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Magic Mountain VT, 1/14/11 (Ski Safari Day #1)

billski

Active member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
16,207
Points
38
Location
North Reading, Mass.
Website
ski.iabsi.com
Date(s) Skied: 1/14/2011

Resort or Ski Area: Magic Mountain

Conditions: Glades: Packed and loose powder, Groomers: Scratchy. No Wind. Flurries, Temps in the teens.

Trip Report: See below

Vermont Ski Safari 2011
Magic - Day 1
Jay Peak - Day 2
Cochrans & Middlebury - Day 3

Friday at Magic, a day after a powder day was an interesting mix. I met up with several people including AZers, had other people introduce themselves to me and still others I went out of my way to meet. In all, I spent a lot of the morning gabbing. I must have talked to 25 people. Wearing that Magic hat with "billski" emblazoned on it was a great magnet.

Let's take it apart. I arranged to meet AZer Sorcerer and his friend at 9:30. Nobody was at the lift when it started turning at 9. Lots of families started to arrive between 9 and 10. Started the day warming up on a black with my Autuas. I figured it would be chop and wider skis usually suit me well. What a mistake, This old man was exhausted from all the mashed up bumps, so switched out boards. About that time, Sorcerer showed up and we went over to the groomers and did a sweet butter run on a blue.

At the bottom I met AZer jrmagic and his posse', intros all around, he rode with us to the top. We stopped for a photo to prove it really happened ;)

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L to R: Sorcerer's friend, Sorcerer, jrmagic, billski.
Spent the morning with Sorcerer and friend doing blues a the unique magic blue-black trail, "Trick". The runs were sweet, not scratch and hardly anyone on them.

Now, we don't see Magic TRs with pics of the blues and greens. For that audience in particular I snapped a few, Hot doggers, check your testosterone or skip the pics!

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Up your sleeve (blue) transitioning to Lower Magic Carpet (green)
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Again
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Show Off (blue)
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Even the Lower Magic carpet was a beaut, with pow on the edges a real testament to the snow making capabilities on all the trails. I skied with some Level 3's and they were very comfortable on these trail.

In the lodge for lunch and fellow AZer "ski3po" approached me and said "Are you billski"? I took off my hat and checked it. Yepper! I met his family and they were in town for a bit. A lot of newbies. So we agreed to take a run together. His 8-year old wanted to do a black diamond. I thought to myself "this should be interesting". So we split and went somewhere on the west side, I don't recall. Ski3po is a most excellent skier - his skill and form are a beauty to watch. Well, his son takes right after him. This kid was doing parallel carving and handling bumps as tall has him in parallel form. Not a snowplow to be seen. And fast, man was he fast.

So we split and I followed Neil Young's advice, "Acoustic in the morning, rock in the afternoon." Well I think skiers/boarders are supposed to do it backwards, but, what the hey... I went west young man. No sign of jrmagic. Carry on...

There must have been a lot more powder hounds on Thursday than I've ever seen before. I talked with a friend who was there Thursday, and he estimated 100 people on the slopes. I asked him if he left me some chop, and he said "well....maybe, but probably not." Ugh, no chop. Those guys beat the snot out of the blacks. Seriously bumped up all over the blacks. It was a lot of work. Still a lot of pow, but scraped down to the bottom in the trenches. The word "rock" was used generously. and dirt started to kick up. It was a bit disappointing. The most athletic (not me) had the most fun. I stayed skiing to the closing bell regardless. Least beat-up stuff was lower Talisman, actually pretty nice and Heart of the Magician. Magician was definitely not ready for me, or most anyone else.


Upper Wizard (blue)
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Flurries all day. About 3pm the clouds broke. Sunset was gorgeous
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Magician
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Top of Heart:
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Woods above Broomstick to Black Line:

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Speaking of woods,well, I seemed to be attracted to rocks, no, boulders. I was slamming through powder puffs when blam! my ski hit it squarely and knocked me off my throne. I tested the woods again, was having a lot of fun, and bang! hit a rock dead on, rotated and smack! the tail of the ski hit a tree. I guess the rock didn't like me. Again. I was sure the ski snapped. I then started to wonder how the bleep I would get down the hill. Crawl up, and except for a few little core shots, the ski and binding was fine. At that point, these experiences and the fact that most of the woods was not well tracked, kept me out of the woods, until another foot of white stuff is in place.

Real Chop:
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Hmm, I don't seem to have taken any pics of the bumps. I guess you'll have to trust me! :blink:

The man of the hour, Mr. Fix anything, do anything, marketing manager, general manager, liftie, ticket booth, tractor driver, lift junkie, Mr. Matt Lillard.
Matt, I've heard it said hundreds of times, and I'll say it again, this place wouldn't rock without you! :beer: THANK YOU MATT! :beer:

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Matt had just finished some mechanical work, his hand was full of grease when I shook it. Talk about dedication.

In summary, the conditions were still great. I just wish we didn't have so many powder hounds.
 
Last edited:

SKI-3PO

Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2004
Messages
191
Points
16
Location
PA
It was nice to meet and ski a run with the famous billski. One correction on your report - that was my 8 y/o daughter we skied Talisman with, not my son (5 y/o) - although, he was chasing her around in the trees at Bromley today. :)

I remember making a comment to you on the lift about not worrying about hitting a few rocks and nicking up my skis. I'll shut up next time. Either later that day or early the next I took the biggest core shot I've ever had. I'll need to get that worked on right away.
 

jrmagic

New member
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
1,939
Points
0
Location
Hartsdale NY/Londonderry VT
Nice report and nice to meet you Bill. I guess we were on opposite ends of the lift in the afternoon. We stayed out the rest of the afternoon and tried for last chair but our clock was off a few minutes which earned us a hike to the lodge for some cold ones. Good to ski the one run with you at least. I'm glad you decided to head west for the afternoon. Catch you next time.
 
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