EAST COAST ROLL CALL #9 Find the time to ski those lines!

**Flea** · 09-08-2016, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Well, I was at Snowbasin pre Olympics. That was an A frame dude. Nice try.

I was being a bit dramatic. As you know, the place was quite raw. There was one or two other "admin" buildings that resembled silo's laying down, no?

**Benny Profane** · 09-08-2016, 06:17 PM

Place was fine. Three of the best powder days in my life, after all this time. Chairs worked fine. Lodge was warm, food ok, great view of the mountain. But, most important, I walked up to the lift on the third morning of a storm just letting up, a Thursday, and, I swear, there were seven people standing there. The road was clear, I drove it. It was amazing.

**Flea** · 09-08-2016, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Place was fine. Three of the best powder days in my life, after all this time. Chairs worked fine. Lodge was warm, food ok, great view of the mountain. But, most important, I walked up to the lift on the third morning of a storm just letting up, a Thursday, and, I swear, there were seven people standing there. The road was clear, I drove it. It was amazing.

Ah yes I too have fond memories of lapping untracked pow up off of far lookers left. All day. Solitude was ridiculously uncrowded on pow days too. Weekend mornings and there would be literally no one waiting for 1st chair some days. Back when skis were long and skinny and pow was reserved for those that could actually ski pow. Fat skis sure did ruin all that. Ah well.

**Vt-Freeheel** · 09-09-2016, 04:57 AM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

If you ever saw The Canyons before it was The Canyons, you would think that was a stupid venture, too. But, some slick people became rich on the idea.

If you want stupid, check out what somebody wants to build around Tupper Lake in the ADK. That idea has been alive for over a dozen years. Where there's hope, there's a hustler.

I was glad when Les bought the bush back in 95. Thinking back to the previous years brings back "fond" memories of long lift lines at South. Veterans will remember when the North Lynx lift was the Sugar Bravo chair, if not , ponder this while crawling your way on this dead slow triple.
The derrick tower Gate House double was awesome for close to an hour liftline on weekends for a 3-4 ski down. 15% snowmaking at South also made for some thin skiing.
As to the jobs, sure there are housekeeping and pizza cook openings but also plenty of better paying jobs for those with education and drive.
This guy started at the bush bottom and worked his way to the top. I have watched a number of others climb the ladder over the years. Have also seen some stagnate and go backwards snapping photos of kids or leaves.

edit, I know the mouth breathers on AZ love to bitch about Les and deferred maintenance when Win took over. It was nothing compared to the lack of ongoing maintenance that Les came into after the Cleneil era. Most of those clowns had never even skied the bush back then.

The awesome old Poma from yesterday afternoons ride

**Vt-Freeheel** · 09-09-2016, 05:07 AM

71` muggy as fuck with a light breeze bob 3/16" of rain yesterday, all we have received the last week+

Out riding up the mountain yesterday and came across some bizzare, A road hunter searching for bear at the top of Gatehouse. As a fat fuck, he was as surprised to see me as I was to see him.

**robrox** · 09-09-2016, 05:28 AM

Nice bit of memory lane. Can Les work that magic with Balsams? Hustle or no, he would be the guy for making it start.

**Grape_Ape** · 09-09-2016, 06:14 AM

Went running yesterday down here. 93deg, humid as fuck. Not smart.

Can't wait for Fall. Fuck this shit.

**Benny Profane** · 09-09-2016, 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by Vt-Freeheel

I was glad when Les bought the bush back in 95.

I want that common lift ticket back. That was awesome for a few years.

**ex-powderbroker** · 09-09-2016, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by Vt-Freeheel

This guy started at the bush bottom and worked his way to the top. I have watched a number of others climb the ladder over the years. Have also seen some stagnate and go backwards snapping photos of kids or leaves.

edit, I know the mouth breathers on AZ love to bitch about Les and deferred maintenance when Win took over. It was nothing compared to the lack of ongoing maintenance that Les came into after the Cleneil era. Most of those clowns had never even skied the bush back then.

The awesome old Poma from yesterday afternoons ride

Dude, what the American people want, no, NEED is top-paying jobs for people for people with little drive for anything other than pedaling and shralping pow because that is their birthwhite.

Anyway, Claneil was awesome. Sure the lines for the Gatehouse and Castlerock were an hour but no one bothered to ride the Poma and even fewer people ventured into the woods for days after a storm. The ASC era was interesting looking back. I have more appreciation now for the diesel compressors and faster lifts, plus the fact that he dropped that stuff off like Santa Claus and was then chased out of town as a thank you by the pitchfork wielding villagers. Maybe the slide brook chair was an unnecessary cave-in, black bears seem to have come back just fine all over the northeast and it's not like he put up a egotistic monstrosity at the base of the hill that blocks the view of the mountain.

The reds are poking out a bit on the canopies and the forecast is looking good on the 14 day if you like sun and upper 60's.

**strawjack** · 09-09-2016, 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Yes, Park West. Add 150 million dollars, and, you have The Canyons.

I'm not seeing the correlation between Park West and the Balsams...at all.

Park West was a half hour from a major city with an international airport and right next to major established resort. And it actually snows there...a lot.

Balsams is in the middle of nowhere with no vertical. As he has been quoted though, he's looking to capitalize on the 3 other seasons. That may in fact work in due time as the EC becomes more and more populated. Then again...maybe not.

So yeah, Park West was a wise investment...obviously. Look at it today.

**steamboat1** · 09-09-2016, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by strawjack

Balsams is in the middle of nowhere with no vertical.

Sounds like Sunday River to me except it does actually snow at the Balsams.

**robrox** · 09-09-2016, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by strawjack

I'm not seeing the correlation between Park West and the Balsams...at all.

Park West was a half hour from a major city with an international airport and right next to major established resort. And it actually snows there...a lot.

Balsams is in the middle of nowhere with no vertical. As he has been quoted though, he's looking to capitalize on the 3 other seasons. That may in fact work in due time as the EC becomes more and more populated. Then again...maybe not.

....

Originally Posted by steamboat1

Sounds like Sunday River to me except it does actually snow at the Balsams.

Astute observations all over the place!

FrikkenFridays?!?

So is it Balls or just Balsams? Maybe a bit of both

**strawjack** · 09-09-2016, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by steamboat1

Sounds like Sunday River to me except it does actually snow at the Balsams.

? There's well over 1/2 million people in the greater Portland area and Bethel is not that far away. Then add the whole 95 corridor all the way to Boston....so many have condos at that hill. Maybe Les is banking on good pecentage of Sherbrooke residents heading down.

**ex-powderbroker** · 09-09-2016, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by strawjack

? There's well over 1/2 million people in the greater Portland area and Bethel is not that far away. Then add the whole 95 corridor all the way to Boston....so many have condos at that hill. Maybe Les is banking on good pecentage of Sherbrooke residents heading down.

Tough sell to Canadians with a shitty exchange rate. Sugarloaf is also a just a few minutes farther away from up north, and Burke would be a few minutes closer.

**From_the_NEK** · 09-09-2016, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by ml242

Burke would be a few minutes closer.

And a MUCH easier drive as it would be virtually all interstate from Sherbrooke. Of course Burke is never going to be able to be built out on a scale proposed for the Balsams.

**cat in january** · 09-09-2016, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by strawjack

? There's well over 1/2 million people in the greater Portland area and Bethel is not that far away. Then add the whole 95 corridor all the way to Boston....so many have condos at that hill. Maybe Les is banking on good pecentage of Sherbrooke residents heading down.

You have me feeling like I'm living in a metropolis.

They sure have done a lot of road improvements between Grey and Bethel to make the ride faster. Now there is the Casino to drive by watching the folks spill out of in the morning.

**Flea** · 09-09-2016, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by From_the_NEK

And a MUCH easier drive as it would be virtually all interstate from Sherbrooke. Of course Burke is never going to be able to be built out on a scale proposed for the Balsams.

It could be a 5 min drive and they still wouldn't ski Burke. Because it's Burke. The Academy is the only real reason that place continues to stay open.

Balsams does get the snow. The Balsams gets snow that no other resort gets due to the large resort and lodge that runs on steam. The steam causes it's own micro climate up in the notch that delivers a couple/few inches here and there consistently to keep conditions super sweet.

**From_the_NEK** · 09-09-2016, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by Flea

It could be a 5 min drive and they still wouldn't ski Burke. Because it's Burke. The Academy is the only real reason that place continues to stay open.

Balsams does get the snow. The Balsams gets snow that no other resort gets due to the large resort lodge they runs on steam. The steam causes it's own micro climate up in the notch that delivers a couple/few inches here and there consistently to keep conditions super sweet.

**Flea** · 09-09-2016, 01:39 PM

Have you skied/stayed up there? Place can be like a real snow globe.

**ex-powderbroker** · 09-09-2016, 01:45 PM

"

THAT MANY?! man it's getting busy there. i've always said that 6 inches of new at burke blows away 12 inches at jay. used to ski every tues-thurs there and if it snowed more than 4 inches and nothing was groomed, the same group of 4 retirees from connecticut would stay home and snowblow their driveways. if the 4 retirees didn't show up, my girl and i would set up the picnic benches at mid burke lodge, grab a coffee and wait alone for 1st chair to load. classic. never a bad day at burke.

"

**gravitylover** · 09-10-2016, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by strawjack

You mean Park West? You lost me on this one Benny.

I saw a really good Dead show there 8/20/87. It looked like a local hill with great, easily accessed sidecountry goods.

This Balsams thing could be good but I can't imagine people making the trek up there. If you listen to people around here 45 minutes in the car is unbearable. Actually most places I've traveled to this year it's pretty much the same, 45 minutes is too much.

**JerseyDave** · 09-10-2016, 04:03 PM

Balsams was the first place I ever DH skied. Taught myself at 6 when my family went classic XC skiing. I refused and soloed the rope tow for 3 days before graduating to the T bar. Be sad to see it blown up.

Burke is Great. Open late and close early. Always opportunity for the motivated skinner to harvest reserved goodies. "Preseason" from a decade ago. Trees were in but the place was still not to be opened for another week. I think we got 6 laps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GayJjqeHgs0

**neufox47** · 09-11-2016, 06:54 AM

Originally Posted by DaveVt

Balsams was the first place I ever DH skied. Taught myself at 6 when my family went classic XC skiing. I refused and soloed the rope tow for 3 days before graduating to the T bar. Be sad to see it blown up.

Burke is Great. Open late and close early. Always opportunity for the motivated skinner to harvest reserved goodies. "Preseason" from a decade ago. Trees were in but the place was still not to be opened for another week. I think we got 6 laps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GayJjqeHgs0

But less sad if it disappears altogether and no one ever learns to ski there again?

More mountains means more competition, more terrain available, more money to the sport. Ask the people working at ski resorts if they would prefer that their employer shut down and lay them off.