Cannon Saturday 1/7

[xwhaler]

Hi Everyone,
Hoping some of the Cannon regulars (rivercoil, sikskier, cannonball etc) can lend a hand in helping plan my day at Cannon this coming wknd.
We were there on 12/26 for our 1st time and rode the Zoomer and Peabody lifts. Enjoyed Gary's and Rocket and looks like more has opened since then.

Question is: With the tram scheduled to debut on Saturday, does it make sense to utilize it as much as possible? It appears there are now 4 routes from the summit with Upper Ravine possibly coming on line by Saturday.
Assuming we plan to do top to bottom runs is it better to take the tram and ski the upper mtn down to the front 5 and back up the tram?
I liked the front 5 better than the middle mtn off the Peabody so am leaning this way if the Tram is not a total nut house.

Or are lines at the tram super long (more so being opening day) where we would be better getting on the Peabody + Cannonball chair up to the top?

also, I'm hoping for clear skies so we can check out the views from up top. Any idea if the summit lodge serves lunch/cold beers? Thinking this would be a great spot for lunch if the skies are clear.

 

[SIKSKIER]

I'm very biased on this topic.I am a tram hater.I never liked taking my skis off every run and walking inside to stand in line and wait to get crammed into the perverbial pickle jar.Just not my cup of tea.You sure can reel off good vertical if you hit the cycle right w/o lines but I hate just standing and waiting.I'd rather be moving in a line(which there are very few at Cannon).But thats me.I have many friends that refuse to park anywhere else but the Tram.To each his own.Theres nothing wrong with parking at the tram anyway and only using it to access the mt if you cop an attitude like me.Try it.Another option if you don't want to be at the Peabody Base is buy your ticket and park on the road to Park Headquarters.The road starts at the north end of the tram parking lot.Drive up and park as far as you can.The Zoomer lift is right there but you'll need to boot up in your car.I have a pass and boot up at my house and love to park by the Brookside lift.I step out of the car and into my skis.The last 2 are my favorite options.

 

[Puck it]

Tram will not be crowded. It not really useful IMHO. I rarely take it unless I am racing it or that left side of it is skiable. Otherwise say with the chairs.

New bar and seating area with gas fireplace at the summit. There is a separate cafertia also.

 

[Cannonball]

Nice, back for more already!

You probably won't get consensus from Cannon regulars about tram usage. I am a huge fan of the tram, but Sikskier and others have posted some (valid-ish ) anti-tram theories. So I'll try to be objective:
- If you've never ridden it, it's worth the trip. You'll figure out on that first trip whether or not lines will be an issue and how much you like it. It's true that a long line at the tram sucks. But I've never really been able to figure out what creates a long line there. It's a crapshoot.
- Conditions will also dictate if it's worth it. I love T2B runs. But Cannon's lift layout is great for maximizing conditions: choosing to stay low (Zoomer) or high (Cannonball) as conditions dictate.
- Unfortunately Cannon goes back and forth about selling lift tickets in the tram base. With a pass, or when they do sell tickets, sometimes parking at the tram can be super efficient compared to the Peabody base scene. I don't know what they are doing this season, so I can't really recommend it. The other downside is that in tough conditions a late-day run down Avalanche can be horror.

Summit lodge does serve lunch and frosty cod beers (On tap: Sierra, Cannon ale, Sam Adams). They just renovated the bar area (again!) and included some couches, gas stove, etc. Breaks in the upper tram building are the best....start right back into skiing instead of riding a cold lift after a break.

enjoy!

Edit: damn you guys post fast!!! I started this as the first reply! Glad to see I was consistent with what others would say.....

 

[Black Phantom]

Tram will not be crowded. It not really useful IMHO. I rarely take it unless I am racing it or that left side of it is skiable. Otherwise say with the chairs.

New bar and seating area with gas fireplace at the summit. There is a separate cafertia also.

What kind of beers? Are they expensive? Do you have any discounts?

 

[SIKSKIER]

BYOB taste the best and cost the least.

 

[Edd]

I'm very biased on this topic.I am a tram hater.

I've gotta agree. My only tram experiences are at Cannon, Jay, and Snowbird and they're never fun.

 

[Cannonball]

You sure can reel off good vertical if you hit the cycle right w/o lines but I hate just standing and waiting.I'd rather be moving in a line(which there are very few at Cannon).

Not to argue, but just to counterpoint from another perspective on this one point. This is actually one of the things I like the most about the tram. Instead of standing outside in a liftline the tram base allows you the option to hit the head, adjust gear, grab a sip of water, etc without missing a beat. This adds up to less breaks and more time on the slopes.

I never liked taking my skis off every run

I'll give you that one. As someone who crosses over, I definitely enjoy the tram more when I'm snowboarding than skiing. Which reminds me of an insider tip to xwhaler: both exits of the tram building can be icy as hell. I have seen more skiers eat it HARD at these exits than on the rest of the Mtn combined. (not so bad in snowboard boots).

 

[xwhaler]

Excellent, thanks everyone. I know we'll ride it at least once just to do it. My wife has never ridden in a tram (me at Jay) so she will probably enjoy it for the novelty.
I think we will have pre purchased tickets thru the place we are staying so should be able to park at either base.

 

[ceo]

I used to always park at Tramway base, because it's a much shorter hike to the lodge and much less crowded. Now that I have a son in ski school, I have to park at Peabody. Yesterday I got the second-to-last space in the upper lot at 9:15, which says how uncrowded it was.

 

[SIKSKIER]

Not to argue, but just to counterpoint from another perspective on this one point. This is actually one of the things I like the most about the tram. Instead of standing outside in a liftline the tram base allows you the option to hit the head, adjust gear, grab a sip of water, etc without missing a beat. This adds up to less breaks and more time on the slopes.

Like I said,to each his own.I can click out of my skis right by the Peabody doors and get that water or head break as fast as at the tram.The tram has no single line so you might be missing your place for the next car while taking care of business.You can pretty much jump right on the chair within a minute where you might be waiting 10 minutes for the next car.They both have their advantages but I'll pass on the tram.FWIW I'm a gondi hater too.I'd much rather be outside looking up the hill than staring across at a couple dolts I don't like.

 

[Puck it]

Like I said,to each his own.I can click out of my skis right by the Peabody doors and get that water or head break as fast as at the tram.The tram has no single line so you might be missing your place for the next car while taking care of business.You can pretty much jump right on the chair within a minute where you might be waiting 10 minutes for the next car.They both have their advantages but I'll pass on the tram.

Racing it is the best part of the Tram!!!

 

[Smellytele]

When there I tend to ski the mountain in pods. I will take the tram up first thing AM then ski the upper quad. Then if mittersil isn't open (which it isn't) head down to zoomer and bang out those trails. I then head back up to the top on the tram and ski middle hardscrabble (which I doubt will be open either). I will then head to Peabody for a beer and lunch and After that I ski what was good.

 

[MV Frank]

I was just at cannon...not great. just lacking snow.

even if they run the tram, runs like tramline and kinsman won't be open (extreme doubt, at least) - those always fun

driving by mittersill, it looked like barely thin cover - no chance of that opening in time for you unless there is a miracle

I guess make the best of it

 

[riverc0il]

You are over thinking it for this coming weekend. There isn't much open and traffic will be very light as you are in between the two holiday weekends. You don't really need to worry about strategy as you'll get bored of skiing the same trails multiple times before you'll need to worry about efficiently covering territory.

That said... the tram is a useful tool. If you are skiing Front Five, it is the best way out. Otherwise, you need to waste a run by taking the Zoomer Triple back up just to ski down to the Peabody Quad. And then its two lifts to the top (really three if you count Zoomer). The tram's best utility is zipping you to the summit when you get done with the Front Five area. You can also warm up while waiting and have access to a lodge at the top so you don't need to take a cold lift after lunch... since you're taking lunch at the top and skiing right out of the lodge.

There are tons of ways to work the mountain. But I only find the Tram useful to quickly escape the Front Five without loosing time or loosing a run or if you want to lap top to bottom and race your tram car back down. If you are not fast and loose the race, you waste a lot of time. This gets boring quick because there are not many routes to combine to make this work and still get there in time. Right now, you only have one route with two options up top and two down low. But the skate to the tram if you aren't going down Avalanche or Banshee (neither currently open) makes the prospect of lapping less interesting.

Essentially, Cannon is best skied as pods rather than top to bottom. Peabody and the Tram are useful transportation devices to get you around but neither of the high speed lifts are good for lapping. Cannon works best when you mix it up... ski the pods, move around, and then work it like an X.

 

[SIKSKIER]

Actually,Avalance opened today under the guns but the tram only runs Friday -Monday.I would guess the tram will be open this Saturday.

 

[xwhaler]

The pods approach makes a lot of sense, thanks everyone. Looks like more terrain is starting to come on line with the cold weather those guns are cranking away.
Secured $54 tickets thru the inn we are at for the wknd so should be a real good Saturday out there.

I think we are going to visit the Ski Museaum on Sunday AM as well on the way home...never been up there.

 

[LiquidFeet]

Whoops, Ski Museum is closed in winter I think. It's right at the base of the tram, same parking lot.
Consider visiting Mt. Washington Hotel at Bretton Woods instead - get the tour. It's a blast to walk around that lobby and be sure to go downstairs to the shops and basement eating area. It figured importantly at the end of WWII.

In summer it's great to eat out on the terrace overlooking the presidential range.

They've added an "alpine garden" outside on top of the big addition - that might also be interesting to visit, not sure since I've only gone there in the summers.

 

[xwhaler]

http://www.skimuseum.org/page.php?cid=doc6

Per this they do appear to be open thru the ski season.
Good suggestion on the Mt Washington. We were there for a wedding last year so I spent some time walking around; it really is spectacular.

 

[LiquidFeet]

Excellent. Glad to know. Have a great time this weekend. Skiing should be good at Cannon.