Stowe this week?

[skizoo]

We're thinking of heading up to Stowe for a few days later this week if the weather holds. It looks like they've got about 70-80% of the mountain open now and seem to have received more natural snow this week than most other VT areas, except maybe Jay.

Anyone skied there in the past day or so with a first hand report?

 

[thetrailboss]

18 Trails is by no means 70-80% of the mountain....not sure where you saw more...I'm looking at SnoCountry.com

 

[skizoo]

They have 32 trails with 8-10" new yesterday

http://stowe.com/mountain/snow_report.php

 

[JD]

Spruce really put out today. It was like the Beach. Not sure about the lift served trails but Smuggs, Sterling, and Whirl Away were really great. LOTS of people making self powered turns from the top. Really great vibe.
Yesterday...
http://stowe.com/mountain/gallery/blowup.php?id=1461&ref=/mountain/pod_archive.php

 

[skizoo]

National looks pretty good today too..
http://stowe.com/mountain/gallery/blowup.php?id=1466&ref=/mountain/pod_archive.php

they are now reporting 35 trails open

based on what they are reporting they appear to have the highest % of lift served terrain open in the east..

most of what's not officially open is on Spruce

Let's hope the weather holds up this week, they're looking pretty nice right now..

 

[riverc0il]

i wouldn't look to trail count to determine quality of skiing. especially if stowe is anything like jay peak this weekend. jay essentially opened all the trails people had been poaching, pretty much nothing left. not sure how things are over at stowe, but don't judge a book by its cover and don't judge a ski area by its snow report. for example, jay has almost 30 trails open but only about 1/3 of those had snow making and are skiing very well. actually, based on what i saw today, the thin cover trails are in better shape than many of the man made groomers. this mini-dump was nice, but we definitely need more.

 

[JD]

It's over at Stowe until the next event. Everything got hammered pretty hard. We have great base down. Not deep, but very consistant. Everything is locked in under a firm but edgeable 6-10 inches on naturally covered trails.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

18 Trails is by no means 70-80% of the mountain....not sure where you saw more...I'm looking at SnoCountry.com

Snocountry.com reported 35 of 48 trails open today at Stowe.

 

[skicone]

What about Bolton Valley? It reported 10" to 14" of new on Saturday.

 

[thetrailboss]

Snocountry.com reported 35 of 48 trails open today at Stowe.

I just saw that....must be Stowe added some trails after my posting....

 

[koreshot]

Stowe's website says Mt. Mansfield is reading almost two feet of settled snow. Is there any skiing at all that can be had from Mt. Mansfield or is it not yet worth the hike. I have only been up to the top twice, both times last March, and thought it was worth the 30 minute effort.

 

[JD]

No off piste skiing yet. look for 40 inches at the stake to get into the woods. (cleaned lines) The least amount of snow I've skiied from the chin was 50 and it was very difficult going. The Scrubb Spruce was covered but the snow would give way and you would find yourself waist deep in bushes. Then you would have to take off youe skis and crawl out. Took me a coupla hours and the sking was basically survival. If you've never been up in the summer, I would wait until 60 inches at the stake.

 

[billski]

Liquid Precipitation

Stowe's website says Mt. Mansfield is reading almost two feet of settled snow. Is there any skiing at all that can be had from Mt. Mansfield or is it not yet worth the hike. I have only been up to the top twice, both times last March, and thought it was worth the 30 minute effort.

NWS shows significant "liquid precip" at the top yesterday. Good day for crampons on top....
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
1247 AM EST TUE JAN 2 2007

ON TOP OF MOUNT MANSFIELD...THE HIGH TEMPERATURE YESTERDAY WAS
32 DEGREES...AND THE LOW TEMPERATURE WAS 16 DEGREES. THERE
WAS 0.35 INCHES OF LIQUID PRECIPITATION...WITH ONE INCH OF NEW
SNOW. TOTAL SNOW DEPTH AT THE STAKE WAS 22 INCHES.

source: http://www.weather.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=btv

 

[koreshot]

So are you saying I shouldn't go?

 

[billski]

rain rain go away

So are you saying I shouldn't go?

Kore, it's not clear what you want to do. On or off piste? Stowe will be OK if you stay on groomers.

I've got a ski bud who spends every weekend there. When I spoke with him yesterday, the only skiing was on the groomed trails, nothing off-piste. It appeared that by Sunday everything had been skied off. If you can get out during the week, you will probably be alright. You'll undoubtedly be treated to very fast FGR, munched up as good as the 'cats can do, It is doubtful you'll have much trail variety, but at least you won't have the masses.

I'm toying with going out on Wednesday, somewhere. It seems that Northern VT has the best conditions thanks to natural precip. so maybe it's Sugarbush, Bolton or environs (I won't do Stowe since I've already got a couple trips committed there.)

If it rains on Thursday, that will ruin it for about 48 hours. The cats wait about 24 hrs for the liquid to drain before they hit the slopes and crunch it up.

I used to be be real prima-dona when it came to snow conditions. I used to wait 2 weeks (yes!) till after a rain event, but no more. Even though I'm aging, I don't want to wait to discover we are going to have a short spring ski season. Besides, it will yield another snow report....

 

[koreshot]

Kore, it's not clear what you want to do. On or off piste? Stowe will be OK if you stay on groomers.

I've got a ski bud who spends every weekend there. When I spoke with him yesterday, the only skiing was on the groomed trails, nothing off-piste. It appeared that by Sunday everything had been skied off. If you can get out during the week, you will probably be alright. You'll undoubtedly be treated to very fast FGR, munched up as good as the 'cats can do, It is doubtful you'll have much trail variety, but at least you won't have the masses.

Thanks for the info... I was just joking btw. I prefer to ski off piste and would only go up to Stowe if Mt. Manfield and/or some tree runs were skiable, which doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[ctski]

I skied stowe on saturday, conditions were ok. it rained sunday and things were a bit icy. but with the weather like it's been, beggars can't be choosers......

 

[JD]

Sunday was great. It's Shite now however.