Very impressed with Stowe!

[swampwiz]

I took advantage of the low price deal at Stowe yesterday ($39), and was very impressed with the terrain and the snow conditions (although the one double diamond trail going down the chairlift was a little icy at the top - a double diamond that really felt like a single diamond.) Far superior conditions compared to Sugarbush. And the trails were set up very well.

I had skied at Stowe 9 years ago, on an early season day when only the small section was open, and had come away not impressed at all. After skiing the main section, I have changed my attitude 180 degrees.

 

[BushMogulMaster]

Far superior conditions compared to Sugarbush. .

Really? In what way? When were you at Sugarbush? Which side (Lincoln Peak, or Mt. Ellen)? When at Stowe?

Just trying to get an idea of the basis for comparison. I think Sugarbush (at least Mt. Ellen... haven't been to LP in a while) is in great shape (see http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?t=71508).

 

[swampwiz]

Really? In what way? When were you at Sugarbush? Which side (Lincoln Peak, or Mt. Ellen)? When at Stowe?

Just trying to get an idea of the basis for comparison. I think Sugarbush (at least Mt. Ellen... haven't been to LP in a while) is in great shape (see http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?t=71508).

I did Lincoln Peak at Sugarbush. I had done Mt. Ellen about a month ago, and I thought it was pretty good - I found the combination of the two lifts to get to the top very well done, although because the midpoint area is too flat, I had to stay to the right side to be able to do the entire vertical in one run.

 

[billski]

I enjoy both mountains; they have their own personalities.
The double-diamonds will ski like double D's once they get bumped up. You will notice the diff. They had to groom the tar out of them after last Monday's ice age.
My only beef is the ticket price. $39 is a helluva a deal, not offered very often.

 

[BushMogulMaster]

They had to groom the tar out of them after last Monday's ice age.

I don't think they had to. They just didn't have the patience to wait it out a couple of days. We had the same 2" of rain that they did on that Monday, and we left our bump runs alone at Mt. Ellen. They're skiing quite nicely. Firm underneath, but lots of nice, fresh in the troughs. Moguls act like little snow fences. The concept of mowing them down just because they're hard is unfortunately rampant among the eastern ski industry. It's not the answer.

 

[billski]

I don't think they had to. They just didn't have the patience to wait it out a couple of days. We had the same 2" of rain that they did on that Monday, and we left our bump runs alone at Mt. Ellen. They're skiing quite nicely. Firm underneath, but lots of nice, fresh in the troughs. Moguls act like little snow fences. The concept of mowing them down just because they're hard is unfortunately rampant among the eastern ski industry. It's not the answer.

I'm no insider, but I suspect they are responding to customer demand.

 

[BushMogulMaster]

I'm no insider, but I suspect they are responding to customer demand.

Next time you're up at Sugarbush, let me know. We can take a run and chat about snow management. I don't want to get too deep into it here.

 

[Edd]

Good to here about Stowe as I'll be there tomorrow. Sunday River, to my surprise, was fantastic today. I bet yesterday was even better.

 

[KevinF]

I took advantage of the low price deal at Stowe yesterday ($39), and was very impressed with the terrain and the snow conditions (although the one double diamond trail going down the chairlift was a little icy at the top - a double diamond that really felt like a single diamond.)

The top of Liftline is almost always icy. Many years ago Liftline was groomed pretty much never, which is how it obtained its double-diamond rating.

 

[JD]

Really? In what way? When were you at Sugarbush? Which side (Lincoln Peak, or Mt. Ellen)? When at Stowe?

Just trying to get an idea of the basis for comparison. I think Sugarbush (at least Mt. Ellen... haven't been to LP in a while) is in great shape (see http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?t=71508).

Stowe has more then doubled sugarbushes snowfall in the last 7 days....

 

[BushMogulMaster]

Stowe has more then doubled sugarbushes snowfall in the last 7 days....

I find that hard to believe, but I'm not saying it's not true. Anything is possible with terrain induced snowfall. But I drive to the town of Stowe 3 times a week for my other job, and I haven't seen any more snowfall there than in the Valley, so they must have gotten lucky with terrain induced. We've had quite a lot as well. I think over 24" since the meltdown. Just got 6" last night. And we've been excruciatingly conservative this season. I've seen a couple of days where we've had up to 2 or 3" more on the Summit at Ellen than we've advertised on the website.

Anyway... if Stowe got a bunch more snow, good for them.

Does anyone know where Stowe measures snowfall? They don't just go with whatever falls at the Snow Stake, do they?

 

[kcyanks1]

I find that hard to believe, but I'm not saying it's not true.

It could be outside of JD's 7-day window, but the night after the rain, Stowe got a foot or so (from memory) and Sugarbush got nothing. I think there were then smaller storms that Stowe added a couple inches beyond SB's each time.

 

[billski]

Bush on the Left, Steaux on the Right.
Do the math. Or not.

 

[billski]

I find that hard to believe, but I'm not saying it's not true. Anything is possible with terrain induced snowfall. But I drive to the town of Stowe 3 times a week for my other job, and I haven't seen any more snowfall there than in the Valley, so they must have gotten lucky with terrain induced. We've had quite a lot as well. I think over 24" since the meltdown. Just got 6" last night. And we've been excruciatingly conservative this season. I've seen a couple of days where we've had up to 2 or 3" more on the Summit at Ellen than we've advertised on the website.

Anyway... if Stowe got a bunch more snow, good for them.

Does anyone know where Stowe measures snowfall? They don't just go with whatever falls at the Snow Stake, do they?

P - As eyewitness, I can attest that the village has vastly less snow than the hill. Mountain magic at work.
The current Stowe measurer is one of the FIS crew. Ordinarily he measures it based what he sees at the base. Later in the morning, he often goes skiing and based it on what he finds top to bottom, which account for the range. It's often under-reported, because sometimes the midday changes are not accounted for. I highly respect his numbers and his forecast. The numbers have always been consistent what I've seen on the slope each day. It's never measured from the stake, it's in the ordinary skier terrain.

I think that resorts have to do a better job of communicating that an inch or two each day everyday makes for impressive snow quality.

 

[deadheadskier]

Indeed the mountain gets far more snow than the Valley at Stowe. Heck Stowe gets far more snow than Smuggs. Obviously elevation plays a factor, but I think upslope probably has a lot to do with it as well. The intensity of snowfall drops as the air mass passes over Stowe and reaches Smuggs.

This probably makes sense to you BMM as you've stated here before about the differences in snowfall totals at different areas on the mountain at Sugarbush. I think it was argument you had with JD in the past if I recall correctly.

 

[BushMogulMaster]

I fully grasp the concept of terrain and snowfall. I was just curious about their reporting. I don't doubt that they've had more snow. I said I didn't 100% believe JD's report of "double" Sugarbush's snowfall in the last 7 days.

 

[ta&idaho]

Bush on the Left, Steaux on the Right.
Do the math.

32 vs. 21
Only double if you round up, and if that's the case, maybe that explains the difference between "32" and 21.

 

[billski]

32 vs. 21
Only double if you round up, and if that's the case, maybe that explains the difference between "32" and 21.

It all depends which date you start counting from :smash: