What took ya so dang long?
Gore Mountain Conditions
- Thread starter Cork
- Start date
snoloco
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2021
While my preference for summit access is the gondola, and then skiing Uncas or Pine Knot, accessing the summit this way relies on trails that face due south. Trails that face south often have trouble maintaining coverage in the spring. The terrain off High Peaks faces due north and holds snow a lot better than anything off Topridge or Straightbrook. Accessing the summit through High Peaks extends the season.
snoloco
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2021
Early season is different. Because the sun is so low in the sky, exposure doesn't matter that much. The Wood Lots don't have particularly good hydrant spacing, which makes a quick turnaround difficult. Meanwhile, all the trails off the Topridge lift have HKD guns spaced relatively close together, many of which are automated. It's the fastest way to get black terrain open, without needing to cover a bunch of connector trails first. Once they are deeper into the season, then they can cover the necessary connector trails and get the summit open, first with Straightbrook, and High Peaks following soon after.
In the spring, the sun is much higher in the sky, so exposure matters a lot more. The sun is at an angle between 45 and 50 degrees, so when south facing trails like Topridge, Uncas, and Pine Knot have a pitch of say 25 degrees, you have the sun hitting the snow at an angle of 70-75 degrees. This is near direct sunlight, like you'd see somewhere much further south. It bakes the trails all day and can soften them even when the air temperature is below freezing. Meanwhile, the trails off High Peaks don't see sun until the afternoon, and the angle of the trail reduces the intensity rather than increasing it. It's called the Dark Side for a reason. It piles up feet of natural snowpack over the course of the season, loses very little of it during thaws, and holds wall to wall coverage deep into April or even May.
Last year, the late season lifts were Gondola, Topridge, and High Peaks. That was because they made a huge base of snow on Topridge. Uncas and Pine Knot melted. They didn't go as deep on Topridge this year, and it's likely toast in the next week, but the north facing trails are absolutely buried. That is why I think the late season lifts this year will be AE2, North, and High Peaks. I could be wrong, but this prediction is entirely based on current snow depths.
Harvey
Administrator
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2020
It's really something isn't it. Gore is a magic place IMO.
Country Gun
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2020
My son Derek and I had a great day skiing Gore yesterday. Gore put a shot of him up on Instagram and Facebook. If I was a local , I would not have even hit the slopes till 11 yesterday.
Gore seems to have way more coverage than some past seasons.
Skied everything , but the dark side, Hit Echo and Twister , when the snow was just hero perfect. Awesome sunny day in the ADK!!
Gore seemed to survive the rain, a little better than Whiteface, which I skied on Friday.
More cars in the parking lot , when I left, than I would have expected, for this late in the season . Which is a good thing.
Hopefully be back next weekend.
Gore seems to have way more coverage than some past seasons.
Skied everything , but the dark side, Hit Echo and Twister , when the snow was just hero perfect. Awesome sunny day in the ADK!!
Gore seemed to survive the rain, a little better than Whiteface, which I skied on Friday.
More cars in the parking lot , when I left, than I would have expected, for this late in the season . Which is a good thing.
Hopefully be back next weekend.
It is. Great variety of pitches, widths. A lot of stuff right in my wheel house. I regret not getting over to Burnt Ridge. Something to look forward to for next season.
No wonder Betty loved it.
Sunrise services with another beauty. Thanks God.
Happy Easter folks.
Sunrise services with another beauty. Thanks God.
Alfredeneumann
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2020
Stay out of there!
Yeah, stay off that damn slow chair that stops all the time!
