smootharc
01-02-2007, 10:19 AM
Saturday 12/30 Bush Pilots report.
First day for me with the Bush Pilots group. Met at 10am at Super Bravo. 18 bodies including our VT North leaders. Promptly forgot all names seconds after introduction. When considering the Pilots last fall, I had specifically inquired as to if there would be a "middle aged / wanna be" section of the Pilots, which is where I feel I belong, and was assured yes. Ha ! You show up and you go into the deep end of the pool ! Heck, getting spanked out of my cozy little life comfort zones is a good thing, right ?
First run is (and I may get a few details wrong) I think Domino Chute to Lower Jester. Top with big bumps. I'm least proficient at bumps, usually liking to pick a line of 5 to 10 turns, stop, think, then do it all over again. But the Pilots just went. The legs burned right off the bat (with my Friday 12/29 rest day becoming an afternoon ski at LP which timed the opening of Ripcord perfectly (soft, then crust, then soft, then crust.....burn). I straggled in near last place (not that anyone was keeping track) for that run. Then we did Murphy's which was opened as we were doing the first run, and hit some nice chopped softish. Pretty sweet. Me getting in around the end of the pack. Third run was something I think organgrinder. All anticipating the hopeful opening of Heaven's Gate. Fourth run Jessie of VTNOrth asked if anyone wanted a tree try. He, I and Bob tried nipping into the edge of Lew's Line - disaster. Blow downs, not enough base, and a feeling "the woods need a bit of cleaning". But that's another topic altogether.
When we emerged from Lew's we peeked over at Heaven's Gate lift, still closed on wind hold. But we got "a little heads up from a bird" who said patrol was doing their half hour check. So we popped in line. Second chair. And waited. Within 10 minutes the news was good. Heaven's Gate was opening. And then we heard a patrol check of Paradise meant the rope was dropping. Second chair and Paradise Found !!!!!!
We hopped off and immediately headed down P-dise. Fairly unbelievable blow in put the tally in the 15" to 18" range generally, soft and sweet, with some pillows of I'd have to say 20++. Worth the wait.....and the gods had giveneth. Until 2/3 the way down at the tail end of the headwall I kicked out of my left ski and took quite a hard tumble. My search began immediately for my ski.....no-freaking-where to be found. Waves of skiers were heading down, and my "grid search" began.....in vain ! I thought logically about where my errant board SHOULD be....and proceeded for 22 minutes to search. Yup, 22 minutes, lapped by my Pilot boys (no hard feelings....by the way - it's get while the getting's great) and about 100 other skiers. Many stopped, asked to help, felt my pain. But I waved them on and told them to get while the getting was good. I must say I was feeling bummed after about 10 minutes, and ready for the hari-kari samurai sword to fall on after 20. Then, about 10 feet AHEAD and UP of where I thought I ejected a guy skied by and a girl who had stopped said "Is that it ?". Effin Yes ! I kissed her (okay, I made that up).....I thanked her, clicked in and skied some nice, but chewed Paradise, to the bottom. There my Pilot buddy was and I grabbed a chair with......woah !.....Dan Egan. One of my ski hero's ! It was looking up again. He's a fun guy with a big, hearty laugh.
Anyways, after some fragmentation of the Pilots, we seemed to congragate at the top, with most of us coming together. At that point a plan was hatched to hike "somewhere to do something". Which we may or may not have done...and which I guess I can't really talk about here.
A hell of a run was had, but it might or might not have been in 18-20" of fresh, and it might or might not have been on a trail somewhere that was or wasn't on a mountain in VT.
I finished with a cruiser on Jester and grabbed my guys from their lessons at three. Tired, happy, and I guess now an official "Bush Pilot". One for the memory book.
First day for me with the Bush Pilots group. Met at 10am at Super Bravo. 18 bodies including our VT North leaders. Promptly forgot all names seconds after introduction. When considering the Pilots last fall, I had specifically inquired as to if there would be a "middle aged / wanna be" section of the Pilots, which is where I feel I belong, and was assured yes. Ha ! You show up and you go into the deep end of the pool ! Heck, getting spanked out of my cozy little life comfort zones is a good thing, right ?
First run is (and I may get a few details wrong) I think Domino Chute to Lower Jester. Top with big bumps. I'm least proficient at bumps, usually liking to pick a line of 5 to 10 turns, stop, think, then do it all over again. But the Pilots just went. The legs burned right off the bat (with my Friday 12/29 rest day becoming an afternoon ski at LP which timed the opening of Ripcord perfectly (soft, then crust, then soft, then crust.....burn). I straggled in near last place (not that anyone was keeping track) for that run. Then we did Murphy's which was opened as we were doing the first run, and hit some nice chopped softish. Pretty sweet. Me getting in around the end of the pack. Third run was something I think organgrinder. All anticipating the hopeful opening of Heaven's Gate. Fourth run Jessie of VTNOrth asked if anyone wanted a tree try. He, I and Bob tried nipping into the edge of Lew's Line - disaster. Blow downs, not enough base, and a feeling "the woods need a bit of cleaning". But that's another topic altogether.
When we emerged from Lew's we peeked over at Heaven's Gate lift, still closed on wind hold. But we got "a little heads up from a bird" who said patrol was doing their half hour check. So we popped in line. Second chair. And waited. Within 10 minutes the news was good. Heaven's Gate was opening. And then we heard a patrol check of Paradise meant the rope was dropping. Second chair and Paradise Found !!!!!!
We hopped off and immediately headed down P-dise. Fairly unbelievable blow in put the tally in the 15" to 18" range generally, soft and sweet, with some pillows of I'd have to say 20++. Worth the wait.....and the gods had giveneth. Until 2/3 the way down at the tail end of the headwall I kicked out of my left ski and took quite a hard tumble. My search began immediately for my ski.....no-freaking-where to be found. Waves of skiers were heading down, and my "grid search" began.....in vain ! I thought logically about where my errant board SHOULD be....and proceeded for 22 minutes to search. Yup, 22 minutes, lapped by my Pilot boys (no hard feelings....by the way - it's get while the getting's great) and about 100 other skiers. Many stopped, asked to help, felt my pain. But I waved them on and told them to get while the getting was good. I must say I was feeling bummed after about 10 minutes, and ready for the hari-kari samurai sword to fall on after 20. Then, about 10 feet AHEAD and UP of where I thought I ejected a guy skied by and a girl who had stopped said "Is that it ?". Effin Yes ! I kissed her (okay, I made that up).....I thanked her, clicked in and skied some nice, but chewed Paradise, to the bottom. There my Pilot buddy was and I grabbed a chair with......woah !.....Dan Egan. One of my ski hero's ! It was looking up again. He's a fun guy with a big, hearty laugh.
Anyways, after some fragmentation of the Pilots, we seemed to congragate at the top, with most of us coming together. At that point a plan was hatched to hike "somewhere to do something". Which we may or may not have done...and which I guess I can't really talk about here.
A hell of a run was had, but it might or might not have been in 18-20" of fresh, and it might or might not have been on a trail somewhere that was or wasn't on a mountain in VT.
I finished with a cruiser on Jester and grabbed my guys from their lessons at three. Tired, happy, and I guess now an official "Bush Pilot". One for the memory book.