EAST COAST ROLL CALL #8 14/15 A NEW HOPE

[FussyDutchman]

Sick stuff Rudy/TC! Jonathan, just looking at that map makes me tired, you sir are a machine! Awesome TR.

A few from today's sliding on the steeps of Manny. Perfect corn, bluebird and then some and still unbelievable coverage. The FUN continues, today was the definition of Sip of Sunshine day Bottle.

Non mag buddy just crushing it on his homemade pow deck today. 122cm with rockered tip/tail, edges, sidecut and a ptex base that flat out boogies...he is a mad scientist who plans to make a split version next. Hoping to have a new toy by the time the snow flies next season

[Bottleman]

Noice! If all goes as planned, we will be up that way tomorrow after a GREAT day at Cannon today. Spring is FUN!!!!!!!!!

Sick stuff Rudy/TC! Jonathan, just looking at that map makes me tired, you sir are a machine! Awesome TR.

A few from today's sliding on the steeps of Manny. Perfect corn, bluebird and then some and still unbelievable coverage. The FUN continues, today was the definition of Sip of Sunshine day Bottle.

Non mag buddy just crushing it on his homemade pow deck today. 122cm with rockered tip/tail, edges, sidecut and a ptex base that flat out boogies...he is a mad scientist who plans to make a split version next. Hoping to have a new toy by the time the snow flies next season

[Bottleman]

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It has been 20 years or more since I skied Cannon and for that I must repent. SO. MUCH. FUN. What a fabulous hill!!!!!!!!!!!!! Next time, Tramline.

[ex-powderbroker]

an interesting farewell: http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/20...r-in-the-wild/

[MadPatSki]

Incredible "closing" day at Whiteface yesterday.

Maybe not...

Here is this week's update.

We're down to 40. Half less than last week. Of the 40, approx half are running daily, others are weekend only.

Melting…snow and list are melting : Eastern Closing Thread 2014-15 – Part 2 | Ski Mad World
https://madpatski.wordpress.com/2015...014-15-part-2/

[MadPatSki]

^^ spot TC about 3/4 of the way up!

Holy crap ... That tiny dot on Couloir de l'aigle? He sure got an early start.

[clubhousebmx]

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It has been 20 years or more since I skied Cannon and for that I must repent. SO. MUCH. FUN. What a fabulous hill!!!!!!!!!!!!! Next time, Tramline.

Sweet pics! Some of my best runs there have been down profile, funny I heard a few people mention how they hate that trail last weekend, just gotta hit it at the right times. Did you ski kinsman glade? Could you see tramline at all, last week there were a couple spicy sections but after the warmth this week there may be no way through them?

Hoping to make it to the rockpile this weekend at least one day, weather still seems a little iffy but hopefully works out for the Monday holiday, looking more like Sunday right now though.

[Vt-Freeheel]

an interesting farewell: http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/20...r-in-the-wild/

An interesting read, thanks for posting. Really sad story.


Biscuits to play late night show at higher ground after UVM Springfest.

[Bottleman]

Sweet pics! Some of my best runs there have been down profile, funny I heard a few people mention how they hate that trail last weekend, just gotta hit it at the right times. Did you ski kinsman glade? Could you see tramline at all, last week there were a couple spicy sections but after the warmth this week there may be no way through them?

Hoping to make it to the rockpile this weekend at least one day, weather still seems a little iffy but hopefully works out for the Monday holiday, looking more like Sunday right now though.

Profile was awesome, as was the zippy run from the top with all of the s turns. Zoomers were fabulous in the am. Stayed out of woods as it seemed that shaded areas never softened. Appeared to me (cannon novice) that upper quarter of tram line was completely blown out.

[Gepeto]

an interesting farewell: http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/20...r-in-the-wild/

I’ve known a few indefatigable spirits like Kate; self-deprecating enough to make you give up trying to dissuade them from something you felt was way beyond reasonable or so willful, logic couldn’t intervene. But, most of the time you feel lucky to be around a brighter light.

Just about every one of them is dead or has been physically or somatically crushed by their own perseverance.

I was one of the “Darwinism at Work” naysayers on the eve of her death.

It was a mistaken characterization of Ms. Matrosova. I was callus and wrong… rip

In other goings on: Kton Saturday ftw

[Vt-Freeheel]

White plate skiing should be interesting this weekend.

"WEATHER: The weaker of two cold fronts arrived this morning, bringing light rain and mixed precipitation showers depending on elevation, along with moderate to strong summit winds and fog. The amount of rain and precipitation associated with this front is minimal, and won’t change our snowpack much. Tonight, temperatures will drop as the next cold front arrives, bringing 2-4” of snow on Saturday. Northwest winds with the potential for 2-6” (5-15 cm) total of snow by the end of the storm Saturday afternoon will change things quite a bit. After the warm spell of sunny corn skiing, followed by rain, we will return to wintry conditions Saturday and Sunday with an icy snowpack beneath fresh wind slab."

[VTColdSmoke]

[QUOTE=FussyDutchman;4472693]

Non mag buddy just crushing it on his homemade pow deck today. 122cm with rockered tip/tail, edges, sidecut and a ptex base that flat out boogies...he is a mad scientist who plans to make a split version next. Hoping to have a new toy by the time the snow flies next season



nice FD a 122 eh? Little short for low angle I'm guessing but awesome in the steeps!

I hit Mansfield yesterday after staring at it all season, pretty fun up top, bottom 1/2 was challenging deep manky mashed potatoes

[Peruvian]

Not quite patch skiing yet, but you do have to pick a lane down.



Tucking my skins in my belt makes me look fat!

[Bottleman]

Tucking my skins in my belt makes me look fat!

I'll have to remember that one for the future

[Bottleman]

Steaux was good yesterday. Really. Fucking. Good. Awfully pretty up there too.

[FussyDutchman]

[QUOTE=VTColdSmoke;4473844]

nice FD a 122 eh? Little short for low angle I'm guessing but awesome in the steeps!

I hit Mansfield yesterday after staring at it all season, pretty fun up top, bottom 1/2 was challenging deep manky mashed potatoes

Nicely done. We lapped rock garden but were tempted to hit the chin since coverage was still so good.

I thought the same but the thing ripped low angle too. Not sure how it will handle the deep stuff but this was just his proto and he has some minor design improvements for the next one, which will be a little bigger. He is up there right now, second day in a row I just couldn't sneak away.

Steaux was good yesterday. Really. Fucking. Good. Awfully pretty up there too.

Nice shot and sorry I couldn't make it out for a few hours, just too much to get done before heading south tomorrow. The pic would have been much nicer with you behind the camera and the ms. in there with the scenery though !

Since I'll be out of town you all can thank me for the late season storm that will all but certainly happen late next week/weekend.

[strawjack]

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It has been 20 years or more since I skied Cannon and for that I must repent. SO. MUCH. FUN. What a fabulous hill!!!!!!!!!!!!! Next time, Tramline.

Yeah, but what about the soup?

Lower at the rock pile is going quick. Some walking down required soon. Tick tock

[Jonathan S.]

Jonathan, just looking at that map makes me tired [...]

Then don't look at these unless you can take a nap soon.
(Just 5.5k vert Wed pm b/c of the high winds as can be surmised from the first map that lacks any true above-treeline travel, but followed that up with 10.5k vert Thu ... TR to follow later, along with TRs from everyone else you was out there -- what a great day!)

[Bottleman]

Yeah, but what about the soup?

Since you asked

My only complaint about Cannon - the food FUCKING SUCKED. How can you screw up a grilled deck burger on a beautiful (some might say "magical") sunny, Spring day? Apparently, it's easy. Grill up some rotten horse meat over the weekend, let it sit somewhere until Wednesday and "reheat" that shit for a minute or two on a grill. Oh, and then charge $10 for this culinary tragedy. Horrific, really. Thank God for the great terrain, great vibe and great snow.

[strawjack]

Since you asked

My only complaint about Cannon - the food FUCKING SUCKED. How can you screw up a grilled deck burger on a beautiful (some might say "magical") sunny, Spring day? Apparently, it's easy. Grill up some rotten horse meat over the weekend, let it sit somewhere until Wednesday and "reheat" that shit for a minute or two on a grill. Oh, and then charge $10 for this culinary tragedy. Horrific, really. Thank God for the great terrain, great vibe and great snow.

hahhaahaa!

It's a lease/bid to some national company...at least is was couple yrs ago and I'm assuming that hasn't changed. Highest bidder + = = roi

[Bottleman]

hahhaahaa!

It's a lease/bid to some national company...at least is was couple yrs ago and I'm assuming that hasn't changed. Highest bidder + = = roi

Ah, it all makes sense now. Well, apparently this year the bid went to an Afghani horse thief intent on selling Trigger Burgers to the good people of the Granite State.

[Jonathan S.]

White plate skiing should be interesting this weekend.

At least reading the weekend update is enjoyable (even if the skiing won't be)::

http://www.mountwashingtonavalanchec...d-beacon-tans/

Expect scoured cement next to pockets of potential touchy wind slab that are insulating areas of rain-saturated snow, next to dust on crust, next to sheltered spots containing actual skiable snow that is stable. I’m starting to exhaust my vocabulary in thinking of conditions you could find if you go into avalanche terrain this weekend. Have I mentioned long, sliding falls, crevasses, falling ice, or undermined snow yet?

It only gets more entertaining as it goes along:

Do you think that snow-bridge on the Little Headwall is strong enough to hold your weight? Perhaps you should buy that Dynafit race suit just to keep your weight to a minimum.

I wonder if that reference was inspired by my buddy Jerimy flashing his skimo race suit (Hagan, along with the skis, but Dynafit boots & bindings) while ascending yesterday from his car at Pinkham Notch to the summit in only eighty-eight minutes (and then taking another lap in Hillman's as shown here):

[Jonathan S.]

Skiing fun is all about realistic expectations:

Sat
Expectations = Full 1k vert perfect corn laps at the local “resort” (Berkshire East).
Expectations ... met! (Especially for being closed 2 wks.)

Sun
Expectations = Just enough snow at the local xc ctr (closed 3 day earlier).
Expectations ... met, though moot since my little partner was mainly interested in playing “pirate rocket ship” on an interesting fallen tree, which I admit was very fun (even if I had trouble figure out what was going on, but then again maybe that’s why whatever we were doing was so fun).

Mon
Expectations = Greylock 1,800' vertical laps w/ only a ~400' approach.
Expectations ... met (though each lap required more maneuvers down low to connect the snow ribbons).

Tue
Expectations = Start – and finish! – taxes.
Expectations ... met (whew).

Wed
Expectations = Quick pm tour from Cog, w/ battle of the sun vs cool temps & high winds.
Expectations ... met, for both good & bad.

Skinned along skier’s left of the Cog to w/in 1,000' vert of summit until I ran out of both continuous snow & tolerance for the high winds.
Skied straight into Burt: frozen at top, manky at bottom, but nice in between, and smooth throughout.
Played around w/ Dioptra app (angle isn’t accurate since I’m pointing down the slope too far, offset by camera being held up off snow, and can’t figure out problem w/ compass):






Grass is always greener on the other side, and Burt branch that you didn’t take always looks more filled in than the one you just skied:






Skinned up out of Burt to rejoin Cog above Jacob’s Ladder.
Frozen at first, then utility line was nice, and right-of-way was progressively softer & thinner.

Skinned up at very deep ART to an equally fat Monroe Brook, then booted up until just shy of the lowest entrance where the winds picked up and softness ended:






After the tour:






... drove to the Jackson house of a skimo race buddy (“Doctor Rando” as TC calls him) so my Hagan Cirrus skis could spend the night w/ their brethren:






Thu
Expectations = Awesome.
Expectations ... met!

Even skinning up a early-morning frozen Sherbie, the day was destined for greatness:






Started skinning again shortly after topping out of Hillman’s:






Just a bit to early for optimal softness in Airplane Bowl, but unfortunately that was expected given our itinerary.
Down on the flats crossed a very snowy Dry River (fortunately one open hole for water refill), then skinned up & around::






... to Double Barrel top:






Dima coming out of skier’s left barrel:






Both barrels had been skied in prior days, but still very smooth, and optimally ripe w/ our timing.
Skier’s right exit apron was entirely untouched:






Chris:









Skinned up out of the bottom of Oakes and across the Lakes hut snowfields:





... then played connect the AR snow ribbons.

I eventually lost patience w/ what appeared to be a very icy & rocky Westside trail in the hopes of instead continuing up a bit w/ more continuous snow then some skiing down along the Cog.
That worked in the sense that I kept my skis on almost the entire way, but wasn’t any faster than my partners who stayed a bit lower & a bit more on foot.

Since I had gotten us too high, first peered into Batman.
Timing coincided w/ a passing party of three exiting from Great Gulf: turned out to be Marc Chauvin, along w/ Mark Puleio, so that’s two out of the only eight NE-based IFMGA guides based. (Don’t know who the third person was in that skilled party – FB comment about a “Johnny”?)
Reported that Batman choke seemed wide enough from their previous Pipeline perspective for a cautious sideslip exit.

I skied down almost embarrassingly cautiously (yet perhaps wisely so) into snow that seemed almost more wintery than refrozen:















Seeing that I was still alive, or perhaps at least not hearing any cries for help, Dima opened it up a bit:






Choke turned out to indeed be wide enough, but somewhat shiny.
I explored a wimpier exit to skier’s right, then stayed below the choke to shout up advice.
Here we are after merging into Mother-in-Law then traversing into a perfectly prime Airplane:






After stopping to chat w/ TC, my partners wanted to boot up Airplane for a full run there.
That would mess up the beautifully pure tour-oriented tracklog, but I too couldn’t resist a yo-yo, especially since the boot ladder was so easy (as would be expected from the *dozens* of people there):






Cornice entrance required a leap of faith but only figuratively, as it was actually quite easy despite appearances:






After searching in vain near a frozen Spaulding Lake for open water to get a refill, skinned up then joined the boot ladder, after which we compared/contrasted relatively speeds and (in)efficiencies of skinning vs. Cog walking to the NE Snowfield.

Snow quality was outstanding all the way down over the Lip.
My partners stayed for a lap in Right Gully while I split off in search of more touring.

Skis on (barely) all the way to Little Headwall (w/ just enough open water for a bottle refill although not enough yet to be scary, though that could change very soon).

Affixed skins at bottom of Irene exit, and finally met up with my skimo race buddy Jerimy returning from a lap in Hillman’s, resplendent in his shimmering white Team Hagan lycra suit – earlier in the day he had ascended from his car at Pinkham Notch to the summit in only eighty-eight minutes:






Racing expected shadows in GoS, but so happy to be skinning from the top of Hillman’s to Boott Spur w/ just one short portage that I had to celebrate w/ a selfie:






Skied whatever you want to call that roly poly snowfield there to connect w/ only a short portage to #3, which had only recently gone into the shadows, so the snow was still perfectly soft, and quite fortunately for my fried legs after almost 10.5k vert for the day, and a cumulative 16k vert (w/ ~25 miles) for the past 27.5 hrs:






GoS trail had very nice snow quality, but the sections more exposed to the sun were almost as fried as my legs, so won’t last much longer as a continuous ski.

And finally –

Fri:
Expectations = Last call at local resort, hammered by all those warm sunny afternoons on a NW exposure.
Expectations ... met, w/ a barely continuous 810' vertical of snow & various snow-like surfaces.

[Vt-Freeheel]

Holy tour, Batman. Way to get after it.

37.2` for a low last night = a near continuous melting of snow bob. Time to start pedaling soon.

[AmmergauerTele]

Jonathan S. - that is such a sick, sick accomplishment. Really enjoyed reading about your day on the Rockpile. Keep up the great work!