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View Full Version : Great weekend and another dump underway!



atkinson
03-02-2009, 09:27 AM
The pre-crystalline precipitation on Friday was a little letdown from the powder-riffic conditions of the week before, but all in all, this weekend turned out to be a ton of fun. You just have to keep a smile on and get out there!

http://forums.alpinezone.com/gallery/data/515/vol52_img010.JPG
Blazers have a can-ski attitude.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/gallery/data/515/vol52_img008.JPG
The woods were actually quite good, with a little supportable crust and some sugar where it got broken up. Nothing ventured, nothing skied.

I coached a three hour backcountry clinic on Sunday, which was donated to the Warren School for auction. Claire and Alexis won the clinic and although the snow could have been nicer, they both remarked that if you can ski it when it's like this, you can ski it in powder for sure.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/gallery/data/515/vol52_img023.JPG
The Mountaineering Blazers were working on their snow shelter skills.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/gallery/data/515/vol52_img022.JPG
We also dug a snowpit and talked about avalanches. After breaking an inch of crust, I went down five feet through the storm deposition from last week. Then I dug another three feet down into older layers, which is where Cam is standing, and still didn't reach the bottom. We tried a pole probe, but hit another firm layer below that. So in this spot, there is likely 10+ feet of snow.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/gallery/data/515/vol52_img015.JPG
My main man Hugo, part of the 70+ Ski Club, loving life on Saturday.

Enjoy!

John

p.s. Dumping big flakes right now!

iceman
03-02-2009, 04:12 PM
John -

Love the pictures as always. Always good to see "when somebody has a case of the Mondays" Here is hoping the dumping continues - March =LION

win
03-02-2009, 06:31 PM
Hats off to our grooming team! They did a great job both early Saturday morning and then on their shifts Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Skiing the groomers was a lot better than the "lava rock" after the rain. Today's snow will help a lot! Twist, Moonshine and Sunrise were groomed last night so the new snow will make them ski and ride really nicely tomorrow. Domino is being flattened tonight, so that might be my pick of the day tomorrow if you aren't going to town meeting.

pure
03-02-2009, 08:16 PM
How much has fallen on the hill??
I need to know if I have to push my guests out quick to get the goods.

Luke

aejkb
03-02-2009, 09:01 PM
[quote="win"]Hats off to our grooming team! They did a great job both early Saturday morning and then on their shifts Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Skiing the groomers was a lot better than the "lava rock" after the rain.

I agree. Under tough circumstances, the groomers really did do a great job: I spoke with a friend who had a miserable Sat. skiing at the other Sugar****--I told him that they should hire the groomers at the Bush who clearly waited to groom really late Fri nite/Sat AM after the temps dropped. The team at Sugarbush really are exceptional and deserving of accolades.

shadyjay
03-02-2009, 09:07 PM
Sunrise was really really good today. This morning going up NLynx, I heard scratching from Birch but silence from Sunrise.

Ramp work Sat & Sun was challenging and we didn't get GH open to the public until after 11, due to the grooming, but the groomers did a great job as always, and had several great runs this weekend and this week so far.

When I left today, it was snowing to beat the band, so probably about 3-6".... not a ton but enough to spicen things up. Hopefully we'll get some backlash tonight. I'd have no compaints seeing a surprise 16" in the morning, but I'm probably being too optimistic there.

John Walden
03-03-2009, 10:10 AM
Kudos once again to the mountain and their staff after what Mother Nature threw at us Friday and Friday night. What a great job you guys did to get the mountain back in shape for the weekend.

atkinson
03-03-2009, 10:29 AM
The groomers have definitely kept up on the goods. Paradise Keith even said they deserve a raise ... so they can buy more philly cheesesteaks!

Went for a short tour yesterday.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/gallery/data/515/vol52_img3372.JPG
Fun is as fun does.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/gallery/data/515/medium/vol52_img3373.JPG
You are under my power. Take me skiing and feed me bacon and pet me often.

Sunny and six inches new today!

John

MntMan4Bush
03-03-2009, 11:10 AM
Hugo's the MAN. At 70+ he rips bumps like he's 20 then goes in to met wifey in the bar to pound some beers. Got in a couple of runs with him Saturday on Morningstar and he took longer lines then me.

atkinson
03-03-2009, 01:38 PM
Hugo is one of my biggest inspirations at Sugarbush. I can only hope to ski as well and to have such a great attitude when I am 70+!

Went out for another tour today. No bs, the untracked is sweet.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/gallery/data/515/vol52_img3374.JPG

http://forums.alpinezone.com/gallery/data/515/vol52_img3375.JPG

The turns are always better if you actually go skiing.

Get out there!

John

smootharc
03-03-2009, 02:17 PM
The turns are always better if you actually go skiing. Get out there! John

....you actually have to go skiing to ski thing. I can make virtual powder turns inside my very own head anytime I want. I skied a 5k vert thigh deep blower filled couloir while writing this reply, and I didn't even have to leave my orange velvet Barcalounger. And 6 pizza pockets simultaneously cooked in the microwave and awaited me at the bottom. So there !

Actual skiing....pffffftttttt....over rated !!!!!!!!!!

muddy_hollow
03-03-2009, 02:32 PM
Nothing like rubbing salt in the wound for us office types with those awesome pictures. I can only hope you got snow down your pants at least once during those runs......


Back to virtual skiing on the elliptical machine at the gym in the morning with the best warren miller sound track on the ipod.....


Thanks again John.... pffff ;)

Last Tracks
03-03-2009, 04:56 PM
I tried my best to find the six inches advertised on the snow report at Lincoln Peak today but didn't have any luck.

ahm
03-03-2009, 06:00 PM
With the wind, that untracked from the report ended up in MA. I went for the Mt Greylock dawn patrol this morning and skied nice boot to knee deep on the Thunderbolt (a NE classic down mountain trail). Nice sunny day and great temps for the skin up. Snow was very nice, a bit of crust where the wind blew it off, but nice no question. Check it out sometime, as well as the Mt Cardigan-Firescrew loop in NH. Good fun eastern backcountry. No pics, with the pre dawn ralley, forgot the camera......but did remember the cooler with bevs for the post ski celebration. AHM

John Walden
03-04-2009, 08:33 AM
What's the skinny on the weather for Thursday night and Friday????????????

Lostone
03-04-2009, 09:27 AM
They're calling for another ugly mix. BUT... Saturday they are saying mostly sunny and 42°!!!

Might be some skiing to be found.

And wintery mix can be fun for skiing, too... depending.

John Walden
03-04-2009, 10:13 AM
Thanks for the info. At least some of those bumps will be soft once again.

Last Tracks
03-04-2009, 11:53 AM
from today @ http://madriverglenweather.blogspot.com/

Josh has had it dialed in all year...


Spring-like temps for the next week to ten days but winter isn't done

And the most deceiving thing about March can be that initial blast of mild temperatures. They can arrive very abrubtly, can last a week and sometimes beyond, and seem to always give the inclination that winter has had its final encore. But rarely is the latter the case. Winter usually makes a comeback and indications are it will again.

The forecast warms
The forecast in the short term however has warmed quite considerably. The pattern appears more amplified than it did a few days ago and the cold and snow will be isolated to the western United States while a strong upper level ridge brings warmth to a huge part of eastern North America. Over the next week temperatures will reach the 70's across many of the same locations that just saw the biggest snowfall of the season Monday. Vermont is unlikely to see temperatures that warm, but high temperatures in the 50's should occur on multiple occasions through the end of next week and this means corned-up spring conditions even at the summits.

Some rain or ice late this weekend and perhaps more rain next week
As far as specifics go, we sould see the cold weather maintain its grip on the region through Thursday. At that time the warm front marking the swing toward the milder temperatures will help induce a period of snow, perhaps enough for a light accumulation. Whatever falls however will be forgotten by Friday as temperatures make a run at 50 with the help of some sunshine. Saturday's temps will start mild but clouds and the possibility of rain late in the day could dampen the spring fever. Saturday's late day rain marks the approach of what appears to be the most organized weather system of the upcoming 10-day period. It will track out of the southern Rockies and into the St Lawrence Valley of Quebec. This storm will be working with very little cold air and it may take more than a change in track to save us from a round of rain or freezing rain either Monday or Tuesday.

Winter makes a return around mid-month ??
Sunday's rain or ice event is likely not the last of the spring intrusion. More mild weather and more rain is likely at some point later in the week. Whatever days turn out to be rain-free and sunny will be the real winners. As the mild weather continues to prevail through next week the NAO index will drop and turn significantly negative. This should utimately lead to another twist in the pattern and a return to winter prior to the St Patty's day. Even the PNA, which will itself turn very negative over the next few days will eventually erode and may turn postive sometime around the middle of the month. History, as I mentioned in the first paragraph, would also suggest that mild periods in March rarely mark the end of winter's demise. My guess is that it returns in a big way for at least a week during the last half of March and yields a few powder days in the process.
Posted by Joshua Fox

007
03-04-2009, 03:27 PM
The turns are always better if you actually go skiing. Get out there! John

....you actually have to go skiing to ski thing. I can make virtual powder turns inside my very own head anytime I want. I skied a 5k vert thigh deep blower filled couloir while writing this reply, and I didn't even have to leave my orange velvet Barcalounger. And 6 pizza pockets simultaneously cooked in the microwave and awaited me at the bottom. So there !

Actual skiing....pffffftttttt....over rated !!!!!!!!!!

If you have a virtual run through the backcountry anytime soon, in your very own head , don't forget to bring along two imaginary friends to ski with you in case there's an issue. Ski safety is no accident!