Pico Mtn, 3/18/07

[sszycher]

Hands down, Sunday was one of the best days of the year. Maybe the best, in the sense that, at least at Pico, the wind didn?t totally blast a lot of the new snow off the main trails (frequently a problem during/after Nor?easters). Not today!!

There was only a dusting overnite down in the valley, but on the hill it appeared to have snowed much of the overnite, lasting into the morning, where snow continued at various intensities. Occasionally whiteout conditions.

By 8:30 AM it was boot deep, and by Noon it was knee deep, with the usual hot spots in the trees where you could get above the knee pow w/enough flex in your legs (or if you were on tele?s, and it was tele fest today @ pico)

What a great set up?light, fresh pow on top of what fell on the 3/16-17 storm. Everything was really, really good from the regular trails to the tress. It was all the more impressive when you consider the warm-up that preceded the ?St. Paddy?s? storm (74 F down in Concord on 3/14!!)

I don?t have the record book right in front of me, but this has to rack up among the best, snowiest St Patricks day weekends. And after the start that New England had this year, the past 8 or so weeks have been remarkable.

Unfortunately, my weekend calendar starts to get booked up starting in late March, so that might be it for the year for me.
But if it was, what a way to go out!! It was SUPERB

 

[andyzee]

Pico on Sunday was both unexpected and unbelievable. If I hadn't been in Utah two weeks prior for the 7 feet of snow they got, I'd say this was one of the best days of the year. The snow was definetly comparable to the Utah pow I experienced then.

 

[sszycher]

Andy, I'm almost in shock that anyone on this board, besides myself, skis Pico!

That's not meant as a slam against the board; this board is quite Northern VT centric, and for good reason. It's the epicenter of Eastern Skiing. Heck, I learned to ski at Smuggs, and "cut my teeth" at Stowe, the Bush, and Jay in the early 90's.

However, what does surprise me is how few people who ski Killington even consider Pico on the weekends. While Pico certainly needs natural snow (little or no $$ for snowmaking, relative to Killington), I just don't understand why many loyal K skiers won't even consider bopping over to Pico on weekends to get away from the liftlines and crowded, hurried atmosphere that's prevalent at K. I mean, unless you're staying slopeside at Killington and understandably don't want to get back in your car, you can get a (generally) better ski experience at Pico while still enjoying the dining and nightlife that K offers.

Anyway, maybe I'll see ya next year at Pico, Andy. I'm just saying, I feel like a voice in the wilderness when I tell people what a great weekend place Pico is.

 

[Patrick]

However, what does surprise me is how few people who ski Killington even consider Pico on the weekends.

The first time I drove to Killington back in late May 1984 and we saw Pico, I immediately wanted to try it out. Unfortunately I still haven't yet, too many choices and too short a winter. The fact that I have live 5 hours away doesn't help either. :?

That's not meant as a slam against the board; this board is quite Northern VT centric, and for good reason. It's the epicenter of Eastern Skiing.

It's also about where the people that write on the board lived. Some of them are already in Northern Vermont (Powderfreak, River). But I'm sure that some people (that don't necessarily post) would love to hear about other areas, regardless if you don't think anyone will read it or ski it, heck it can't be worst that my report about my odd outing at the local hills, definitely far from the Eastern epicentre. :lol:

 

[andyzee]

Andy, I'm almost in shock that anyone on this board, besides myself, skis Pico!

That's not meant as a slam against the board; this board is quite Northern VT centric, and for good reason. It's the epicenter of Eastern Skiing. Heck, I learned to ski at Smuggs, and "cut my teeth" at Stowe, the Bush, and Jay in the early 90's.

However, what does surprise me is how few people who ski Killington even consider Pico on the weekends. While Pico certainly needs natural snow (little or no $$ for snowmaking, relative to Killington), I just don't understand why many loyal K skiers won't even consider bopping over to Pico on weekends to get away from the liftlines and crowded, hurried atmosphere that's prevalent at K. I mean, unless you're staying slopeside at Killington and understandably don't want to get back in your car, you can get a (generally) better ski experience at Pico while still enjoying the dining and nightlife that K offers.

Anyway, maybe I'll see ya next year at Pico, Andy. I'm just saying, I feel like a voice in the wilderness when I tell people what a great weekend place Pico is.

I've tried Pico a couple of times in years past when conditions weren't good. This year I tried it in good conditions, it's a newly dicovered jewel for me. Here's my report with pics from 3/18: http://forums.alpinezone.com/14814-pico ... -07-a.html

 

[Pfunkride]

I agree not many people make it as far as Pico, although I do know a handful of people that come to Pico on the weekends, including myself! I'm pretty much there EVERY Saturday and Sundays are a toss up. This year has certainly been a Pico weekend year, and I've certainly gotten my best powder days at Pico.
Pico's on the same ridge line and has very simaliar pitch to the canyon of k'ton.

It seems that ALL the storms we've had have happened right before the weekend, just in time for the city folk to track my lines! I've been a little upset because I can usually take what I can at K'ton mid-week and then have primo Pico stashes all weekend.
I like to do my mid-week riding at K-ton as the I can make laps just about anywhere on the mountain.

We will be at Pico on SUnday doing some expoloration of a few trails we haven't done yet, but this will be depending on the R*** factor of yesterday and today..............

....and actually, i haven't been telling people about Pico as much because I don't want more people taking my lines, I have noticed more people riding inthe areas that normally don't have much traffic, I think of Pico as the "best kept locals stash" :wink:


SEE YOU SUNDAY!!

 

[sszycher]

Andy Zee, taking a beginner on Sidewinder is definitely something you do to someone else's girlfriend, not your own!!

Pfunk in da house!! Pfunk rules the streets of SoRo and Orange County!

Ok, for those of you unfamilar with central VT, Orange County is "between" I-89 & I-91...very pastoral and quiet. Great road & mtn. biking territory. Gang acitivity would largely be limited to rogue groups of cows settling things amongst themselves, 'cause that's how they roll. (at least until you get up into Barre!)

2 things I agree with:

-the storms have indeed largely come mid-late week...a great set-up for weekend warriors such as myself

-I have noticed that Pico has been, by its standards, more crowded than in past seasons. Which is a good thing, since we don't want the new owners thinking, "do we really want to operate this joint?" And it's still never anything more than a 1-2 minute wait at the lower quad at 10:30 on a saturday morning. Crowded is a relative term.

 

[andyzee]

Andy Zee, taking a beginner on Sidewinder is definitely something you do to someone else's girlfriend, not your own!!

Well, it wasn't my idea, it was my friend's idea. He went down first and when he saw she was having trouble at the top, he tried to talk me into taking her into the tree run along side of it, Deliverance I believe. I said there is no way I'm taking a beginner into the trees! Well, after she got past the top part, she fell a bit, but overall did OK. And I believe that even fallin on a tough run like this is a good lesson, she saw she fell and got right back up with no problem, help build the confidence. Ofcourse, it's different in powder and different on hardpack. :wink: