Do you ski trees?

[hardline]

I generally spend as much time in the woods as possible on skis. However, this being my third season at Sugarbush, I am somewhat frustrated with the sketchy nature of some of the "mapped" gladed areas at Sugarbush South. There are some runs, such as Lew's Line and Egan's Woods, that have numerous stumps sticking up right in the middle of aesthetic lines that someone could easily have cut flush with the ground if they would just take the time to do it.

In contrast, areas like Stowe, Jay and MRG seem to be far more dilligent about keeping their woods clean of this kind of stuff.

Saying that those stumps will be buried once we get enough base is simply not true, once the lines get hit enough you get moguls AND troughs, and stumps that stick up as much as a foot or more are just frickin' dangerous. Especially after there's a dump with juuuust enough fluff to make 'em invisible.

Maybe it's necessary to go though a permit process with the US Forest Service to prune stumps of trees that are already dead? :-?

I'd nip 'em off myself with a folding saw, but these snowsnakes can only be tamed with a chainsaw.

their aint noghting a 60" base can cover. that why in northern vt unofficial safe tree skiing starts at 60"at the stake. hardwoof glades shouldn't be cleared to the ground it isn't natural. pine glades naturally have very little deadfall so they open quicker.

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

their aint noghting a 60" base can cover. that why in northern vt unofficial safe tree skiing starts at 60"at the stake. hardwoof glades shouldn't be cleared to the ground it isn't natural. pine glades naturally have very little deadfall so they open quicker.

And the branches that might snare you are also 60" lower.

 

[hardline]

And the branches that might snare you are also 60" lower.

actually most of those have been sheared off from past years but last year the pack was so high you where up into the canopy of the trees. there was one day when i went into mansfield lodge and the girl at guest services asked me who i had got into a fight with. i had no clue what she was talking about till i went into the bathroom looked like someone whiped me in my face.

 

[billski]

actually most of those have been sheared off from past years but last year the pack was so high you where up into the canopy of the trees. there was one day when i went into mansfield lodge and the girl at guest services asked me who i had got into a fight with. i had no clue what she was talking about till i went into the bathroom looked like someone whiped me in my face.

I love having canopy problems.... It's always fun to guess just how deep it really is....

The worst bark-eating I've had is a bloodied nose. Like you, undiscovered until I went inside...

 

[hardline]

I love having canopy problems.... It's always fun to guess just how deep it really is....

The worst bark-eating I've had is a bloodied nose. Like you, undiscovered until I went inside...

i actually considered a full face helmet but thought it was overkill.

 

[billski]

i actually considered a full face helmet but thought it was overkill.

My wife had a full head (not full face) helmet. She was downhilled by a newbie skier and went face-first into the hard pack groomer. Moderate concussion diagnosed in ER.:sad:
Most of my accidents come from stupid things I do, like not paying attention to the task at hand.

 

[scharny]

their aint noghting a 60" base can cover. that why in northern vt unofficial safe tree skiing starts at 60"at the stake. hardwoof glades shouldn't be cleared to the ground it isn't natural. pine glades naturally have very little deadfall so they open quicker.

So why is it kosher for a ski area to open a gladed trail with numerous high-profile stumps when there is less than 60" at the stake? I'm not talking about "clearing" the glades of logs or hobblebush, just trimming stumps. once a cut stump is all that remains, the tree is dead regardless. Also, I am not talking about stumps that resulted from trees falling naturally. These stumps are a result of sanctioned trailwork in the first place. A downed log provides valuable habitat for forest floor critters, voles, salamanders and the like, as well as organic matter. A 3" or 4"-diameter, 1-foot tall stump? Doubtful.

 

[JD]

So why is it kosher for a ski area to open a gladed trail with numerous high-profile stumps when there is less than 60" at the stake? I'm not talking about "clearing" the glades of logs or hobblebush, just trimming stumps. once a cut stump is all that remains, the tree is dead regardless. Also, I am not talking about stumps that resulted from trees falling naturally. These stumps are a result of sanctioned trailwork in the first place. A downed log provides valuable habitat for forest floor critters, voles, salamanders and the like, as well as organic matter. A 3" or 4"-diameter, 1-foot tall stump? Doubtful.

I agree with sharney here. Cut it to the ground. I also disagree about cleaning hardwood forrest. It's very sustainable. You're actually prolly helping the health of the forrest by taking out every other sappling, allowing for it's neighbor to develope more fully, and ground growth is naturally limited to to a full canopy from what I have read, you can clean pretty aggressively in hardwoods w/o worring about ecological damage. I go by a 40 inch rule for uncleaned areas, and get into cut glades ealier depending on how dense the base is....
I've seen areas like that before, a result of people going in and cutting in the winter. Go back in the summer and the glade is full of 30 inch tall pungies...freaking dangerous. THAT is a lawsuit waiting to happen, as is opening woods runs inbounds this time of year, IMO. Asking for someone to get hurt.

 

[Puck it]

i actually considered a full face helmet but thought it was overkill.

I bought one and returned it thinking it was overkill also.

 

[PA Ridge Racer]

Yes if the snow is decent, I'll be in the trees. I dont like crazy tight stuff though.

And wow...awesome pic

Classic Eastern Gully skiing

 

[JD]

little more tree stoke....

 

[JD]

And finally....

let's see some more tree porn!

 

[BigJay]

OKI DOKKI!

Can't wait!

 

[JD]

Noice! Me neither!

 

[jaywbigred]

Yes, I ski trees. Not my fave, but I see the allure. Esp. like them in the middle of a storm. Still, would rather ski bumps though.

That being said, my marriage proposal will take place in the trees out West somewhere. Have it all planned out.

 

[cbcbd]

The more I skied inbounds the more I wanted to ski the trees. Once I got good enough to have a controlled descent through them and then later found out about powder... I was sold!

I love ducking branches and whatnot.

 

[Tin Woodsman]

So why is it kosher for a ski area to open a gladed trail with numerous high-profile stumps when there is less than 60" at the stake? I'm not talking about "clearing" the glades of logs or hobblebush, just trimming stumps. once a cut stump is all that remains, the tree is dead regardless. Also, I am not talking about stumps that resulted from trees falling naturally. These stumps are a result of sanctioned trailwork in the first place. A downed log provides valuable habitat for forest floor critters, voles, salamanders and the like, as well as organic matter. A 3" or 4"-diameter, 1-foot tall stump? Doubtful.

That's weird. I've never encountered that problem on those runs, but then again, I don't ski those runs very often. If this is your third season at SB, you need to explore further afield.

Also, for those mentioning liability issues, SB has those lines on the map but doesn't open or close them. You need only enter and come out on an open trail. The rest is left for your judgement.

 

[hardline]

I agree with sharney here. Cut it to the ground. I also disagree about cleaning hardwood forrest. It's very sustainable. You're actually prolly helping the health of the forrest by taking out every other sappling, allowing for it's neighbor to develope more fully, and ground growth is naturally limited to to a full canopy from what I have read, you can clean pretty aggressively in hardwoods w/o worring about ecological damage. I go by a 40 inch rule for uncleaned areas, and get into cut glades ealier depending on how dense the base is....
I've seen areas like that before, a result of people going in and cutting in the winter. Go back in the summer and the glade is full of 30 inch tall pungies...freaking dangerous. THAT is a lawsuit waiting to happen, as is opening woods runs inbounds this time of year, IMO. Asking for someone to get hurt.

i guess with marked glades your right. you would have to clear the whole thing out for insurance reasons. i was really talking about unmarked/off map stuff.

as far as cleaning out hardwood forests. when you clear out all the deadfall you open the cleared areas up to new growth. part of any hardwood forest is deadfall so its a natural occurance but i am not a arborist so i dont really know. just making some logical deductions.

 

[snowmonster]

I'd rather ski the spaces in between the trees but, yes, I do ski trees. =) I have to remind myself though to keep both skis on the same side of the tree.

 

[JD]

That link I posted has some great info on what you should and should not cut...Hardwoods that aren't beech are generally very durable and safe, and generally not an endagered habitat. I like the idea of bucking up blowdowns and filiing in deep depressions with them. or pilling them up inn front of objects like sharp pieces of ledge or boulders that present more of a hazard. A saw on an extender pole is also key for getting branches that will come into play with 50-60 inches of snowpack. He also recomends connecting fern patches. As you trim, and therefore let sunlight down to the forrest floor, patches of ferns will spread into the newly open space fastest and stop anything else from germinating so your line will require less work to keep open. Really a fantastic tip I thought. Something I think everyone should read if they do trim and haven't browsed it.