Stowe April 7-9...spring at its best

[powderfreak]

April 7

Hard to lose when you pull into the lot and see this.
http://tinyurl.com/3oxjqo
Full sunshine and warmth after a cold morning means the corn would be ripe.
The snow surface was velvet.
http://tinyurl.com/54eewr
http://tinyurl.com/49cyzk
I met up with Aaron around 1 and we proceeded to the Toll Road Chutes. Very
nice, indeed.
http://tinyurl.com/4admwf
We dabbled around Midway where there are some sneaky hardwood steeps (steep
was better on this day)...
http://tinyurl.com/3j39q4
...and hit the soft spring bumps on Goat.
http://tinyurl.com/4raoyu
http://tinyurl.com/4mtrlp
Even past the bench was fun, albeit slow at times. There's tons of snow
still back there...from pole depth testing we found a decent 50" still on
the ground.

I left the mountain today wishing it would never end.

April 8

Today was just as sweet as the day before. A true carbon copy. Highs in
the 50's, full sunshine, and a mountain loaded with hero snow. This time of
year is great because the sun is high in the sky straight through 4pm; it
makes me wonder if the east should adopt some later closing times like
resorts out west. A run to the Midway bar around 2pm with friends was
punctuated by some great music played by a guy named Jim. We overheard some
ask the waitress about the music and she said, "We didn't have any live
music scheduled but Jim just showed up and started playing...says its too
nice of a day for no music."

April 9

The snowpack is still pretty deep. 8 feet will do.
http://tinyurl.com/3z4cl6
Dylan and I pulled in around the same time...and this was about the time
I've realized I had skied 8 out of the last 9. All the people look same,
park next to the same cars, and ski all day in the endless sunshine. After
the greeting the same German Sheppard we did last Thursday, Dylan and I
headed to higher ground.
http://tinyurl.com/3op77u
http://tinyurl.com/3r5pjh
http://tinyurl.com/43f4rb
Dylan in the upper snowfields...
http://tinyurl.com/49smna
...and waiting on the roll-over.
http://tinyurl.com/3kkm8n
And down again.
http://tinyurl.com/3hhz63

Exceedingly mild conditions have finally started to cause the snowpack to go
'punchy' as its now a bit rotten. Temperatures had to be pushing 55-60F at
the base. It was 70F here in Burlington at my place. Our last few runs
included steep bumps on Starr and cruising on the Nosedive. Spring is in
full swing but still no real bare spots; we'll see how that changes with the
rain later this week and weekend.

-Scott

 

[deadheadskier]

I hate you


If anyone is a Stowe hater after this seasons worth of TR's from powderfreak (and historically there have been A LOT of Stowe haters on this board), You are ALL IDIOTS.

I stand by my opinion I've held since they day I joined here. Mt Mansfield / Stowe is THE BEST lift serviced skiing in the east....no question. It might be pricey and draw some arrogant clientele, but in terms of terrain + snowfall.....nothing compares.

Sugarbush gets all the love and it's a GREAT mountain, close second in my book, but NO area offers what Stowe does in terms of high alpine back country accessibility and natural snow. Sorry Loaf, sorry Jay, Sorry Whiteface, Sorry MRG, Sorry Sugarbush

Scott's TR's at Stowe.......nuff said

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I hate you


If anyone is a Stowe hater after this seasons worth of TR's from powderfreak (and historically there have been A LOT of Stowe haters on this board), You are ALL IDIOTS.

I stand by my opinion I've held since they day I joined here. Mt Mansfield / Stowe is THE BEST lift serviced skiing in the east....no question. It might be pricey and draw some arrogant clientele, but in terms of terrain + snowfall.....nothing compares.

Sugarbush gets all the love and it's a GREAT mountain, close second in my book, but NO area offers what Stowe does in terms of high alpine back country accessibility and natural snow. Sorry Loaf, sorry Jay, Sorry Whiteface, Sorry MRG, Sorry Sugarbush

Scott's TR's at Stowe.......nuff said

Times two...

 

[frozencorn]

I'll be there next Saturday. Can't wait.

 

[Greg]

Pure Droolage

 

[Greg]

(and historically there have been A LOT of Stowe haters on this board)

I never got that impression.

 

[deadheadskier]

I never got that impression.

perhaps a beer too many when I made that post :beer: bit of an exageration


That said, Stowe certainly doesn't get the love around here that Sugarbush, MRG, Jay, Sugarloaf etc. get


All of those mountains are fantastic in their own right, however they do not come as close to Stowe in terms of delivering a near Western Style skiing experience. I could think of aspects of all of the above listed areas that one could argue are better than Stowe.

It's just the whole package of the place combined. The easily accesible high alpine terrain, high natural snowfall, sustained vert, HUGE slack country offerings, even great cruising terrain and grooming, there is very little that the mountain doesn't do VERY well outside of being unreasonably expensive.

They say different strokes for different folks, but when you look at the terrain and conditions that Scott has been continually sharing......I haven't seen any mountain in the East offer up such amazing skiing this season as Stowe and that's usually the case every year there.

my take

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Greg you'd love Goat..even though it's not seeded bumps...lol

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Stowe is damn cheap in the spring..my 4 day pass was $148...steezy

 

[Greg]

Greg you'd love Goat..even though it's not seeded bumps...lol

Maybe someday we can hold a goose-stompin' duel down it... :lol:

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Maybe someday we can hold a goose-stompin' duel down it... :lol:

again what is goose stompin??

 

[Greg]

again what is goose stompin??

Oh come on. You remember. [post="237810"]Goose Stomping[/post]. Classic MrMagic slam. Where's that pic, GSS?

Sorry for the hijack.

 

[powderfreak]

All of those mountains are fantastic in their own right, however they do not come as close to Stowe in terms of delivering a near Western Style skiing experience. I could think of aspects of all of the above listed areas that one could argue are better than Stowe.

It's just the whole package of the place combined. The easily accesible high alpine terrain, high natural snowfall, sustained vert, HUGE slack country offerings, even great cruising terrain and grooming, there is very little that the mountain doesn't do VERY well outside of being unreasonably expensive.

Well said. The true appeal of the place isn't apparent (except visually) the first few visits to Stowe, IMO. When I arrived up here 5 years ago, someone who I trusted with regards to VT skiing told me I'd be stupid to go anywhere but Stowe. There passes were higher and I almost went elsewhere but took the advice and skied that first season. I liked that first season but it wasn't until my second and third seasons when I really discovered what Stowe and Mt. Mansfield is about.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Stowe but its not the resort that does it for me...its the mountain. Mount Mansfield is hands down the best piece of rock to ski on in the northeast and I'm convinced of that. Take away all the lifts across New England and compare pure mountain to pure mountain, and Mansfield is up there. It pulls in more snow than anywhere else in the east except Jay Peak, you get over 2000ft of sustained vertical from the lifts, and 2,800ft if you ski from the Chin to the parking lots. That's 2,800ft of steep, sustained pitch though terrain that is not easily found elsewhere in the east.

And if you like off-piste stuff (Stowe cruisers are ok but I wouldn't rate them all that high in that category), the ease of access from the top of the lifts to western style descents is incredible. Also, the fact that the CCC was cutting trails on Mansfield over half a century ago lends to the historical significance of the mountain...when skiing down the Bruce or Teardrop, you just get this feeling that these trails have been here for a while. The CCC trails also add skiable terrain to the western side of Mansfield which is just an enormous amount of skiing when you factor in the possibilities. A friend of mine started doing the Three Town Tour this season...start in Underhill, skin up the west side, ski down into Stowe, take the crossover Gondi to Spruce Peak, go to the top and drop down into Jeffersonville/Cambridge area where Smugglers Notch resort is located. Then you skin back up the closed RT 108, ski down to the quad or gondola and head back up to the Mansfield ridge before ending with an alpenglow run into the sunset back down to Underhill where your car is. Of course, you can compliment it with more lift accessed runs but there aren't many other places in the east that you can get that European style experience of covering large amounts of distances via lifts and hiking.

I could go on forever but instead I'll just have to keep posting trip reports

-Scott

 

[powderfreak]

Pure Droolage

I took that with you bump artists in mind. I knew you'd appreciate the steep, mature line This time of year the bumps can be especially addicting.

 

[hardline]

Well said. The true appeal of the place isn't apparent (except visually) the first few visits to Stowe

this very true. i was very fortunate my first season to have people that new the mountain show me where to be. i like going out west but but i always find myself comparing the west to the things i love about mansfield. friends think im a little nutty but thats ok. ill take days of runs down to 108 with out seeing a single person over the madness i have seen at some of the resorts out west.

 

[kingslug]

Maybe someday we can hold a goose-stompin' duel down it... :lol:

Have fuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[deadheadskier]

this very true. i was very fortunate my first season to have people that new the mountain show me where to be. i like going out west but but i always find myself comparing the west to the things i love about mansfield. friends think im a little nutty but thats ok. ill take days of runs down to 108 with out seeing a single person over the madness i have seen at some of the resorts out west.

I feel the same way. Now mind you, I've only skied in Colorado at about ten places, so I don't have a lot to compare it to out West. However, I do have a love affair with the terrain in the Notch, both from Mansfield and from Spruce/Sterling. On a good day, skiing down to 108 from either side is as good as it gets for me. No place I'd rather be.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Stowe is awesome..but not comparable to Out West..

 

[hardline]

Stowe is awesome..but not comparable to Out West..

im not realy comparing it. its apples to oranges but when i am on a open bowl/face out west going ballz out, i miss the technical lines that have made me the rider that i am today. if i want high alpine just do a little booter up an i have it(granted things have gotten a lot easier with my splitty). then i am into the trees i love. then if i want to shit a twinkie, traverse hard left into the notch. this is all stuff you know already. for me its the perfect mountain. it has the perfect mix. i will always love exploring new places but there is nothing like moms home cooking and mansfield is biscuits and gravy.

 

[deadheadskier]

Stowe is awesome..but not comparable to Out West..

Guess I'm not really comparing....More stating my preference.

Like mentioned earlier, I've never been to Utah, J-Hole, plenty of places that I'm sure I'd love out West. I've had some sick days in Colorado for sure though. It's just given my druthers, I'd rather be standing on top of the Chin on a bluebird day looking out towards the dacks across Lake Champlain to the West and looking over to Washington in the east and dropping down towards 108 than say standing on top of Aspen Highlands about to descent Highland Bowl.

I guess it's kinda like the 'mom's home cooking' metaphor hardline threw out. I'm a New Englander through and through and skiing Vermont was a HUGE part of my upbringing. Vermont is just my skiing 'home'. I'll take skiing there on a good day over out west any day of the week, especially Mansfield. That mountain gives me everything I want.....I desire nothing more when I'm there on a powder day.