Status of those "ungroomed" runs

[shadyjay]

Anyone been on VHTrav/Snowball/Spring Fling? I see they've been blowin' snow. Is it "dust on crust"?
How is Lower Jester (not the Lower Downspout part - but the x/c lower Organgrinder part) ???
Gotta get out - haven't been out since 11/17, going tomorrow, definetely some midweek next week.
Any suggestions? Hints/tips? Website says Organgrinder will be groomed.

[Lostone]

Spring Fling was once again my pick of the day.

A few of the guns were slightly wet, but in the main, they were making snow that was skiing quite nicely.

[Last Tracks]

mountain skiing much better this afternoon than Weds... got an inch and still coming down at 4... spring fling and snowball have nice soft bumps. spillsville skiing well too.. ripcord/paradise still dust on crust and a little scary.. ... birdland, murphy's ,domino dust on crust.

still firm but worth going up and fun.

[shadyjay]

sounds good - only my 2nd day out and since i lost health insurance, don't want to kill myself just yet. but snowball/spring fling looks tempting.

it may all look tempting come monday, if the anticipated snow event on sunday pans out. monday could be very nice... if anything, cold.

[shadyjay]

First hand report from my day on the hill:
Domino Chute/Lower Jester were "interesting"... nice one minute, glazed the next. I think I hit it too early, both in the day and in my day.

Definetely some folk flocking down Birdland and a few braving Murphys, the former having moguls. Neither looked "soft". Nor did Stein's - didn't see a sole on that all day.

VH Traverse was nice - and Snowball was beautiful - crankin' snow. Spring Fling had more bumps, also crankin snow. Lower Snowball wasn't as soft as the upper but quite manageable, with a couple waterbars near the bottom.

Good day - trip report later tonight on shadyjay.com

[summitchallenger]

Just got back from my day. Snowmaking runs were slick, but I got a late start. There is definitely a frost/ice line...seems to be running along a line running even with the Reverse Traverse/Heaven's Gate Traverse--anything ungroomed above that is ice and FG. Below that is softer. I found some good/decent snow on Lower Snowball. Lower Domino was good as well. We're almost into low/mid prime conditions...just one more good snowstorm and things will be nice.

[shadyjay]

One thing that irks me and probably confuses some is the reports that Lower Jester is groomed. Now for all the years I've been riding at Sugarbush (since 1990), I never considered Lower Jester to be the last runout of Lower Downspout down to Coffee Run/Gondolier. I assumed it was Lower Downspout the whole way. Lower Jester signage begins just downstream from Allyn's Lodge. Yesterday, 90% of Lower Jester was not groomed, leading to quite the slick run. Jester top to bottom is one of my favorite trails on the mountain, and seeing it groomed on the snow report is a bit misleading.

Personally, I'd get rid of Lower Downspout, and just call the whole thing Downspout right down to Coffee Run/Gondolier. Or "Home Run" from Lower Jester's intersection down to the Valley House. Its just a little misleading to see a trail listed as groomed, and then those not in the know take it right from downstream of Allyn's Lodge, only to learn its anything but.

BTW, saw a uniformed officer walking around the base area/Gate House yesterday... is this something new/regular? Security at the Bush?

[freeheel_skier]

BTW, saw a uniformed officer walking around the base area/Gate House yesterday... is this something new/regular? Security at the Bush?

I've seen security @ ME and Lincoln Peak for a while now....at least the last 2 seasons (maybe longer).

[Strat]

The Hunter North people... they're often around, though I'm not entirely sure what purpose they serve, I've never seen them actually in action or anything... maybe just to establish a little presence...

[summitchallenger]

I agree with the comment about the grooming on Lower Jester. The SM whales on the middle section were very slick and if you weren't looking it was not fun. But the way the snowreporting system is set up is that it is all or nothing.

And I too wondered why the security guy was there....

[vonski]

Have they made snow on Lower Jester yet? I know below Downspout they have, but what about the middle section. Or is that still all natural. In regards to the security, not sure if they help or not, but through my own fault. I for got to lock my car early December 2006 on a Saturday and my radar detector went for a walk. Got lucky though cause my wallet was in the console and they just grabbed the detector. So, hopefully the guards are a deterent to any potential petty thieves wondering the parking lot. They were also around all of last year.

[Lostone]

1) On some maps Lower Downspout continues to Coffee Run. On others, Lower Jester goes to Coffee Run.

I think Lower Jester should also take over Coffee Run or Gondolier. That way it would be the way I describe it; a road that goes from the bottom to the top.

B) The way the snowmaking and trail open/close works, if there is one section of a trail that is open/groomed/has snowmaking that is the way the status shows for the whole trail. They could change it to Lower Organgrinder section 1 is open, 2 closed, 3 open... but that would be very cumbersome.

III) The security guards have been around for a while. I would guess the theory is that their visibility presents some deterrent. But they can't be everywhere, so I would suggest locking your stuff.

[Strat]

I thought I remembered reading somewhere that Jester was indeed a logging road pre-Bush, though I'm not sure how far up the hill it went.

[vonski]

Lostone, have they made snow on lower jester? below domino chute to bottom of Murphy's!!!! and if they have not then I could imagine how interesting that is at this point.

[Yard Sale]

I believe security increased last year. At least some of the condo associations are sharing the cost of the increased presence with the mountain. They are patroling condos as well as mountain facilities.