Zand
Well-known member
Date(s) Skied: 3/26/06
Resort or Ski Area: Mad River Glen, VT
Conditions: Spring, Ice, Bare
Trip Report:
Finally, I got to ski MRG on Sunday. Even with the pretty horrid conditions, I loved it there! It is a very unique place and truly is the skiers' mountain. How many mountains have a lodge with a computer in it that you can use for free?
Bought a Mad Card off some guy in the parking lot for $20, so that was a good deal compared to the normal $50. Got on the single chair at 9:30 and started off on Upper Antelope. Other than the flat spot at the top, it was a nice cruiser with many turns and very narrow (as 95% of their trails are). I kept going on the green traverse by the mid-station and peeled off onto Moody's, a black diamond narrow bumped chute. Pretty fun besides the occasional bare spot. That dumped out onto Grand Canyon. From the top, it looked nice, but as soon as I went around the corner, it got bare and ugly. That dumped out onto Bunny, which was 100% ice and bare spots. I peeled off onto Rockefeller at the end which had nice bumps, but tons of bare spots.
Next run was off the Sunnyside Double. Started off with a cruise down Fox. Fun green cruiser. I should've taken Easy Way to the bottom, but I got adventurous and took Snail. Had to walk across some bare spots to get off that one. Finally got back to Easy Way and took that to the bottom.
Took another run off the single chair. I did upper and lower Antelope. Upper was the same. Lower was very different. For the first half, I was asking myself, "Why is this a black diamond?" The 2nd half, I was asking myself, "Why did I come this way?" The 2nd half was filled with rocks, dirt, grass, and just about everything but snow. I skiied ribbons to the bottom when I came to the hike back through the woods. I was sweating like a pig after that run and it was about 11:30, so I decided to take a lunch break.
Wekt back out around 11:50 up the single chair. Took Catamount Bowl which had firm, but skiable bumps. Kept going down Antelope before coming to Ferret. Ferret is a narrow traverse through the trees. Once again, I was aking myself why it was a black diamond. That was answered once I got dumped into Upper Glades. Easily the toughest glades I've ever skiied, not to mention every good line was just about bare. Off course, this one also dumped out onto Bunny.
It was approaching 12:30, so I took one last run down Upper Antelope to Easy way. A nice cruiser to finish the first half of my day. MRG doesn't look like they'll make it much longer. The lower mountain is absolutely horrid. I hope to get back next year midwinter to experience the true MRG. MRG is my second favorite area now, second to its next door neighbor, which I'm about to write that TR.
BTW, 666th post. youch.
Resort or Ski Area: Mad River Glen, VT
Conditions: Spring, Ice, Bare
Trip Report:
Finally, I got to ski MRG on Sunday. Even with the pretty horrid conditions, I loved it there! It is a very unique place and truly is the skiers' mountain. How many mountains have a lodge with a computer in it that you can use for free?
Bought a Mad Card off some guy in the parking lot for $20, so that was a good deal compared to the normal $50. Got on the single chair at 9:30 and started off on Upper Antelope. Other than the flat spot at the top, it was a nice cruiser with many turns and very narrow (as 95% of their trails are). I kept going on the green traverse by the mid-station and peeled off onto Moody's, a black diamond narrow bumped chute. Pretty fun besides the occasional bare spot. That dumped out onto Grand Canyon. From the top, it looked nice, but as soon as I went around the corner, it got bare and ugly. That dumped out onto Bunny, which was 100% ice and bare spots. I peeled off onto Rockefeller at the end which had nice bumps, but tons of bare spots.
Next run was off the Sunnyside Double. Started off with a cruise down Fox. Fun green cruiser. I should've taken Easy Way to the bottom, but I got adventurous and took Snail. Had to walk across some bare spots to get off that one. Finally got back to Easy Way and took that to the bottom.
Took another run off the single chair. I did upper and lower Antelope. Upper was the same. Lower was very different. For the first half, I was asking myself, "Why is this a black diamond?" The 2nd half, I was asking myself, "Why did I come this way?" The 2nd half was filled with rocks, dirt, grass, and just about everything but snow. I skiied ribbons to the bottom when I came to the hike back through the woods. I was sweating like a pig after that run and it was about 11:30, so I decided to take a lunch break.
Wekt back out around 11:50 up the single chair. Took Catamount Bowl which had firm, but skiable bumps. Kept going down Antelope before coming to Ferret. Ferret is a narrow traverse through the trees. Once again, I was aking myself why it was a black diamond. That was answered once I got dumped into Upper Glades. Easily the toughest glades I've ever skiied, not to mention every good line was just about bare. Off course, this one also dumped out onto Bunny.
It was approaching 12:30, so I took one last run down Upper Antelope to Easy way. A nice cruiser to finish the first half of my day. MRG doesn't look like they'll make it much longer. The lower mountain is absolutely horrid. I hope to get back next year midwinter to experience the true MRG. MRG is my second favorite area now, second to its next door neighbor, which I'm about to write that TR.
BTW, 666th post. youch.
funny thing about upper glade, i think it is the easiest tree run on the mountain! 
