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Loon 11/27/18

Zand

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 30, 2003
Messages
4,109
Points
113
Location
Spencer, MA
Tale of two days for sure...from 9-1 it was perhaps the most frustrating and heartbreaking day of skiing I've ever done. 1-3:30 was a complete turnaround and contained what might end up being my best run of the year.

On the ride up I stopped for gas around 8:30 and checked the snow report to make sure I didn't want to go somewhere else. Gondola and North Peak on wind hold, but Seven Brothers and East Basin running so same difference pretty much. Arrived around 9:15, booted up and...shit. "East Basin lift closed...sorry" says the sign at the base of the triple. Mechanical issues.

For the first hour it didn't really hit me because I figured it was something small and they'd have it open in an hour or something. So I lapped Seven Brothers, Springboard, Lower Flying Fox, and Link to Brookside as that was all that was open. The snow was very wet and sticky and tough to carve at first but it skied in pretty well. Every few runs I did the Brookside loop hoping to see some action at the double and...nothing. Finally around 11:15 there was a line for the triple and it was obvious the day was going to shit in a hurry. A mix of rain and sleet was falling at the base. I actually checked to see how much Wildcat was charging but I wouldn't have been there till 1 and 3 hours wasn't really worth $70. So I took an early lunch to pass the time.

Around 12:15 I finally headed back out...I took 1 run to see if there were any signs of life at the double...nope. Back to the lodge and straight to the bar...figured my day was over. Joined a couple hundred people who were in the same boat...upset at how what was supposed to be a terrific powder day turned out. A few minutes later the snow started absolutely pounding down to put some salt in the wounds.

Shortly after 1 as I was staring out the window, I thought I saw an apparition but no it was a gondola car on the line!!! I yelled "Everybody look outside!" and I've never seen a bar empty out so fast in my life.

A line had already formed for the gondola which was still loading cars so I hopped on the triple hoping North Peak would also be spinning...no dice there so I went back and got in line, which was full of people cheering and singing. A powder day is great, but a powder day after being tortured by a bunny hill for 4 hours is that much sweeter.

Off the top, a lot was roped off but took one of the blue cruisers, not sure which. It was definitely groomed recently, but the 4 inches or so on top of the groomed were like velvet. The 2nd run I headed down towards North Peak and as I was approaching Flume, I looked up and saw chairs flying by on the Quad. Beelined it down and ended up being first in line.

After waiting a few minutes the lifty removed the rope and off we went. Turned left onto a 100% untouched Walking Boss and set the very first tracks into the foot of fluff with even bigger drifts offering multiple face shots. Totally erased the memories of lapping the bunny hill for 4 hours.

Took about 5 more runs down Walking Boss which was slowly getting tracked out but still had lots of untouched an hour later. Mixed in 1 run down Angel Street which had more dense snow and was tough to ski after attacking the fresh powder on Boss.

Headed down Brookside to finish and it was obvious how elevational that snow was...Brookside was so sticky I has to pole through parts of it. Far cry from the top of the Quad.

Obviously wish I didn't audible out of going to Sunday River but those runs down Walking Boss totally redeemed the day and then some. Will be hard to beat that the rest of the year but it's only November so I suppose there's plenty of time to try to beat it. 3 consecutive powder Tuesdays in November...unreal.
 

rocojerry

Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
808
Points
16
Location
where its snowing
Turned left onto a 100% untouched Walking Boss and set the very first tracks into the foot of fluff with even bigger drifts offering multiple face shots. Totally erased the memories of lapping the bunny hill for 4 hours.

First tracks on a deep Walking Boss is a dream I haven't lived yet! Glad the day turned out all right -- i'm here just keyboard skiing when i should be knee deep!
 
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