Northern Vermont, 2/20/05

M

Mark Renson

New member
I got up very early to assemble my gear and head out to the trail head. By 07:59:007, the 4 of us (me, 2 of the suspects from last year and Bill, a former list lurker) gathered in the parking lot. By 8:15, we were skinning and at 10:00AM, we were grinning at the rock that is the Sacred Altar after the long steep skin up the classic trail. Man, it was cold but that cold preserves the snow and makes this place so special.

Into the woods 3 of us ducked with Bill opting for the classic. Conditions were outstanding with none of the punchiness we anticipated ? what a treat, especially with the bright sunshine pouring through the thick forest. Afterwards, a nice powder schuss on a James Bond Traverse was had where we met up with Bill. This process was repeated with more technical, wonderfully demanding turns ?..then another steep ascent. For the ensuing descent, I opted to go with Bill down the classic ?..then we spotted a sweet line into the woods and curiosity got the best of us! Turns were not as tough as the other 2 lines I had, but still wonderfully demanding.

For our 4th lap, the 2 suspects from last year went for another descent in the woods and Bill & I went for the classic. Oddly, I had accumulated a number of ascents on this gem, but never a ski descent. Wow, what a treat! There was still many powder patches to be found and the skier packed snow was wonderful down this old roller coaster ride. Down the lower headwall we went and great coverage was had all the way to the parking lot. We met up with the other 2 suspects who reported success on some sweet low angle glades.

Phew! ? it was the most b/c vertical I ever had in the East and also the most demanding day I ever had earning ?em. With the steep ascents straight up the classic and the technical descents, I found the day to be even more demanding than some 8000 foot days I had in the Lower Slower Whose Group at SME :lol: . Just think, it was right in the Holy Land. Getting an early start, quick breaks and setting a stiff pace really pays off with big days and lotsa? turns ? it?s how ya? do it in the backcountry.
 
Mark, I know what you mean.

I too had a great sunny cold sunday in the backcountry of the Adks with a bunch of very good friends, stellar snow, lots of turns.

Even the pics don't do it justice, but here they are anyway

http://tinyurl.com/4f2ew

2 miles up and 2 miles down
 
Actually, I'm glad for the report, since I can infer the destination. It's good to know it's ready for prime time.
 
Kind of like asking a fly fisherman where he caught that big trout.
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Honestly, as a fly fisherman myself, I would be more than happy to share my favorite fishing spots with people new to the sport. I know skiing is a selfish sport for some of you, but this is ridiculous, friend.

Cheers
 
Anonymous":18fu6yl1 said:
I would be more than happy to share my favorite fishing spots with people new to the sport. I know skiing is a selfish sport for some of you, but this is ridiculous, friend.

Cheers
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Whoa, just trying to keep it light. Just a joke.

There's a saying that there are no friends on a powder day. I don't think it's selfishness as much as excitement.

Didn't mean to put a twist in your shorts...I don't know where Sharon was either.
 
If you go to my pictures you will see where I was.

The thing is, people are literally flocking to the backcountry. When 5 of us arrived at the trailhead, there was a lone fella, who has had this stash to himself since he's been going there. Suddenly 5 people show up. Most of us are just getting into the bc in the past few years (or less in my case, as this was only my 2nd trip on my newly acquired AT gear). We let him go ahead, and he lapped us. He deserved it. We were slow and just out to be out and enjoy the scenery and the snow. We weren't there to get in as many turns as possible.

The point is, the bc is becoming more and more crowded. That guy could have had fresh tracks every run, but once the 5 of us had our run, the snow was mostly tracked. The whole point of earning your turns is to find fresh snow and go where most people have not been. Sales in bc gear have been skyrocketing, for good reason. It's hella fun!!
 
:P
the pictures from sharon are from blue mountain in the adks. it is just north of old forge region (adk museum is close by the trail head). the conditions look great. i hope to get over to the adks in march for some hairball steeps in the high peaks. have fun and enjoy the powder while we got it, it never seems to last long enough.

redeyes
 
Great report on back country snow conditions in Northern Vermont from Mark Renson! I would prefer a report from Mark with obscure references to the location than no report at all.

Trees101":mlhrrhay said:
So what good is this?
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It's not a tease (well, maybe a little), it's not self-gratification, it's about sharing snow conditions.

I myself had a spectacular day Tuesday, 2/22, skiing a couple lines in the western White Mountains that I just can't publish. My last words at the top were, "if anything happens to me, make sure no one gets my GPS map!". I can tell you on the Northern aspect, below treeline, there was 9"-18" powder on top of a firm but crunchy layer from the previous Wednesday's brief rain. A second run on the eastern slope had about 6"-12", more at upper elevations and less lower on the mountain. The eastern slope had a crunchier base that was breaking up a lot at lower elevations, though still great skiing. Runs on Monday, 2/21, on the western slope had a drier base, closer to the 9"-18" found on northern aspect.

Planning to ski backcountry VT or NH? I take any hints from Mark's report and any other B/C reports I can glean from NBS; the Chauvin Guides report http://www.chauvinguides.com/conditionski.htm; it's hardly worth checking TFT or VFTT; check the snow rangers report at http://www.mountwashington.org/avalanche/; check the snowstakes at HoJos http://www.outdoors.org/tripplanner/go/backcountry-weather.cfm and Mt. Mansfield http://www.uvm.edu/skivt-l/?Page=./depths.html&dir=.; the NOAA/NWS snowfall map http://www.erh.noaa.gov/nerfc/graphics/snowmaps/sf1_today.jpg and snowdepth map http://www.erh.noaa.gov/nerfc/graphics/snowmaps/sd1_today.jpg ; the weather forecast from the OBS http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/today.html and the Fairbanks http://www.fairbanksmuseum.org/eye_detailed.cfm;
and I'm ready to plan my next adventure! There are plenty of published routes newcomers can explore without following Mark down his.

Thank you, Mark!
 
Lftgly":1joqdnfy said:
I myself had a spectacular day Tuesday, 2/22, skiing a couple lines in the western White Mountains that I just can't publish.
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Please don't tell. After all, what fun is an Easter Egg Hunt if you're told where the eggs are! :P
 
while there may be some bragging involved in telling about the snow without pin pointing the exact location, i fully appreciate a general geographic location followed up by conditions. a report such as mark's allows me to generalize snow conditions for areas in that region. the only purpose publishing the exact location the turns were made at would be to encourage a mass of people to descend on what should be, as mark put it, an easter egg for those willing to dig. the backcountry is open and welcoming, but as someone new to it... i don't expect anything given to me except what's in the goodman books! my own reports are on occasion turning into a show but don't tell scenrio allowing people to see and judge for themselves without being told where the photo was taken. i think this is a positive and respectable way to post reports for unmarked shots, people can get the jist without it being spelled out for them.
 
The first guest reply was not mine. I wasn't saying the report was useless. I just asked where it was. No big deal, not an insult.

Cheers.
 
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