Sugarbush 3/13/10

[Zand]

Date(s) Skied: Saturday 3/13/10

Resort or Ski Area: Sugarbush, VT

Conditions: Firm as hell natural trails, decent groomers, 30s, cloudy, windy

Trip Report:

Got to Ellen at 9 and headed up GMX. Saw that nothing was soft yet and also noticed the Summit Quad was on windhold. Decided to suck it up and hit Tumbler. Lots of nice bumps... too bad they were so hard they were barely enjoyable. Hopefully I can get up there on a warm day.

Went up North Ridge into the wind tunnel at the top. Did some God skiing down Elbow (arms straight out, jacket open, going about 2 MPH in the wind) and then hit Cruiser with the masses. Back up and I hit Encore, which was tough with the frozen bumps and caused me to put on a great show for the people on the quad. Even got laughed at by a few 7 year olds when I caught a rut and bounced off about 5 bumps on my ass.

Next up was Lower FIS... slightly better towards the bottom with the slightest bit of softening. The top of it was like the rest of the mountain. There were 2 deep ski tracks engraved into it as well which was annoying at times. One good thing about the firm snow was that it made the runout fast... only had to pole once. Rode the lift with a guy who had just came from MRG and said everything was on windhold except the practice slope and the place was a zoo with the Telemark festival.

Hit Cliffs next... yay more frozen bumps. Decided to head over to South to see if it was any warmer/softer. Noticed Castlerock and Heaven's Gate were both on windhold. Took a cruise down Pushover and had an early lunch as the lines on the quad were a bit big at the time.

Went back out around 11:15 and headed up Super Bravo (lines were almost gone already) and took the Mall. More punishment with the bumps and under a lift again (why do I do that to myself??). Moved over to Steins next which was more of the same.

Took Bravo back up and did the gaperific run of Downspout top to bottom. Actually wasn't too bad and nice to not take a run that felt like I was driving over speedbumps with a lawnmower.

Figuring North Lynx was my best bet for soft snow, I headed up there and tried Birch. Nothing doing... frozen solid. TONS of people up there... felt like being back at Wachusett on a Friday night. Seemed like 10% of the resort was on that one trail.

Headed back to Ellen and beat myself up on Bravo one more time. After that one I decided to just give up before I hurt myself... hopefully next Saturday will be better. Just kinda sucks going from beautiful corn yesterday in the same weather to frozen corals.

Took a ride up to MRG when I left to check out the carnage... they got Sunnyside running but the Single was still down. Base area was packed and I've never seen so many cars in that lot before. Anyways... Stowe is on the hook tomorrow pending rain. After that, Burke a few times this week and back to the Bush next weekend hopefully.

 

[riverc0il]

I bashed bumps today with BMM, PP, MRJ, and the mogul skiing crew. I was afraid that I had waisted the drive after the first run but things did get better with more traffic. We mostly hammered Witch Way in the morning and switched over to Cliffs in the afternoon. Even though the bumps never really warmed up, they did become quite skiable as the afternoon progressed. I even had a few moments when I felt like I was looking into a good line when a few honest to goodness toothy grins were had while skiing.

Probably skied more bumps today than I had all season. Would have preferred spring bumps but we really did make the absolute best of it and I had a great time. Might have some unedited video up later this week.

Tomorrow should be interesting for a selection. Hmmmmm...

 

[neil]

After that, Burke a few times this week and back to the Bush next weekend hopefully.

Please report back on Burke. Thinking of going there on Saturday but not sure what it will be like next week after this rain uke: Plus they are reporting a really low base which is worrying.

 

[shadyjay]

Got out early due to Heaven's Gate being closed for the day at 12:30 so I got to sample the runs off Bravo and Gate House on a Saturday... not my cup of tea. Softest snow I found was definitely off GH as Birdland, Murphy's, and Snowball were pretty solid. Sun made a 2-minute appearance but not enough to make things soft. From what I heard though, The Mall was pretty good.

Definitely this week coming up looks to be "the" week for spring skiing & riding. I'm going to punish myself on Lower Birdland and perhaps make it up to CRock one more time.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

big tele fest at mrg this weekend

 

[WWF-VT]

I just skied at Lincoln Peak on Saturday and today. Yesterday as everyone has reported was "firm". Today was dramatically different. Early morning wet snow was falling at at the top of Bravo and North Lynx lifts, light rain down low. Got on the mountain around 9:30 and there was an inch of wet snow up top that mixed in with the softened / groomed snow an it was creamy and fun. Did a few laps of Birch Run and a cruise down Hotshot/Waterfall. Due to a recent injury I stuck to groomers which were "hero" snow - Birdland, Lower Organ Grinder, Snowball , Spring Fling. My son did a few runs on the Mall and Twist and Moonshine which were all soft and skiing well. As expected on a wet Sunday there were no lines and and wide open trails. Called it a day around 12:30 when the rain came in harder. I did say hello to Shadyjay working the Bravo lift.

 

[PomfretPlunge]

I bashed bumps today with BMM, PP, MRJ, and the mogul skiing crew....

Good to see ya, Riv. Hope to make it up again in April.

Peace
Plunge

 

[vonski]

I skied Saturday at South. Groomers all morning as it was hard off Bravo. Went up gatehous and North lynx around 11. Snow on Birch was good and getting better with all the traffic up there. Still no lift line though at North Lynx. Then went for Lunch hit trails off Gatehouse for hahas! as the lift line went down. Then back to Bravo and found Moonshine late in the day. Wow! it got real soft and Fluffy! Finished with a last bombing run off Gatehouse on Pushover to the car!. Bailed on Sunday! Good skiing though!

 

[thetrailboss]

Hey Zand. Not a great day Saturday. The Mrs. and I started at LP. First run was down Snowball, which we thought would be groomed and decent (the Snow Report said "corn snow"). Well, it was frozen hard...groomers got to it too early and it set up after. Worst skiing of the season.

Like everyone else, we tried North Lynx. Birch Run was death cookies/soft, but had everyone and their grandmother on it.

Took SBX over to ME along with maybe 20 other folks. North Ridge, as Zand said, was frozen and windy. I can't recall seeing the Summit Chairs swing as wildly as they were...at least from what I could see.

Elbow: death cookies.

North Star: better.

Cruiser: too many folks, but LG.

Walt's Way: solid FG.

We cut out at 12 noon. Sleeper was softening a little....

 

[shadyjay]

I did say hello to Shadyjay working the Bravo lift.

Ahh... that was you!
That was my first day of the season checking tickets... I had been scheduled for Heaven's Gate all weekend (as usual) but the wind kept it shut down Sat, Sun, & today. I didn't even bother riding on Sunday, but I heard from just about EVERYONE that the skiing was GREAT! ... if you didn't mind getting wet!