Second Take

After hibernating for a season Josh came back in man fashion and filmed this gem. The Ski Guru made some edits.



Big Sky Rules!

First Reflections

The view from the house deck of Lone Peak

First edited video from helmet cam

More to follow...

The Ski Guru

The Double Pole Plant

The Ski Guru was going through some old footage of his trip in January of 2006 to Big Sky/Moonlight Basin and found this clip of the Double Pole Plant being demonstrated.



Here is some footage with running commentary of people skiing under the Challenger chairlift at Big Sky. Hoping for powder turns like those on this week’s trip!

From Russia with Love

The new activity is gaining popularity in Moscow, Russia. I am talking about what is shown in the video. Obviously it rolls without equal in this part of the world.

The Ski Guru cannot help but think about the reaction if people were core enough to be doing this down around DC's beltway a few weeks ago with all the snow. Just watch...

Moonlight Basin, MT

Mancation Update:  A couple photos from my trip out to Montana in January 2006. These are all from Moonlight Basin. The area shares the same mountain peak as Big Sky.  It is called Lone Peak and towers above everything else within hundreds of miles.  

This is a good year to get to Moonlight... the ski resort may have trouble spinning the lifts in years to come since their $250 million in debt was underwrote by Lehman Brothers... Who Knew?  Either way, when you combine Moonlight and Big Sky you have the best skiing in the lower 48.

The Ski Guru's prediction:  Boyne Resorts which owns Big Sky will scoop up Moonlight Basin on the cheap in the event it goes to auction.

on the Headwaters double chair

looking at the Headwaters form the Lone Tree lift

the Moonlight Lodge bar

sunrise

New England: The Non-Event

Just a few nights ago I was filled with anticipation drafting a blurb for the blog. Now I can only pull a few excerpts out of it like the following. Just goes to show what anyone - including The Ski Guru - knows about the weather.

• cannot remember seeing a nor’easter referred to as a “Snowicane” before
• last Thursday I put up an entry that called for a return to powder skiing
• exactly what the regions ski areas need
• just like the 06/07 season, late season storms saved what would have been a lame duck winter
• could be the biggest sustained dump of snow NE has seen in years
• skiing and riding will be exceptional this weekend
• if the forecasts are correct it should slowdown just in time for all the weekend warriors to climb into their SUVs and have a reasonable drive north the their favorite ski resorts

What a crock…

Granted, we got tremendous accumulations out of the first storm earlier in the week. It dropped close to two feet of fresh powder on top of most New England ski areas everywhere from the Berkshires up to ME. The problem is that snow is going to act like a sponge. Because everyone is now getting rain that snow is turning into wet cement. Once this storm blows through sometime tomorrow afternoon the condition of the slopes will be left in disarray.

• Best case – it changes over to snow again and stays warm
• Worst case – cold air after the precipitation turns New England skiing into hockey

Either Way unless something miraculous happens this could be the worst ski season the region has seen in years.  If you were lucky enough to ski over the last couple days send in some pictures!

Is this Karma?  Probably…what did you do (or not) to contribute?

TSG

New England Storm Update

Not Cool...more Phillips head screw driving for NE skiing.

image form AccuWeather.com

The Mancation is coming...

Thank God because New England is getting a HUGE dose of RAIN. The Ski Guru really hates the rain.

This year the destination is Big Sky in Montana.

Clip form last year at Jackson Hole...more soon.

Life Imitating Art

You may have heard about the movie Frozen. It is a story about some punks that sneak on a chairlift and end up getting stuck after the mountain closes. Terrible things happen to them. It is rated R. Trailer below...

Got little thought when The Ski Guru first heard. The plot reminded me of an old ASC sign that read “The Mountain is as cold and lonely tonight as it was 200 years ago”. I used to see that at Mount Snow. It was on a tree at the summit off the top of the Sunbrook Quad and probably still is. That was all. Frozen would wait until I stumbled upon it randomly while looking at the television.

Then this story today: Ski Tourist Escapes Death by Burning Cash

Ski Guru Rule Book 4.1.1: Only get on a lift if the attendant sees you

That dude got LUCKY. He was stuck on a chair well above the snow surface, at night, in the cold, for about 6 hours. He should not have snuck on the lift. That is a serious indiscretion. Read the article with the link above.

The State of New England Skiing

Snow: a precipitation in the form of small white ice crystals formed directly from the water vapor of the air at a temperature of less than 32°F (0°C) b (1) : a descent or shower of snow crystals (2) : a mass of fallen snow crystals

Really not much of it to speak of, write about, or ski on in New England besides the man made stuff. Those areas with the best snowmaking are in good shape. I am not saying the conditions are bad by any stretch of the imagination. In fact many areas have been picking up a few inches here and there. It adds up. NE just has not seen any of the monster winter events crippling the Mid-Atlantic States in the past few weeks creep north and sock our mountains with a direct hit.

The current state of New England skiing reminds me of the 06/07 season when we had to wait for the big St. Valentine’s Day storm before real powder conditions prevailed across the region. Then another big blast on St. Patrick’s Day and still even more damage on April Fools. That was a great stretch. Hopefully this season we see history repeat itself.

Tim Kelley (NECN meteorologist) all smiles in a deep powder drift at Killington 3/17/07

This weekend the weather will be as good as it gets for making some turns, considering it will not include fresh flakes falling from the skies with any abundance. In general if you head north you can expect to see temperatures hitting highs in the mid 30’s even as far north as Stowe, VT. There is also chatter of a potential storm next week. For more on that check Accuweather.

A quick peruse of Snocountry Mountain Reports basically reveals the same story I am telling. A lot of areas are doing well. Most have the majority of their terrain open. Use this LINK to check in on your favorites in the Northeast.


found this clip of my cousin Lucas eating some of the St. Valentine's Day powder back in 2007 at Sugarbush in the archives...

The low down: This should be a fun and pleasant weekend to hit the slopes. Some places will see some snow showers that will soften things up. Other areas may get sunshine. All will have above average temperatures. With only a few months left in the season you should take advantage of it and get north.

Think Snow!  Eat some!

Is the downhill dangerous?

This is the Olympics. The downhill is the pinnacle of the alpine ski events. The course needs to be difficult.

The Men’s competition had to be postponed due to conditions (read slush). Then the mountain got a shot of snow. Those of you that know ski racing realize powder is not what they are looking for. Preferred surface it what the recreational skier or rider would probably consider ice. The foot of fresh snow caused additional safety concerns because the track was variable and choppy. The committee modified the run for the woman in an attempt to make it safer. Still last night it claimed six victims in the field, all with DNF results.

Unfortunately there is not much video available on the internet except on the NBC site and they do not provide embedded HTML. Thanks NBC. Thanks Olympic Committee. I actually saw an acronym today for NBC that read “Not Broadcasting Correctly”. Anyway this LINK will get you to a clip they have put together showing all six of said crashes. The last one is spectacular.  Warning – you will need to download MS Silverlight to watch this and all other NBC video.

Apparently I am not the only writter frustrated by this either, see Michael Rosenberg rant. But I was able to track down this clip that shows a French skier named Marion Rolland whose dreams of triumph and years of training were all destroyed as she went for a strong push out of the gate. Watch Now - God bless the BBC.  Which raises the question, are the Brits making fun of the French by publishing this? 
 
On a lighter note, this was a funny moment that NBC did allow to slide – Stephen Colbert
 
Ski Fast!

Are we talking about practice!?!?!?

In this entry we actually are. Petra Majdic a 30-year old Cross Country competitor form Slovenian lost control during a practice session and fell off the trail into a dingle. The video clip below is still live on You Tube, but NBC and the Olympic Committee will probably have it taken down soon, so if it does not work when you try it apologies.

This just goes to show that even world class athletes can experience humbling incidents.


Better news is that she did battle through injuries to win a Bronze medal. This LINK has the story.

Ski Safe!

Phillips Head style

New England mountains miss again. 

AccuWeather

Heavenly Views of Lake Tahoe

The Ski Guru is still playing catch up, but did upload this clip shot with the Helmet Cam during a visit to Heavenly over MLK weekend.



Full trip report and some inside info on Heavenly forthcoming.  Stay tuned.

A look at Killebrew Canyon

This terrain is what those in the know call the "Hidden Heavenly"


photo from the top of Mott Canyon, 1/16/10

Professional Ski Bumming

The Ski Guru loves this guy!

"I've lived this life for 33 years and now all the sudden I'm supposed to admit I'm guilty? I can't do that," he said from jail last week. "I don't know what changed after the Forest Service tolerated me for all these years. I thought we were just respecting each other. Let me ask you, is it snowing?" subject quote - Charlie Toups

How can you plead guilty to being a ski bum?

That would be wrong.  See LINK

Weekend Links

Here are a few quick time kills for the weekend.

Story from ABC News on Breckenridge Avalanche rescue dogs.  LINK

Form Powder Magazine Daron Rahlves training for ski cross, helmet cam POV.



Think Snow,
The Ski Guru

Alipne Meadows, CA

Lake Tahoe is buried. Tremendous reports out of that region.

Alpine Meadows is one of The Ski Guru favorites in that hood. The area has a ton of stuff going on and skis a heck of a lot larger than the 1700' vertical they advertise.  They also get jacked and pumped for  'The Wong Banger' as seen below.

I found this rad pic here LINK

Currently the Tahoe region is bracing for another dose of snow, stay tuned.

Revelstoke POV Footage from 1/2/10

This is pretty good.  Almost makes one want to go up to Canada.



Great White North RULES!

Ride the Pats Peak Bus!

 The Ski Guru loves this news, Awesome.

Pats Peak is now running busses from Boston up to the mountain every Saturday this season, starting January 16th. There are two trips (day & night). Either way will bang you $59 for a round trip and lift ticket. That’s a Deal, more details below…

pic from Pats Peak - taken 1/7/10

GET ON THE BUS - BUS SERVICE FROM THE BOSTON AREA
Bus Trip & Lift Ticket Combo Only $59 per person (either trip)

• Saturday Morning Bus
• Saturday Night Bus for fun "Under The Lights"!

Bus Departs from these Locations:

• Braintree Southshore Plaza @ 6:30am/12:30pm
• Comm. Ave/Warren Towers @ 7:00am/1:00pm
• Ruggles T Station Roundabout @ 7:30am /1:30pm
• Departs Pats Peak @ 4:30pm/10:30pm

Book Online: http://www.enttours.com/ or call (781) 849-0200

This is a great way to make a day or night trip.  Pats Peak is close to home so you will spend more time on the snow than you will in the bus.  Right now Pats Peak in Henniker, NH has 100% of it's terrain open.

Think Snow!

Killington meets Barstool party?

It looks like Killington is going for a deep dive in the Boston market.

Check this LINK because Barstool Sports is hosting a ski party at the Harp.  Get some discounts and some eye candy.

Think Snow!

Bolton Valley, VT = Go Now

***Deal Alert***

Bolton Valley has really good snow.

pic from BV - taken 1/4

Best in VT from “The Blizzard” and they have been killing it all season. Here the lodging deals.

Call 877-9BOLTON to book

Stay Slopeside for just $69

From January 3-14, 2010 midweek rooms at the slopeside Inn at Bolton Valley are just $69 per night

$99* Holiday Ski and Stay Rate

Ski and stay slopeside over Martin Luther King weekend (1/15/10 - 1/17/10)

Get There - easy drive from Boston. Three hours on decent roads, speeding. Nidght skiing is a check.  Cool - wish you were there, check plus.

pic from BV - taken 12/30

Obviously the skiing is getting better.

Think Snow!

Avalanche at Stowe, VT

The Teton Gravity Research forum has an excellent report on a slide in Vermont. The person posting and a friend triggered avalanches while hiking Spruce Peak at Stowe on 1/3/2010.

The recount has a ton of pictures and information. LINK

pic from “snowrider” 1/3/10 entry

Southren VT did OK ~ Magic is Real

I was poking around the internet sidewalk and found this clip from Magic Mountain in Londonderry, Vermont - 05148 style...

Starts with Red Line from Witch - nice to see the chair full.

Grand Report!


New Year's In VT from Andrew Weyl on Vimeo.

The SG believes in Magic

Saddleback, Maine = Snow Dominance!

Rangeley, ME - Since New Year's Eve Saddleback has received 38” - 48” of new SNOW!

The new snow totals at Saddleback trumped all others in the region. More cold air and snow in their forecast. The resort is currently operating with 64 open runs and has already tallied 114 inches of snow this season.

photo from Saddleback, skier Steve Prince

The Ski Guru loves this somewhat under the radar ski area. It presides in a town better known for snowmobiling and fishing (most of the trails named after fly patterns). Saddleback is a long hall from the major population centers of New England. Not an excuse. It is a must visit. The mountain has been going gangbusters in the past few years, building infrastructure around the outstanding terrain.

Major recent improvements

• A new chairlift (Kennebago Quad) which replaced the old T-bar (video below) 
• An enormous swath of glade terrain (Casablanca) that was able to open officially for the first time with the incredible new snow totals
• A state of the art base lodge, only a few seasons old

Keep thinking Snow, we got the cold air!

New England - Snow Reports

Good, but not that impressive so far. This season has been narrowly avoiding excellent storm after storm.  For the region as a whole.  The New Year storm is no different.  Had some big winners mixed with non events.  The snow is still flying. Hit the following links for conditions.

• Maine (Saddleback dominating)
• New Hampshire (Bretton Woods jackpot)
• Vermont  (touchdown for Bolton Valley)

More Ski Guru updates later...NFL time.

Blizzard.3

From Storm Team 13 Maine

More Blizzard

from NOAA

Blizzard Alert

From Accuweather