Anti-groomers

[mdf]

It's like I'm telling myself, "This is garbage, yet I'm having fun!."

Exactly !

 

[Posaune]

For the last few years, I’ve been telling myself that my goal is to get good at crud, so I’m always looking for it.

David,
From what I've seen, you're already there.
P

 

[David Chaus]

David,
From what I've seen, you're already there.
P

All I’m doing is sucking at a slightly higher level. But thanks.

 

[jseeski]

What I really like about ungroomed, cut up stuff is the inner feeling of accomplishment when I link some turns in it. If it's freshly cut real powder it's nice, but when it's heavy crud and I handle it, I get a bit of an inner glow. It's like I'm telling myself, "This is garbage, yet I'm having fun!."

And then there's always breakable crust with unconsolidated material of some kind underneath it.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

And then there's always breakable crust with unconsolidated material of some kind underneath it.

Beer Time

 

[Crank]

How about thick, gooey, deep, wet, glop? My one time at Kicking Horse we had that up top and then some nice breakable crust with glop underneath down below. How did we ski those conditions... Long lunch at the nice bar on top of the mountain and downloading after a few beers, that's how we skied those conditions.

The following day we skied completely rotten snow at Whitewater. The water in Whitewater making itself heard running underneath the snowpack in places. This was in January mind you. There are these weather patterns they call a Pineapple Express and they are not great for skiing in. Jumped on a plane back home next day and skied 2' of cold dry leftover pow in single digit temps at Mt. Greylock, MA the day after flying home.

 

[Posaune]

How about thick, gooey, deep, wet, glop? My one time at Kicking Horse we had that up top and then some nice breakable crust with glop underneath down below. How did we ski those conditions... Long lunch at the nice bar on top of the mountain and downloading after a few beers, that's how we skied those conditions.

The following day we skied completely rotten snow at Whitewater. The water in Whitewater making itself heard running underneath the snowpack in places. This was in January mind you. There are these weather patterns they call a Pineapple Express and they are not great for skiing in. Jumped on a plane back home next day and skied 2' of cold dry leftover pow in single digit temps at Mt. Greylock, MA the day after flying home.

Welcome to the PNW.

 

[geepers]

Welcome to W/B. SSDD everyday.

Well, I must have been lucky with the vis in my 2 x 2 week trips to WB.

1st trip was 2009 - year before Olympics and the year the P2P opened. Some snow showers in some height bands the 1st week. The 2nd week was blue skies including a day of 54 deg F on top of Blackcombe. Canadian beach weather. In January.

2nd trip was in March 2014. Snowed 15cm nearly every night and was clear most days. The only time vis was an issue was one Saturday when I took the afternoon to go ziplining. Was hammering down and the cables were covered in snow. 1st person down each line got a continuous snow shot right in the face.

So from personal experience I'd say WB has pretty good vis - unless ziplining.

 

[KingGrump]

I have been in W/B with no snow in sight. Other trips it would dump and be socked in.
Spent the 2017 season there. Saw the sun maybe 10 full days out of 3+ months. Had to drive down through Breck on the way home to get rid of the mold and mildew that was accumulating on my a**. YMMV.

 

[Posaune]

I have been in W/B with no snow in sight. Other trips it would dump and be socked in.
Spent the 2017 season there. Saw the sun maybe 10 full days out of 3+ months. Had to drive down through Breck on the way home to get rid of the mold and mildew that was accumulating on my a**. YMMV.

Sounds like a great season!

 

[KingGrump]

Sounds like a great season!

It was. Except for the mold & mildew.

You guys got some serious hills up in the PNW. I remember spending 2+ months at Jackson back in 1989. Skiing everyday. Went to Crystal the following year. I was scared s**tless.
Skied Exterminator at Crystal with @David Chaus few years back. Felt like my Mantra needed more beef in the middle section of Exterminator. The Cascade concrete you guys have up there makes the Sierra cement at Tahoe feel like Utah gold.
Skied Crystal and Alpental last year. Had a blast. Plan to spend two week there this season.

 

[markojp]

PM when yer in and about!

 

[KingGrump]

PM when yer in and about!

.
Definitely.

 

[Decreed_It]

sucking at a slightly higher level

THAT ^^ is my life motto

 

[David Chaus]

It was. Except for the mold & mildew.

You guys got some serious hills up in the PNW. I remember spending 2+ months at Jackson back in 1989. Skiing everyday. Went to Crystal the following year. I was scared s**tless.
Skied Exterminator at Crystal with @David Chaus few years back. Felt like my Mantra needed more beef in the middle section of Exterminator. The Cascade concrete you guys have up there makes the Sierra cement at Tahoe feel like Utah gold.
Skied Crystal and Alpental last year. Had a blast. Plan to spend two week there this season.

As I recall, you and Mamie both really liked Northway, didn’t even get to Chair 6. So you have a lot to explore.

 

[KingGrump]

As I recall, you and Mamie both really liked Northway, didn’t even get to Chair 6. So you have a lot to explore.

We hit chair 6 pretty hard last year when we came through after Revy. Really good terrain up there. And lots of it.

Right now, Crystal is probably our second favorite hill in the US.

 

[Captain Furious]

So semi-serious, semi-on-topic question...

Are there resorts that could/should groom a lot less than they do now? Or do you think there's a good balance?

My home mountain, Shawnee Peak, could definitely groom less. It's not very big, about 1300 vertical and most of the trails are groomed. I think there are 43 trails and they probably groom all but 6 plus 2 trails where they leave about 1/2 the width of the trail ungroomed. With that said, it's a great mountain. I love skiing there and while I try to remain on the small amount of ungroomed that exists, I appreciate skiing the groomed trails as it exposes my flawed technique when things get icy. Always something to work on...

Bill

 

[raisingarizona]

Modern grooming and snowmaking technology saves a lot of ski trips from being total losses.

When conditions are real crappy I start to really appreciate that tech.

 

[Lofcaudio]

Right now, Crystal is probably our second favorite hill in the US.

Your favorite being...Taos?

 

[KingGrump]

Your favorite being...Taos?

How ya guessed?