Late Season Magic

This season I’ve been a dedicated New Yorker. I’ve managed to log 50+ days without crossing any state borders. The last storm delivered some late season magic in April. I had options in New York but I was ready to try something new.

Red Chair

Magic was in the 12-18 inch zone on the NWS maps being published before the storm, and the mountain’s reputation for low key and crowdlessness piqued my interest. I planned to ride solo on Friday and meet up with Tiffany and Evan for Saturday and Sunday on my Indy Pass.

At 5:30 a.m. Friday morning I was on the road and moving along, pleasantly surprised how clean the roads were given the storm that had just passed through.

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Flower Skate Shop Rail Jam 2024

For me the Flower Skate Shop Rail Jam is now a must send event. For the 4th year in a row, the Jam at Snow Ridge closed the season down on the Tug Hill. It has become the embodiment of NY park. A carnival of riding, it’s sheer pandemonium as bodies get tossed. 55 riders come from across the state, some driving hours, to ride a 100’ magic carpet and slide on rails. It almost seemed wrong to be riding rails on a powder day but deep down it felt so right.

Route 26

Along with the contestants, Mother Nature has been in regular attendance for each Flower Jam. The last three years have been beautiful bluebird spring days. This year with significantly less snow on the ground, she delivered a foot of fresh snow to soften the course.

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Bolton Valley Delivers

A storm was looming, but where to go? Feeling tired from the work week, and unprepared to spend the weekend away, we pondered the pros and cons of a handful of options. With Robert’s recent PSA to “get it while it’s good” front of mind, Evan and I hopped in the car Friday night to make the best of the weekend storm ahead.

access road

The last-minute decision was made to set out for a late-season powder day at Bolton Valley. We drove to Burlington VT, making hotel arrangements along the drive, arriving just after 1:00 AM. Saturday we woke to 5 inches of snow at the hotel, yet we were confident that this was just a taste of what awaited us.

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