Patrick
Active member
Ontario Spring Break was here and I had taken the week off. After one day family ski day St.Bruno (near Montreal) where we initiated Tara (2.5 yrs old) to the great sport of skiing, Tuesday was Parents' day.
We left our kids with Grand'ma in Montreal and treated ourselves with a beautiful day of skiing at Stowe, one of our favorites ski areas in the East.
Focus: Spruce ....
I wanted to return to Stowe and ski Spruce Peak before that whole area got "improved" :x next year with the removal of the old double and added snowmaking. Unfortunately, I always overlooked this part of Stowe because of the lack of expert runs. Yes, the lift was slow, but the conditions were well worth the wait. Whirlaway is fun and twisted, great coverage with minimal rocks and branches. Smugglers was also great. He did repeat those runs a few times.
Mansfield:
After the great skiing off the old double, we took the gondola and headed for the gondola. Clin Clip was a huge disappointment, conditions were hardpacked and wind blown, a far cry from the fun stuff at Spruce. Most runs were (or looked) windblown and icy. We didn't stay here for long, it's was getting late.
What's next? Goat, Starr?
Although there are many runs that I love at Stowe, the other focus of the trip was to ski the Bruce trail. We started skiing down it sometimes past 3pm. What a great run, long and narrow with a few drops. Conditions were better than Spruce (virtually no rocks and branches, only a few bare spots at the end (before the cross-country center)). The snow had more of a Spring texture to it. We had to push and climb for a while before we were able to get back to the "resort". 4:03PM - Finally made it to the Toll Road chair (or whatever it's called). "Sorry, we are closed, the liftee told us"
We finally had to hop on the shuttle to get back to the lot.
A great day. Best conditions skied: Spruce and Bruce.
Next day destination: Mad River Glen.
We left our kids with Grand'ma in Montreal and treated ourselves with a beautiful day of skiing at Stowe, one of our favorites ski areas in the East.
Focus: Spruce ....
I wanted to return to Stowe and ski Spruce Peak before that whole area got "improved" :x next year with the removal of the old double and added snowmaking. Unfortunately, I always overlooked this part of Stowe because of the lack of expert runs. Yes, the lift was slow, but the conditions were well worth the wait. Whirlaway is fun and twisted, great coverage with minimal rocks and branches. Smugglers was also great. He did repeat those runs a few times.
Mansfield:
After the great skiing off the old double, we took the gondola and headed for the gondola. Clin Clip was a huge disappointment, conditions were hardpacked and wind blown, a far cry from the fun stuff at Spruce. Most runs were (or looked) windblown and icy. We didn't stay here for long, it's was getting late.
What's next? Goat, Starr?
Although there are many runs that I love at Stowe, the other focus of the trip was to ski the Bruce trail. We started skiing down it sometimes past 3pm. What a great run, long and narrow with a few drops. Conditions were better than Spruce (virtually no rocks and branches, only a few bare spots at the end (before the cross-country center)). The snow had more of a Spring texture to it. We had to push and climb for a while before we were able to get back to the "resort". 4:03PM - Finally made it to the Toll Road chair (or whatever it's called). "Sorry, we are closed, the liftee told us"
We finally had to hop on the shuttle to get back to the lot.A great day. Best conditions skied: Spruce and Bruce.
Next day destination: Mad River Glen.