Chasing Magic on Opening Day 2022

Two weeks ago skiing wasn’t yet taking up much real estate at all in my thoughts. As I watched the West get properly pummeled in the early goings, I chose to ignore the idea of powder skiing in the East.

Magic Mountain Opening Day 2022
Opening Day 2022 courtesy Magic Mountain

But finally one of those big west coast lows showed signs of moving over us with some cold air in place and machinations of a snow chase became a sudden reality.

We hatched a chase plan from hike-only Plattekill on Saturday to Magic for Sunday’s untouched opener. Arrangements were secured and touring gear was resurrected from the deep, dark corners of my closet. Just seeing my skins airing out above the furnace flooded me with endorphins.

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The Killington World Cup 2022

Superstar was a pile of mud and muck two weeks before the races and that had the town, community and Killington Cup fans at large wondering if the event would even go down. Mother nature complied in the nick of time, transforming Superstar — at the base of the spanking new K1 Lodge — into a course worthy of some of the fastest female skiers on the planet.

Mikaela at the Killington World Cup 2022

With a healthy dose of cold Canadian air and a dedicated snow making crew and even a bit of lake effect, the event pushed the envelope as the skiers raced against the impending forecasts of rain for Sunday’s slalom event.

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Killington: Still Going in 2022

I really did think I was done for the year when I skied Gore on the first day of May. I guess the accounts I was seeing from skiers’ social media inspired me. The pictures of Killington’s Superstar were especially enticing.

view from parking lot

As much as I enjoy watching video of people climbing and skiing Tuckerman Ravine or stitching together sketchy lines on the remaining patches of snow at closed resorts, I don’t really have the time to squeeze that kind of trip into my schedule. I live too far south. With a little driving, Superstar is attainable. The Killington snowmakers really seemed to have outdone themselves this year: Superstar looked THICK.

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