legalskier
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- Joined
- Sep 22, 2008
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Conditions: hardpack, ice, some manmade fresh, gale force winds
Best runs: Racers Edge, part of Eisenhower (active snowmaking)
Bumps: Lower K, Upper Crossover
Bullet proof skating rinks: Claire’s, Way Out, Colonel’s, Cliff, Hell Gate, Jimmy H, Upper K, Minya Konka, White Cloud
Arrived early with temp at 12 and wind trying to push the car door back at me as I got out. This was in the parking lot, not the top of the mountain (warning sign #1). It was early Sunday morning but the parking lot already was three quarters full (warning sign #2). Where did all these folks come from? Whatever, we had made the commitment so we weren’t going to be deterred. Got bundled up and ventured out to the line for the new Kaatskill Flyer- actually, it isn’t a line, more of a crowd split into funneling lines with traffic cop lifties controlling the flow. (Longest wait was @12 mins.) This was my first ride on the new lift- it’s very comfortable with padded seat and seat back, and very fast (except when it kept stopping). As we ascended we could see the guns going full blast on Racers and a few on Eisenhower, two trails we would lap a lot given the conditions on the other trails. We even rode up D Lift several times to mid just to avoid the Flyer situation and to access the manmade snow on those two trails. There is good coverage on many trails, a credit to the mountain ops crew. Unfortunately, most trails got scraped off quickly, or wind blown, and were frozen solid to boot. It was difficult to find good snow even at trail’s edge. The two trails with bumps did have some fresh snow but it was between the bumps whose deep sides were icy. There was no pattern to the bumps that allowed you to get into a sustained rhythm- there were long humps instead of rounded bumps, and even the height of them varied, so they were tricky. Lower 42nd St had a line of seeded bumps, but it was closed for training. The wind was so strong it was pushing people around up top. In fact, when I rode the old HSQ (now called the ZE lift) up to the top on the west side, the wind actually sounded like a train and some roof shingles on the lift operator’s booth were standing straight up. Stopped by "Scottie's Summit Cafe" for a cup of hot cocoa and saw all the old skis on the walls. A special mention goes to Claire’s Way, which was mostly flat- flat as an ice rink at a 35 degree angle. At one point I got concerned about making it down in one piece, even with my sharpened edges. I managed to get out ok and headed back to Racer’s for some fresh manmade and a face full of ice crystals.
Snowguns on lower Racer's:
One of the crew on Lower K:
Bumps & humps on Upper Cross:
Looking down Claire's and the old Z lift:
Looking up 44:
I froze my fingers to bring you these shots!
Best runs: Racers Edge, part of Eisenhower (active snowmaking)
Bumps: Lower K, Upper Crossover
Bullet proof skating rinks: Claire’s, Way Out, Colonel’s, Cliff, Hell Gate, Jimmy H, Upper K, Minya Konka, White Cloud
Arrived early with temp at 12 and wind trying to push the car door back at me as I got out. This was in the parking lot, not the top of the mountain (warning sign #1). It was early Sunday morning but the parking lot already was three quarters full (warning sign #2). Where did all these folks come from? Whatever, we had made the commitment so we weren’t going to be deterred. Got bundled up and ventured out to the line for the new Kaatskill Flyer- actually, it isn’t a line, more of a crowd split into funneling lines with traffic cop lifties controlling the flow. (Longest wait was @12 mins.) This was my first ride on the new lift- it’s very comfortable with padded seat and seat back, and very fast (except when it kept stopping). As we ascended we could see the guns going full blast on Racers and a few on Eisenhower, two trails we would lap a lot given the conditions on the other trails. We even rode up D Lift several times to mid just to avoid the Flyer situation and to access the manmade snow on those two trails. There is good coverage on many trails, a credit to the mountain ops crew. Unfortunately, most trails got scraped off quickly, or wind blown, and were frozen solid to boot. It was difficult to find good snow even at trail’s edge. The two trails with bumps did have some fresh snow but it was between the bumps whose deep sides were icy. There was no pattern to the bumps that allowed you to get into a sustained rhythm- there were long humps instead of rounded bumps, and even the height of them varied, so they were tricky. Lower 42nd St had a line of seeded bumps, but it was closed for training. The wind was so strong it was pushing people around up top. In fact, when I rode the old HSQ (now called the ZE lift) up to the top on the west side, the wind actually sounded like a train and some roof shingles on the lift operator’s booth were standing straight up. Stopped by "Scottie's Summit Cafe" for a cup of hot cocoa and saw all the old skis on the walls. A special mention goes to Claire’s Way, which was mostly flat- flat as an ice rink at a 35 degree angle. At one point I got concerned about making it down in one piece, even with my sharpened edges. I managed to get out ok and headed back to Racer’s for some fresh manmade and a face full of ice crystals.
Snowguns on lower Racer's:
One of the crew on Lower K:
Bumps & humps on Upper Cross:
Looking down Claire's and the old Z lift:
Looking up 44:
I froze my fingers to bring you these shots!
