Hi everyone, I'm in the process of becoming an all mountain skier and I'm improving my glade skiing skills. I usually go to Cannon and was wondering what some of the easier black diamond glades (in your opinion) are. I can already ski all of their blue glades (Banshee, Snowmaker's, Turnpike) and want to challenge myself next time I go by heading into some of their glades marked as black diamonds, but don't want to end up in somewhere I really can't get out of. Thanks in advance.
-
Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!
You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!
Learning to ski glades at Cannon
- Thread starter CapyB
- Start date
riverc0il
New member
I'd recommend other mountains for learning glades. Cannon Glades are a significant step up from glades at other mountains. The difference between the blue glades and the glades marked as black is more than just one increment. The black glades are Cannon are gnarly, rocky affairs. Front Five are steep glades not good for learning and upper mountain glades are super tight (originally local cuts before being put on the map, not thinned out by Cannon once on the map). And of course, Tramline and Kinsman are straight out for learning.
Check out Jay Peak or Bretton Woods for lower angle glades good for learning. Also, ski a lot of bumps as most glades become bump runs with trees pretty quickly.
Check out Jay Peak or Bretton Woods for lower angle glades good for learning. Also, ski a lot of bumps as most glades become bump runs with trees pretty quickly.
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
Keep your hands in front!
Seriously though, while once considered "verboten", lots of mountains even offer specialized lessons for glades skiing now. If you dont mind spending a little, IMO, you will advance quickly with expert instruction.
Bushwacker glades are perfect for what he's looking for I think. Low angle intermediate glades with everything from easy to moderate lines, and everything from wide open slots to tight trees to pick from. Great experimental area IMO.
Seriously though, while once considered "verboten", lots of mountains even offer specialized lessons for glades skiing now. If you dont mind spending a little, IMO, you will advance quickly with expert instruction.
Bushwacker glades are perfect for what he's looking for I think. Low angle intermediate glades with everything from easy to moderate lines, and everything from wide open slots to tight trees to pick from. Great experimental area IMO.
Cannonball
New member
Yeah, the step up at Cannon is big. I can't think of an "intermediate" glade. Probably your best bet at Cannon is the one between Rocket and Zoomer. I call it Zprocket (is that the name??). It's fairly wide open, you can check conditions from the lift, and you can bail to Rocket if needed. Otherwise it's tough. Mushroom has probably the best spacing but the entrance and exit are difficult. In a better snow year I'd say work your way through some Mittersill sections to gain confidence...but not right now.
The BW and Jay recommendations are great.
The BW and Jay recommendations are great.
riverc0il
New member
Cannon named the cut between Rocket and Zoomer Lakeview, IIRC. They seem to have a knack for renaming glades with lame names when they go on the map. At least that one and Echo are appropriate to the location.
:smash:
Burke's East Bowl glades are good for learning, and the center mountain oriented ones are good too Marshland and Y Knot (or is that gone with the new lift?). Smuggs has some lower mountain glades that would be nice for learning.
Gosh, I'm really drawing a blank on easier glades for learning!
Yea, back to the topic, even with lessons, don't try to step up to Cannon's glades right away if you are still learning. Ease into those trees with some learning at a less severe mountain.
:smash:
Burke's East Bowl glades are good for learning, and the center mountain oriented ones are good too Marshland and Y Knot (or is that gone with the new lift?). Smuggs has some lower mountain glades that would be nice for learning.
Gosh, I'm really drawing a blank on easier glades for learning!
Yea, back to the topic, even with lessons, don't try to step up to Cannon's glades right away if you are still learning. Ease into those trees with some learning at a less severe mountain.
Northernflight
Member
I would also suggest Bretton Woods. You should not have a problem with most of the glades there and there are a ton of options. Some stuff in RoseBrook might be a little too challenging, although Minahans ridge isn't too bad, but anything on the main mountain or West Mountain you should be fine.
Thanks to everyone so far, although I can't really get to Jay since it's that much further away. I went to Bretton Woods once last year, there was seriously no glade or trail I found that was challenging. I forget which woods I went in, but they were halfway down the mountain from skiers right off of the quad to the top. I didn't enjoy the two 30+ minute lift lines to get to the top either, or the other option which was take a slow double with about a 10 minute lift line, traverse over to another really slow lift with about a 5 minute long lift line, ski down a trail and wait in a 20 or so minute lift line for a high speed quad. Needless to say I do not need to spend that much just to wait in line most of the day, not sure if it's always that crowded but I know the lift tickets are always that expensive. I might end up using some coupons for lift tickets at Burke sometime though. I also got a lift ticket to waterville already paid for, do they have any glades open there so far this year?
mediamogul
New member
How far are you from Cannon? Depending on where you are Central and Northern VT shouldn't be too far. Sugarbush, Burke and Killington have some nice challenging glades. With the recent snow the northern resorts are wide open. If you can make the trip to Jay I would highly recommend it. Glades there for every skill level.
As far as technique goes, good pole plants with hands driving down the hill (goes to the hands forward thing mentioned above) and look where you want to go as opposed to at the trees. Your body tends to get pulled in the direction you are looking so look at the gaps between the trees instead of the trees themselves.
As far as technique goes, good pole plants with hands driving down the hill (goes to the hands forward thing mentioned above) and look where you want to go as opposed to at the trees. Your body tends to get pulled in the direction you are looking so look at the gaps between the trees instead of the trees themselves.
Edd
Well-known member
Wow, CB I've never seen a day at BW like you described. Bad luck, I guess.
Puck it
Well-known member
Sunapee has good glades to learn in, but not this year so far. If the snow comes consider there.
riverc0il
New member
You have to pay for a lift ticket somewhere else if you are serious about learning the woods. If you "need to take it to more challenging terrain" then you don't have good glade technique or else you'd already be in there. Go to Jay or Bretton Woods and have at their glades. Or throw yourself down one of Cannon's summit glades and have fun eating bark. You can't have it both ways. Everyone that replied to you that knows Cannon's glades are in agreement... there is not intermediate step between the blue square glades and the black diamond glades. IMO, the summit glades shouldn't even be on the map, way too tight for all but good glade skiers with reasonable experience.
Puck it
Well-known member
I agree, Riv. I often go in the summit glades and have to tell skiers to stop and let me by so I do not have to wait for them.
hammer
Active member
Which ones are the easiest there? Only ever went into the Ridge Glades which are a little snug at the top but spread out nicely after a bit.
My skills in glades is minimal to non-existent but I can vouch for Bushwacker at Jay. Nice low angle glades with just the right spacing.
Think it may be too far away for the OP but if the snow is right I might suggest Ragged or even Gunstock for some easier glades as well.
Puck it
Well-known member
Ridge is the easiest by far except the entrance. I would say the new one is next given its location by Beck's. Sunrise is next given tree spacing by is steeper. Summit is tighter then the others and then Cataract is the one with the most consistent pitch.
Cheese
New member
Listen to what River says here. Bretton definitely has beginner and intermediate glades not far from Cannon's location. If you must go to Cannon, just practice on some bump runs outside of the trees until you're comfortable on all shapes and sizes. That'll be what you encounter in steeper glades anyway so you might as well get good at them where it's safer.
Puck it
Well-known member
Go youtube and search on Cannon Glades and it will show you what you are asking about.
Similar threads
