legalskier
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- Sep 22, 2008
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Venturing out for the first time post-flu I arrived just after 9 with a temp in the lower lot of 25F under cloudy skies. Hopped on the gondi & headed upward- at the top it was so much colder that I regretted not wearing a vest or neckie. Tomahawk lift was down so I headed over to Superchief and lapped runs to get warm. Usually by this time of the season Belle's upper mountain is loaded with bumps but not today. Reliable bump runs like Onteora and Tongora were tilted hockey rinks- I bailed off Tongora into the Chippewa glades on skier's left because the snow looked deep and inviting, but it actually was chunky and tricky. Upper Yahoo on skier's left did have bumps top to bottom but they were rock hard- same for upper Belleayre Run. All the natural trails/glades were closed but I did poach the Goat Path and the lowest section of Winisook which was fun. Upper Algonguin and Pekamoose- again, tilted hockey rinks. I found myself sticking to the trail edges/berms all day long seeking decent snow that had been pushed over to the side, such as skier's right on Wanatuska. The best snow was on upper Winisook- the part that splits off to the right.
Better conditions were from midstation down- confectioner sugar on hardpack with occasional ice patches. Late in the day I returned to the gondi to hit the west side: Seneca (very icy up top) and Dot Nebel...
....which was, you guessed it, icy up top. By this time they were breaking down a race course on Dot so I stopped there and noticed that Cayuga, a natural snow trail, was open-
Lordy be! Heading in, I noticed a boarder jumping in to poach Dreamcatcher Glade, so of course I had to as well. It was then that I found that best snow on the mountain- a couple of inches of freshies sitting on top of a base that had been firmed up by thawing/freezing cycles with few obstacles sticking out.
I only wish I'd discovered this earlier- I would've stayed in there all day long. Well at least I got a taste. As they say, tomorrow's another day. Belle is expecting several inches tonight, then temps staying very cold for the next week.
Better conditions were from midstation down- confectioner sugar on hardpack with occasional ice patches. Late in the day I returned to the gondi to hit the west side: Seneca (very icy up top) and Dot Nebel...
....which was, you guessed it, icy up top. By this time they were breaking down a race course on Dot so I stopped there and noticed that Cayuga, a natural snow trail, was open-
Lordy be! Heading in, I noticed a boarder jumping in to poach Dreamcatcher Glade, so of course I had to as well. It was then that I found that best snow on the mountain- a couple of inches of freshies sitting on top of a base that had been firmed up by thawing/freezing cycles with few obstacles sticking out.
I only wish I'd discovered this earlier- I would've stayed in there all day long. Well at least I got a taste. As they say, tomorrow's another day. Belle is expecting several inches tonight, then temps staying very cold for the next week.
