Stowe conditions--any input

[dboyce]

Heading to Stowe this weekend, and wondering if anyone can comment on snow/skiability of the Bruce specifically and the woods in general. Thanks

 

[Admin]

Here's a shot taken on the Bruce this weekend by a friend of mine, of another friend of mine:

(photo: eeyo)

The snowpack is 1 - 1 1/2 feet deep with a 6 inch ice base. It is wind affected along ridges but elsewhere is not. Low- to moderate-angle glades are best because the snow snakes are still lurking. Consider south-facing slopes that you usually ignore because with all the cold temps and dry snow, they are free of sun crusts and the snow is just as deep as other aspects.

 

[aaron12345]

Was at Stowe Jan 25, 26, and 27. Thurs and Fri were good packed powder no lift lines conditions, a wee bit cold (especially Fri with the -20 F / -41 F Windshield summit highs but good. Saturday was incredible. They opened up nosedive/bypass glades and goat glades. Hadn't been opened for a while, tons of fresh snow had accumulated in them just sitting there un-touched. Keep in mind I ski mostly down south in VA but this was one of the better easy coast days I've had. Just stayed on Bypass/Nosedive and Goat glades almost the whole day scoring fresh, untracked, powder all morning. I guess because it had been a bit since it snowed people didn't put together that it had been unopened collecting a few inches a night + the previous dump meant for great conditions. There were surprisingly few people in the glades though - we did have a fair amount of people ask us who were about to go down lift line on the traverse (by Sat a bit icy and exposed) if there was enough snow on the trees.... we just smiled and tried not to look too happy.