PA Turns 10/16/09

[orlowskij]

I posted this in the EC roll call thread but I know how much everyone loves to see people ski on rocks and grass. Central PA has been getting absolutely DUMPED on for the past day (~6"!!!11!!!1!!!), so theSMP and I got out this morning to make some turns.

The target (#7, blue AND black):


A good sign to wake up to in October:


The view from the bottom:


TheSMP booting up:


Ready to go:


First turns of 09/10:


The slayage:


3 runs for a whopping 750 ft of vert! Seriously though, this is by far the earliest I've skied in PA. It was heavy and wet, but I'm not going to complain about 6-8" in October.

[gpcharles]

IT'S GOOD!!!

[brocski]

Tussey in rare form! Good on ya!

[jebskis]

Probably the best shape I have seen tussey in a while Man do I hate skiing there.

[dk_alaskan]

better than we have in Southcentral AK right now...way to git sum

[orlowskij]

Probably the best shape I have seen tussey in a while Man do I hate skiing there.

Yep. Hard to drag myself there in January, but for October, I'll take it.

[phillycore]

Congrats on getting out there this early in Pa....

[iceclimb]

Nice, bet if tussey looks like that the old ski area at blac m has a foot! I skied in Octber at Black Moshannon 4 of the last 5 years, but not this early. Head up there and I bet it will even be powdery snow.

[orlowskij]

I think our window is gone, 40s and bright and sunny now. I didn't know there was a ski area in black mo. Is it right off of 504? I've been spending a lot of time looking at topos and terrain in google maps for over there but haven't been out exploring yet.

[The SMP]

Found this about black mo
http://www.dcski.com/lostareas/viewl...file.php?id=15
It's off 504 east of the damn. Looks like the slopes are maintained for hiking.

[iceclimb]

Umm.. it's right about here..

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...01929&t=h&z=16


Head to the lake, go past the Park Office, when you get to Rt. 504 go right, up the hill. Less than a mile up you'll get to a left, into a parking area with a gate that's usually locked. It says Cabin #20. The road goes back about a quarter of a mile, and you'll be at the old lodge, at the top of the slopes. Generally 4 inches in State College gets a foot up there, more if its windy.. lake effect stretches that far.

Wear your orange, it's huntin season out there! Don't piss off the hunters that stay in the cabin... I've gotten some beer from them in the past, but mostly it's just "hey, how's it goin?"

I'd say 300 foot drop or so, the main slope isn't too bad until the snowmobilers get to it... then it can get kind of icy. The one to the right of that is narrow, and usually has a tree down across it about 1/2 way down. I cut/dragged a couple of them out of there a while ago. The one to the far right is low angle/easy, but fun because it's narrow and turny.

Left of the main slope is an old Poma lift cut, it's more fun and steep if there arent any trees on it.

If there's lots of snow keep on going left and ski the trees, watch for snow snakes, soooooo much deadfall in PA forests. I had cleaned a few lines a few summers ago, but not sure what it's gonna look like now.

Ooh... if you get a lot of snow... watch out for the old stump in the middle of the main slope.. that things like a fuckin magnet. Have fun, get a few runs for me... I've had some nice powder turns there. Here are some photos from a couple years ago...





Early early season one year.... no tracks, shows the main open slope from the top...



Oh, and if you get a chance, head to Crystal Lake once this winter. It's an XC ski area, but they are right next to an abandoned downhill area with a nice steep slope. (this isn't it)