billski
Active member
Date(s) Skied: 1/10/07
Resort or Ski Area: Bretton Woods
Conditions: FRGR transforming to 2-3" powder and manmade all day over FRGR by afternoon
Trip Report:
It was better than expected, but less than I had hoped. Beggars cannot be choosers
Planned to go to Loon, but as we approched the Kanc. the clouds over Franconia notch looked foreboding, so of course, we continued onward. We landed at BW.
It was suprisingly busy. My wife reminded me that aftere 26 years out of college, I'm out of touch with academia and that the schools ares still out. Parking lot was full and several buses greeted us.
Uh oh.
Lift lines were about 20 people deep, uh oh, I hope it's just pent up demand. I never expected that for a wed. And all the kids were in lessons. Hundreds of them. I've never seen so many instructors midweek.
This was BW at its worst. I've never seen such "poor" conditions at BW which prides itself with "low stress skiing". Wow. Rosebrook, Zephyr, Bethlehem were the only lifts in operation. West was closed. Everyone seemed to be on the same trails: Rangeview, Bretton's Woods, and Bigger Ben.
It seemed that only about 30-40% of the terrain was open. I understand full well what rain has done - it was just sad to see BW so out of shape.; note their signature.
On all trails, FGR down the skier's left, ungroomed on the R, replete with death cookies. Groomed was edgeable with lots of loose. It got colder as the day progress, until it was 12F at 5pm.
Still scratchy, they seemed to concentrate on these trails. 24 hour blowning on Bigger Ben and Range View.
All the snow was, but we started to seek out less crowded terrain. Poaching began to enter our minds.
Real firm under, you had to be careful. We had sharpened our edges. They'd received about an inch overnight, just to enough to hide the cookies...
We went over to Bode's run, which had some monster moguls on the topmost. Scared away all but the finest or foolish skiers. Once past, there was untracked powder, not deep, but the most enjoyable of the season.
Did that a few time.
About lunchtime the winds picked up and clouds darkened the mountain. We got 2-4" in about 1.5 hours. It looked nice, but we didn't expect much as we ate our chili and burgers.
when we got back out, the skiing was remarkably different. Hard to believe that little snow could make a diff, but hey, given what we just went through with rain, I suppose I shouldn't have been suprised.
It was actually turnable, floatable stuff. I began to venture more into death cookie land and it was now do-able with less trepidation.
I tired of the masses, and finally, not being able to take it anymore, poached MicIntire's run not once, but twice. Four guys caught me at the bottom, and asked if it was I who skied it. I could not tell a lie, why not fess up? they then asked me how it was and how i got out of it. I told them to turn around, look up and see my line.
apparently I had been spied by the liftie, I figured my time was up. They asked how it was, I said awesome, over the boots powder. They said they were off to do it. Hmm incriminating evidence here... Well I figured they radioed down to apprehend me so I was ready to meet my maker. Didn't happen.
Decided to not flirt with an early day finish, so went west in search of more untracked powder. Found it at short-and-sweet/no regrest. Hardly anyone had been down it. It was awesome, we did it 3 times.
So it turned into a day in powder, with frgr as base. Mind you, the base isn't deep. I skied through lots of grass, weeds and branches. Keep alert. Watch out for the drainage ditches.
Remember, the base is not very deep. They are crankin out lots of snow, but once this weekend comes, those trails are going to take a wicked pounding when all those scrapers get out for MLK W/E. Pray for lots of snow.
From what I can tell, the conditions at Bolton, Sugarbush are exceedingly better, they got more powder.
Even Loon and WV got the snow. Cannon looked a lot better.
Hopefully they'll be opening many more trails, but the word on the mt. is that they are saving the best for the weekend.
If you can get out thurs or Fri, before the mad rush, you will enjoy the best east coast skiing of the season (I can't believe I said that!)
If you can't, get the FIRST LIFT UP on Saturday.
Enjoy.
Resort or Ski Area: Bretton Woods
Conditions: FRGR transforming to 2-3" powder and manmade all day over FRGR by afternoon
Trip Report:
It was better than expected, but less than I had hoped. Beggars cannot be choosers
Planned to go to Loon, but as we approched the Kanc. the clouds over Franconia notch looked foreboding, so of course, we continued onward. We landed at BW.
It was suprisingly busy. My wife reminded me that aftere 26 years out of college, I'm out of touch with academia and that the schools ares still out. Parking lot was full and several buses greeted us.
Uh oh.
Lift lines were about 20 people deep, uh oh, I hope it's just pent up demand. I never expected that for a wed. And all the kids were in lessons. Hundreds of them. I've never seen so many instructors midweek.
This was BW at its worst. I've never seen such "poor" conditions at BW which prides itself with "low stress skiing". Wow. Rosebrook, Zephyr, Bethlehem were the only lifts in operation. West was closed. Everyone seemed to be on the same trails: Rangeview, Bretton's Woods, and Bigger Ben.
It seemed that only about 30-40% of the terrain was open. I understand full well what rain has done - it was just sad to see BW so out of shape.; note their signature.
On all trails, FGR down the skier's left, ungroomed on the R, replete with death cookies. Groomed was edgeable with lots of loose. It got colder as the day progress, until it was 12F at 5pm.
Still scratchy, they seemed to concentrate on these trails. 24 hour blowning on Bigger Ben and Range View.
All the snow was, but we started to seek out less crowded terrain. Poaching began to enter our minds.
Real firm under, you had to be careful. We had sharpened our edges. They'd received about an inch overnight, just to enough to hide the cookies...
We went over to Bode's run, which had some monster moguls on the topmost. Scared away all but the finest or foolish skiers. Once past, there was untracked powder, not deep, but the most enjoyable of the season.
Did that a few time.
About lunchtime the winds picked up and clouds darkened the mountain. We got 2-4" in about 1.5 hours. It looked nice, but we didn't expect much as we ate our chili and burgers.
when we got back out, the skiing was remarkably different. Hard to believe that little snow could make a diff, but hey, given what we just went through with rain, I suppose I shouldn't have been suprised.
It was actually turnable, floatable stuff. I began to venture more into death cookie land and it was now do-able with less trepidation.
I tired of the masses, and finally, not being able to take it anymore, poached MicIntire's run not once, but twice. Four guys caught me at the bottom, and asked if it was I who skied it. I could not tell a lie, why not fess up? they then asked me how it was and how i got out of it. I told them to turn around, look up and see my line.
apparently I had been spied by the liftie, I figured my time was up. They asked how it was, I said awesome, over the boots powder. They said they were off to do it. Hmm incriminating evidence here... Well I figured they radioed down to apprehend me so I was ready to meet my maker. Didn't happen.
Decided to not flirt with an early day finish, so went west in search of more untracked powder. Found it at short-and-sweet/no regrest. Hardly anyone had been down it. It was awesome, we did it 3 times.
So it turned into a day in powder, with frgr as base. Mind you, the base isn't deep. I skied through lots of grass, weeds and branches. Keep alert. Watch out for the drainage ditches.
Remember, the base is not very deep. They are crankin out lots of snow, but once this weekend comes, those trails are going to take a wicked pounding when all those scrapers get out for MLK W/E. Pray for lots of snow.
From what I can tell, the conditions at Bolton, Sugarbush are exceedingly better, they got more powder.
Even Loon and WV got the snow. Cannon looked a lot better.
Hopefully they'll be opening many more trails, but the word on the mt. is that they are saving the best for the weekend.
If you can get out thurs or Fri, before the mad rush, you will enjoy the best east coast skiing of the season (I can't believe I said that!)
If you can't, get the FIRST LIFT UP on Saturday.
Enjoy.
