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Gunstock 01-19-09

loafer89

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Area skied: Gunstock, New Hampshire

Date skied: January 19th from 12:00pm - 4:20pm

Surface conditions: Loose powder, powder, packed powder

Weather: Sun and clouds, 20's

We got a late start on our trip up to Gunstock today due to recieving 5" of snow overnight at home and having to clear the driveway. A later start was better anyway as it gave the road crews a chance to get the highways back into shape.

We arrived at noon and took our first run from the summit off of the Panorama HSQ. We skied Birch Glades which was nice if a bit thin in spots to Gunpowder,which had soft packed powder and then into Gunpowder Glades. Gunpowder Glades was okay if a bit thin in spots with a few branches/roots to trip you up if you where not carefull. Despite all the new snow (12" +) there is no base underneath it.

We skied Upper Recoil and Recoil Glades next and they are nice glades with challenging pitch, but again they where thin in spots with no pre-existing base and lots of short sucker brush poking through the snow.

Next up was Upper Ramrod and the cut up powder was great fun, the hike back out to Upper Trigger was not. Middle Trigger had some nice powder bumps, but lots of ice in between them.

The ROTD was Hot Shot with soft snow underfoot nearly the whole way, but there where a few areas of thin cover that may force this trail to close again soon. Still I liked the moguls and the challenge of skiing around thin areas more than sliding down an icy groomer.

Flintlock was our next run and it was skied off and really slick in the middle with powder edges and a few small moguls. Red Hat was much the same with less ice and more moguls.

Overall we had fun and this was my son's first trip to Gunstock. It is a bit of a haul for us though and I think I like Ragged better for a comparison.
 

Swamp Dog

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The trick to skiing Gunstock is to get there early, like most places. Living right next door I can do that and then head home at lunch time.

I did Hot Shot this past weekend for the first time ever. What a fun trail! I did Birch Glades the first time it was opened and the cover was sketchy then. Red Hat, Cannonball, Tiger Steeps, all fun with the soft snow.
 

loafer89

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Getting there early yesterday was not a realistic option with the snow we got during sunday night. We had fun even with the late arrival.

Gunstock really needs to work on organizing the lift maze for the Panorama HSQ. We waited at least 10 minutes on line yesterday at one point and chairs where still being loaded with only 1-2 people.

There is no crowd organization, no grouping of singles/doubles/triples.

They seem more concerned with scanning tickets than getting customers up the mountain to enjoy the product that they just paid for.
 

Swamp Dog

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Gunstock really needs to work on organizing the lift maze for the Panorama HSQ. We waited at least 10 minutes on line yesterday at one point and chairs where still being loaded with only 1-2 people.

There is no crowd organization, no grouping of singles/doubles/triples.

They seem more concerned with scanning tickets than getting customers up the mountain to enjoy the product that they just paid for.

I absolutely agree with this. Maybe you could write a letter to management (info@gunstock.com) and address these issues. I would but have written so much this season already I'm worried about coming off as a bitter "didn't get hired" local.

The ropes are set up for things to move more smoothly than they do. There are lines for singles, doubles, triples/quads but no one to direct people accordingly once they've been scanned. All they need is one more person directing traffic where the lines come together. It shouldn't be too difficult.

I had to leave before 11 and saw how crazy the Panorama lift lines looked.
 

loafer89

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Honestly Gunstock is probably not a mountain that I will be going back to anytime soon, due to the distance/gas/tolls involved with getting there. I could be well into Vermont with the mileage of driving to Gunstock.

We skied there to give my son a chance to experience a new mountain. Liftopia had a good deal and New Hampshire got lots of new snow, so we went. I'll probably do the same with Whaleback, Tenney and King Pine later this year if possible.

Getting back to Gunstock, the main problem is a need to organize things after tickets have been scanned instead of throwing everyone into one pit, to have them sort it out for themselves. To sum it up, they need more lift staff.
 

Glenn

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Oct 1, 2008
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How long of a ride did you have from CT?

Our friends had a place on Lake Winnipesaukee and you could see Gunstock from the dock. I never made it over there to ski.
 

loafer89

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How long of a ride did you have from CT?

Our friends had a place on Lake Winnipesaukee and you could see Gunstock from the dock. I never made it over there to ski.


The drive up took us about 2 1/2 hours and 3 hours on the return trip due to traffic.
 
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