Magog Fishy
New member
Date(s) Skied: Saturday, 2/26/11
Resort or Ski Area: Mt Abram
Conditions: Powder, packed powder
Trip Report:
What a nice little gem – first day ever at Mt Abram. I almost don’t want to tell anyone about it, but will give it a stoke since unfortunately I don’t know if I will be able to get back there much in the future plus I know the smaller mountains can use the publicity – I know salsgang and rivercoil have given it a stoke in the past. Certainly skis larger than its vertical, has a nice continuous pitch, and some good off map glades.
Got out of my car at Mt. Abram yesterday morning, looked up and saw a nicely pitched Boris all groomed and said to myself “I hope they didn’t groom everything” – I later discovered that Boris is their racing trail. Got on the double at 9:05 and decided to go straight for The Zone and ski it to Zephyr – their only on map glades. The Zone turned out to be my worse run of the day. Chose skiers left -- there had already been a couple of side scrapers through, the top was a bit windblown (all the powder was on the bottom of the run), and some of the stumps were not cut low enough (I’d rather the trees be left up so at I can easily see the obstacle). Should have chosen the small cliff on skiers right. Never found Zephyr on this run.
Second run as I was trying to find Zephyr, I took the wrong trail and decided the heck I will start prowling for off map glades. Just then I was able to notice some barely visible old tracks covered with snow in a not so obvious location, followed them for a bit of a traverse, and that is when I got lucky – a nice moderately pitched glade that dumped into a nice chute, all of which skied real well in 8”-10” of fresh powder. Yup, got first tracks. As I was exiting the chute, there was someone behind me and we stopped and laughed knowing that we just had a sweet run – I think he said it was just cut a few weeks ago. Proceeded to ski that glade for the next three runs, never seeing another person on it.
Then took Upper Fractured Fairy Tales (a nice bumpy chute) and somehow missed Zephyr again since I ended-up on Lower The Zone. Next run decided to ask for directions to Zephyr, and when I found it the top turned out to be a disappointment – a few trees on a trail; not really a glade – but Lower Zephyr skied real well (perhaps the steepest pitch on the mountain; nicely bumped).
Then headed to Rocky’s Run, and the bumps were really nice. Skied well – nice pitch. Then hit a few of the more obvious off map glades. Did find one steeply pitched glade, which looked like there was a required very small drop into some tight steeply pitched trees – stood there for a minute and if it was my 3rd or 4th run I would have done it, but since I was by myself decided not to go for it (knock on wood, I have never had a significant skiing injury). Also did Snidley Whiplash and Lower Fearless Leader – both skied well. By the time I called it quits, my legs were toast. I only rode the Summit double chair, and never waited more than 5 minutes.
Not bad for a $23 ticket I bought on a whim mid-day Thursday. I am scratching my head that I’ve skied a good 50 days at the River (many years ago) but had never skied Mt. Abram (although not sure before the change in ownership 3 years ago if the off map glades were maintained/allowed). Sorry no pictures/video – someday I got to figure this go pro thing out. Mt. Abram gets my recommendation. Happy prowling! :beer:
Resort or Ski Area: Mt Abram
Conditions: Powder, packed powder
Trip Report:
What a nice little gem – first day ever at Mt Abram. I almost don’t want to tell anyone about it, but will give it a stoke since unfortunately I don’t know if I will be able to get back there much in the future plus I know the smaller mountains can use the publicity – I know salsgang and rivercoil have given it a stoke in the past. Certainly skis larger than its vertical, has a nice continuous pitch, and some good off map glades.
Got out of my car at Mt. Abram yesterday morning, looked up and saw a nicely pitched Boris all groomed and said to myself “I hope they didn’t groom everything” – I later discovered that Boris is their racing trail. Got on the double at 9:05 and decided to go straight for The Zone and ski it to Zephyr – their only on map glades. The Zone turned out to be my worse run of the day. Chose skiers left -- there had already been a couple of side scrapers through, the top was a bit windblown (all the powder was on the bottom of the run), and some of the stumps were not cut low enough (I’d rather the trees be left up so at I can easily see the obstacle). Should have chosen the small cliff on skiers right. Never found Zephyr on this run.
Second run as I was trying to find Zephyr, I took the wrong trail and decided the heck I will start prowling for off map glades. Just then I was able to notice some barely visible old tracks covered with snow in a not so obvious location, followed them for a bit of a traverse, and that is when I got lucky – a nice moderately pitched glade that dumped into a nice chute, all of which skied real well in 8”-10” of fresh powder. Yup, got first tracks. As I was exiting the chute, there was someone behind me and we stopped and laughed knowing that we just had a sweet run – I think he said it was just cut a few weeks ago. Proceeded to ski that glade for the next three runs, never seeing another person on it.
Then took Upper Fractured Fairy Tales (a nice bumpy chute) and somehow missed Zephyr again since I ended-up on Lower The Zone. Next run decided to ask for directions to Zephyr, and when I found it the top turned out to be a disappointment – a few trees on a trail; not really a glade – but Lower Zephyr skied real well (perhaps the steepest pitch on the mountain; nicely bumped).
Then headed to Rocky’s Run, and the bumps were really nice. Skied well – nice pitch. Then hit a few of the more obvious off map glades. Did find one steeply pitched glade, which looked like there was a required very small drop into some tight steeply pitched trees – stood there for a minute and if it was my 3rd or 4th run I would have done it, but since I was by myself decided not to go for it (knock on wood, I have never had a significant skiing injury). Also did Snidley Whiplash and Lower Fearless Leader – both skied well. By the time I called it quits, my legs were toast. I only rode the Summit double chair, and never waited more than 5 minutes.
Not bad for a $23 ticket I bought on a whim mid-day Thursday. I am scratching my head that I’ve skied a good 50 days at the River (many years ago) but had never skied Mt. Abram (although not sure before the change in ownership 3 years ago if the off map glades were maintained/allowed). Sorry no pictures/video – someday I got to figure this go pro thing out. Mt. Abram gets my recommendation. Happy prowling! :beer:
