking to be able to work a groomer through there. Most of the trail is completely fine as is.

Trust me, Birches is perhaps my favorite trail on the mountain, but left as a natural trail, it's kind of a weenie black diamond. The bumps never really formed at all. When things were good in January, for two straight weeks I'd come back thinking they'd build and they were just push piles here and there with long stretches of scraped off snow inbetween. Short of significant natural snowfall and skier traffic, it's never going to form good bumps.

So, I say make Birches a cruiser that sees snowmaking. Having another cruising option on the Exhibition side of the main peak would draw a bit of traffic away from the other side of the mountain by Chute, Ridge, etc. and make conditions better overall. Sweepstakes right next to it is essentially the same exact trail and could be left as is. Having them both closed right now really doesn't do the mountain much good.

 

[jack97]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo! No regrade, we love that trail! When it's open.

Did I understand you to say Showboat is open? It's not showing as such on their

I understand DHS reasons, makes sense from a business point of view. Between the two trails, Birches and Sweepstake, I would lap Sweepstake all day (and did c aouple of times). Birches doesn't compare. That said, it would change Ragged's appeal to me.

 

[billski]

Ragged went through a period in the late 90s and early 00s where they constantly were getting new snow, and the conditions couldn't be beat. It's one of those places that indeed needs ma nature to complement the snow making.

 

[SteveInCT]

I wish they would get a few dumps to open the mountain up. I have never skied there but purchased a couple of passes earlier in the year (buy one get one) and have to use them. I hate to hit a half open mountain for my first visit but it is looking like I am going to have to bite the bullet and head up there.

 

[deadheadskier]

I understand DHS reasons, makes sense from a business point of view. Between the two trails, Birches and Sweepstake, I would lap Sweepstake all day (and did c aouple of times). Birches doesn't compare. That said, it would change Ragged's appeal to me.

It would, but my 'plan' for Ragged would appeal to you as it would add what Sunapee is doing to the mix.

Ragged went through a period in the late 90s and early 00s where they constantly were getting new snow, and the conditions couldn't be beat. It's one of those places that indeed needs ma nature to complement the snow making.

Yep, but unless you're MRV north, can't always count on Ma Nature. My basic understanding of the potential growth at Ragged points to essentially unlimited water for snowmaking once the bog permits are redone.

My favorite college professor was the roomate of Les Otten when he was a student himself. He said he met Les at a bar drawing trail maps on a cocktail napkin. I used to do the same thing as a kid and still kind of dream in the same way.

My 'vision' for what Ragged should do absent the Pinnacle Peak expansion. This is dreamland mind you, with the necessary financing.

A. Get the necessary water withdrawal permits and expand their snowmaking equipment Quiver. They have half the guns and water they need to not only blow to open terrain, but refresh after nasty weather. (needs to happen. 100 inches a year don't cut it)

B. High Speed Quad to Spear.

C. Remove rocks skiers right side of Showboat, bury the creek with culvert at the bottom of the main pitch. Probably should do the same at the bottom of Yankee as well. Both areas require obscene amounts of snow to cover up. Make the skiers left side of Showboat a consistently managed seeded bump run. Minus natural snow and Raggeds trees, there is no challenge at Ragged. Showboat's pitch is perfect on skiers left. I would compare it to Goose at Sunapee, maybe a touch steeper and roughly the same length. Skiers Right with the double fall line would make for great 'expert' cruising, however all the rocks doubles, if not triples the snowmaking base needed to open. Also add low angle learning bumps on the superwide bottom of turnpike to peak interest.

D. Cut a classic narrow New England style trail between Lower Exhibition and Town Meeting. Lots of real estate in there. Have it essentially be an extension of Lower Crew Cut, but make it interesting, not just another straight boulevard. The combination of this and my suggestion for Birches would draw traffic away from the clusterf$#k over on Chute, Ridge etc.

E. Snowmaking on Easywinder and perhaps a short run or two down from Lower Ridge to it.

I think doing the above would still allow Ragged to be Ragged, wouldn't change the 'soul' of the place much. However, it would ski a fair bit bigger with the added cruising terrain and would ski a lot more advancedwith Showboat being a bad ass bump run. It would just be a much more complete package even during down winters. The Glades are the gravy when Ma Nature helps.

my cocktail napkin dream

 

[Rushski]

Agree that they need a HS chair up to Spear to get the crowd away from the six-pack. That lift up Spear is possibly the slowest lift I've ever been on - ever.

Also as previously mentioned that they need to do a better job updating their trail reports. Interactive trail maps should be mandatory for all ski areas...

 

[57stevey]

Agree that they need a HS chair up to Spear to get the crowd away from the six-pack. That lift up Spear is possibly the slowest lift I've ever been on - ever.

I dunno, the old summit chair at Gunstock was the one that used to kill me. Personally I'd rather see a faster, more reliable fixed-grip quad on Spear than a HSQ. I have never found the "crowd" on the 6-pack to be too onerous (at least when uh, Evelyn? is there) and I guess I like the "remoteness" of Spear. I would hate to see Cardigan turn into a version of Sunapee's Ridge (ugh.)

 

[jack97]

C. ....... Make the skiers left side of Showboat a consistently managed seeded bump run. Minus natural snow and Raggeds trees, there is no challenge at Ragged. Showboat's pitch is perfect on skiers left. I would compare it to Goose at Sunapee, maybe a touch steeper and roughly the same length. Skiers Right with the double fall line would make for great 'expert' cruising, however all the rocks doubles, if not triples the snowmaking base needed to open. Also add low angle learning bumps on the superwide bottom of turnpike to peak interest.

Nice plan.... kind of lost track of the rest tho

Thats if they get the snow making capacity going and if they open up spear mountain early in the season. Thats in the future, for the present I would go to Ragged if they seeded an intermediate trail like lower exhibition. I think that trail is wide enough from mid point to the bottom and that trail has good wind protection so the bumps can be low maintenance for crew, meaning cost effective and they can still make it a challenge when the glades are closed.

 

[deadheadskier]

Nice plan.... kind of lost track of the rest tho

Thats if they get the snow making capacity going and if they open up spear mountain early in the season. Thats in the future, for the present I would go to Ragged if they seeded an intermediate trail like lower exhibition. I think that trail is wide enough from mid point to the bottom and that trail has good wind protection so the bumps can be low maintenance for crew, meaning cost effective and they can still make it a challenge when the glades are closed.

Showboat was the last trail they blew open. They did open Spear quite early this year though. They opened Chute variations and Lower Ridge first, followed by Cardigan Turnpike on Spear. I could check my trip reports, but I'm almost positive they opened Spear prior to Exhibition. If not, it was the next in line.