Intermediate Glades?

[AdironRider]

I cant help but laugh when I see places describe these types of things. Maybe Im starting to really sound like an accountant, but with insurance being what it is, how do they get away with this?

Maybe its just me, but I think most people dont even think of skiing trees until they consider themselves pretty decent skiers, certainly good enough to ski the "expert black diamond" groomers. Id want to get the open slope thing down first before I got into the whole notion of big immovable objects coming into play myself, all kidding aside. In fact thats what I did.

When did you start skiing trees? Would you consider glade skiing an intermediate level activity?

I think Im looking at things far to much from my current perspective as someone who doesnt blink at skiing glades, and actually primarily skis them, but I do remember smacking off a couple when I started skiing them. It hurt.

 

[snoseek]

Anyone can skid their way through low angle trees. I kind of like them with fresh snow because you don't really need to check your speed.

 

[gmcunni]

low angel sparse trees in the middle of a green trail = intermediate glades

 

[Northernflight]

Most intermediate glades Ive seen are fairly flat and I think its good that resorts have them to give skiers who want to try a glade but are not good enough to ski the "tougher" glades a place to get a feel for glade skiing and improve skills. Pats Peak has a bunch of low angle glades that they mark as a single diamond but then again, it is a much easier mountain than Waterville who has an intermediate glade that is much harder than the glades at Pats. It goes with area specifics and how challenging a mountain is. Most of those intermediate glades are pretty wide spaced anyway. I can see how someone could argue a lawsuit if they get hurt in a glade but on the other hand those glades are clearly marked as glades and not trails so the skier should fully be aware of what they are getting themselves into.

 

[Geoff]

Intermediate glades are fun to ski at speed. It's like riding an imperial speeder on the forest moon of Endor.

 

[snowmonster]

When did you start skiing trees?

Two months after my first ski lesson. Moonwalk Woods at Jay Peak. Skied those low angle glades in a slow wedge. By the end of the day, I was turning faster using stem turns.

 

[Puck it]

Ridge glade at Sunapee is one. Turnpike at Cannon, not long though. Only ones that come to mind for me.

 

[hammer]

Ridge glade at Sunapee is one. Turnpike at Cannon, not long though. Only ones that come to mind for me.

Ridge Glade at Sunapee has a steeper drop-in that I usually have a harder time with, otherwise it's pretty spread out. There are a few glades over on South Peak that are small but I think are more intermediate-friendly.

The glades at Pats Peak are nice and flat, good for a first-timer to try out.

I've also gone through Bushwacker at Jay Peak which is another good intermediate glade.

 

[thetrailboss]

Really the biggest factors for intermediate glades would include in my mind (1) low angle, and (2) adequate spacing in the trees for newbies. I found the intermediate glades at Pats to be good for folks to try out and get used to. In 2005 when they got some great snow the glades off of Hurricane were lots of fun and the Peak Double Liftline was scrumptious.

Burke has a beginner glade off of Binney Lane, but in my experience though it is low angle it is pretty tight. Kids still love it.

And Jay has some beginner glades off of the Metro Quad IIRC. Moonwalk being one. They are wicked FLAT though.

 

[skiadikt]

at k there's squeeze play on ramshead, their beginner/learners mtn. these glades run most of ramhead's vertical and are a blast on powday.

 

[Geoff]

at k there's squeeze play on ramshead, their beginner/learners mtn. these glades run most of ramhead's vertical and are a blast on powday.

Personally, I think Killington should chop down every sapling on Rams Head. It's a huge competitive advantage over anything farther south in Vermont.

 

[Riverskier]

Low angle, well spaced glades are a great introduction to tree skiing for intermediates. Blind Ambition at Sunday River comes to mind as a good example. A solid intermediate with a desire to learn tree skiing could easily navigate that glad safely.

 

[jimmywilson69]

I agree. They could easily open up the skiers left side of Ramshead with a simliar type of glade as Squeeze Play.

 

[Highway Star]

I agree. They could easily open up the skiers left side of Ramshead with a simliar type of glade as Squeeze Play.

There is no good tree skiing on Rams Head. Move along!!!!

 

[gmcunni]

I found the intermediate glades at Pats to be good for folks to try out and get used to.

Pats is where i thought of too. my daughter who's not an aggressive skier loves their little patches of woods.

 

[HowieT2]

can't really see what the problem is with having low angle widely spaced glades. At sugarbush, there is Eden, which the kids love. It sees a lot of traffic and I'd venture to say that more than a few started loving tree skiing there. We have friends who come up once a year and the kids (girls) get a real thrill out of going off piste. It gets bumped up nicely and when I have occasion to venture in there, it's a blast.

 

[deadheadskier]

I think something like Birch Glades at Pico is a good set up for beginners. The stands have somewhat grown in, but I remember skiing those as a kid and loving them. Pockets of well spaced trees in the middle of trail for folks to bail out to when they fell they're over their head.

 

[Puck it]

Ridge Glade at Sunapee has a steeper drop-in that I usually have a harder time with, otherwise it's pretty spread out. There are a few glades over on South Peak that are small but I think are more intermediate-friendly.

You can bypass that section by entering below S curve on Ridge. The upper section is rarely open. Requires poaching.

 

[hammer]

You can bypass that section by entering below S curve on Ridge. The upper section is rarely open. Requires poaching.

Thanks...good to know, I've always tried to enter at the top.

 

[billski]

I moved toward the woods about 7-10 years ago. I became tired of wind-swept boulevard trails. It quickly became obvious that all the good snow was in the woods. Of course, it was not officially sanctioned at the time and only the most select pruning was done by folks in the know. Often me and my friends would end up with torn clothes from the pucker brush and other knarl. Then again, torn clothes and duct tape was a badge of honor to a small group of skiers.

Why is it now sanctioned? More than one Marketing Mgr. told me that it's all about competition. Once one starting doing it, everyone else quickly followed suit. Kind of like trail counting.