So, I'll add to the snow orgy reports with this one since it's from a mountain that I seem to be the only AZer to have hit...Wildcat.
After skiing Hunter 3/31-4/2 in some of the finest spring conditions the Catskills have to offer, I headed up to the Mt. Washington area with my family on 4/3. I expected to spend a little time with my youngest son James, ski some leftover spring snow at Wildcat, then hike a day or two in the ravine to score some spring corn. I know, I said it would snow...but I was kidding, really. Snow would have been just too perfect to be true, and after my MRG trip in early March I figured I had used up all my snow luck.
What actually happened still has my jaw scraping the floor. We arrived on Tuesday 4/3 in Gorham and it was cloudy and cold; it started to snow after dinner Tuesday...and it never really stopped.
Wednesday started out snowy and turned into a full blown blizzard. Conditions at Wildcat were boilerplate; I did have the pleasure of meeting AZer Breeze who filled me in on conditions. The beginner area was shutting down for lack of snow, so I took my 4 year old James to Bretton Woods where they let me ski with him for free. Conditions were crap...groomed boilerplate. But James had fun. I poached a few runs after we were done, and the skiing was marginal. The lift rides were hell with windblown snow pelting me. I'm sure the conditions at Wildcat were no better. The ride back to Gorham was a white knuckler.
I awoke Thursday charged with adrenalin, and was not disappointed to see about a foot of new snow on my car. It was fairly heavy, and I hoped that higher up at Wildcat it would be lighter. Again, I was not disappointed...not only was it lighter, there was twice as much! Wildcat had gone from 40% open to 100% going off open. I was on the lift at 8:30; I watched for 2 runs as the locals ignored ropes and skied everywhere. So I started ignoring them too. I skied everywhere, every trail, every glade, and finally tree shots I found by looking for tracks into the woods. Patrol seemed to be OK with discreet rope ducking; my impression was that competent skiers got a one run pass on each closed trail; snow hogs were not treated as nicely. They were trying to preserve trails because many were still unopened on Friday and did not open until Saturday. There was PLENTY of snow...I do not duck ropes or dive into unknown tree shots without careful consideration. I never hit an obstacle and barely put a scratch on my skis with all the insane skiing I did Thurs-Sat. It may have been my best day of the season.
Friday and Saturday were great at Wildcat too. My two oldest boys joined me both days. For them, it brought back memories of MRG 2 years ago, except this time we shared it together. I really got to know the mountain well. Patrol kept alot of runs roped on Friday, so those reserved runs still skied great. There were few people. Even on Saturday I waited no more than a minute on a lift line. By Saturday afternoon, most runs were opened and they started to get cut up pretty bad. I was done. Spent, total snow frenzy followed by total burnout. Drove home in a mental snow fog.
Best 3 days of April snow conditions I have ever experienced in the east, maybe out west too. Never made it to the ravine...high avalanche danger from Wednesday on, snow, wind, and alot of clouds and fog. Sherburne looked great, but what was the point of wasting time skinning up that when HSQ served pow was available? I really got to love Wildcat. I like it when I can get to know a place because I ski there 3-4 days in a row. That is another old school hill that has personality and terrific terrain. I will be back.
I want to again thank Breeze for her daily hello and conversation...what a sweet, lovely lady! You do a good job there.
Still totally high from the experience today.
After skiing Hunter 3/31-4/2 in some of the finest spring conditions the Catskills have to offer, I headed up to the Mt. Washington area with my family on 4/3. I expected to spend a little time with my youngest son James, ski some leftover spring snow at Wildcat, then hike a day or two in the ravine to score some spring corn. I know, I said it would snow...but I was kidding, really. Snow would have been just too perfect to be true, and after my MRG trip in early March I figured I had used up all my snow luck.
What actually happened still has my jaw scraping the floor. We arrived on Tuesday 4/3 in Gorham and it was cloudy and cold; it started to snow after dinner Tuesday...and it never really stopped.
Wednesday started out snowy and turned into a full blown blizzard. Conditions at Wildcat were boilerplate; I did have the pleasure of meeting AZer Breeze who filled me in on conditions. The beginner area was shutting down for lack of snow, so I took my 4 year old James to Bretton Woods where they let me ski with him for free. Conditions were crap...groomed boilerplate. But James had fun. I poached a few runs after we were done, and the skiing was marginal. The lift rides were hell with windblown snow pelting me. I'm sure the conditions at Wildcat were no better. The ride back to Gorham was a white knuckler.
I awoke Thursday charged with adrenalin, and was not disappointed to see about a foot of new snow on my car. It was fairly heavy, and I hoped that higher up at Wildcat it would be lighter. Again, I was not disappointed...not only was it lighter, there was twice as much! Wildcat had gone from 40% open to 100% going off open. I was on the lift at 8:30; I watched for 2 runs as the locals ignored ropes and skied everywhere. So I started ignoring them too. I skied everywhere, every trail, every glade, and finally tree shots I found by looking for tracks into the woods. Patrol seemed to be OK with discreet rope ducking; my impression was that competent skiers got a one run pass on each closed trail; snow hogs were not treated as nicely. They were trying to preserve trails because many were still unopened on Friday and did not open until Saturday. There was PLENTY of snow...I do not duck ropes or dive into unknown tree shots without careful consideration. I never hit an obstacle and barely put a scratch on my skis with all the insane skiing I did Thurs-Sat. It may have been my best day of the season.
Friday and Saturday were great at Wildcat too. My two oldest boys joined me both days. For them, it brought back memories of MRG 2 years ago, except this time we shared it together. I really got to know the mountain well. Patrol kept alot of runs roped on Friday, so those reserved runs still skied great. There were few people. Even on Saturday I waited no more than a minute on a lift line. By Saturday afternoon, most runs were opened and they started to get cut up pretty bad. I was done. Spent, total snow frenzy followed by total burnout. Drove home in a mental snow fog.
Best 3 days of April snow conditions I have ever experienced in the east, maybe out west too. Never made it to the ravine...high avalanche danger from Wednesday on, snow, wind, and alot of clouds and fog. Sherburne looked great, but what was the point of wasting time skinning up that when HSQ served pow was available? I really got to love Wildcat. I like it when I can get to know a place because I ski there 3-4 days in a row. That is another old school hill that has personality and terrific terrain. I will be back.
I want to again thank Breeze for her daily hello and conversation...what a sweet, lovely lady! You do a good job there.
Still totally high from the experience today.
