Saddleback - February 21-25, 2011

[salsgang]

Date(s) Skied: February 21-25

Resort or Ski Area: Saddleback

Conditions: TBD

Trip Report: Heading up today (Monday Feb 21) through Friday. Think it is going to be a mostly groomer week as I am anticipating non-groomed is probably pretty firm, but it still skiing and looking forward to a great on-mountain ski-in ski-out event.

Boy #1 is racing in the Maine High School State Class C Alpine Championships at Saddleback this week. Go Alpine and Nordic Freeport Falcons!

Will post updates to this thread and hopefully a couple of pics during the week.

 

[xwhaler]

Looking fwd to the reports this week.
We skied Sugarloaf yesterday and relaxed on Saturday with only the T turning.
Loaf did a good job getting their groomed product in decent shape...anything outside of that was a no go. Looks like moderate temps with sun all week might be just enough to soften things up and get the non-groomers or even trees open?

Are they making any snow by chance? Guessing they are not but was pleasantly surprised to see guns come online around 3:30 yesterday on Kings Landing and Upper Tote trying to refresh things a bit for the upcoming week in the high traffic areas.

Are you guys staying on mtn? I've wanted to do that but all the ski and stay involve bundled lift tickets. I want them to offer a rate for pass holders but they likely won't do that until demand really drops off by Mid-March.

Have fun!

 

[Edd]

I want them to offer a rate for pass holders but they likely won't do that until demand really drops off by Mid-March.

Boyne always claims to give you a deal on the phone if you're a passholder but making reservations at one of their resorts a akin to purchasing a vehicle in that the numbers seem to go all over the place during the conversation. I always bust their balls when I call about how cagey they are with the numbers and I seem to get a better deal that way.

 

[salsgang]

Report from the boyz who got a few runs this afternoon as we settled into the condo.

No lines on the Quad. Moderate line at the Rangeley and Lower Quad. Groomers were firm, fast but could get an edge in. The racers should be flying tomorrow. Boy #2 got on Golden Smelt and it was pretty firm, but could find a bit of fluff on the side. Pretty cold! Gonna be colder tomorrow.

Relaxing in the condo now. I could get used to this. :beer:

 

[salsgang]

Stuck to the groomers today. They were Fast, Firm and Fun! Tight Line was A plus. Red Devil and Silver Doctor were great! As usual, lower professor and lower jane craig we were ripping cord at the end of the day.

Best of all, both Freeport Girls and Boys alpine teams are Class C GS team Champs. Time to bring home the gold tomorrow in Slalom!

Cold... good crowd but light lift lines all day. Perfect Saddleback Day!

 

[salsgang]

Another great day at Saddleback. They flattened out wardens worry, frost bite and black beauty. Boy #2 and I got first tracks on WW and BB. Pretty sweet ripping these typically natural trials. Good call to flatten these out to give them a fresh start before hopefully some more snow on Friday.

Good crowd. Rangeley and lower quad busy but T-Bar and Upper Quad manageable. Bluebird day. Everyone had smiles on their faces.

Freeport boys were first after GS but faltered a bit in SL to finish third. Girls took first. Class C Champs! Boy #1 held his own for a first time at the state meet.

Looking forward to some more first tracks tomorrow and maybe some snow Friday!

I don't have my usual computer so no pics so far. Maybe I will upload some good ones at the end of the trip.

 

[salsgang]

Another rip to groomer day at Saddleback. It has been a different ski week for us. Lots of fun but mostly all groomers. Today was the first pretty mobbed day of the week. Big waits at the lower chairs. T went off line mid-afternoon which didn't help things. Seems like Saddleback is having a good week.

Unfortunately tomorrow is check out day for us but forecasts are good for a powder day so we are packing the car and hitting the slopes!

Freeport boys are state Class C combined champs. Girls were runners up. Go Falcons!

Fingers crossed for a great day tomorrow!

An early morning pic from Gray Ghost:

 

[salsgang]

Last ski day of the vacation week ended up being a nice powder day. Starting off ripping groomers and it starting snowing around 9:30AM. Took until early afternoon for things to start filling in enough due to the hard surface underneath.

It was a lot of fun. We didn't get slammed with snow, but by the end of the ski day there were 6 inches on the ground. Made everything nice and fresh. Probably P.Bell and Wardens Worry skied the best for me. Was able to link nice soft turns easily on these trials.

Glades are getting there. Had a pretty good run down Casablanca #4. Probably need another 6 inches to really make them ski nice. They might pick that up tonight. It was snowing pretty hard when we left.

Only downer was that Tight Line headwall were giants clumps of snow-crap. Trial was actually roped off. It was like the groomer roto-tilled it deep and left it. Wonder if it is some strategy to get the snow in the trail to groom it in tomorrow. Forced everyone down Supervisor which turned that into a scraped off ice-mess early.

Good crowd but ski-on to just a short wait most all day. All in All a great way to end the vacation week!

Some pics from today:

Boy #1 and Wardens Worry Jump

Boy #2 grabbing some early Golden Smelt Fresh

Lower Jane Craig skied great as usual

Boy #2 Cliff Huck on Jane Craig

Nightmare starting skiing well towards the end of the day

And Silver Doctor did not disappoint! !

We are laying low for the weekend. Have a great weekend everyone!