TR: December goodness in Vermont, Dec. 03-04, 2007

[SheSkisTrees]

Day 1, Monday, Dec. 3: Hospital Hill, St. Albans, VT

The early-December snow wasn’t just falling in the mountains, it was falling at our house too. MisterSheSkisTrees had to work Monday, but we’d already planned to go to Jay on Tuesday, when most of the storm would have filled in everything and opened up more terrain.

After work Monday, we already had about 8-10 inches of snow at our house. All work and no play makes us crabby, so we decided that after snowblowing and shoveling, we would go across the street and play on Hospital Hill (leave it to a patroller to live across the street from a hospital ). I won a pair of cross-country skis last year—quite the prize for someone who has never cross-country skied. This fall, we bought bindings and boots so I could learn. MisterSheSkisTrees has these fun little toys by Karhu called a Meta ski. Ever hear of them? They are a fat ski (110cm underfoot) that is about 4 feet long with moleskin on the base and bindings similar to snowshoes so you can wear regular boots with them.

First things first, MisterSheSkisTrees shoveled off the deck so we could get to the grill to cook dinner later:


Now for the fun stuff. MisterSheSkisTrees cruises down the hill through “Medical Center Trees” on his Meta skis:


Some nighttime skin track stoke:


Clearly, I am still learning to cross-country ski. What a soft landing:


Needless to say, we went to bed with visions of white cotton candy dancing in our heads.

Day 2, Tuesday, Dec. 4: Jay Peak, VT

The snow continued to fall overnight, and the forecast said it would snow all day Tuesday. Mother Nature did not disappoint. We found about 30 inches of goodness when we got to Jay Peak. For a Tuesday at Jay, it was pretty crowded. Guess a bad case of the flu was going around New England. Even the Meatheads were there—very cool to meet them and ride up the lifts with them.

The day started out very hectic because the mountain wanted to open up the Bonaventure chair and as much new terrain as possible. Lucky me, they needed the manpower, so I was assigned Green Mountain Boys for trail check. MisterSheSkisTrees did the product testing on Racer. It’s hard to be the first one down a trail for the season. You just never know what you’ll find. I’m sure you all feel very sorry for us. We both discovered about three feet of perfectly billowy snow, no surprises lurking beneath, and floated down the mountain laughing the whole way. Great warm-up run! No pictures of that, because we were working.

I’m not working—at least not too hard—in this photo:


Or in this one:


It was a rather windy day, so we headed into the woods to check out the snow there:


Kitz Woods was a winter wonderland. Help, I think I’m lost. Wait, I do see some trails over in the distance:


Hmmm, maybe I should go this way. I just don’t know:


As I pondered my options, my personal patroller came to the rescue (MisterSheSkisTrees was so intent on rescuing me, he realized he left his goggles in the patrol shack ):


Honestly, we didn’t take a whole lot of pictures, we were having too much fun skiing after all the work we did opening up new terrain on the mountain. The woods all over the mountain were beyond delightful. And just because we could, we took our first Dip run of the season. It had been plundered, but we still found some hidden treasures. On December 4, 2007. What do you think about that?

[gpcharles]

nice TR... I was up there on the 4th also, and really could not believe how good it was. had a real fun time skiing near the tram summit... unreal for december. no pics from me as i was solo

[gincognito]

Nice! We were there as well (http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104191) and I'm pretty sure we saw you get on the Bonnie as we waited for it to open up for us mere mortals. You'll have to forgive me if I quietly cursed you.

We'll be back on Saturday and will say hello if we manage to spot you.

d.

[Brock Landers]

Last week of papers, finals, and school stuff going on now...but Ill be up there shortly. Hopefully they didnt work you too hard opening up GMB...

[jepilot]

Great pics, S. Looks like you're lovin the new camera

[SheSkisTrees]

nice TR... I was up there on the 4th also, and really could not believe how good it was. had a real fun time skiing near the tram summit... unreal for december. no pics from me as i was solo

Now I am jealous! Must have been a ton of snow up there.

Nice! We were there as well (http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104191) and I'm pretty sure we saw you get on the Bonnie as we waited for it to open up for us mere mortals. You'll have to forgive me if I quietly cursed you.

We'll be back on Saturday and will say hello if we manage to spot you.

d.

I'll go check out your TR. I did notice that no one was griping about waiting for the chair to open, since it meant first tracks down newly opened terrain. I was standing at the top when they finally let everyone up and there was a crazy mad dash to get over to JFK and beyond...

Not yet sure whether we'll be there Saturday or Sunday. But definitely say hello if you see us.

BTW, was that you hollering at me from the Bonnie chair in the afternoon? Someone was waving and calling my name, and I had no idea who it was. I hate when that happens.

Last week of papers, finals, and school stuff going on now...but Ill be up there shortly. Hopefully they didnt work you too hard opening up GMB...

When I first looked at GMB, I looked at my husband and said, "Are they serious? That looks terrible." The wind had whipped across the top of it revealing ice and grass, and the grooming machine had left monster chunks of ice all over the place. We picked our way through and as soon as we dropped over that first lip, that's when we saw where all the snow went! Lower GMB was an untouched pillow of snow, evenly spread across the entire trail. It was money getting first tracks down it.

Great pics, S. Looks like you're lovin the new camera

I am starting to get the hang of the new camera. The pictures of me skiing were taken with Scott's Nikon, but everything else, including the night pics, were taken with the Canon SD950. Very happy with it so far.

[cl1953]

I knew Jay would be money. Settled for Cannon. Can't believe how much more snow you got. Next time..........

[SheSkisTrees]

I knew Jay would be money. Settled for Cannon. Can't believe how much more snow you got. Next time..........

Any day, cl...you know how to find us!

[EarlyWood]

BTW, was that you hollering at me from the Bonnie chair in the afternoon? Someone was waving and calling my name, and I had no idea who it was. I hate when that happens.

That was me S., with the guy from the dark side. We hit BBP and it was still damn good.. must have been @ 3pm

check your pm

[Jay's Dip Powcher]

Excellent work! I almost went to Jay yesterday but was solo and it is a far drive for me, went to Mt. Snow with my free ticket from the TGR show, it was really good for Mt. Snow, about 16" fresh tracks until the last run. I know the Marketing Guru for Jay a little through my buddies that run Jay Peak Video and I almost worked the angle of staying in the Jay Hotel but decided against it as I knew I would be in the trees and doing the dip and that is never safe alone. Thanks for the stoke, will be there Sat. if all goes well.

[Tunco]

I have a very similar style. I find beer helps.

[Adolf Allerbush]

No goggles or glasses...is he trying to dry out his eyes?

[SheSkisTrees]

Excellent work! I almost went to Jay yesterday but was solo and it is a far drive for me, went to Mt. Snow with my free ticket from the TGR show, it was really good for Mt. Snow, about 16" fresh tracks until the last run. I know the Marketing Guru for Jay a little through my buddies that run Jay Peak Video and I almost worked the angle of staying in the Jay Hotel but decided against it as I knew I would be in the trees and doing the dip and that is never safe alone. Thanks for the stoke, will be there Sat. if all goes well.

I went up first chair with Dave, the guy who does some photography for Jay Peak Video. He was there with the Meatheads. We took them all up before the hordes so they could get some photos in before the mountain was thrashed.

Hope you make it up this weekend. It's not to be missed.

I have a very similar style. I find beer helps.

I will keep that in mind. I did a vodka shot first instead! For courage!

No goggles or glasses...is he trying to dry out his eyes?

More like poke an eye out. It was only after we dropped into the trees that he realized he'd left his goggles in the patrol shack at the top of the blue. Needless to say, he skied pretty slowly though those trees, they're mighty tight in places...

[Jay's Dip Powcher]

I went up first chair with Dave, the guy who does some photography for Jay Peak Video. He was there with the Meatheads. We took them all up before the hordes so they could get some photos in before the mountain was thrashed.

Hope you make it up this weekend. It's not to be missed.



I will keep that in mind. I did a vodka shot first instead! For courage!



More like poke an eye out. It was only after we dropped into the trees that he realized he'd left his goggles in the patrol shack at the top of the blue. Needless to say, he skied pretty slowly though those trees, they're mighty tight in places...

Nice! I was at the Meatheads film premier with Dave T. a few weeks ago. small world.....

[Below Zero]

Stoke Bump

[bostonjohn]

sst^^^^ the dave you speak of is in the ski house we all share... i was the ass hole who got pulled out of kitz woods with 6 broken ribs and a punctured lung on monday
i will be back soon

[Jay's Dip Powcher]

sst^^^^ the dave you speak of is in the ski house we all share... i was the ass hole who got pulled out of kitz woods with 6 broken ribs and a punctured lung on monday
i will be back soon

oh shit ....get well soon man

[SheSkisTrees]

Stoke Bump

Cool, that's the first time anyone's ever bumped one of my TRs for stoke!

sst^^^^ the dave you speak of is in the ski house we all share... i was the ass hole who got pulled out of kitz woods with 6 broken ribs and a punctured lung on monday
i will be back soon

BostonJohn (oops, I almost called you bj but that's not so nice sounding! ), it's a small world isn't it? Someone posted in another TR that you'd gotten hurt in Kitz. Sounds very painful. I hope you heal soon. Are you out of the hospital now? When you're up and skiing again, let me know when you'll be at Jay and we'll take some turns.