Just got back from Sugarbush, sorry no pics, the weather was unpicturesque. Left LI at 3 Am and was on the mountain by 10. Coditions did not look good. They reported 14 inches but I guess it all blew away. Most everything was pretty winblown and icey..great. Some trails where ok on the sides and where they groomed...then the guns came out..and they started blowing their own snowstorm. Murphys Glade and Birdland got most of the attention. They went from icey hardpack to 8 foot wales in no time as they never shut the guns off until 2 days later. Downspout, Lower Jester, and some other lower trails also got blown pretty good. So the first day was spent under the guns. I checked out the upper mountain which looked like...Pluto...totaly frozen and windblown. Slid down Ripcord, a steep icey run much like Westway at Hunter, not pleasant. I was beat so I called it quits at 3 and headed back to the Sugarbush Inn for some much needed beer.My garbage pail made a nice cooler packed with snow each day, kept some cheese in there as well. Too tired to go out.
Next day looked more promising as it had flurried all night and the guns were still going....huge wales on Murphys and Birdland under the lift. They were blowing all over the place which created a cloud above the whole resort. Started down Murphys and had to use powder technique to get through all the manmade...it was super deep, so much so that I slammed into one wale and flipped over it, my first crash of the season. Made lap after lap on Murphys and Birdland for a while then headed over to the upper mountain which got some grooming over night. Ripcord was now groomed and a blast to fly down it , Paradise was icy moguls but not bad, upper Jester is just a long winding way down if you don't want anything steep. Headed over to the Gate House express and Lynx triple for some moguls. A nice consistant fall line, icey, rocky (all mogul trails had rocks) but good snow on the moguls. lapped that until I couldn't any more. It started snowing heavier and this helped to fill in and cover up the rocks. I wanted to hit Steins run and the Mall but they where way too rocked out, I like my bases. Headed back to the Superbravo lift and hung there until the end of the day, 7 hours was good enough for me. Ventured out to a bar on the Mt Ellen access rd...and ended up hanging out with the bartender.....and thats it...good burger though but man the place is desolate at night, very different from Killingtons nightlife. It was still snowing so things where looking better for tommorow.
Now we're talking. looks like at least 3 inches fell and its still snowing. Went over to Mt. Ellen, did one run down a sheet of ice...and left for Licoln, I guess they don't spend as much time over there blowing or grooming. Time to check out some of the lines I had bee looking at the day before. Lower Birdland under the lift was pretty rocked out before but was now doable. Still rocky, lots of moguls, double fall line. Spent a lot of time on that as it was pretty challenging. Went back to the Lynx for some more moguls then headed over to the other side for some glade mogul runs. Twist and Moonshine wind their way through the trees, very spaced out ones (don't like tight ) rocks here and there so it was hard to keep a line going but fun enough for a few laps, tiring!. Well its 3 and I haven't checked out Castlerock, heard it was more rock than castle. I figured with the snow they picked up in the last 2 1/2 days it must be a little better. The ride up the chair was pretty brutal. The wind was howling at 30mph or so and the temp dropped. Looking down was a sight, Liftline is a truly scary run, very steep and huge rock band all through it, not sure if I ever would try that unless they got some seriouse snow on it. Hopped into Caslerock and was met by moguls, ice and rocks, and some good snow here and there. I guess the sign at the bottom of the lift was right.." Experts only, all trails have moguls, and did we mention rocks..there is no easy way down!" ran into 4 guys on skis and boards trying to make their way down, so we all had a fun time slipping and sliding around the rocks and moguls. Half way down it got super rocked out so I bailed onto Troll Road and connected with Middle Earth which was in better shape...and that was it, 3 :45 and I'm done. Had dinner at Chez Henri a french bistro next to the mountain, in business since 1964, Henri is an interesting fellow, probably has met everyone who was everyone in the ski world. Can't wait to go back!
Next day looked more promising as it had flurried all night and the guns were still going....huge wales on Murphys and Birdland under the lift. They were blowing all over the place which created a cloud above the whole resort. Started down Murphys and had to use powder technique to get through all the manmade...it was super deep, so much so that I slammed into one wale and flipped over it, my first crash of the season. Made lap after lap on Murphys and Birdland for a while then headed over to the upper mountain which got some grooming over night. Ripcord was now groomed and a blast to fly down it , Paradise was icy moguls but not bad, upper Jester is just a long winding way down if you don't want anything steep. Headed over to the Gate House express and Lynx triple for some moguls. A nice consistant fall line, icey, rocky (all mogul trails had rocks) but good snow on the moguls. lapped that until I couldn't any more. It started snowing heavier and this helped to fill in and cover up the rocks. I wanted to hit Steins run and the Mall but they where way too rocked out, I like my bases. Headed back to the Superbravo lift and hung there until the end of the day, 7 hours was good enough for me. Ventured out to a bar on the Mt Ellen access rd...and ended up hanging out with the bartender.....and thats it...good burger though but man the place is desolate at night, very different from Killingtons nightlife. It was still snowing so things where looking better for tommorow.
Now we're talking. looks like at least 3 inches fell and its still snowing. Went over to Mt. Ellen, did one run down a sheet of ice...and left for Licoln, I guess they don't spend as much time over there blowing or grooming. Time to check out some of the lines I had bee looking at the day before. Lower Birdland under the lift was pretty rocked out before but was now doable. Still rocky, lots of moguls, double fall line. Spent a lot of time on that as it was pretty challenging. Went back to the Lynx for some more moguls then headed over to the other side for some glade mogul runs. Twist and Moonshine wind their way through the trees, very spaced out ones (don't like tight ) rocks here and there so it was hard to keep a line going but fun enough for a few laps, tiring!. Well its 3 and I haven't checked out Castlerock, heard it was more rock than castle. I figured with the snow they picked up in the last 2 1/2 days it must be a little better. The ride up the chair was pretty brutal. The wind was howling at 30mph or so and the temp dropped. Looking down was a sight, Liftline is a truly scary run, very steep and huge rock band all through it, not sure if I ever would try that unless they got some seriouse snow on it. Hopped into Caslerock and was met by moguls, ice and rocks, and some good snow here and there. I guess the sign at the bottom of the lift was right.." Experts only, all trails have moguls, and did we mention rocks..there is no easy way down!" ran into 4 guys on skis and boards trying to make their way down, so we all had a fun time slipping and sliding around the rocks and moguls. Half way down it got super rocked out so I bailed onto Troll Road and connected with Middle Earth which was in better shape...and that was it, 3 :45 and I'm done. Had dinner at Chez Henri a french bistro next to the mountain, in business since 1964, Henri is an interesting fellow, probably has met everyone who was everyone in the ski world. Can't wait to go back!
