Other than the '14 Valentines Weekend Dump, perhaps the best ski day of the year.
Arrived 8:30 am at Bear with big-flake snow falling, yet skies were bright.
Snow continued for an hour or two; definitely done by 11 am.
Not cold at all -- temps high 20's into 30's.
No lines all day.
Even the K-1 Gondola was no more than 5 minutes at the height of the day.
Bear Mountain:
Saw many happy folks come bouncing out of the Growler glade area and went for a peak myself - plenty of thick coverage and many lines and paths tracing throughout. I didn't feel up to the dare; need a tree-ski mentor, but that's another story.
Wildfire was in great shape and had just the right blend of rolling mounds in the top half.
Outer Limits was skiing nice in the a.m..
Bearclaw had plenty of cover for turning any way you like.
Skye Peak:
The Stichline under Needles Eye Quad was nicely mounded up and I had some great bumps practice from about the mid-point down to the bottom.
The bumps along skiers' right on Needle's Eye were FINALLY not solid ice. Just soft enough to turn and shock absorb. Great practice there too. Had to be careful on the bottom half, though - cover getting thin in some spots and you can catch a rock or a root if you're bashing through.
Finally had a chance to go off the other side of Skye and try Pipe Dream. Ungroomed, roughed out, lots of fun, but gets a fair amount of sun and may not last too much longer without a decent snow.
I wanted to try the Jug, but it was closed while I was in that area.
The Stash, Skyeburst, Northway, and Cruise Control all a great feel under foot, all day.
Killington Peak and Canyon Area:
Many folks enjoying the thinned out tree area, skiers' left off Double Dipper.
I ran the left-side ungroomed bump run several times - practice practice practice.
East Fall, Rime, and Reason all good.
Then ran Conclusion for the first time and had instant joy. It was catching some mid-day sun and the bumps were so right . . . so I had to run it two more times.
I wanted to go for Royal Flush but it looked a touch too intmidating -- big rutty bumps on a fairly serious steeps.
A few beers at the Peak Lodge and cruise down Bear Trax to Bear Claw to Skyeburst and home.
Beautiful day.
Arrived 8:30 am at Bear with big-flake snow falling, yet skies were bright.
Snow continued for an hour or two; definitely done by 11 am.
Not cold at all -- temps high 20's into 30's.
No lines all day.
Even the K-1 Gondola was no more than 5 minutes at the height of the day.
Bear Mountain:
Saw many happy folks come bouncing out of the Growler glade area and went for a peak myself - plenty of thick coverage and many lines and paths tracing throughout. I didn't feel up to the dare; need a tree-ski mentor, but that's another story.
Wildfire was in great shape and had just the right blend of rolling mounds in the top half.
Outer Limits was skiing nice in the a.m..
Bearclaw had plenty of cover for turning any way you like.
Skye Peak:
The Stichline under Needles Eye Quad was nicely mounded up and I had some great bumps practice from about the mid-point down to the bottom.
The bumps along skiers' right on Needle's Eye were FINALLY not solid ice. Just soft enough to turn and shock absorb. Great practice there too. Had to be careful on the bottom half, though - cover getting thin in some spots and you can catch a rock or a root if you're bashing through.
Finally had a chance to go off the other side of Skye and try Pipe Dream. Ungroomed, roughed out, lots of fun, but gets a fair amount of sun and may not last too much longer without a decent snow.
I wanted to try the Jug, but it was closed while I was in that area.
The Stash, Skyeburst, Northway, and Cruise Control all a great feel under foot, all day.
Killington Peak and Canyon Area:
Many folks enjoying the thinned out tree area, skiers' left off Double Dipper.
I ran the left-side ungroomed bump run several times - practice practice practice.
East Fall, Rime, and Reason all good.
Then ran Conclusion for the first time and had instant joy. It was catching some mid-day sun and the bumps were so right . . . so I had to run it two more times.
I wanted to go for Royal Flush but it looked a touch too intmidating -- big rutty bumps on a fairly serious steeps.
A few beers at the Peak Lodge and cruise down Bear Trax to Bear Claw to Skyeburst and home.
Beautiful day.
