vinnyv11
New member
With the impending weather event and everything that was coming to the Poc's I figured we should head north to get out of the crap. The weather report was showing a snow event at Platty so I was hoping for a slight powder day. We got up at 3:30 and hit the rode by 4 to try and make opening. After a unfruitful event at Pricechopper where they couldn't process there own discount lift tickets I got screwed on the deal and ended up paying full price at the mountain. Great deal if anyone can get it though 29 lift vs. 58 for ticket window.
Anyway after arriving at the mountain 15 minutes before lifts started we booted up and headed up to the top. Weather was good with a slight nip in the air but a little foggy at the top 20% of the mountain. After we hit the lift (which was ski on all day!) the wife wanted to take the first run down the beginner trail. We headed down and found the snow that they had gotten recently and the groomer's were doing amazing work as the snow was absolutely awesome. After getting half way down I talked the wife into trying the bottom half of the mountain's intermediate runs. We hit shredded mozzarella and found a great run which had nice undulations on the run. After another lift ride she decided to give lower face a run which was a great pitch with wide open space and snow everywhere. A few more runs in I broke off to check out the rest of the runs off the skier's left lift with some nice ungroomed on a section of the blue sundown. Upper face was a really fun expert run with some really big undulations that you could definitely get air off if you didn't see them coming. Skier's right had soft bumps but the fog was really thick so I was hoping to wait for the clear up to give them a try but didn't get the chance. The wife did really well skiing all the blues off of that lift with ease by the end of the day. Around 11:30 she wanted to head in to use the restroom and take a break so I made my way over the the other lift were the day really got good.
After skiing over I met up with Scotty and Cornhead that were hitting the mountain this weekend. Really nice guys who were glad to show me around a mountain that they loved. We hit runs down all the open expert trails and the snow was amazing. The groomer's would leave sections of most the trails ungroomed which were filled with hero snow and great cover. After hitting most of the runs we saw that the rope on freefall was down (or sagging to the point that it was covered by snow so you make the call
) with completely ungroomed snow and some thin cover. This was boot to knee deep and had clearly been poached most of the day but man was it fun. I really have limited powder experience and I could feel my ski's diving but after just taking my time and working my way down man was that fun. We did a couple more runs around the mountain and down the other lift when we decided to head into lunch. Had a couple of drinks and lunch with the guys and wife and headed back out for round 2. The wife and I did a couple runs at which point she decided she was done just a little too tired and she wanted to to be ok to ski today so good call. All in all a great progression day where she skied things that I would never have thought she would without me pushing her down the hill.
With the wife in the lodge I headed over to the other lift and caught back up with the guys and we continued to hit every run they had (mostly which were open). Found some great snow to be had and the conditions really held on almost all day.
All in all I really enjoyed this mountain with its small time feel and amazing conditions some thin spots to be found but easily avoidable. The mountain seems to really let the terrain dictate what the trails look like as natural dips and drops exist all over the place and the groomers allow the natural terrain to dictate the trails. I really wish the snow we were forecasted showed up because there were definitely trees to be had but nothing looked very skiable without rock skis but I can see how a powder day would be absolutely amazing.
View up the skier's left lift
Great little ungroomed run under the lift
View down skier's right lift
Wife flying down the mountain (intermediate run)
Anyway after arriving at the mountain 15 minutes before lifts started we booted up and headed up to the top. Weather was good with a slight nip in the air but a little foggy at the top 20% of the mountain. After we hit the lift (which was ski on all day!) the wife wanted to take the first run down the beginner trail. We headed down and found the snow that they had gotten recently and the groomer's were doing amazing work as the snow was absolutely awesome. After getting half way down I talked the wife into trying the bottom half of the mountain's intermediate runs. We hit shredded mozzarella and found a great run which had nice undulations on the run. After another lift ride she decided to give lower face a run which was a great pitch with wide open space and snow everywhere. A few more runs in I broke off to check out the rest of the runs off the skier's left lift with some nice ungroomed on a section of the blue sundown. Upper face was a really fun expert run with some really big undulations that you could definitely get air off if you didn't see them coming. Skier's right had soft bumps but the fog was really thick so I was hoping to wait for the clear up to give them a try but didn't get the chance. The wife did really well skiing all the blues off of that lift with ease by the end of the day. Around 11:30 she wanted to head in to use the restroom and take a break so I made my way over the the other lift were the day really got good.
After skiing over I met up with Scotty and Cornhead that were hitting the mountain this weekend. Really nice guys who were glad to show me around a mountain that they loved. We hit runs down all the open expert trails and the snow was amazing. The groomer's would leave sections of most the trails ungroomed which were filled with hero snow and great cover. After hitting most of the runs we saw that the rope on freefall was down (or sagging to the point that it was covered by snow so you make the call
With the wife in the lodge I headed over to the other lift and caught back up with the guys and we continued to hit every run they had (mostly which were open). Found some great snow to be had and the conditions really held on almost all day.
All in all I really enjoyed this mountain with its small time feel and amazing conditions some thin spots to be found but easily avoidable. The mountain seems to really let the terrain dictate what the trails look like as natural dips and drops exist all over the place and the groomers allow the natural terrain to dictate the trails. I really wish the snow we were forecasted showed up because there were definitely trees to be had but nothing looked very skiable without rock skis but I can see how a powder day would be absolutely amazing.
View up the skier's left lift
Great little ungroomed run under the lift
View down skier's right lift
Wife flying down the mountain (intermediate run)
