Date(s) Skied: Sunday, February 10th, 2008
Resort or Ski Area: Wildcat
Conditions: Packed Powder until 2PM, snowed like a banshee after until close
Trip Report:
Another killer day at the cat. 100% open and I was psyched to check out a couple of the 'real deal' trails I had not had the opportunity to sample yet. In my first trip report from my first experience at Wildcat in early January, I made the comment that it lacked challenge. That opinion has changed some, though even as I get to know the mountain better, I doubt I'll ever classify as top five for challenge in the east. That comment is based almost purely on pitch. I still haven't ventured out into Thompson's Brook, so maybe there are some goods in there that might sway Wildcat into the top 5. This all said, the cat is definitely top 10, which is plenty good enough for my needs.
The two trails I was psyched to ski were Hairball and Starr Line. They both had moderate bumps, packed powder with some loose powder and were fun as could be. The real challenge of the trails are short, only about 100 yards, but at that, though not very steep, they are GREAT and require sound technical skiing ability. Those sections would rate double diamond anywhere in the east for sure. If you make a mistake in a technical line that results in smashing your head on a rock, that's an expert trail in my book. Hairball was the more fun of the two and while skiing it, there was a father with two early teenish sons who were clearly over their head, petrified about how to negotiate the rocks and small drops. They ended up taking off their skis and walking down. I remember having similar life skiing lessons myself around that age.....you mess with the bull....
The greatest thing about today was I was really happy with my skiing. Yesterday I was extremely frustrated about my fitness at Mt. Abram, which has half the vert. I went into today fairly sore from yesterday and was fully expecting to have even worse problems with fatigue. To my delight, I had very little issues with fatigue and felt like I was charging the hill at roughly 85% of what I know I am capable of at maximum fitness. This was a complete 200% turn around from the day prior, certainly my best effort of the season and has me pumped to finish out the year strong.
The conditions were essentially packed/loose powder on the ungroomed runs with GREAT bump lines on everything. I seriously can't wait for spring bump skiing at Wildcat. It has to rate as one of the best mountains in the east in this regard. Even though Saturday night didn't offer the snow event that was expected, I was also psyched to find pockets of knee deep fresh in less traveled areas of Mounta Jag and Catacomb glades as well as a few unmarked spots I found elsewhere.
The real treat of the day was from 2PM on. Liftlines were non-existent today, 3 minute wait tops and barely a need for a Q line. I would say this was because they had the Tomcat Triple going, but the two times I rode it, there were a solid 6 empty chairs in between us and others. At 2PM the crowds started to leave and as they did, the snow started to POUND down. With each run there were fewer skiers on the slopes and the snow was piling up. It was coming down at a 2inch and hour clip making for SWEET conditions. Any area that was marginally scraped off earlier was now butter. Places that had limited tracks were now skiing deeper. The wind did start to kick up to. It honestly was almost snowing too hard for my liking if there is such a thing. Visability was down to ten feet, but I was loving it.
Our last run, which was fourth to last chair of the day on the Express, was a leisurely jaunt down Pole Cat with four inches of Fresh with no visible tracks, everything filled in and it was a BLAST. At this point my legs were pretty much jello, so ending the day on a long leisurely beautiful trail with killer snow was just what the doctor ordered.
Can't wait to get back to the Cat.......I'm falling in love with it, BIG TIME.
If there's only one negative of the day, it was the drive down Pickham notch. Ten miles of white knuckle 25 mph travel. Even in a Subaru with great snow tires, it was pretty scetch
Resort or Ski Area: Wildcat
Conditions: Packed Powder until 2PM, snowed like a banshee after until close
Trip Report:
Another killer day at the cat. 100% open and I was psyched to check out a couple of the 'real deal' trails I had not had the opportunity to sample yet. In my first trip report from my first experience at Wildcat in early January, I made the comment that it lacked challenge. That opinion has changed some, though even as I get to know the mountain better, I doubt I'll ever classify as top five for challenge in the east. That comment is based almost purely on pitch. I still haven't ventured out into Thompson's Brook, so maybe there are some goods in there that might sway Wildcat into the top 5. This all said, the cat is definitely top 10, which is plenty good enough for my needs.
The two trails I was psyched to ski were Hairball and Starr Line. They both had moderate bumps, packed powder with some loose powder and were fun as could be. The real challenge of the trails are short, only about 100 yards, but at that, though not very steep, they are GREAT and require sound technical skiing ability. Those sections would rate double diamond anywhere in the east for sure. If you make a mistake in a technical line that results in smashing your head on a rock, that's an expert trail in my book. Hairball was the more fun of the two and while skiing it, there was a father with two early teenish sons who were clearly over their head, petrified about how to negotiate the rocks and small drops. They ended up taking off their skis and walking down. I remember having similar life skiing lessons myself around that age.....you mess with the bull....
The greatest thing about today was I was really happy with my skiing. Yesterday I was extremely frustrated about my fitness at Mt. Abram, which has half the vert. I went into today fairly sore from yesterday and was fully expecting to have even worse problems with fatigue. To my delight, I had very little issues with fatigue and felt like I was charging the hill at roughly 85% of what I know I am capable of at maximum fitness. This was a complete 200% turn around from the day prior, certainly my best effort of the season and has me pumped to finish out the year strong.
The conditions were essentially packed/loose powder on the ungroomed runs with GREAT bump lines on everything. I seriously can't wait for spring bump skiing at Wildcat. It has to rate as one of the best mountains in the east in this regard. Even though Saturday night didn't offer the snow event that was expected, I was also psyched to find pockets of knee deep fresh in less traveled areas of Mounta Jag and Catacomb glades as well as a few unmarked spots I found elsewhere.
The real treat of the day was from 2PM on. Liftlines were non-existent today, 3 minute wait tops and barely a need for a Q line. I would say this was because they had the Tomcat Triple going, but the two times I rode it, there were a solid 6 empty chairs in between us and others. At 2PM the crowds started to leave and as they did, the snow started to POUND down. With each run there were fewer skiers on the slopes and the snow was piling up. It was coming down at a 2inch and hour clip making for SWEET conditions. Any area that was marginally scraped off earlier was now butter. Places that had limited tracks were now skiing deeper. The wind did start to kick up to. It honestly was almost snowing too hard for my liking if there is such a thing. Visability was down to ten feet, but I was loving it.
Our last run, which was fourth to last chair of the day on the Express, was a leisurely jaunt down Pole Cat with four inches of Fresh with no visible tracks, everything filled in and it was a BLAST. At this point my legs were pretty much jello, so ending the day on a long leisurely beautiful trail with killer snow was just what the doctor ordered.
Can't wait to get back to the Cat.......I'm falling in love with it, BIG TIME.
If there's only one negative of the day, it was the drive down Pickham notch. Ten miles of white knuckle 25 mph travel. Even in a Subaru with great snow tires, it was pretty scetch
