Stratton 12/10/2006

[amf]

Date(s) Skied: 12/10/06

Resort or Ski Area: Stratton

Conditions: powder / packed powder / hardpack / stones

Trip Report: First trip to Stratton since their window price cracked $70; lured back by the lift ticket giveaway & the x-card with a free day tossed in. They have done a fairly decent job on the trails opened so far (the Bears, North American, Spruce, Meadow, & the not-yet-terrain park leading back to the base. Upper sections of the mountain tended to be scratchy & windblown (to be expected, given the ferocious wind this past weekend!), but lower elevations were quite nice. Of course, for my first trip out after knee surgery earlier in the year I was not looking to rip things up much. Lift lines were the worst part - the gondola was on hold much of the morning, making Ursa somewhat of a non-express. Here's hoping the weather holds out for more snow.

Saw my first Bogner Dog - a poodle dressed in a pink puffy stretch vest!

 

[thetrailboss]

Lift lines were the worst part - the gondola was on hold much of the morning, making Ursa somewhat of a non-express. Here's hoping the weather holds out for more snow.

The winds were terrible this weekend.

Saw my first Bogner Dog - a poodle dressed in a pink puffy stretch vest!

POST OF THE DAY!

Best thing to look forward to on those trips! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[theguy10]

I'm curious how the free pass worked. I got a couple, one for me and one for the wife. The rules however say one per household. Did they just check your ID and hit in the code that came in the email or did they keep track of your actual information?

 

[amf]

I'm curious how the free pass worked. I got a couple, one for me and one for the wife. The rules however say one per household. Did they just check your ID and hit in the code that came in the email or did they keep track of your actual information?

I just handed them the email confirmation & that was it. Had ID ready, but they never asked to see it. Don't know if having the same address on the email would have been a red flag or not, as the whole process seemed pretty confusing to the ticket clerks. Three other folks with me had the same experience. To top it off, they even gave you a plastic pass-type card with your name on it instead of a standard ticket. Seemed to be a lot of baggage associated with what should have been a lot more streamlined process.

amf

 

[amf]

POST OF THE DAY!

Best thing to look forward to on those trips! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Ooh! Oooh! Do I win a free lift ticket?!?! :lol:

 

[Newpylong]

I look forward to using that free ticket sometime this year. I haven't been there in 10 years!

 

[Talisman]

I was also there on Sunday, but missed the Bogner Dog. I did see many Bogner adults and kids, but that makes Stratton special.

The long lines on the Ursa express dropped to nothing at 11:00 AM the lift was ski on by 11:20 AM. I thought the snow Stratton had made on Grizzley, Spruce, Black Bear and North American was pretty good. The hardpack on polar Bear didn't improve much as the day wore on and anything with a pitch on Grizzley was the proverbial "white bowling ball" by 10:30 AM. Spruce though thin in a few places held up pretty well.

Thanks goodness for rock skis. I am impressed with the great skis many at Startton will trash during the early season.