• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Black Mountain, NH 02/23/14

dlague

Active member
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
8,792
Points
36
Location
CS, Colorado
Black Mountain, NH 02/22/14

Black Mountain, NH

Conditions: Loose granular, soft spring like snow

Trip Report:

We had not been to Black Mountain for about 2 years and this was our second time. It was the RSNE day here and we decided to have fun with it. We got there around 10 and lucky for us we did not experience the refreeze conditions when they first spun the lifts. When we got out if was getting softer by the hour. The Summit Chair had not lift line to speak of all day which was nice since some of the best runs are on that side. The East Bowl Chair on the otherhand had a much longer line my guess is due to the easier terrain to skiers left - however this is also accessible from the Summit Chair - who knows! The Summit Chair has two unloading areas (one to avoid the summit and the other to the Summit)

Rather than doing a play by play I will just say we skied everything labeled as advanced. Sounds exciting, but it is really nothing to write home about. We had some fun with it for sure, spring like small to medium bumps were found on trails like Upper Maple Slalom (short stretch) and Roller Coaster (got thin in spots). Fun dips were on Big Dipper and Lostbo (double black only because of the drop in and then not really). The rest were standard cruisers. We did ski a few intermediate trails the skiers left from the East Bowl Chair. The runs were true spring conditions with soft bumps forming on many trails towards the end of the day. Luck for us we used a warmer temp wax to avoid the slow downs. However, the last few runs, the surface firmed up a little and conditions got a little faster as colder winds came into the picture. We did go in some of the glades which were a little weird due to the sinking feeling we experienced where it was untracked. There is one area under the Summit Chair where you see barbed wire running along the tree line (is that their way of keeping people on the trails?).

We had a lot of fun with it just tooling around and not taking it too seriously. I think this is a fun place to play but not a place for many on this forum who find Okemo or Bretton Woods boring. I like more aggressive terrain, but do not mind a day like this one in the books! BTW, for intermediates this might be an confidence booster since the trails rated as black can be skied here!

After a whole bunch of runs were joined the RSNE Apres Ski Party which was also a lot of fun. On a final note: On our way home while driving through Center Harbor we stopped and ate at a place called The Bob House and Reel Tavern - great food!

Roller Coaster
photo 1.JPG

Getting a little thin on Roller Coaster
photo 3.JPG

Mr. Rew
photo 2.JPG

Part of Maple Slalom which my son used as a mini park
photo 4.JPG

My son getting off the Snowcat - he took a couple of grooming runs
photo 5.JPG
 
Last edited:

xwhaler

Active member
Joined
Nov 26, 2007
Messages
2,943
Points
38
Location
Seacoast NH
Nice report...had we not skied Wildcat on Sat Black would have been our pick. I figured the Southerly exposure would have softened things up quicker than everywhere else.
Don't sell Black's advanced offerings short though. They have some legit woods (albeit short) at the top with cliff bands and tight trees. Lostbo Glades is great and Upper Galloping Goose (upper summit liftline) is awesome when its open with a lot of snow.
Black is a real sleeper on a powder day.
 

St. Bear

New member
Joined
Dec 22, 2008
Messages
2,946
Points
0
Location
Washington, NJ
Website
twitter.com
Nice report...had we not skied Wildcat on Sat Black would have been our pick. I figured the Southerly exposure would have softened things up quicker than everywhere else.
Don't sell Black's advanced offerings short though. They have some legit woods (albeit short) at the top with cliff bands and tight trees. Lostbo Glades is great and Upper Galloping Goose (upper summit liftline) is awesome when its open with a lot of snow.
Black is a real sleeper on a powder day.

Pretty much this.

I was there on Sat. It's my go to place during the holidays when my vouchers are blacked out. They have some legit terrain, it's just really short.

As for Sat, it was warm spring bumps all day long. We took two runs in the woods, but it was too crusty to be enjoyable.
 

yeggous

Active member
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Messages
2,170
Points
36
Location
Eagle, CO
Pretty much this.

I was there on Sat. It's my go to place during the holidays when my vouchers are blacked out. They have some legit terrain, it's just really short.

As for Sat, it was warm spring bumps all day long. We took two runs in the woods, but it was too crusty to be enjoyable.

Black is a good refuge from the crowds. I have never seen lines here, but as you discovered it is to be avoided without a deep natural base.

Voucher blackout dates... I call that the Vermont Curse. None of my New Hampshire or Maine vouchers are blacked out.




Sent from my iPad using AlpineZone mobile app
 

deadheadskier

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
27,907
Points
113
Location
Southeast NH
Nice report...had we not skied Wildcat on Sat Black would have been our pick. I figured the Southerly exposure would have softened things up quicker than everywhere else.
Don't sell Black's advanced offerings short though. They have some legit woods (albeit short) at the top with cliff bands and tight trees. Lostbo Glades is great and Upper Galloping Goose (upper summit liftline) is awesome when its open with a lot of snow.
Black is a real sleeper on a powder day.

Yup, Carter Notch Glade also has some nice drops
 

dlague

Active member
Joined
Nov 7, 2012
Messages
8,792
Points
36
Location
CS, Colorado
Don't get me wrong we had fun! Glades that were tracked were fine! But where powder soften up that was untracked caused us to sink unpredictably and turning was not worth the work! Losbo was good!

We were at Magic the weekend before so our POV was a little biased!

Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone
 
Last edited:

deadheadskier

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
27,907
Points
113
Location
Southeast NH
Looks nice but they need some snow or it's going to be a short season!

Season at Black pretty much ends for all intents and purposes after this upcoming weekend. Most years, the mountain closes by the third weekend in March. Even if they closed in two weeks, it's not likely they'll piss off that many people.
 

glennz

New member
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
11
Points
0
There is wire fence inside the boundaries of the ski area, but it is well into woods that are mostly impassable due to brush/saplings, and as far as I have seen, it's old electric fences for keeping livestock and horses in. Granted you wouldn't want to run into it on skis, but I go in the woods regularly there, and anywhere you can ski, you won't find it. Only actual barbed wire I know of is out of bounds on far skier's left of the ski area and marking the property boundary.

Agree that most of the terrain is pretty benign, but there are some excellent short steep drops and glades that will challenge good skiers. Awesome on a powder day, and you can ski right onto the lifts when there are 20 minute lines in the rest of the valley.

I believe they are scheduled to close this year on 23 March, but I might be wrong about that. Groomed trails still have a ton of snow on them so I believe they could go longer if financially feasible.
 

JAM614

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2013
Messages
46
Points
8
Well into the woods, yes, but I woundn't say unskiable lines. I found some off from the lower trails to the skiers right of Mr. Rew glades (which was closed). Also found sap lines. Tread lightly!
1780771_10203223095127757_652996396_n.jpg
 
Last edited:

xwhaler

Active member
Joined
Nov 26, 2007
Messages
2,943
Points
38
Location
Seacoast NH
The other Black Mtn's (of ME) glades are much longer, flow better and don't have barbed wire to run into!
 

JAM614

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2013
Messages
46
Points
8
The other Black Mtn's (of ME) glades are much longer, flow better and don't have barbed wire to run into!
Here's another shot of what I believe is Black and Blue, a steep glade off to the skier's right of LostBo. Pretty cool section of woods but in need of some glade upkeep (whippets) and certainly in need of fresh snow.
1609683_10203223095447765_1805850041_n.jpg



As a regular homer of BMOM and glade worker, I full agree Xwhaler. I skied Black (NH) on February 17th for the first time. Great mountain for families. No doubt Black in NH has some short steep drops but from the looks of the rocks, it takes a solid 3-4 foot base to ski some-what cleanly. I'm sure there are some interesting lines off the grid. BMOM glades have just scratched the surface of the potential. More coming for next season...
 
Last edited:

dmw

New member
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
305
Points
0
They're just raising the bar on the whole "may contain unmarked obstacles" bit.
 

Cannonball

New member
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
3,669
Points
0
Location
This user has been deleted
I have nearly boarded into the barbed wire at Black. It was few years ago so I can't remember the exact location, but I am positive that it was inbounds on a tree line between 2 trails. The picture that Jam614 posted is pretty much how I remember it, except it wasn't really as tucked away behind that wall. Obviously, the amount of snow pack changes how high the wire is. The time I experienced it, it was about boot height. I was cruising through the trees pretty fast on a very skiable line. If I hadn't seen it at the very last second I can't even image how messed up I would have been. It completely blows my mind that this exists.
 

Skikarl

New member
Joined
Feb 17, 2015
Messages
22
Points
0
I agree with you that it's a mountain where most of the trails (with the exception of lostbo) are standard cruisers. However I believe you definitely sold the glades short. Black mountain has what I would consider the hardest glades in New Hampshire. Glades like lostbo glades, black and blue glade, and Carter notch glade. Have a rugged combination of steeps, rocks, and tight trees.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone
 

MadMadWorld

Active member
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
4,082
Points
38
Location
Leominster, MA
I have nearly boarded into the barbed wire at Black. It was few years ago so I can't remember the exact location, but I am positive that it was inbounds on a tree line between 2 trails. The picture that Jam614 posted is pretty much how I remember it, except it wasn't really as tucked away behind that wall. Obviously, the amount of snow pack changes how high the wire is. The time I experienced it, it was about boot height. I was cruising through the trees pretty fast on a very skiable line. If I hadn't seen it at the very last second I can't even image how messed up I would have been. It completely blows my mind that this exists.

Pain is temporary. Dane M. Schulman would set you up nicely with what would be serious gross negligence of the owners. Seriously? How much money do you have to spend to rid your ski area of barbed wire?!?!
 

MadMadWorld

Active member
Joined
Jan 10, 2012
Messages
4,082
Points
38
Location
Leominster, MA
I agree with you that it's a mountain where most of the trails (with the exception of lostbo) are standard cruisers. However I believe you definitely sold the glades short. Black mountain has what I would consider the hardest glades in New Hampshire. Glades like lostbo glades, black and blue glade, and Carter notch glade. Have a rugged combination of steeps, rocks, and tight trees.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

Have you skied Kinsman? Black glades are great but I don't think it can compare. If Wildcat put some of their stuff on map it would probably win that discussion
 
Top