Gettin’ in the Wood

I like to mark annual milestones. One of my favorite benchmarks each year comes at the end of April. After the lifts close and before the bugs come out, I drive to our place in the Adirondacks, to perform an annual ritual: gettin’ in the wood for winter.

Spring-Snow-on-Gore

Almost invariably when I pass Gore on the way up, there are turns to be had. Also invariably I’m not distracted from the mission: to finish the weekend with one stacked and covered cord.

My job is really watered-down compared to any local’s true version of gettin’ in the wood. Our wood consumption is modest and our supply is often supplemented by deadfall from the winter.

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Killington is Awesome

I hadn’t been to Killington in a decade and some things hadn’t changed. Yea the access road was deserted and there was only one lift running, but the mountain still somehow seemed huge to me.

Killington the Beast

Some things had changed. I’ve done some skiing in the last ten years and I was ready to take on Killington’s expert terrain. Superstar, the storied trail was looking good from a distance and even better up close.

I met Riverc0il at the base of the quad at 9:30. Superstar’s bumps were a bit of a gut check for me, skiing after a six-week layoff.

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North Creek Ski Bowl Night Skiing

Ski Day 28: I left work yesterday at 3pm and headed north on 87. All week I watched a persistent uplevel disturbance that was producing a steady diet of light snow at higher elevations.

The-Northway

As I approached the Catskill and the Adirondacks, both ranges were shrouded in light snowshowers. I pulled into the North Creek Ski Bowl Base Area at 7:30 and headed into the lodge to boot up.

I had the place almost to myself. I wasn’t sure how many runs I could get in, so I saved a little time by dressing lightly.

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