Okemo, VT 12/11-12/99

<I>(Note from the Administrator: This report was originally posted on 12/13/99. Due to our move to new servers, the date and time attributed to this post is incorrect.)</I> <BR> <BR>Friday's ride up to Okemo was dismal. Rain, mist, fog in Ludlow at 8:30 <BR>p.m. Since the plans were to finish a bathroom job that I started over <BR>Thanksgiving, I really didn't mind. But at 10:00 a brief snow burst <BR>heralded a change (in weather and in plans). At midnight I could hear the <BR>snowmakers turn on confirming that lower temps had arrived for good. When <BR>we awoke 7:00 a light covering and consistent light snow indicated even <BR>better things were to follow. Son Josh and I arrived at the lifts at 8:00 <BR>and snow was falling more heavily. Wind slowed the lifts early on and the <BR>top was a bit brutal. Expectations of "bullet proof" were overrated. Upper <BR>World Cup was firm but edgeable and Lower World Cup had good turning powder. <BR>Brutal Grooming had worked to make the surfaces passable. Second run down <BR>Defiance was even better as the snow began to make a bit of a difference. <BR>We both decided to ski only the free hour in the morning so after a hot <BR>chocolate break we headed down Upper Sapphire to Sel's Choice. Powder was <BR>starting to accumulate on the upper trails and virgin powder turns were <BR>numerous though in only about 1" of snow. I had to call it a day to get <BR>back to the work on my bathroom, but Josh returned to ski in the afternoon. <BR>Snow continued to fall all day accumulating 6-8" and the winds held off to <BR>give Josh a great day. Other son Jason arrived in the afternoon after <BR>leaving Killington after two runs. Visibility was near zero in blowing snow <BR>and aggressive snowmaking. <BR>Winds picked up in earnest overnight, but subsided around daybreak. Off for <BR>another free hour at 8:00. This time, though lifts were still slowed a bit <BR>by the wind, we timed it right for 5 runs top to bottom. World Cup, <BR>Defiance to Lower World Cup. Sapphire to Lower Arrow, Jolly Green to Sels, <BR>(Hot Chocolate) then World Cup. The Okemo Difference (brutal grooming) paid <BR>off in having the most lift served terrain available in VT, five legitimate <BR>runs top to bottom (Rimrock was also open) with a few more variations. <BR>Jason had to return to school, I still hadn't finished my work, so we quit <BR>early, but Josh got to snowboard for the rest of the day to clearing skies <BR>and diminishing wind. <BR> <BR>Good (productive) weekend.