I agree, even though Jay is my home mountain the grooming sux. I really do love to be the first few up and take a quick run down the Jet, but even being the fist one down you have to look where you are going. There are boulder size leftovers on both sides of the trail, still slick spots everywhere and the courdory is usually windblown.
-
Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!
You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!
Who do you think has the best grooming and why?
- Thread starter mountainman
- Start date
I agree, even though Jay is my home mountain the grooming sux. I really do love to be the first few up and take a quick run down the Jet, but even being the fist one down you have to look where you are going. There are boulder size leftovers on both sides of the trail, still slick spots everywhere and the courdory is usually windblown.
One other fact to consider... if the snow quality is good and doesn't need to be tilled, a powder bar or roller bar will make a nicer softer product any day, IMO. You won't get quite the depth, but while it's good, it's real good. Tillers tend to create a moderate melt-refreeze. I don't like it. I don't like tillers. Of course, they have their place in grooming. But many areas are starting to back away from them now, favoring older technology that costs less to operate and (depending on conditions) makes a better surface.
The couple of times they used a packer bar at Mt. Ellen last year, the surface was fantastic.
The couple of times they used a packer bar at Mt. Ellen last year, the surface was fantastic.
Jay is also my home mountain and I also agree. To me one of the signs of a good grooming job is that you can not see where groomer tracks overlap. At Jay you can not only see them most of the time but a lot of times they are rough enough to trip up a lot of skiers and force you to stay inside of a single groomer track.
Vortex
Member
I think Sunday River followed by Loon have very good grooming. The River makes everything you want smooth and Loon takes alot of traffic and puts its back nicely for the next day
kingdom-tele
New member
my vote is burke- maybe its just the trails but hitting the dippers first thing would make anyone appreciate a groomer
eastcoastpowderhound
New member
Sunday River is one of the best in the East...and I think they do a good job of leaving the natural terrain features in tact as much as possible. Even when there's been plenty of snow they don't knock off the peak on the rollers and fill them into the valleys...keeps it undulating and fun...for a groomer anyway. They do a great job of keeping things ski-able after a major thaw/freeze.
kingslug
Well-known member
Solitude, Utah has probably some of the best grooming in the US. It's their specialty and they are very particular about it. I found it even better than that other grooming paradise, cause they know when to leave well enough alone.
mountainman
Member
Quality Grooming
Yes i do agree for the grooming stand point Okemo does take the time to do quaility grooming. They are one of the few today that use a implement that was used long ago to maintain a quality snow surface. They tend to over use it, but they do have the number 1 ranking in most publications for snow quality. Most resorts today are bascily a power tiller grooming. Some still use packer bars or i call them compactor bars. Most grooming operators take the time to change a implement to put on another one, so the tillers stay on all the time. Not good. Most resorts have lost the concept of maintaining quality snow surfaces, other than making more snow or waiting for the big dump. (Making more snow cost alot) Grooming trails back 20 years ago was more like farming, most of us called it snow farming. Which makes alot of sense. Snow was groomed mechcanicly instead of beating it with power tillers. Means implements were rolled over the snow like rollers. (Powder makers) The power tillers spin to fast. They leave some nice courdry, but the compact the sub-surface nightly. Which creates a frozen hard pack surface underneath after a few nights.(Means make more snow) By dragging or rolling a implement over the surface takes less time to groom and less fuel. When the power tiller is turned on it uses up about 90 hp of the tractor. Which buring more fuel on a nightly bases. Not good again. I'm not a firm believer in grooming everything every night except beginners and intermedaite trails. Some expert trails based on how much they get skiied and snow quality. It used to be alot of fun when getting done grooming on the a.m. shift and putting a pair of 215's and really craving some nice gs turns down a trail which was flawless courdoury. Almost as good as sex. ALMOST.
Yes i do agree for the grooming stand point Okemo does take the time to do quaility grooming. They are one of the few today that use a implement that was used long ago to maintain a quality snow surface. They tend to over use it, but they do have the number 1 ranking in most publications for snow quality. Most resorts today are bascily a power tiller grooming. Some still use packer bars or i call them compactor bars. Most grooming operators take the time to change a implement to put on another one, so the tillers stay on all the time. Not good. Most resorts have lost the concept of maintaining quality snow surfaces, other than making more snow or waiting for the big dump. (Making more snow cost alot) Grooming trails back 20 years ago was more like farming, most of us called it snow farming. Which makes alot of sense. Snow was groomed mechcanicly instead of beating it with power tillers. Means implements were rolled over the snow like rollers. (Powder makers) The power tillers spin to fast. They leave some nice courdry, but the compact the sub-surface nightly. Which creates a frozen hard pack surface underneath after a few nights.(Means make more snow) By dragging or rolling a implement over the surface takes less time to groom and less fuel. When the power tiller is turned on it uses up about 90 hp of the tractor. Which buring more fuel on a nightly bases. Not good again. I'm not a firm believer in grooming everything every night except beginners and intermedaite trails. Some expert trails based on how much they get skiied and snow quality. It used to be alot of fun when getting done grooming on the a.m. shift and putting a pair of 215's and really craving some nice gs turns down a trail which was flawless courdoury. Almost as good as sex. ALMOST.
mountainman
Member
5
8ps
8ps
campgottagopee
New member
I agree with you but they do get groomed. When they do, for me, it is soooooo fun just rippin that cord up just as fast as your pair will let you go.
Phildozer
New member
Even if you knew where he worked, why would you post it on a forum? Talk about invading someone's privacy.
You are a complete, unadulterated Pud.
Ha ha Pud, that's great! Brings me back to 6th grade. That and "dink" were old favorites.
And yea not cool, if he wanted us to know where he worked, he'd a told us.
SKIQUATTRO
New member
Deer Valley is insane...unreal grooming, insane steeps/trees (secret) ..its reputation is that its a fluff mtn with no challenge....wrong! and with no snowboarders allowed, the snow stays great all day, nothing pushed off
jaywbigred
Active member
I agree with you SKIQUATTRO
Deer Valley is great not only in what they groom, but in what they do not groom. They do have some hidden steeps and bumps that are quite enjoyable and, btw, almost always skier free.
In the east, hands down I'd say Okemo. They lay great chord, but most importantly, their seeded bumps are reliable, well layed, and of that special 'hero' variety that, aside from making you feel good, also allow you to do some real stamina training by going at the whole trail w/o stopping. And they last all season (it seems). Having seeded bumps is part of grooming philosophy, and I love the way they do it.
Stratton also grooms the balls out of everything, which, depending on your wants, isn't always a good thing, given the mountain's lack of challenge to begin with.
Deer Valley is great not only in what they groom, but in what they do not groom. They do have some hidden steeps and bumps that are quite enjoyable and, btw, almost always skier free.
In the east, hands down I'd say Okemo. They lay great chord, but most importantly, their seeded bumps are reliable, well layed, and of that special 'hero' variety that, aside from making you feel good, also allow you to do some real stamina training by going at the whole trail w/o stopping. And they last all season (it seems). Having seeded bumps is part of grooming philosophy, and I love the way they do it.
Stratton also grooms the balls out of everything, which, depending on your wants, isn't always a good thing, given the mountain's lack of challenge to begin with.
AdironRider
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2005
- Messages
- 3,636
- Points
- 83
I never car enough about groomers to take consideration of who does it best, but I will say loon can lay some nice seeded bump lines.
mountainman
Member
Grooming implement
Made by Valley Enginneeing. Used in early 80's.
[/IMG]
Made by Valley Enginneeing. Used in early 80's.
Last edited:
I'm a fan of these, too:
mountainman
Member
Similar threads
