Umpire Mtn., VT 1/29/12

[noreasterbackcountry]

I took a morning tour with a buddy and a local pup to check out the logging trails before heading over to Burke for the Sunday afternoon deal.

http://nebackcountry.blogspot.com/2012/01/trip-report-umpire-mountain-vt-victory.html

 

[thetrailboss]

Interesting......

Very nice report and pictures. You are spot on about one of the tensions in Vermont and I'm glad that you got the landowner's OK before venturing out to visit it.

 

[from_the_NEK]

Cool report.
That cut was actually done over 12 years ago. When I first saw it from East Bowl It hought it looked like a good place to ski. But this was before I had any experience in touring. These days, since it looks rather grown up with saplings and with a generally southern exposure, I figured it wouldn't ski very well. However, it looks like you had fun! 8)

There is a prime skiing period for logging cuts. A fresh cut is often littered with trimmings and various chunks of wood that were left behind so it is best to avoid them at first.
Then there is a period of 3-5 years where the stuff left behinnd has settled to the ground and started rotting and the Raspberry bushes and tree saplings haven't choked off the best lines. This is the prime period.
Then things start to fill back in and you have to stick to the "open spots. You hit this cut a bit past its prime but it can still be good.

Here are a couple of pics from 6 years ago.

 

[ScottySkis]

wow looks awesome

 

[from_the_NEK]

Then compare my previous pics with one from this january (granted there was only a foot of snow on the ground at this point).

 

[kingdom-tele]

and the NE side needs about 3 more feet of snow to make it remotely doable. climb it to ski it, lots of vertical to get f'd up on. some nice short woods shots under the cliffs over the VAST trail

 

[from_the_NEK]

some nice short woods shots under the cliffs over the VAST trail

Quiet you!

 

[thetrailboss]

Has anyone skied on the road to the radar base (East Mountain)?

 

[noreasterbackcountry]

Great shots of that eastern ridge!

Yeah the saplings, moosebrush (aka Tallywhackers, Grundlefloss) and blackberry bushes made most everything except the logging trails unpassable. Time to go hang with the loggers and find out where the recent work has been done.

We actually talked about that radar station road, but my buddy seemed to think there was a whole lotta low angled stuff involved. (Not that Umpire didn't have its share)

 

[kingdom-tele]

radar rd is private now i believe.

NEK- everyone knows we only have low angle woods and xc skiing here.:wink:

NEBC - you guys should ski in westmore

 

[bigbog]

If public...main issue, besides getting out to transportation, of course is did they leave stumps in addition to scrap limbs, bark etc...... My primary summer hikes..(with chainsaw)..;-)

 

[noreasterbackcountry]

Long overdue video added.

 

[powbmps]

Long overdue video added.

Nice. That dog is hauling ass at about 3:20 :smile:!