Date(s) Skied: 12/16
Resort or Ski Area: Shawnee Peak
Conditions: Pounding Snow
Trip Report:
I had to work late last night and wasn't home until 1:30. The gf set the alarm for 6:30 for me, but I slept right through until I hear her say, 'Wow, already snowing hard' at 7:30 AM. I popped up and was out the door at 7:39 :lol:
I left the house with every intention of either skiing Sunday River or Mt Abraham, having a free lift ticket voucher in hand for both places. As luck would have it, Bob R had informed me just last week of a different driving route to SR that would be 20 minutes faster than my typical jaunt up 26 North. So, I headed out 302 in the new direction. After an hour and ten minutes I was at the junction before the Naples causeway to head up towards Bethel. I figured at the rate I was going, I'd be at Shawnee in 30 minutes, turning right to go to SR could mean an hour maybe two hours before I was on snow. With the pounding snow, the choice was easy - GET TO IT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. Also factoring in my decision was a gut feeling that Shawnee would be completely dead. Then of course my want to at least catch the fourth quarter of the Pats game at home. So, onward I went wanting to get on snow, even though I would be paying full price ($46) instead of 'free' up the road at Sunday River or Mt Abe.. Time and the dumping snow stumped cost.
I got to Shawnee at 9:20 and my gut was right. There was MAYBE 40 cars in the parking lot. Bought my ticket and took the summit triple up. Only the main face of the mountain was open with about five different ways down(don't know the trail names so well). I went after it hard. I definitely appreciated my new B2's, though the powder was somewhat heavy to the point where I wish I almost wish I had the powder boards. As I went, the lines just kept filling in due to the wind and driving snow. Fresh tracks a solid 8 to 10 inches deep every run. It was one of those days where part of the trail would be tracked out one run, then the next run what was tracked had filled in and the other side of the trail was tracked. This was consistent my hole time up there.
On my eigth run I took my first significant digger of the season. I came rolling over a whale on the side of a trail from snowmaking efforts and landed in a severe compression on the back side. Though significant, the fresh hadn't filled in the hole enough, so I went over the handle bars with force, but my bindings didn't release. I pretty much hit head first while my skis were flat on the ground somewhat twisting to the left. I torked my right ankle for all it could take. Maybe it was a freak thing, but I don't know how my bindings cranked only to 8 did not release. I put a ton of pressure on the heal piece. I felt a sharp tightening and pain, but gathered myself and kept charging.
Every time I had been up the lift prior to the fall and continuing on, I kept thinking to myself, WHEN is Ski Patrol going to start dropping ropes? There were two of my more favorite runs at the mountain in pristine shape BEGGING to be skied. On my tenth run, my ankle really started to ache, so I said screw it, I'm going for the goods, I've got my money's worth and don't care if Ski Patrol catches me and pulls my pass. I'm pretty confident, there could've been three feet of fresh last night and they weren't opening any new terrain, they were that absent.
So, for four runs I tucked under and was rewarded with thigh deep snow between todays storm and the snow from earlier storms that had not been packed down by a groomer. Absolutely killer until my ankle couldn't take it anymore. I left at 12:30 and made it home about half way through the third quarter of the Pats game and in the fourth quarter of the Celtics blowing out Toronto. Perfect timing
Truth be told, I probably should of given up after the fall. My ankle is pretty messed and I'll be a game time decision next weekend - doubtful that i'll be able to go. Guess there's something about a foot deep fresh powder, especially first powder skiing of the season, that makes you oblivious to pain and/or better judgement. :lol: Right now, ankle is swollen twice the size of the other, sitting on ice and not receptive to more than 30% of my body weight, but I'm smiling.
I bet Sunday River kicked ass today, but Shawnee was the right call because I got on the hill a solid hour quicker and ain't it funny how a foot of powder can turn a normally somewhat lame hill into as good of skiing as you could wish for? What we all dream about.
Resort or Ski Area: Shawnee Peak
Conditions: Pounding Snow
Trip Report:
I had to work late last night and wasn't home until 1:30. The gf set the alarm for 6:30 for me, but I slept right through until I hear her say, 'Wow, already snowing hard' at 7:30 AM. I popped up and was out the door at 7:39 :lol:
I left the house with every intention of either skiing Sunday River or Mt Abraham, having a free lift ticket voucher in hand for both places. As luck would have it, Bob R had informed me just last week of a different driving route to SR that would be 20 minutes faster than my typical jaunt up 26 North. So, I headed out 302 in the new direction. After an hour and ten minutes I was at the junction before the Naples causeway to head up towards Bethel. I figured at the rate I was going, I'd be at Shawnee in 30 minutes, turning right to go to SR could mean an hour maybe two hours before I was on snow. With the pounding snow, the choice was easy - GET TO IT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. Also factoring in my decision was a gut feeling that Shawnee would be completely dead. Then of course my want to at least catch the fourth quarter of the Pats game at home. So, onward I went wanting to get on snow, even though I would be paying full price ($46) instead of 'free' up the road at Sunday River or Mt Abe.. Time and the dumping snow stumped cost.
I got to Shawnee at 9:20 and my gut was right. There was MAYBE 40 cars in the parking lot. Bought my ticket and took the summit triple up. Only the main face of the mountain was open with about five different ways down(don't know the trail names so well). I went after it hard. I definitely appreciated my new B2's, though the powder was somewhat heavy to the point where I wish I almost wish I had the powder boards. As I went, the lines just kept filling in due to the wind and driving snow. Fresh tracks a solid 8 to 10 inches deep every run. It was one of those days where part of the trail would be tracked out one run, then the next run what was tracked had filled in and the other side of the trail was tracked. This was consistent my hole time up there.
On my eigth run I took my first significant digger of the season. I came rolling over a whale on the side of a trail from snowmaking efforts and landed in a severe compression on the back side. Though significant, the fresh hadn't filled in the hole enough, so I went over the handle bars with force, but my bindings didn't release. I pretty much hit head first while my skis were flat on the ground somewhat twisting to the left. I torked my right ankle for all it could take. Maybe it was a freak thing, but I don't know how my bindings cranked only to 8 did not release. I put a ton of pressure on the heal piece. I felt a sharp tightening and pain, but gathered myself and kept charging.
Every time I had been up the lift prior to the fall and continuing on, I kept thinking to myself, WHEN is Ski Patrol going to start dropping ropes? There were two of my more favorite runs at the mountain in pristine shape BEGGING to be skied. On my tenth run, my ankle really started to ache, so I said screw it, I'm going for the goods, I've got my money's worth and don't care if Ski Patrol catches me and pulls my pass. I'm pretty confident, there could've been three feet of fresh last night and they weren't opening any new terrain, they were that absent.
So, for four runs I tucked under and was rewarded with thigh deep snow between todays storm and the snow from earlier storms that had not been packed down by a groomer. Absolutely killer until my ankle couldn't take it anymore. I left at 12:30 and made it home about half way through the third quarter of the Pats game and in the fourth quarter of the Celtics blowing out Toronto. Perfect timing
Truth be told, I probably should of given up after the fall. My ankle is pretty messed and I'll be a game time decision next weekend - doubtful that i'll be able to go. Guess there's something about a foot deep fresh powder, especially first powder skiing of the season, that makes you oblivious to pain and/or better judgement. :lol: Right now, ankle is swollen twice the size of the other, sitting on ice and not receptive to more than 30% of my body weight, but I'm smiling.
I bet Sunday River kicked ass today, but Shawnee was the right call because I got on the hill a solid hour quicker and ain't it funny how a foot of powder can turn a normally somewhat lame hill into as good of skiing as you could wish for? What we all dream about.
