Good New England Bump Runs

[SkiFanE]

I think of "Bump run" as wall to wall, steep and wide trails that exist for unescapable mogul bashing. Outer Limits being a classic example.

I agree, that's what I view as a classic "bump" run. Additional factor to qualify - you have to be able to link dozens of turns heading straight down the fall line (eliminates Rumble). I would also say that easy viewing from the bottom and/or a lift should also be a factor.

I didn't know there were so many qualifications to being a bump run. Lol. If it has bumps when I go to ski it - it's a bump run. Some have only manmade snow, some don't. Some don't get groomed, some do. Double fall lines can be a blast. I prefer natural snow on natural windy MRG type trails best, but if any trail has bumps - that's where I am.

 

[Jully]

I didn't know there were so many qualifications to being a bump run. Lol. If it has bumps when I go to ski it - it's a bump run. Some have only manmade snow, some don't. Some don't get groomed, some do. Double fall lines can be a blast. I prefer natural snow on natural windy MRG type trails

This. Who cares if it can be seen from a lift? Are shockwave at SR and Bubblecuffer or Skidder at SL not bump runs because they're not viewable from a lift?

 

[180]

you only need a left and a right bump, to make any run a bump run

 

[Griswold]

If you shred bumps and no one from the bottom or a lift can see it, did it actually happen?


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[Domeskier]

And huh, no CT representation or mention of a certain small area there as far as I can tell...

Do they even bother with bumps anymore?

 

[Zand]

Skied Mt. Snow today and after seeing the Facebook report of "you'll find plenty of soft bumps on the hill today", there were exactly 0 areas of bumps anywhere on the mountain. Not even Beartrap and that's usually an automatic go-to. Granted there were quite a few natural trails that were very fun, but nothing bumped up anywhere that I found.

To me the most classic bump run is a simple answer. For years I heard my dad talk about how back in the 80s and 90s there were a lot of trails that would have moguls the size of cars, especially in the spring. For years I thought it was just an exaggeration as I never saw anything that crazy, even on classic spring bump runs like OL, Superstar, Steins, etc. Finally, about 5 years ago, I was able to get to Killington on a day that Devil's Fiddle was open for the first time, and wow. I finally saw those bumps the size of cars that he talked about. I can ski just about any bump run comfortably and with decent speed through the lines, but I kept lapping DF that day and I never once had a comfortable run down it. Probably the only time in recent memory a mogul trail kicked my ass. It was incredible. I haven't seen anything like it since (not that I get out that much anymore) but I was glad to finally experience something I'd always heard about but had never seen. So to me, that is the #1 trail I can add to this thread, one that is bumped wall to wall with 5 foot tall moguls and only the best of the best can ski it well.

 

[Savemeasammy]

For years I heard my dad talk about how back in the 80s and 90s there were a lot of trails that would have moguls the size of cars

Wow. That makes me feel old!

Outer Limits used to be like that under the chair - back in the day! (Before winch-cats. Damn them...)


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[Zand]

Wow. That makes me feel old!

Outer Limits used to be like that under the chair - back in the day! (Before winch-cats. Damn them...)


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That was his prime example was OL. He also frequented Attitash back in the day and always talked about how Tim's Trauma got like that too. I went to Killington around BMMC quite a few years and usually OL would just have smaller (but more skiable for me so I wasn't complaining) bumps, and some years it was half groomed.

 

[deadheadskier]

I would love to see Tims like that at Attitash. Only skied it groomed, but outside of skiing there before Tim's was even cut, my experience is pretty limited to about 8 days at Attitash over the past five years. I've only really seen bumps consistently there on Grand Stand. If Tim's and Ptarmigan had consistent bumps, I'd probably spread my days a little more evenly instead of primarily skiing Wildcat when up there

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[BenedictGomez]

Skied Mt. Snow today and after seeing the Facebook report of "you'll find plenty of soft bumps on the hill today", there were exactly 0 areas of bumps anywhere on the mountain.

WOW. That is horrendous false advertising.

For years I heard my dad talk about how back in the 80s and 90s there were a lot of trails that would have moguls the size of cars, especially in the spring. For years I thought it was just an exaggeration

I was a kid, but he generally speaking, speaks the truth. There were many more mogul options back in the day. Now most resorts destroy the ski trails and mash everything into "corduroy", and then brag on Facebook about how well they destroy their slopes.

 

[Not Sure]

WOW. That is horrendous false advertising.



I was a kid, but he generally speaking, speaks the truth. There were many more mogul options back in the day. Now most resorts destroy the ski trails and mash everything into "corduroy", and then brag on Facebook about how well they destroy their slopes.

With many other options besides Moguls... "Parks, Glades" . People have not spent the time to learn how to ski moguls, I was fortunate to have a freind that went to freestyle camp as a kid . Just trying to keep up with him was a goal , he has a really great technique that looks effortless. As you ski you're favorite bump run chances are it almost empty, The top level of talent on the mountain any given day many divided up beteen parks,glade,moguls.

Also the base needed for a good bump run is more than a groomer as you don't want the sun burning holes in the troughs. Maybe economical as well?

I do remember some awesome bump runs in the 80's , just wonder what snowboards effects are on bump formation? Farther apart? I remember some very tight runs , shaped skis and snowboards were'nt in the mix.


My favorite thing on skis years ago was to launch off the top of one mogul, clear another and land the downside of a third mogul , seems the're too far apart now and don't have the right kick angle, or I'm 40lbs more that I use to weigh.

 

[powhunter]

Northstar, escapade, vertigo The Jug at Kmart. Kitsbuehl at Jay. Flying goose at Sunapee come to mind. Not sure what happened to the Mogul culture at Sundown.


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[machski]

As to the demise of bump runs, I recall in the early 90's when White Heat was all bumps, the snowmaking was different. By different, I mean everytime we got a warmup back to frozen bumps, they would make snow and bury it again, giving skiers something to work with besides the ice bumps. Now, probably due to energy pricing and the fact SR has much more terrain to maintain, that is just not the case. They will knock them down or close the trail til they knock them down (or until new natural falls). Occasionally Shock, 3-D, Upper Downdraft etc will get new snow blown to refresh the bumps. But it seems like this strategy at SR anyway was left behind in history.

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[deadheadskier]

Also no terrain parks back then. I'm sure that ate into the refresh budget. The amount of snow they use building terrain parks up there could bury WH ten feet deep

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[MadMadWorld]

Saw bumps on a beginner trail at Wawa today. Small and nicely spaced. Happy to see a lot of people give it a go. Moguls can be a great tool for even beginners

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[Savemeasammy]

Saw bumps on a beginner trail at Wawa today. Small and nicely spaced. Happy to see a lot of people give it a go. Moguls can be a great tool for even beginners

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This is so important for the growth of mogul skiing. More hills should be doing this. I would love to have bumps like these for a teaching tool.


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[machski]

Also no terrain parks back then. I'm sure that ate into the refresh budget. The amount of snow they use building terrain parks up there could bury WH ten feet deep

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Very true. I am very happy the superpipe is fully earthen built for the walls. Wish they had built some earthen buildup for the jumps on T72 to at least subtract some of the snow needed. And if Rocking Chair is going to be an X course always, they could build up earthen banks too.

 

[deadheadskier]

Saw bumps on a beginner trail at Wawa today. Small and nicely spaced. Happy to see a lot of people give it a go. Moguls can be a great tool for even beginners

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Might have to spam Crotcheds FB with this photo. Those are better looking bumps on a beginner trail at WaWa than I've seen on any Crotched trail the past four years.

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[BenedictGomez]

Also no terrain parks back then. I'm sure that ate into the refresh budget. The amount of snow they use building terrain parks up there could bury WH ten feet deep

Terrain parks seem to be the biggest waste on the mountain. Wherever I go, I rarely seem to see all that many people using them; park has to be the most expensive thing on the mountain from a $/skier basis.

 

[Scruffy]

Saw bumps on a beginner trail at Wawa today. Small and nicely spaced. Happy to see a lot of people give it a go. Moguls can be a great tool for even beginners

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Is that you on the left? Hunched over in exasperation at the site of such paltry bimps, that you just couldn't continue. No sense in carrying on at all, might as well drown you sorrows in the bar.

What were you doing at WAWA in the first place?