Mt. Snow VT 1/4/03

[cd]

Haven't seen a Mt Snow report here yet this year. I've already had many fine days there in this epic early-season snow year, but Sat was the best yet. <BR> <BR> Watched it snow all day/night Fri with Mt Snow right in the bull's eye of the predicted accumulations and I knew I had to get it while it was fresh, which meant ignoring my midweek pass and taking in a Sat morning. Grabbed a couple hours sleep and was snowblowing the driveway just after 4am. Left about 5:45 and was at Snow approx 2 hrs later (double the usual drive time). Roads snow packed, passable but slow going with momentum constantly treading the fine line between friend and enemy - hell, the toughest part was the last 100 yards uphill to the lodge area! Some of the lots were already filled with snowmobiles, trailers, etc since they were having some sort of Sno-Motocross event this weekend. Summit hi-speed quad opened late but lift #9 was open by 8 and provided access to summit via the N. Face. <BR> <BR> The cheese at the end of the above maze was an honest two feet of fresh dry powder (and still snowing steadily) and first/fresh tracks on almost all of my favorites. "WOOO!"'s could be heard from every direction. Knee-to-thigh deep with deeper in spots, even some honest-to-gawd face shots! High winds in open areas near top made for some wind packed drifts and a few blown-off icy spots but everywhere else was the proverbial "deep n' thick n' even", enough so that untracked flatter sections could actually be pretty slow going. I stuck to the back sides and the lift lines stayed reasonable for a good coupla hours, save one lift stoppage on the N Face that clotted things briefly after my first full run (arrgh, of all the times, but at least we were all in the same boat!). By 11 am or so it was starting to get crowded and my job was done so I bailed. The lift corrals at the base area were jammed as I threw them a wave and skied past, all the way to the van (prime parking spots being another perk of early arrival). <BR> <BR> Even though I had to grab my ankles and pony up the weekend day rate of $61, it was worth it (did much the same drill one morn just after the Xmas storm). What the hell, at least the midweek pass has already paid for itself! Damn if it isn't snowing a few more inches tonight....