Mt. Ghost Town (I mean Sunapee) - 12/25/2013

[Bostonian]

Date(s) Skied: 12/25/2013

Resort or Ski Area: Mt. Sunapee - New Hampshire

Conditions: Machine Groomed, Man Made, Packed Powder

Trip Report: Let me just preface this in saying I love being a Jew on Christmas! Being able to ski on the most quiet day of the year is the best. It felt more like a private country club or my own ski area rather than the busy place it usually is. So after some convincing of my wife that skiing today would be better than Sunday, I was able to make it up to the hill by 9:00 with no traffic whatsoever (or speed traps). I waited in the parking lot to see if I would have bumped into dmw or krikaya but unfortunately I didn't. Luckily the nice lady at the ticket window gave me the half price ticket anyhow. I have to say Sunapee really brought the goods after the great deluge of last weekend. They were blowing snow like mad on bonanza, Hasen Chase and Ledges, Lynx and Cataract to get open for tomorrow (Not open today). BUt the rest of the mountain was pretty much in play including the sun bowl... Literally there was nobody here, it was ski on and ski off all day. The snow skied very fast and it was very good packed powder. I will say by 2pm I was exhausted and cold, it didn't get above 10 degrees at the base, and zero at the top. I basically lapped the place and all in all a great day out on the snow and of course pictures:


blowing snow on Bonanza:

Skyway Ledges with Lake Sunapee in the distance:

Blastoff and observe not a soul!

Groomed trail porn in the sunbowl, not to mention not a soul on the next 6 chairs in front of me:

 

[Cornhead]

Thanks for the TR, looks good, did you stop for Chinese food on the way home? I was hoping to make some laps at my local molehill, ride the new lift, opened yesterday, and check on their recovery, but they closed up at 4. I was hoping they'd be open for night skiing, but no. It seems like they might have gotten some business from those who do celebrate Christmas for night skiing after the festivities of the day were done, maybe not.

I hate Christmas falling on a Wednesday, New Year's too. If it were on a Tuesday, or Thursday, they would have had us work last Saturday, or the previous, for a four day weekend. Now I have to go back to work for two days, yuck. Falls on a Thursday next year...thank God!

Speaking of being Jewish at Christmas, my Bro turned me on to this, I think it's hilarious, hope you do too. Merry Christmas!

 

[Bostonian]

Corn, we had our chinese on christmas eve I have to say sunapee did bring their A-Game in terms of snowmaking, everything skied really well. And I love that SNL skit, my sister-in-law showed it to me and my wife. Too funny! I hope you had a very good holiday too!

 

[Cornhead]

Corn, we had our chinese on christmas eve I have to say sunapee did bring their A-Game in terms of snowmaking, everything skied really well. And I love that SNL skit, my sister-in-law showed it to me and my wife. Too funny! I hope you had a very good holiday too!

Nice pics too, glad you weren't offended, I almost peed my pants, very well done. I Googled the singer, Darlene Love, one of Phil Spector's singers in the sixties. Back up singer, sang lead on "He's a rebel". She's been appearing annually on Letterman singing Christmas (Baby, please come home) The song appeared on the Home Alone 2 sound track. Great voice

I shoveled a couple inches off my driveway this morning. I'm headed up to Greek Peak after work today. Snow Ridge is in a Winter Weather Warning for tonight, 11-17". I feel a cold coming on.:wink: Surprised I wasn't sick yesterday, I always seem to be on Christmas.

Happy Holidays to you too!

 

[hammer]

Sunapee is very enjoyable when it isn't crowded. A bit vanilla but they do well with snowmaking and grooming. When it's crowded it's a less pleasant, in those cases I'd rather hit Gunstock or Ragged.

I'd like to go out skiing on Christmas day sometime.

 

[4aprice]

I look at that TR and say that's the way to wrap up 1st 1/3 of the season. I know the 5 days I got in (Pre Christmas) were all fairly good and really not a crowd to be seen. Now till Presidents week becomes a different story. The good news is March and April beckon on the other side.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[MadMadWorld]

It's great to see those pics. Looks like they are doing a very good job of getting back in the game.

 

[dmw]

You have a more optimistic review than I have! The "packed powder" in the sun bowl area was the loudest packed powder I've heard in a while! Not horrible considering the recent weather, but hoped for a little better based on the recovery efforts touted in their snow report.

I found the best snow on Blast Off and a few other spots on the front side. I actually like that trail a lot, a bunch of natural rollers and pitch variations. I'd like to get there if and when they ever get some of the woods open.

 

[dlague]

Sunapee is very enjoyable when it isn't crowded. A bit vanilla but they do well with snowmaking and grooming. When it's crowded it's a less pleasant, in those cases I'd rather hit Gunstock or Ragged.

I'd like to go out skiing on Christmas day sometime.

Christmas day at Sunday River was very light in the crowd category - like having you own personal playground! Christmas is definitely a go for us next year!

As far as Sunapee - we stopped going due to the crowds - got too crazy busy on some trails and I like the Ragged or Gunstock choice over Sunapee as well!

 

[dlague]

I look at that TR and say that's the way to wrap up 1st 1/3 of the season. I know the 5 days I got in (Pre Christmas) were all fairly good and really not a crowd to be seen. Now till Presidents week becomes a different story. The good news is March and April beckon on the other side.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

I wish they had more deals! They are tight with that stuff - so we head to plenty of other cool resorts like Sugarbush, Killington, Sunday River, Jay Peak etc. all for less than $35!