Conditions: Wednesday - cold, breezy, flat & fast
Thursday - frigid, blustery, hard & fast
Trip Report: Got to Barker around 10:30 Wednesday, base was around 20ºF, top was in the low teens or upper single digits. Wind was steady, but not a problem. All the snowmaking trails had been groomed, the ungroomed sides were very firm and uninviting. They were blasting snow on Obsession top to bottom (Closed) and most of Monday Mourning, which was trail of the day for us. Ecstasy & Upper Punch had snow on the edges. Cascades was an ice rink except where there was blow-over from the guns on MM. Rode the Chondola & Spruce once, Escapade & Risky were scratchy & windblown too. Returned to Barker and spent the afternoon lapping Punch or Ecstasy to MM. Had decent skis on and didn't venture onto any of the natural cover trails, which looked pretty hammered from the lifts.
Thursday was decidely tougher, Barker base was 6ºF at 11:00 and the wind was blowing hard. Spruce & Aurora were on wind hold, The Chondola Locke & Barker quad were the running at reduced speed. All the groomed runs were bulletproof with a dusting of snow on the wind protected edges. Upper Punch had the best coverage. Guns were still running on Obsession. and were being started on Rocking Chair. Scratched out 3 runs off of Barker and took a hot chocolate break. When I got back out, around 12:30, Barker & the Chondola were shut down. Took the sloooow ride up Locke (it ain't fast at full speed), Scratched out 1 more run and couldn't face another trip up Locke, headed off to do some Christmas shopping.
Overall, the resort has lots of snow, and more being manufactured by the minute. They hope to open all the way from Obsession to Jordan Bowl for the weekend. The groomers will be fine on any day the wind isn't blowing the groomed snow into the woods. Unless it gets above freezing you really want some edges on the skis. They opened Last Tango glade yesterday, but access is not easy and you can plan on a scratchy ride if you venture into the woods.
Thursday - frigid, blustery, hard & fast
Trip Report: Got to Barker around 10:30 Wednesday, base was around 20ºF, top was in the low teens or upper single digits. Wind was steady, but not a problem. All the snowmaking trails had been groomed, the ungroomed sides were very firm and uninviting. They were blasting snow on Obsession top to bottom (Closed) and most of Monday Mourning, which was trail of the day for us. Ecstasy & Upper Punch had snow on the edges. Cascades was an ice rink except where there was blow-over from the guns on MM. Rode the Chondola & Spruce once, Escapade & Risky were scratchy & windblown too. Returned to Barker and spent the afternoon lapping Punch or Ecstasy to MM. Had decent skis on and didn't venture onto any of the natural cover trails, which looked pretty hammered from the lifts.
Thursday was decidely tougher, Barker base was 6ºF at 11:00 and the wind was blowing hard. Spruce & Aurora were on wind hold, The Chondola Locke & Barker quad were the running at reduced speed. All the groomed runs were bulletproof with a dusting of snow on the wind protected edges. Upper Punch had the best coverage. Guns were still running on Obsession. and were being started on Rocking Chair. Scratched out 3 runs off of Barker and took a hot chocolate break. When I got back out, around 12:30, Barker & the Chondola were shut down. Took the sloooow ride up Locke (it ain't fast at full speed), Scratched out 1 more run and couldn't face another trip up Locke, headed off to do some Christmas shopping.
Overall, the resort has lots of snow, and more being manufactured by the minute. They hope to open all the way from Obsession to Jordan Bowl for the weekend. The groomers will be fine on any day the wind isn't blowing the groomed snow into the woods. Unless it gets above freezing you really want some edges on the skis. They opened Last Tango glade yesterday, but access is not easy and you can plan on a scratchy ride if you venture into the woods.
