Glades skiing

[dmc]

Whoaaahh...Dude.....Cosmic....

Unless it's that tacky-ass place Sugarbush... then it's all crap...
:blink:

 

[Angus]

re: Gunstock glades

they are very manageable - coming from someone who tends to fall apart when trying to ski in the trees. one thing I dislike about skiing glades is that I'm constantly looking out for surface obstructions - rocks, stumps, etc - I've got a big thing about gouging my skis.

 

[castlerock]

Unless it's that tacky-ass place Sugarbush... then it's all crap...
:blink:

Yeah, no woods skiing there. The trees are way too dense.

Come on up for some great groomers.

 

[Jonni]

I agree, Bretton Woods has some very nice intermediate glades over near the West Mountain Express. Reiterating what everyone else said, you really shouldn't ski glades fast. Take your time at a pace that you are comfortable at. Look at the spaces in between the trees, and make sure you are looking for the next viable path between the trees that looks like you could go through it without any issues. I always try to maintain a certain level of caution when I venture into the trees. Usually stopping for a second to plan my next two or three turns and then stopping again after I have done those turns to map my next line.

I'm not a expert/seasoned glade skier, but this is advice that I have gotten from many people that do ski the glades as often as possible.

 

[Angus]

my beef with wood/glad skiing is that most people - from observation - start-stop and really don't link many turns together. lots of people just slide step through the trees sweeping snow away and exposing roots and rocks. when I get to the top of the hill, I tend to ski all the way to the lift - maybe one stop - that just doesn't happen when you're skiing in the woods. between avoiding trees, ducking branches, rocks, ledges, heavy, trying to make turns in piled up, ungroomed snow that's hard to turn in, I typically don't enjoy it.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Since glade skiing has been the "next big thing" for a few years now I suspect most resorts have green/blue glade skiing for you to check out. Watch out, it's easy to get hooked if you like quiet and getting away from the crowds. I first skied the trees at a resort many years ago at Jay. Skiers left near the bottom had some easy terrain in the trees which were awesome.

 

[rogue rider]

A few other things to keep in mind when heading into the woods especially for beginners:

1. Don't go in alone. If you get hurt, it may be hours or more before someone finds you.
2. I carry a heavy plastic scrapper with me. Every year I seem to be with someone who finds a buried stream, mud, or something else that instantly freezes into big clumps of crud on the base of the ski.

 

[dmc]

1. Don't go in alone. If you get hurt, it may be hours or more before someone finds you.

3 in the trees...

1 to help another to get help...

 

[JPTracker]

Jay has two beginner glades Moon Walk and Bushwacker. Both these glades are very easy and also have a groomer trail which goes through the glade which can be used to bail out on. Try Moon Walk first. This is the easiest glade and has three entrances and trails through it.

 

[skiprob]

Tahawus and Sleeping Bear at Gore

These two trails run on the north side and are low intermediates that follow a lovely rolling/changing fall line.

There are glades in between these two trails and I could not get my eight and nine year olds out of there, they were having so much fun.

Lovely view of the high peaks to the north from these trails.

Generally not a crowded part of the mountain...probably because it is a slow fixed-chair quad.

Good luck,
r

 

[rogue rider]

3 in the trees...

1 to help another to get help...

I agree this would be the better way to travel. Of course the benefit of being in a group only works if you periodically regroup.

 

[David Metsky]

Jay has two beginner glades Moon Walk and Bushwacker. Both these glades are very easy and also have a groomer trail which goes through the glade which can be used to bail out on. Try Moon Walk first. This is the easiest glade and has three entrances and trails through it.

This is what I was going to recommend. These are excellent entry glades to get the feel of what it's like to be skiing in the trees.

-dave-

 

[klrskiah]

Last Tango-if you go further than the access point to Right Stuff prepare yourself for one person, no turning, dips and turns around tightly situated trees. I found out the hard way..and there wasn't any powder to break falls!! It was quite an experience for me since I'm not an accomplished glade skier...

WHOOPS forgot to mention that, its pretty clear where most people exit, but i had a similar experience crawling out over a snowmaking pipe at the bottom of LOST Tango!

 

[Joshua]

all the marked glades at Okemo are easy, you could do them even with no glade experience

there are some easy ones on the front face of mount snow too

but be careful, def. ski with someone and make sure you can turn quick

 

[Marc]

I found treeskiing almost natural, but I've been mountain biking for a while and keeping your head up for rocks, trees and other obstacles, and then keeping a running cache in your head of what is coming while you continue to process what's ahead is what you do in that sport, so I didn't have to learn that skill. That made it easier.

Also knowing not to punch trees with your elbow helps a lot...

 

[Angus]

i skiied a glade at okemo - that new area, get off the lift, go right, there's the obligatory sign warning you not to go in unless you're an expert. anyway, tight trees, lots of ledges and rocks, fairly steep and narrow if memory serves me well plus not alot of snow. I was the only one skiing it - everyone else had their skis off and was walking out. sucked.

 

[Joshua]

the new area was not was i was referring to. Any glad needs good snow pack for skiing. There are blue glads on the "old" mountain that are great for beginners.

 

[maplevalleymaster]

Stratton has a lot of beginner and intermediate tree/glade terrain. Emerald's Forest, Get Stumped and Buckshot to name a few.