Does anyone enjoy hardpack?

[ta&idaho]

No, and I call it ice. Didn't grow up skiing it, can't ski it, don't like skiing it, wouldn't ski if that's all there was. I've learned to adapt to a wide range of eastern conditions, but I doubt I'll ever change my views on this surface. Fortunately, I've found that there are almost always non-"hardpack" options to ski somewhere on even the most icy mountains (example: the sluff that gathers along the fenceline at Hunter). In the rare instances that the only option is flat, rock-hard snow from edge-to-edge, you'll find me at the bar (or, more likely, at home).

 

[wa-loaf]

No, and I call it ice.

Ice is blue and you can see through it.

 

[Beetlenut]

i believe that would be the true definition of corn. where that top layer just peels off.

sorta kinda. What I was really thinking of was some blue ice that had softened in the sun one spring that still looked like ice, but the top inch was soft. It was surreal railing turns on blue ice in 50 degree sunny weather. Ah spring skiing!

 

[Mildcat]

Can I get a definition please.. ?

I don't mind edgeable hardpack..

You ski and board, is one harder than the other on boilerplate?

I must,I've skied Mt Hardpack for 35 years!:lol:Sorry Cannon.:smash:

I consider that part of the charm at Cannon. :smile:

 

[amf]

No, and I call it ice.

Amen. Unfortunately, most ski areas call it "packed powder". Since losing most of the cartilage in one knee, I avoid it like the plague. Even a green run gives me fits - it feels like a jackhammer to the brain. Give me powder days and spring skiing!

 

[bigbog]

was thinking the same. maybe the is suggesting sarcasm.


as for myself it really depends on the quality of tune on my skis and the number of people on the trail. On an empty trails with a race tune, super hard pack can be a heckuva lotta fun.

50's..how about upper 40s;-)......at the base with the upper mountain maintaining good snow is , I think, what Beetlenut was talkin' bout'. Sugarloaf, probably Mansfield..y/n?...the Presidentials...with N.Conway in the low 50s. Or he could be a closet Westerner poking fun at us NEers.

$.01

 

[neil]

Falling on it is like hitting concrete. I took my first lesson on it. Brutal.

 

[Geoff]

Skiing hardpack is better than the alternative... not skiing.

 

[Sky]

I can deal with it. I like the way it keeps some folks off the slope. The challenge is...whne it DOESN'T keep folks off the slope who can't deal with it. Then it doesn't matter how good my edges are, I'm working harder to edge better to control speed better and keeping an eye on the folks who should work on their skills elsewhere.

Sort of takes the fun out of it.

I was on Profile @ Cannon about two years ago all by myself with BP...No Prob except for the abrupt end of trail.

 

[drjeff]

Skiing hardpack is better than the alternative... not skiing.

+1

 

[Robbski]

Wa-Loaf' correct definition of real "ice" as blue and see thru got me thinking about the variations on hardpack that East Coast skiers are familiar with. We always hear about the different variety of west coast snow (champagne powder, blower, sierra cement etc.)

So I thought I would offer the following:

Freshly Zambonied (Ice after a r*in storm)
Ordinary Ice (Blue and See Thru)
Spring Ice ( first 1/2 inch of surface recently softened)
Boiler Plate (white enough to fool you into thinking its still snow but pretty much as hard as ice)
Bullet Proof (White but impenetrable without a a razor edge)
Firm (It's not going anywhere but you can tell it was snow once)
Loose Granualar (ice in a former life)
Dust on Crust (either an inch of fresh on firm or pulverized corduroy on firm)
Packed Powder ( East Coast marketing term -- but they actually have this stuff at western resorts, snow appears flat an smooth and you ski actually carves a groove into it. No it's true! I actually witnessed it!)

 

[Mildcat]

Freshly Zambonied (Ice after a r*in storm)

I'll have to remember that one. :lol: