Character Trails

[ALLSKIING]

You going to make the Loaf this year Greg?

 

[SkiDork]

nice pics.

That kinda sorta reminds me of Roundabout at K - although Roundabout is prolly not as steep and narrower...

 

[Greg]

You going to make the Loaf this year Greg?

I really would like to. Kinda depends on how many other extended trips away from the family I take. I may opt to go late March versus Reggae Fest though to better ensure quality coverage and snow depths.

 

[Greg]

nice pics.

That kinda sorta reminds me of Roundabout at K - although Roundabout is prolly not as steep and narrower...

Never heard of it. Any pics?

The Whip is a well-known classic. In the spring, it's kinda amusing how the locals ski up to the top and carefully survey the surface conditions. It'll usually corn up around 10:30 - 11 am once the sun finally can shine through there. Agreed. I'd love to hit that one after a dump.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Never heard of it. Any pics?

Thats a first for me also. What part of the MT is it on.

 

[Greg]

Thats a first for me also. What part of the MT is it on.

Found this:

http://www.daveskillington.com/Roundabout.html

Looks pretty cool.

 

[SkiDork]

Never heard of it. Any pics?

The Whip is a well-known classic. In the spring, it's kinda amusing how the locals ski up to the top and carefully survey the surface conditions. It'll usually corn up around 10:30 - 11 am once the sun finally can shine through there. Agreed. I'd love to hit that one after a dump.

np pics - here's a snip of the interactive K trail map for the location:

 

[ALLSKIING]

Found this:

http://www.daveskillington.com/Roundabout.html

Looks pretty cool.

Ok..thats by the bottom of the South Ridge Triple.

 

[ALLSKIING]

np pics - here's a snip of the interactive K trail map for the location:

How often is it open?

 

[SkiDork]

How often is it open?

Depends on the snowfall. It was closed a lot this past season but we usually just ducked the rope. There are a few little rivers you have to get over sometimes, but thats just part of the fun

 

[Newpylong]

On that loaf pict, it shows what look to be another liftline below that one, isn't that trail called straightline or something like that? I think there used to be a double up there. Also the trail next to that with the tension wires.

 

[kbroderick]

I think that just about any trail has character. c0il discussed "wide, open, and down the fall line" as homogenic and boring, but how many trails are simply wide-open fall-line boulevards? Even at Sunday River, most trails do not stick to the fall line, and most trails do have terrain (c.f. T2 to Monday Mourning, which cuts almost straight down the fall line, is pretty wide, and still has several distinct terrain features). White Heat (the "steepest longest widest lift-served trail in the East" as long you don't put any commas in) is not simply a cafeteria tray tilted up to x degrees; the pitch varies several times and there are varying amounts of sidehill depending on where you are on width of the trail and how much snow has been piled on it. And for a groomer with man-made snow that has plenty of character, how about Salvation or Right Stuff? Even Sunday Punch, which might seem boring at first glance, has an incredibly deceptive right-foot fallaway and sometimes (depends on snow depth and grooming practices) adds a few sneaky knolls to keep skiers awake.

Sure, there aren't that many trails there that have the "Dukes of Hazzard 'shine run though the shortcut" character to them (although there are a few), but I can't think of a single trail outside of South Ridge that doesn't have some character to it. But if you go ahead and ski any of those runs--particularly if you ski them hard and are actually making good turns--you notice the character. They may be similar in some ways, but they're far from the same. I'd be pretty suprised if the same wasn't the case at Killington, and I've skied Sugarloaf just enough to say that there's plenty of character even on the groomers; even the flat runout at the bottom of Gauge is far from boulevard-smooth.

(yes, sorry, these are Sunday River-centric examples because I spent 5+ days a week on snow there for four years and I don't know any other mountains with similar terrain, snowmaking, and grooming tendencies as well).

 

[Greg]

On that loaf pict, it shows what look to be another liftline below that one, isn't that trail called straightline or something like that? I think there used to be a double up there. Also the trail next to that with the tension wires.

Probably Poleline. And you guessed it, it's lined with power poles...

 

[awf170]

Misery whip used to be a T-bar line. Personally I wish they still had the T-bar, it would be nice for windy days.

Misey Whip is the most fun IMO on really windy days, the whole skiers left side of the trail will become a giant drift. One time I did it the whole middle of the trail was windblown, but there was just a 3-5 ft drift going down the whole left side. Ripsaw also gets giant drifts like that too, fun stuff.

 

[Greg]

Ripsaw also gets giant drifts like that too, fun stuff.

Only skied that one once, and it hadn't softened yet (April) but yes, Ripsaw qualifies as a great "character" trail as well!

 

[Greg]

Skied a few new runs this season that certainly qualify as character trails:

Redline, Magic:

Awesome lift line. A few drops and one hell of a steep section; legit Vermont steepness.

Beast, Berkshire East:

Not enough cover that day, but soon after a big dump and Beast has to go down as the most technical and thrilling trail in SNE.

Annapurna, Hunter:

Gotta be the trail at Hunter with the most character.

Catwalk, Killington:

Short, but really great. One of the best at Killington that I've skied. Needles Liftline was fun that day too.

 

[Greg]

I also finally got on Rumble at Sugarbush and Paradise at MRG this season:

Rumble:




Paradise (MRG):




I actually got the chance to hit most of the on-map trails off the Single at MRG this year and basically everything at MRG has character. Fall Line is great, but I think my favorite combo at MRG is Cat Bowl/Lynx/Beaver:

Catamount Bowl:


Lynx:


Beaver:


Great stuff!

 

[threecy]

Wildcat - Polecat, Catnap
Berkshire East - Outback, Minnie Dole
Okemo - Jolly Green Giant
Sugarbush - Murphy's Glade

 

[Greg]

Berkshire East - Outback, Minnie Dole

I really like that upper section of Minnie Dole off the summit. I then like to drop into Grizzly from there. I think Jug is again one of Beast's top character trails. Berkshire East is the character trail winner in SNE without question.

 

[threecy]

I really like that upper section of Minnie Dole off the summit. I then like to drop into Grizzly from there. I think Jug is again one of Beast's top character trails. Berkshire East is the character trail winner in SNE without question.

I actually find flying around the corner more enjoyable than hitting Grizzly - you can really bank that turn next to Upper Competition, before hitting the wicked slanted portion of the trail (now THAT's character!)

I should also add:

Gunstock - Gunsmoke, Flintrock