Steepest Groomers

[SKidds]

For frame of ref, I've skied Whiteface, Gore, Stowe, Sugarbush, Mad River, as well as a large number of lesser eastern resorts.

The Rumor at Gore is one of the steepest groomers (that they let bump up a lot) I've come across, along with Upper FIS at Sugarbush.

 

[kingslug]

Looks like FIS wins in the east. Have to see when I get up there for the gathering.

 

[kcyanks1]

I have a hard time considering either the Rumor or Upper FIS to be a "groomer", but both are steep. I think The Rumor is steeper though but for a shorter period of time.

 

[deadheadskier]

Looks like FIS wins in the east. Have to see when I get up there for the gathering.

Having skied this and White Nitro at Sugarloaf both many times, I have to give the nod to Nitro. Upper Gondi Line is probably equally as steep as Nitro in sections as well.


As others have stated, I wouldn't really consider upper FIS a groomer anyway. Out of the ten or so times I've skied Mt. Ellen, never once have I seen it groomed, but that's a small, small sample size.

 

[thetrailboss]

I have a hard time considering either the Rumor or Upper FIS to be a "groomer", but both are steep. I think The Rumor is steeper though but for a shorter period of time.

Folks--

FIS is USUALLY NOT groomed...I've only seen it groomed once, maybe twice in my years there....

 

[RISkier]

I have a hard time considering either the Rumor or Upper FIS to be a "groomer", but both are steep. I think The Rumor is steeper though but for a shorter period of time.

This might be the wrong thread. I have a book that provides quite a bit of information on VT ski resorts. It is VT specific. At the end of the book the author talks about pitch measured both in degree and % and then talks about what typical "beginner," "intermdiate," etc. trails would be. Near the end of that discussion the author talks about steepest trails in VT. What's not clear is the distance over which pitch is measured. According to that book Pardise at MRG is the steepest in VT (though that's not a groomer). It implies that the mesurement is over a relatively long length cause the author goes on to mention several other trails that have very steep sections. Don't recall the reference off hand and don't know how accurate it is. But it is rather interesting. I can post the reference if anyone is interested.

 

[danny p]

This might be the wrong thread. I have a book that provides quite a bit of information on VT ski resorts. It is VT specific. At the end of the book the author talks about pitch measured both in degree and % and then talks about what typical "beginner," "intermdiate," etc. trails would be. Near the end of that discussion the author talks about steepest trails in VT. What's not clear is the distance over which pitch is measured. According to that book Pardise at MRG is the steepest in VT (though that's not a groomer). It implies that the mesurement is over a relatively long length cause the author goes on to mention several other trails that have very steep sections. Don't recall the reference off hand and don't know how accurate it is. But it is rather interesting. I can post the reference if anyone is interested.

i'd be interested in reading that book, so if you could post the title and author that would be much appreciated.

 

[WWF-VT]

FIS is by far steeper. And it is very similar to Upper National at Stowe...I usually take the "lady's tee" on FIS since the "man's tee" is extremely steep and icy...in the spring it is nice. But it is knee-wobbly.

Upper OG just has a double fall line that makes it tricky...nothing too steep...but it gets so scraped off.

I agree on your view of Upper FIS and Organgrinder. I'll only ski FIS about 20% of the time based upon the conditions.

 

[Vortex]

I'm not too cool to say I like some steep groomers in the East. Avalanche, white nitro, vortex, good stuff. Sometimes this is what you have to ski if you want steeps after freeze thaw. Great stuff to warm up on too.

I love vortex, add black hole in there as well.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Folks--

FIS is USUALLY NOT groomed...I've only seen it groomed once, maybe twice in my years there....

Same with Upper Cloudspin at WF. They groomed it 2X this season each after a thaw=freeze. Some years they never groom it or make snow on it, just leave it all natural for the season.

 

[thetrailboss]

...of course now that I have said that, Win and crew groomed FIS last night.

 

[kcyanks1]

Folks--

FIS is USUALLY NOT groomed...I've only seen it groomed once, maybe twice in my years there....

Agreed, which is why I was saying I have a hard time considering it a groomer I wasn't as confident as you are since I'm not up there as often, but I always think of it as a signature mogul trail.

 

[kcyanks1]

This might be the wrong thread. I have a book that provides quite a bit of information on VT ski resorts. It is VT specific. At the end of the book the author talks about pitch measured both in degree and % and then talks about what typical "beginner," "intermdiate," etc. trails would be. Near the end of that discussion the author talks about steepest trails in VT. What's not clear is the distance over which pitch is measured. According to that book Pardise at MRG is the steepest in VT (though that's not a groomer). It implies that the mesurement is over a relatively long length cause the author goes on to mention several other trails that have very steep sections. Don't recall the reference off hand and don't know how accurate it is. But it is rather interesting. I can post the reference if anyone is interested.

The waterfall aside (yeah, I know, you can't just ignore it), I think The Rumor's headwall is steeper than Paradise, at least the main trail of Paradise.

 

[Newpylong]

The waterfall aside (yeah, I know, you can't just ignore it), I think The Rumor's headwall is steeper than Paradise, at least the main trail of Paradise.

+1. Also, There is a video on the Mount Snow website http://www.mountsnow.com/video.html#

and they brought the camera in the groomer while they winched the Ripcord. Funny stuff. They took the part out where the cat went sideways for a bit.

 

[thetrailboss]

Agreed, which is why I was saying I have a hard time considering it a groomer I wasn't as confident as you are since I'm not up there as often, but I always think of it as a signature mogul trail.

Yep. Steep mogul run...except after an ice storm.

 

[RISkier]

The book is titled "The Great Vermont Ski Chase: The Definitive Guide to Vermont Skiing." (2005) by Karen D. Lorentz. Haven't really read that much of it but I thought the stuff on gradient of different slopes was interesting. She lists the gradients of a bunch of trails. What's not clear is how long the section is that's being described. For example, Paradise is listed at 89% (almost 42 degrees) and then later examples are given like Hayride ranging from 25 - 35 degrees.

 

[kcyanks1]

+1. Also, There is a video on the Mount Snow website http://www.mountsnow.com/video.html#

and they brought the camera in the groomer while they winched the Ripcord. Funny stuff. They took the part out where the cat went sideways for a bit.

I think you are talking about Ripcord at Mt. Snow. I've never been there. I was talking about The Rumor at Gore.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I like steep groomers with a nice runout..it's a waste of mad steezy speed if you have to turn the skis sideways into a big hockey stop at the bottom.;..a nice long runout is a great way to coast out all the speed..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Looks like FIS wins in the east. Have to see when I get up there for the gathering.

FIS is so short though..4-5 big GS turns and it's over..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Folks--

FIS is USUALLY NOT groomed...I've only seen it groomed once, maybe twice in my years there....

Kind of like Chin Clip at Stowe..they groom it a few times a season and it's an incredibly fast and fun groomer although equally fun when bumped up..