Belleayre Conditions

Better than your pics hoser. 🤠

Seriously though I was hoping to write about it for the frontpage.

Untracked snow was thick but consistent. You could ski it and it was fun, but it was work. We were trying to ski with our shins, if that makes any sense.

I got no beta on the groomers.
 
I'm an intermediate skier and went to Belleayre yesterday.

It was definitely a bit of a rude awakening as I felt pretty clumsy skiing soft snow which was pretty bumpy (you know, not mogul bumps, just sort of ungroomed feeling). My legs seemed to tire very quickly.

All in all I had a great time and learned a lot, especially I think about early season conditions.

The line for the lift was long, but got shorter as the day wore on. I really enjoyed watching folks skiing the "technically closed" lift line powder on my way up the lift.

Last year I started skiing again in mid-February after not skiing for 20+ years, and not really having skied much back then, either. I did get 12 ski days in last season, about half at Catamount, which is a mere 15 minutes away, and the other half at Gore, which was fantastic for what I was trying to accomplish, learning to carve turns. The slopes at Gore were long, wide, and not terribly steep. It seems as soon as it gets steep or bumpy, my form starts to deteriorate. I guess you could say I am trying to get things more solidified in terms of my ability to make nice turns so that hopefully as I progress I can apply it better when the trail becomes more difficult. I did ski Uncas and a few other black diamonds at Gore last season with reasonable success.

Anyway, I turn 60 in less than 3 weeks, and have my M-F season pass for Catamount and Berkshire East, as well as Gore, Belleayre, and Whiteface. I retired from teaching in Westchester (Ossining, NY) a few years ago, but work a couple of days a week (1:00-7:30) at a local farm store. No reason I can't get a few hours of skiing in on days I work at the farm store over at Catamount once they are up and running.

Anyway, here's a few pics from yesterday's fun....

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SPP
 
Last edited by a moderator:
SlowPokePete said:
I'm an intermediate skier and went to Belleayre yesterday.

It was definitely a bit of a rude awakening as I felt pretty clumsy skiing soft snow which was pretty bumpy (you know, not mogul bumps, just sort of ungroomed feeling). My legs seemed to tire very quickly.

All in all I had a great time and learned a lot, especially I think about early season conditions.

The line for the lift was long, but got shorter as the day wore on. I really enjoyed watching folks skiing the "technically closed" lift line powder on my way up the lift.

Last year I started skiing again in mid-February after not skiing for 20+ years, and not really having skied much back then, either. I did get 12 ski days in last season, about half at Catamount, which is a mere 15 minutes away, and the other half at Gore, which was fantastic for what I was trying to accomplish, learning to carve turns. The slopes at Gore were long, wide, and not terribly steep. It seems as soon as it gets steep or bumpy, my form starts to deteriorate. I guess you could say I am trying to get things more solidified in terms of my ability to make nice turns so that hopefully as I progress I can apply it better when the trail becomes more difficult. I did ski Uncas and a few other black diamonds at Gore last season with reasonable success.

Anyway, I turn 60 in less than 3 weeks, and have my M-F season pass for Catamount and Berkshire East, as well as Gore, Belleayre, and Whiteface. I retired from teaching in Westchester (Ossining, NY) a few years ago, but work a couple of days a week (1:00-7:30) at a local farm store. No reason I can't get a few hours of skiing in on days I work at the farm store over at Catamount once they are up and running.

Anyway, here's a few pics from yesterday's fun....

View attachment 26277November 23, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

View attachment 26278November 23, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

View attachment 26279November 23, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

View attachment 26280November 23, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

View attachment 26281November 23, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

View attachment 26282November 23, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

View attachment 26283November 23, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

View attachment 26284November 23, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

View attachment 26285November 23, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

SPP
Click to expand...
If you are interested a great book is ultimately skiing by Ron le master. And Deb Armstrong has awesome you tube videos.

I can’t remember how long ago it was but I know exactly what you are talking about - before you feel comfortable in chopped up powder and crud it kind of feels like what the heck - how do I turn and where and how do I go through this.

Thanks for the exciting detail and glad you had fun.
 
Milo Maltbie said:
I saw somewhere that Belle was overrun with bus holes Saturday to the point where people gave up before even getting on the lift. It sounded like a sketchy AI story. Was it true?

mm
Click to expand...

You had maybe 1500 skiers riding on fixed one grip quad, and "two" trails on a day when Belle was the only hill open in the Cats. The day after a dump where Belle was in the bullseye.

If you couldn't anticipate it being "crowded" ... I don't get it.

Would those complaining have been happier if Belle didn't open?

I had an excellent day. Way better than expected.
 
DomB said:
If you are interested a great book is ultimately skiing by Ron le master. And Deb Armstrong has awesome you tube videos.

I can’t remember how long ago it was but I know exactly what you are talking about - before you feel comfortable in chopped up powder and crud it kind of feels like what the heck - how do I turn and where and how do I go through this.

Thanks for the exciting detail and glad you had fun.
Click to expand...
+1 on Deb Armstrong's videos.

Another good book for older skiers who learned to ski with the feet close together on straight skis is Soft Skiing by Lito Tejada-Flores. Assuming now skiing on "shaped skis."
 
DomB said:
If you are interested a great book is ultimately skiing by Ron le master. And Deb Armstrong has awesome you tube videos.

I can’t remember how long ago it was but I know exactly what you are talking about - before you feel comfortable in chopped up powder and crud it kind of feels like what the heck - how do I turn and where and how do I go through this.

Thanks for the exciting detail and glad you had fun.
Click to expand...

Harvey said:
You had maybe 1500 skiers riding on fixed one grip quad, and "two" trails on a day when Belle was the only hill open in the Cats. The day after a dump where Belle was in the bullseye.

If you couldn't anticipate it being "crowded" ... I don't get it.

Would those complaining have been happier if Belle didn't open?

I had an excellent day. Way better than expected.
Click to expand...
I sure wasn't complaining!

Hope it didn't appear that way lol.

I was happy to get my first day skiing this season during the month of November.

Remarkable since I was riding my bike in t-shirt and shorts a couple of weeks ago...

About to head out on my bike now!

SPP
 
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