Okemo anyone?

[Savemeasammy]

Seeded bumps. Haven't been to Stratton in years, but Okemo's seeded bump runs offer a constant rythmic well shaped bump run like no other in Vermont that is a different kind of fun. Far fewer bump skiers at Okemo as well so there's no crowds on those trails.

I may give okemo a shot for this reason. Low angle seeded bump runs sound like fun. Does anyone know which ones are usually bumped up?



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[mister moose]

I may give okemo a shot for this reason. Low angle seeded bump runs sound like fun. Does anyone know which ones are usually bumped up?

Last time I was there it was Ledges, Sel's Choice, The Plunge, Upper Limelight, and Big Bang. I wouldn't call it low angle, but not steep either. Some sets are so rhythmic you can close your eyes and you still know where the next turn is. Wouldn't want that for the whole season, but it's a fun change.

 

[Bene288]

Never been there. I'd be lying if I didn't say Alpine Zone has bashed it enough to where I never think of going there.

But the right liftopia deal might come around one of these days and I'll check it out.

 

[Snowlover]

I don't really care about super steep stuff and I like wide trails, but the whole grooming thing sounds ridiculous for a mountain that size in vt. Do they really groom everything flat after an overnight dump? I get grooming a beginner green trail, but the whole friggin mountain? They have like 120 trails. Do they leave at least half ungroomed or is it like jiminy and groom everything flat even when it's blower powder? It's amazing their consumer base puts up with that crap. There'd be a riot if they tried that at any resort in utah. lol And it's not like okemo doesn't get a lot of snow either. It's right on the spine of the greens and gets regular dumps.

 

[ScottySkis]

I don't really care about super steep stuff and I like wide trails, but the whole grooming thing sounds ridiculous for a mountain that size in vt. Do they really groom everything flat after an overnight dump? I get grooming a beginner green trail, but the whole friggin mountain? They have like 120 trails. Do they leave at least half ungroomed or is it like jiminy and groom everything flat even when it's blower powder? It's amazing their consumer base puts up with that crap. There'd be a riot if they tried that at any resort in utah. lol And it's not like okemo doesn't get a lot of snow either. It's right on the spine of the greens and gets regular dumps.

I think there clients would be pissed if they didn't have most of it groomed. They get more snow then the 3 resorts in south Vermont but less snow then K.

 

[billski]

One of the best days ever after the foot of snow on December 15, but I have never posted a trip report. The number of people on their Facebook page complaining about how much was not groomed tells you all you need to know. They did groom the flat connectors late that day, so that was not a problem. I have a pass there and enjoy it and had fun falling in the pillowy powder early that day, but it needs natural snow to make a diverse group of trails due to the many glades added in recent years.

Love it. Thanks for the report!

 

[Bene288]

I don't really care about super steep stuff and I like wide trails, but the whole grooming thing sounds ridiculous for a mountain that size in vt. Do they really groom everything flat after an overnight dump? I get grooming a beginner green trail, but the whole friggin mountain? They have like 120 trails. Do they leave at least half ungroomed or is it like jiminy and groom everything flat even when it's blower powder? It's amazing their consumer base puts up with that crap. There'd be a riot if they tried that at any resort in utah. lol And it's not like okemo doesn't get a lot of snow either. It's right on the spine of the greens and gets regular dumps.

They cater to the masses. Which probably prefer groomed terrain. From my observations, the majority of skiers in the Northeast don't like/know how to ski powder and natural bumps. I also think there's a liability aspect to it that ski areas want to avoid, But that is just my speculation. You would enjoy Magic if you haven't already been there. It's an incredible place for natural terrain. One of my favorites.

 

[Snowlover]

I think there clients would be pissed if they didn't have most of it groomed. They get more snow then the 3 resorts in south Vermont but less snow then K.

What kind of person who ski's doesn't like powder..It's the most pure part of skiing. It's not that hard to learn. I was skiing powder after 6 times total every skiing. Just get a somewhat wide ski. What a bunch of posers. And if you like groomers, just stay on the few trails left untouched when the mountain dumps and leave the trails with powder to people who actually know how to ski. Don't ruin it for others just because you're useless on anything other than cord. Plenty of hardpack days to come as well for the posers. Power days are fewer

 

[Snowlover]

They cater to the masses. Which probably prefer groomed terrain. From my observations, the majority of skiers in the Northeast don't like/know how to ski powder and natural bumps. I also think there's a liability aspect to it that ski areas want to avoid, But that is just my speculation. You would enjoy Magic if you haven't already been there. It's an incredible place for natural terrain. One of my favorites.

I definitely want to check that place out. I like their prices to. Seems like a real ski hill, instead of a resort. Do the lifts break down a lot? Is there bad snow coverage/rocks just underneath after a powder dump? That's some of the negative's I've read online. Is that true? I'm not good enough/risk taker enough to handle a 50 degree slope. Is there multiple ways down?

Ice is a lot more dangerous for liability than powder. Powder softens up any fall. It also stop someone from sliding into you if they fall. Safer all around. I think it's just the mass's on the east coast/nyc/tri state area that okemo caters to ski twice a year don't know how to ski powder.

 

[Bene288]

I definitely want to check that place out. I like their prices to. Seems like a real ski hill, instead of a resort. Do the lifts break down a lot? Is there bad snow coverage/rocks just underneath after a powder dump? That's some of the negative's I've read online. Is that true? I'm not good enough/risk taker enough to handle a 50 degree slope. Is there multiple ways down?

Ice is a lot more dangerous for liability than powder. Powder softens up any fall. It also stop someone from sliding into you if they fall. Safer all around. I think it's just the mass's on the east coast/nyc/tri state area that okemo caters to ski twice a year don't know how to ski powder.

Magic relies almost completely on natural snow. Definitely not "resorty", and the lifts do break down sometimes. But that is part of its charm.

With powder comes bumps, with bumps comes angry patrons saying "I can't even make it down the hill, give me my money back!"

 

[Snowlover]

With powder comes bumps, with bumps comes angry patrons saying "I can't even make it down the hill, give me my money back!"

Yeah I don't like crud either, but that takes a while! Virgin pow is where it's at. I usually stop skiing powder once it turns to crud/zero fresh tacks anywhere on the trail. At that point, it's not powder. That's when I switch over to groomers. And I have fun there too. How long that takes is dependent on the amount of people on mountain and the acreage of terrain. That's why western area's are better for powder obviously. Huge wide open trails. We are all treed in here.

There's a simple solution to this. Do a ~ 60% powder/40% groomer split. Leave most of the blue's with powder, but Leave at least one big wide open blue groomed from the top. Then... around noon.... Shut down some trails one at a time and send the groomers up for cleanup. Powder is long gone by then anyway. I like good packed powder conditions too. You get the best of both worlds with that and everyone is happy. Grooming an entire mountain and destroying perfect conditions is a sin as far as I'm concerned. I will never visit okemo because of this,.

 

[Snowlover]

Magic relies almost completely on natural snow. Definitely not "resorty", and the lifts do break down sometimes. But that is part of its charm.

It's not charming if you drove all that way and have to turn around and go home because no lifts are running. Or even worse get stuck on the lift for hours. That's what I mean by breakdown. Not only one lift running type of deal. I mean how ghetto is the place? lol I don't mind run down/slow lift as long as it's safe and it can get me to the top.

 

[ScottySkis]

What kind of person who ski's doesn't like powder..It's the most pure part of skiing. It's not that hard to learn. I was skiing powder after 6 times total every skiing. Just get a somewhat wide ski. What a bunch of posers. And if you like groomers, just stay on the few trails left untouched when the mountain dumps and leave the trails with powder to people who actually know how to ski. Don't ruin it for others just because you're useless on anything other than cord. Plenty of hardpack days to come as well for the posers. Power days are fewer

I agree with you, but most people who go skiing 3 time a winter don't want powder and I know a few of them. They make up I would guess 75% if not more of money made from resorts so that why they cater to them. And that is why I love my hill on Roxbury NY.

 

[gmcunni]

zebra can't change its stripes. O is O, they have their clientele and cater to them. i have fun every time i'm there. i have fun at other places too.

i've skied knee high power at O, they don't groom everything every day. just most, most days.

 

[Snowlover]

I'm not familiar with vt. What are the southern vt resorts that leave most trails ungroomed? Obviously magic, which I will visit. Which other one's?

 

[dmw]

I think the nail has been hit on the head - it's not powder the masses don't like, it's the chopped up / bumped up that follows. I was with someone today at SR that said "I don't like when there's so much snow".

So the untracked usually lasts until about 9:30, 8:30 on a weekend (that's probably being generous).

On the other hand I've grown to love the chop and bumps myself. Grooming some stuff around midday isn't a bad idea to keep people happy but probably a logistical nightmare.

 

[billski]

I think the nail has been hit on the head - it's not powder the masses don't like, it's the chopped up / bumped up that follows. I was with someone today at SR that said "I don't like when there's so much snow".

So the untracked usually lasts until about 9:30, 8:30 on a weekend (that's probably being generous).

On the other hand I've grown to love the chop and bumps myself. Grooming some stuff around midday isn't a bad idea to keep people happy but probably a logistical nightmare.

Well, there's another factor here, the depth of the pow. If it's too deep, those frontside skis just sink. It becomes impossible to make those short radius turns they are used to. Even with some wider boards, they need to modify their skiing method, which they probably don't know how to do.

I think many eastern skiers prefer an inch or two of loose over packed powder. That can be muscled through even if they don't have technique mastered.

 

[billski]

I'm not familiar with vt. What are the southern vt resorts that leave most trails ungroomed? Obviously magic, which I will visit. Which other one's?

Therein lies the dilemma. I've found the most/best ungroomed at the more northerly resorts. I think the southern resorts get pounded into oblivion (I can feel the slings and arrows of disagreement coming at me!) I'd have to guess it's K, simply due to their size. Otherwise, most resorts that focus on the solid intermediate skill set aside a few, and I mean a few. OK, fire away, I'll run and hide!

 

[Snowlover]

Well, there's another factor here, the depth of the pow. If it's too deep, those frontside skis just sink. It becomes impossible to make those short radius turns they are used to. .

Get them a pair of hellbents and mount them on the back line....They aint sinkin the tips Impossible. lol You could float on a bunny hill in bottomless blower pow on those.

 

[billski]

Get them a pair of hellbents and mount them on the back line....They aint sinkin the tips Impossible. lol You could float on a bunny hill in bottomless blower pow on those.

Doesn't sound like anything Joe Average is going to spring for!