Snow Ridge: Sap Line Saturday

I spent last week traveling for work. After 4 am wake ups, economy class seating and stuffy hotel rooms I wanted to stretch my legs and get some fresh air. When I left New York on Monday, another round of lake effect was rolling in off Ontario and the inches were stacking up on Tug Hill. I knew there was a place where the stashes would be deep and untouched come Saturday; the Snow Pocket.

snow-ridge-tbar

On weekends the old t-bar spins at 11, which gives me time to sleep in and still make it to the mountain for a few warm up laps. I made my way up the Ridge Runner chair a little after 10, time enough to take Keursteiner to The Pocket.

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Riding the Royal Powder Carpet

There are two wolves inside me. One wants to grow snow riding. Add stoke. Support locally owned mountains that are lifebloods in their communities. The other wants to throw all that out the window on a powder day.

first chair

Royal Mountain, overlooked by some, has been getting widespread attention with recent weather events. Royal is less than an hour down the road from me, and I’ve make it a habit to ride there every season. In April 2022 I caught a late spring storm and last year Jake Tennis gave us the scoop on the new trail The Red Carpet.

When I pulled up last Saturday I was hyped to see a great little mountain getting the attention it deserves.

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My First Woods Valley Powder Day

I’ve wanted to ski every ski area in New York for a long time. It’s a big job, and now I have the flexibility to do it. Based in NJ since I started skiing in 1990, until now, logistics have focused my attention on eastern New York and Vermont.

I have more time now, and I’ve set my sights on filling the holes in my resume in Central and Western NY. I’ve got 30 lift-served areas to ski, over the next three years, if things go according to plan.

This winter, I’m still based in New Jersey, but I’ll be in the Adirondacks a lot more. First, I’ll be focused on the hills I can ski in a day from the Adk and NJ. Next year, I’ll look further to the west with some overnight roadtrips.

Big Chair
Big Chair

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