Date(s) Skied: March 4, 2006
Resort or Ski Area: Mount Sunapee
Conditions: MG/PP/FG. Weather: Sunny in the AM with some wind, Clouds, snow, and wind in PM.
Trip Report: "Gotta make lemonade from lemons," I kept repeating at 6:30am this morning as I read the Stratton snow report and listened to the snowphone. It wasn't looking too good: 25-30 mph winds and a summit temp of 3 F at 6am
Winds were forecast for all day.
"Honey, how cold is too cold?" I asked my sleepy fiancee before confessing what I had read on the website and from other weather sources. We had agreed the night before that if it was too cold or windy that we would go to Sunapee instead.
"That's freezing," she said with a shudder before rolling back over and falling asleep.
"Sunapee then?"
"Yep."
Sunapee was reporting warmer temps and less wind, thanks to lower elevation, and I knew that the colder temps and post-vacation doldrums would mean a slower Saturday. Besides that, we were in great position to arrive there within the 8:00 hour...so great skiing before the masses was to be had! So I thought the best and got ready.
As we headed down 89, the clouds lifted and the sunshine cheered us up 8) We made great time--getting into the lot a bit before 8:30 and securing a good spot in the lot and the lodge.
We were on the HSQ at 8:45am. We were able to bang out five or so great runs on the front side before the lines got a bit long...Skyway Ledges, Westside, Blastoff, Ridge, and Bonanza were all packed powder and machine groomed. The blue skies and sun really made me and forget about Stratton...in fact, we could not see Stratton nor her sisters all day because of clouds and wind-driven snow. In hindsight, we made a great decision. Hansen-Chase had some death cookies on it, but it was manageable. We also played in the mini-terrain park underneath the lift.
The wind was biting...I broke down and bought myself a helmet liner like the one I got Ms. Trailboss. Man, what a difference. I pulled it up over my face and was nice and warm all day. Good price as well.
We rode up the HSQ around 10am and then took Wingding into the Sunbowl. The crowd was sparse, sun was nice, and the winds calmer. The snow was soft as well. We hit Wingding and Kartwheel and then Skyway Ledges--Lower Skyway onto Sundance. Porky's was nice, but please, if you're going to ski it, don't stop in the middle of this narrow trail! :x Upper Williamson was a mix of ice and thin snow. The bumps on liftline looked icy.
We spent an hour-and-a-half in the Sunbowl...with the sun and blue skies before heading down to lunch. We timed it right--the clouds rolled in about this time with some wind and snow. We had spent the better part of three hours hitting the terrain we wanted, dodging any long lines, and enjoying some sunshine. :beer:
Lunch, at 11:30, was a bit of a zoo :roll: Not enough tables even at this early time...and people leaving bags, etc on the tables while lockers/bins on the sides were empty :blink: Once we got a spot, we were cool.
After lunch, we hit North Peak and picked off each of the diamonds there. Goosebumps was icy up top, but I did find a narrow strip of soft snow on the skier's right. Ms. Trailboss handled it well. We then hit Flying Goose sticking to the narrow groomed chute because the bumps were icy. It was surprisingly nice. Eggbeater was good as well. Lynx was nice, despite the cold blasts of wind. Last run was down Cataract--a favorite of ours--into the Sunbowl. The snow was nice here as well.
We closed at 1:30pm with a spin down Bonanza, Chipmunk, and a quick final number in the mini-terrain park under the quad. The sun was gone and the winds were whipping. It was snowing as well, and the lines were getting thick while the cover was getting thin. So we grabbed our stuff and headed home. Had enough time for a nap as well (boy, I'm getting old). Great day, great turns, looking forward to hitting it again on Mon/Tues.
Stratton coming soon....when it is a bit nicer out. :wink:
Resort or Ski Area: Mount Sunapee
Conditions: MG/PP/FG. Weather: Sunny in the AM with some wind, Clouds, snow, and wind in PM.
Trip Report: "Gotta make lemonade from lemons," I kept repeating at 6:30am this morning as I read the Stratton snow report and listened to the snowphone. It wasn't looking too good: 25-30 mph winds and a summit temp of 3 F at 6am
Winds were forecast for all day. "Honey, how cold is too cold?" I asked my sleepy fiancee before confessing what I had read on the website and from other weather sources. We had agreed the night before that if it was too cold or windy that we would go to Sunapee instead.
"That's freezing," she said with a shudder before rolling back over and falling asleep.
"Sunapee then?"
"Yep."
Sunapee was reporting warmer temps and less wind, thanks to lower elevation, and I knew that the colder temps and post-vacation doldrums would mean a slower Saturday. Besides that, we were in great position to arrive there within the 8:00 hour...so great skiing before the masses was to be had! So I thought the best and got ready.
As we headed down 89, the clouds lifted and the sunshine cheered us up 8) We made great time--getting into the lot a bit before 8:30 and securing a good spot in the lot and the lodge.
We were on the HSQ at 8:45am. We were able to bang out five or so great runs on the front side before the lines got a bit long...Skyway Ledges, Westside, Blastoff, Ridge, and Bonanza were all packed powder and machine groomed. The blue skies and sun really made me
and forget about Stratton...in fact, we could not see Stratton nor her sisters all day because of clouds and wind-driven snow. In hindsight, we made a great decision. Hansen-Chase had some death cookies on it, but it was manageable. We also played in the mini-terrain park underneath the lift. The wind was biting...I broke down and bought myself a helmet liner like the one I got Ms. Trailboss. Man, what a difference. I pulled it up over my face and was nice and warm all day. Good price as well.
We rode up the HSQ around 10am and then took Wingding into the Sunbowl. The crowd was sparse, sun was nice, and the winds calmer. The snow was soft as well. We hit Wingding and Kartwheel and then Skyway Ledges--Lower Skyway onto Sundance. Porky's was nice, but please, if you're going to ski it, don't stop in the middle of this narrow trail! :x Upper Williamson was a mix of ice and thin snow. The bumps on liftline looked icy.
We spent an hour-and-a-half in the Sunbowl...with the sun and blue skies
before heading down to lunch. We timed it right--the clouds rolled in about this time with some wind and snow. We had spent the better part of three hours hitting the terrain we wanted, dodging any long lines, and enjoying some sunshine. :beer: Lunch, at 11:30, was a bit of a zoo :roll: Not enough tables even at this early time...and people leaving bags, etc on the tables while lockers/bins on the sides were empty :blink: Once we got a spot, we were cool.
After lunch, we hit North Peak and picked off each of the diamonds there. Goosebumps was icy up top, but I did find a narrow strip of soft snow on the skier's right. Ms. Trailboss handled it well. We then hit Flying Goose sticking to the narrow groomed chute because the bumps were icy. It was surprisingly nice. Eggbeater was good as well. Lynx was nice, despite the cold blasts of wind. Last run was down Cataract--a favorite of ours--into the Sunbowl. The snow was nice here as well.
We closed at 1:30pm with a spin down Bonanza, Chipmunk, and a quick final number in the mini-terrain park under the quad. The sun was gone and the winds were whipping. It was snowing as well, and the lines were getting thick while the cover was getting thin. So we grabbed our stuff and headed home. Had enough time for a nap as well (boy, I'm getting old). Great day, great turns, looking forward to hitting it again on Mon/Tues.
Stratton coming soon....when it is a bit nicer out. :wink:
