Killington VT 11/7/02

[cd]

Kmart received over a foot of snow earlier this week, this on top of 8" or more of natural (and lots of snowmaking) over the previous two weeks, so went up to sample the wares (was last up 10/29). The snow mostly fell Tues night and Wed. From what I heard today, it was powder first thing Wed morning but the continuing precip during that day wavered back and forth between rain/snow/sleet in various permutations depending on elevation. This made for increasingly heavy snow Wed, and then when the storm moved out and the skies cleared Wed night the temps plummeted and froze everything. That's where I came in Thurs morning, as a very late job Tues night made a Wed visit unrealistic (and the driving conditions didn't look very good either). <BR> Although conditions Thurs were a little slick on the high traffic areas the firm new snow was beautifully deep and off-trail adventuring was no problem anywhere, with ample protection from even the largest rocks and logs. It wasn't exactly free-flowing powder turns, but luckily the freeze had not resulted in hard plexiglass crust but rather an easily broken styrofoam-like variety. It required some fairly deliberate hopping but once at speed and rhythm it was OK...and the thrill of being back into the woods on reliable cover so early in the season made up for any imperfections. Lifts were the K1 Gondola, Glades triple and Snowden poma and most trails in those areas were open. <BR> They're predicting a slight warm-up this weekend and into next week but still relatively seasonable and I think they'll be able to ride it out without much problem. <BR> BTW, ASC is announcing a 11/16 opening for Mt Snow. Called just on the chance they'd moved it up what with all the new snow- no dice but they should've as the tape report brags of 10" at the summit!