Whiteface - Slides - 4/20/07

[C2H5OH]

This picture of the Slides shows about 40 degrees pitch - that's not the steepest part at all ( just some plase I stopped) Combined with 90 deg. waterfalls steepness, Slide 1 could pretty well be 45-50 degrees.

 

[kcyanks1]

That's a cool pic and shows the steepness well.

 

[tjf67]

From what I have read the slides are a consistent 38 degree pitch. Nothing else in the east is over 35degrees. I was in one of the magazines earlier this year. From personal experience it is correct. Out west I have skied things as steep but know if they were steeper. How the heck do you tell you are skiing for your life at that point anyways. We just dont get enough snow in the east to have pitches over 40 degrees skiable.

 

[kcyanks1]

From what I have read the slides are a consistent 38 degree pitch. Nothing else in the east is over 35degrees. I was in one of the magazines earlier this year. From personal experience it is correct. Out west I have skied things as steep but know if they were steeper. How the heck do you tell you are skiing for your life at that point anyways. We just dont get enough snow in the east to have pitches over 40 degrees skiable.

I would've thought there'd be some pitches in the low 40s; I just thought 50 degrees was clearly high. The top of Starr at Stowe is supposedly 37 degrees, and I think the Slides are noticeably steeper (though I skied Slide 1 and Starr about 6 years apart, so take my view for what it's worth). I would think that for a very short time Rumor reaches 40. Paradise at MRG or at least the terrain off of Paradise probably reaches the 40 degree barrier for a little while.

 

[SkiDog]

Eagles nest trees at Alta are 40 easy...nice too....

I just thought the pitches @ whiteface were more Tuckerman'sesque...they seem close, but for some reason thought they were bigger....

Damn i'm already becoming a west coast snob...I dont like this one bit.

M

 

[Greg]

I would've thought there'd be some pitches in the low 40s; I just thought 50 degrees was clearly high. The top of Starr at Stowe is supposedly 37 degrees, and I think the Slides are noticeably steeper (though I skied Slide 1 and Starr about 6 years apart, so take my view for what it's worth). I would think that for a very short time Rumor reaches 40. Paradise at MRG or at least the terrain off of Paradise probably reaches the 40 degree barrier for a little while.

A lot of it is perspective. Snow conditions, the consistency and length of the steep pitch all factor into how steep something "feels". For example, White Nitro Ext looks pretty steep. I've skied it with beautiful corn and it was easy skiing:

Another time hard-pack/ice/flash frozen and it was pretty effin scary:

 

[C2H5OH]

Geomerty in action:

Here's top of the slide 1 in Summer:

 

[kcyanks1]

Geomerty in action:

Thanks! 300m vertical is a pretty long drop. I'd imagine for 100m or so it might crack 40. Thanks for the work.

 

[AdironRider]

That pic of slide 1 in the summer is the most accurate depiction of pitch in the slides yet.

 

[woodlandclown]

Hmmm for some reason I thought they were steeper??? Looks nice though...corn harvest..

M

if you have ever taken a picture or looked at one, you should know that pictures are not accurate in showing steepness.

 

[woodlandclown]

I would've thought there'd be some pitches in the low 40s; I just thought 50 degrees was clearly high. The top of Starr at Stowe is supposedly 37 degrees, and I think the Slides are noticeably steeper (though I skied Slide 1 and Starr about 6 years apart, so take my view for what it's worth). I would think that for a very short time Rumor reaches 40. Paradise at MRG or at least the terrain off of Paradise probably reaches the 40 degree barrier for a little while.

slide 1 is the easiest of all. slide 3 and 4 seem way steeper to me in spots. i havnt been on 4 in a year, so i dont remember, but slide 3 has some very steep pitches. similar to niagara at whiteface. how steep is niagara?

 

[cbcbd]

I think you guys should start skiing with clinometers. I'm planning on taking mine out with me from now on.

 

[kcyanks1]

slide 1 is the easiest of all. slide 3 and 4 seem way steeper to me in spots. i havnt been on 4 in a year, so i dont remember, but slide 3 has some very steep pitches. similar to niagara at whiteface. how steep is niagara?

I know Slide 1 is the easiest but not sure by how much.. I thought part of the easierness came from narrowness and whether drops or mandatory. I don't find Niagara (a section of Cloudspin, correct? If not, then forget my comment) to be especially steep -- expert trail, yes, but nothing remarkable even by eastern standards. Slide 1 is steeper, IMO.

 

[woodlandclown]

I know Slide 1 is the easiest but not sure by how much.. I thought part of the easierness came from narrowness and whether drops or mandatory. I don't find Niagara (a section of Cloudspin, correct? If not, then forget my comment) to be especially steep -- expert trail, yes, but nothing remarkable even by eastern standards. Slide 1 is steeper, IMO.

with the exception of blazers bluff--the new trail at whiteface, which hasnt been measured yet, but it undoubtedly the steepest, the pitch on niagara (part of cloudspin) is the steepest at whiteface and is 33 degrees. the slides are basically 31 degree pitch, but portions of them are 34 and perhaps higher. So i would say the pitch on niagara is pretty comparable to the slides. Slide one is the easiest because it is wider, but there are some pretty steep parts including over the waterfalls.

 

[kcyanks1]

with the exception of blazers bluff--the new trail at whiteface, which hasnt been measured yet, but it undoubtedly the steepest, the pitch on niagara (part of cloudspin) is the steepest at whiteface and is 33 degrees. the slides are basically 31 degree pitch, but portions of them are 34 and perhaps higher. So i would say the pitch on niagara is pretty comparable to the slides. Slide one is the easiest because it is wider, but there are some pretty steep parts including over the waterfalls.

Thanks for the info. The numbers for Cloudspin sound about right. I've never skied Blazers since I didn't make it there this year. An sustained pitch in the low-mid 30s for the Slides seems fair. I would've thought there would be maybe up to couple hundred vertical feet in the 40 range, but perhaps I'm wrong. It has been a while since I've been on them.

 

[tjf67]

with the exception of blazers bluff--the new trail at whiteface, which hasnt been measured yet, but it undoubtedly the steepest, the pitch on niagara (part of cloudspin) is the steepest at whiteface and is 33 degrees. the slides are basically 31 degree pitch, but portions of them are 34 and perhaps higher. So i would say the pitch on niagara is pretty comparable to the slides. Slide one is the easiest because it is wider, but there are some pretty steep parts including over the waterfalls.

Not to contradict you but the slides have a consistent 38 degree pitch. They all have pretty much the same pitch it is just how open they are that makes them more difficult.
I would say slide 2 is the easiest. Then 1, then 4 then 3.
Niagara for the 80 feet you are referring has to be in the 35 degree range.
Did you hike up slide 4 a few years ago?

 

[woodlandclown]

Not to contradict you but the slides have a consistent 38 degree pitch. They all have pretty much the same pitch it is just how open they are that makes them more difficult.
I would say slide 2 is the easiest. Then 1, then 4 then 3.
Niagara for the 80 feet you are referring has to be in the 35 degree range.
Did you hike up slide 4 a few years ago?

Well, thats what the spokesperson for whiteface told me, but maybe they are wrong and dont know there numbers. maybe you are just too dang smart and you should take his job from him.

 

[tjf67]

Well, thats what the spokesperson for whiteface told me, but maybe they are wrong and dont know there numbers. maybe you are just too dang smart and you should take his job from him.

Hey I am only telling you what I read in ski magazine. Spokesperson from whiteface. Yeah OK DOKIE. Tell the spokesperson to get one of thos hoodjiemacallies that guy referred to above and get out there.

 

[bigbog]

.......

Nice hpd... ..and a nice winter pic C2H5!


Steve

 

[SKidds]

Here are my shots form the Slides on April 20. Perhaps a few give a better sense of the steepness.

Slide 1 probably is the least steep, but tricky in the ice falls. Slide 2 is pretty tame, unless you traverse left as you go down. In between Slide 2 and 3, and on Slide 3, you hit some pretty steep stuff. Much steeper than Slide 1.

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