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Sunday River - 2014 Feb 14 - Valentine's Powder

WJenness

Active member
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
3,024
Points
38
Location
Lowell, MA
Date(s) Skied: February 14, 2014

Resort or Ski Area: Sunday River

Conditions: Powder! (16"-20"

Trip Report:

First, pictures: http://plus.google.com/photos/118373020664225052688/albums/5980743177697124193

Alpine Replay visit: http://www.alpinereplay.com/stats?id=2850&vId=687584


Wow!

Easily my best day of skiing ever...

Fresh powder everywhere, fresh lines longer than my legs could last, no complaints at all.

Today was the first pow day that I've had my K2 Kung Fujas, and they rocked it. Made an unbelievable difference in my ability to ski and enjoy powder. Just a different world with the right tool on your feet.

Stayed on the mountain Thursday night, woke up early, couldn't wait to get on the hill. Got ready, headed out, was in line for the Tempest chair around 8:30. Was all set to go on the third chair of the day... (Pic of the line behind me in the album linked). Unfortunately, the Tempest Chair was a little late loading due to some issues at the top. We started loading at about 9:13 or so. The Locke chair was loading earlier than that, so we got beat to some of the fresh lines, but there was more than enough to go around.

First run, I hit Monday Mourning... Simply effortless, perfect turns in silky snow, only a couple tracks.

Then it was time to head West. I knew the wind would build through the day, so I wanted to get to Jordan before the lift got shut down.

Barker Chair -> Lazy River -> Risky -> Lower Lazy -> Escapade -> North Peak Chair -> Polaris -> Sensation (thought about Quantum Leap, but it looked sketchy as hell on Thursday) -> Aurora Chair...

As I was getting to the Aurora chair, I noticed the Jordan Double running (which it normally wouldn't be on a weekday), so I thought the Jordan Chair was closed and wouldn't run at all... Then near the top of the lift, I noticed a few people waiting to go West on State Fair, and a Ski Patrol guy getting ready to pull the rope... I knew where I was going.

Got to the rope just as he was coiling half of it, and got to the Jordan Chair before they started loading it. It was quite the free for all push to get on the lift, I ended getting about 10th chair.

Going up the lift, there was a sole track down Carumba, and otherwise, virgin snow.

I headed for Excalibur at the top and was greeted with 4 or 5 tracks beside my own going down the trail. I had an untracked line all the way down. It was spectacular...

UNTIL... I wiped out... Not the first time, I got right up and kept going... But the second time, I ejected out of my left ski. I got up and started looking for my ski. I noticed two tracks coming down where I was skiing, the giant explosion of powder where I fell... And then one ski trail heading down and off the trail. Just as I was noticing this, a guy called out from down below and said "HEY! Your other ski is way over here"... It ended up going about 100 yards down the hill, and about a hundred feet to the left of where I fell... I tried some one footed skiing across the trail, ended up falling on my face again (After getting about half way there) and then hoofed it to the other ski.

I had to climb over a snowmaking pipe, and into Blind Ambition to get to my ski... Including making my way through a snow drift that was up to mid thigh...

And once I got there... Nothing but deep untracked powder in front of me through Blind Ambition. It was incredible.

I then took another run through the conventional entrance into Blind Ambition, which was also spectacular, then started making my way back East.

Took a run through Last Tango at around Noon, still plenty of fresh snow to be found, but was getting tracked up. My legs were pretty near fried by that point anyhow, and I had to get home for Dinner & Hockey with my other half, so then I got to dig my car out, take a shower, and hit the road.

10/10 day... Just spectacular.

Can't wait to do it again!

:daffy:

-w
 

Edd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
6,537
Points
113
Location
Newmarket, NH
Shew! Great report! Wish I could have gotten to the River on Friday but I had to settle for a Pow day at Gunstock (which didn't suck). Still, I had a feeling SR would friggin rock that day. Did you notice if Flying Monkey was open?


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WJenness

Active member
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
3,024
Points
38
Location
Lowell, MA
Shew! Great report! Wish I could have gotten to the River on Friday but I had to settle for a Pow day at Gunstock (which didn't suck). Still, I had a feeling SR would friggin rock that day. Did you notice if Flying Monkey was open?


Sent from my iPad using AlpineZone

Everything was open...

From the online report today, it looked like they closed Eureka today (It was pretty sketchy looking on Thursday, and then got hammered on Friday), but everything else is still open.
 
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