TR - East Coast gnar 10/29

**backcountryben** · 10-29-2007, 06:14 PM

I was bored in class this morning and surfing TGR/the wider internet. It got really cold last night, so I was kinda interested in checking the weather and records for places around New England. Mt. Washington got like .5". boring...

Then I found the Killington website and noticed they had pictures of fresh snow coming from the snowguns today! Seeing as october is almost up and I hadn't skied yet this month, I immediately started making plans for an afternoon expedition after my midterm.

Unfortunately no one else at dartmouth felt like or could come. Lame. I decided to go anyway, though, and left campus at a little after 2.

The first snow was visible from the access road. It wasn't much, just two short trails up in the Glades area, but it sure looked nice and white compared to the rest of the hill (basically the leaves have fallen so the hills are looking really, really brown right now...)

As I was gearing up in the parking lot, some Green Mountain College kids pulled up and started up hiking next to me. We decided to head up highline because it was less steep than the other trail we could have gone up, (or at least the green mountain guys said so, I don't know killington).

The hike wasn't bad, and it finally is nice and cool out. We reached the snowline after something under an hour of hiking:

As you can see, the coverage is almost wall-to-wall, really not too shabby. I opted to hike up looker's right instead of skinning. This proved a good choice, since the actual snow has that man-made crust to it (read- ice in some places, breakable crust in some places, good skiing in some places)

The views from the top were spectacular, and the skiing itself was very enjoyable by virtue of the fact that it's the first skiing of the season for me... Conditions were mixed, and changed abruptly. Overall though, the top half (above the workroad that crosses under the triple) was better than the bottom half. The last little bit was treacherous because some of the grassy plants had been changed into little icy death cookies.

I took 2 runs, then decided to call it so I could get back down before dark. It was a solid first day, and surprisingly enough, one in which rock skis were NOT required!

Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of me skiing, but here are a couple nice shots:

The view looking up from the workroad

IT'S BEGUN!!!! (yes i know these aren't technically the first turns of the east coast season, but I would call them the first decent coverage turns, allen, sam, and soul's bolton valley trips looked a little... grassy)

**shmoesmith** · 10-29-2007, 06:17 PM

Well done! I've ridden on less than that last year in September because I had the bug so bad.

**Core Shot** · 10-29-2007, 06:20 PM

[QUOTE=backcountryben;1501945]I
As I was gearing up in the parking lot, some Green Mountain College kids pulled up and started up hiking next to me. We decided to head up highline because it was less steep than the other trail we could have gone up, (or at least the green mountain guys said so, I don't know killington).

The hike wasn't bad, and it finally is nice and cool out. We reached the snowline after something under an hour of hiking:

an hour hike?

Next time, go straight up the hill.

**Core Shot** · 10-29-2007, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by backcountryben

I
As I was gearing up in the parking lot, some Green Mountain College kids pulled up and started up hiking next to me. We decided to head up highline because it was less steep than the other trail we could have gone up, (or at least the green mountain guys said so, I don't know killington).

The hike wasn't bad, and it finally is nice and cool out. We reached the snowline after something under an hour of hiking:
]

an hour hike?

Next time, go straight up the hill.

**soul_skier** · 10-29-2007, 06:32 PM

asshole...

**Huckwheat** · 10-29-2007, 06:35 PM

Hell yeah.....that is true stoke. Just doing it for the LUV!!

Wish Squaw had enough to do that.

**samthaman** · 10-29-2007, 06:36 PM

nice, i'm planning on heading down tomorrow afternoon with my roomates luke and adam, allenataylor, and another mag. any chance you wanna meet us there for a second day ben?

sucks that you have class tomorrow man, fallin behind in the day count alerady...

edit: and the dog, who now has a lifetime total of 3 days skiing

**Phall** · 10-29-2007, 06:38 PM

yo sam...got room?

**Garrett** · 10-29-2007, 06:41 PM

It is a thousand vert and a mile on the most direct route. Under an hour sounds about right.

Thanks for the TR OP. Worked out nicely with the guns being shut down. That run used to be a shitstorm in the days when they'd truck you and 500 buddies up there for opening day with the guns blowing.

**skiingsamurai** · 10-29-2007, 06:41 PM

o man do I wish

**samthaman** · 10-29-2007, 06:57 PM

yo samurai. phall just grabbed my last seat, but he says he may not take me up on it tomorrow depending on his work situation i guess. if he backs out, you're welcome to it, the more the merrier.

**birdboatboy** · 10-29-2007, 07:13 PM

strong work. hoping for the first turns here in a couple of days...weeks...as soon as we can get them.

**skiingsamurai** · 10-29-2007, 07:45 PM

sam: yeah, I have those things called classes...jk

I wish I didnt have classes or id be all over that

**allenataylor** · 10-29-2007, 07:49 PM

Good shit man. You better step it up though. Or I will crush your day count this year. I'll be there tomorrow with sam. we should get there aound 2 or 2:30. Would you say the the grass down from snowline to the bottom is wet enough to ski? It could make the hike out not a hike out.

**grubbers** · 10-29-2007, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by skiingsamurai

sam: yeah, I have those things called classes...jk

I wish I didnt have classes or id be all over that

yeah, classes and exams always seem to cut into my riding time.

**buckethead** · 10-29-2007, 07:59 PM

nice work!
good to see the stoke finally coming from a nearby+familiar stomping ground
hoping for favorable conditions for some weekend turns...

this pic has an especially "wish i was here" quality to it

**samthaman** · 10-29-2007, 08:13 PM

samurai - i'm taking 18 credits this semester. all 100 level, 3 are history, 3 political science.

**scarlet begonias** · 10-29-2007, 08:14 PM

Great stoke! I have the bug for sure....

Anyone wanting to hike and ski this over the weekend sometime? I am SOOO there. Train? Sprite? Anyone????

PM me if anyone wants to go this weekend! Otherwise, the dog and I hike alone.

**squirrelmurphy** · 10-29-2007, 08:22 PM

Nice beard dude. I woulda gone with you. Blitz chen yu, i bet he'd go, just drop my name.

I can't believe I let you beat me to first tracks this year. Weak!

**bcrider** · 10-29-2007, 08:27 PM

"I'd hit that!" right about now.

**train07** · 10-29-2007, 09:03 PM

Can't believe I'm saying it, but this IS tempting.

**MadPatSki** · 10-29-2007, 09:06 PM

I guess I didn't to fly to Colorado after all to get my October turns after all. HA ha ha.

Power to you backcountryben.

**samthaman** · 10-29-2007, 09:16 PM

there is now 1 spot open for one lucky burlington mag to claim. phal will be driving his own car.

In the samthaman v. phall race to kilington, who will prevail?

**Phall** · 10-29-2007, 09:21 PM

samthaman will win, i drive like a normal person, hes from jersey....
I have 2 seats available leaving burlingon around 1230
pm me the last computer check will be just before 11 am