Waterville Valley 2.5.2012

[Cheese]

Date(s) Skied: 2.5.2012

Resort or Ski Area:Waterville Valley

Conditions:Machine groomed

Trip Report:

5* at the base of the mountain and corduroy everywhere the eye can see is typically a good sign that the groom will have frozen up nicely and it's going to be a day of hero snow. Between 8-9am before the crowds show up one can decrease the radius of carves, open it up and lap the White Caps quad over and over again. This was exactly my plan but by the second turn it was clear that something was not quite right about the snow surface. The corduroy was thin, laying on top of a solid base and hadn't bonded at all. This was not hero snow but rather white ice desguised with a corduroy top surface. Once this was discovered all one needed to do was consider it as a racers dream and carve like it was ice instead of soft. That worked for me and the group I was with but clearly others on the mountain were not pleased. Many folks on the black runs were sliding major portions of the steep pitches rather than making good turns.

Lower Bobby's isn't open so they only have True Grit for double black terrain. I'm not a fan of Waterville's glades so didn't even venture in. Skiers that prefer a soft machined groomed surface might want to wait a few days for the groomers to cut deeper into the base layer or perhaps they'll fire up the snow guns and resurface some terrain.

 

[hammer]

Date(s) Skied: 2.5.2012

Resort or Ski Area:Waterville Valley

Conditions:Machine groomed

Trip Report:

5* at the base of the mountain and corduroy everywhere the eye can see is typically a good sign that the groom will have frozen up nicely and it's going to be a day of hero snow. Between 8-9am before the crowds show up one can decrease the radius of carves, open it up and lap the White Caps quad over and over again. This was exactly my plan but by the second turn it was clear that something was not quite right about the snow surface. The corduroy was thin, laying on top of a solid base and hadn't bonded at all. This was not hero snow but rather white ice desguised with a corduroy top surface. Once this was discovered all one needed to do was consider it as a racers dream and carve like it was ice instead of soft. That worked for me and the group I was with but clearly others on the mountain were not pleased. Many folks on the black runs were sliding major portions of the steep pitches rather than making good turns.

Lower Bobby's isn't open so they only have True Grit for double black terrain. I'm not a fan of Waterville's glades so didn't even venture in. Skiers that prefer a soft machined groomed surface might want to wait a few days for the groomers to cut deeper into the base layer or perhaps they'll fire up the snow guns and resurface some terrain.

Not sounding good...but with this winter it's par for the course...

As far as cutting deeper is concerned, I've been on trails where that has been done and if they go too deep you have a lot of heavy loose granular with ice underneath. I'd actually rather ski with less loose stuff than deal with the heavy chopped up ice. Just need to be more comfortable with speed and as you mentioned need to know how to get on the edges (which I am still working on).

 

[Cheese]

Not sounding good...but with this winter it's par for the course...

I understand that resorts are working very hard to deal with a lack of natural snow and constant reworks on trails which were hit recently with rain. My reports are probably more negative than some, but I write them as a way for others to choose between resorts or perhaps whether they use their pre-purchased ticket this week or next.

 

[bobbutts]

I'd have to guess they're done making snow. I considered going there Friday but ended up in Cannon instead since they were still blowing.