Harvey
Administrator
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2020
I had to do a report on the ski day at Gore on Sunday. I want to remember it.
Sunday was a beautiful, brutally cold day at Gore. In the morning the wind was howling. Assuming I'd get something written for the blog from Hickory and with fingers in peril, I left my camera in my pocket most of the day.
Most of us heard the hype about the cold forecast for the weekend, but I think I got "lulled" by my Saturday at Hickory. Riding surface lifts is a great way to stay warm. There is no rest on a poma.
Everyone had eyes on the gondola for first chair, so the line was considerable. As cold as we were waiting for the gondola, by the second run, waiting in the gondi line in the sun, felt warm and comfortable compared to skiing.
After scraping my way down Sunway and Quicksilver on my first run, I had the good fortune to run into EDeO and Rochester Mark. EDeO is a quasi-local known for his relentless pursuit of trees and affinity for thin cover.
I knew trees were the solution. More work and slower speeds (less wind) seemed like the only way to survive. After that first run on Sunway I didn't think I'd last more than an hour. But it all changed when I connected with EDeO and the troops.
EDeO pushed for the Straightbrook Chair, the proper call when temps are dangerous. Uncas was a dream, up the chair and down to the Straightbrook trees and in. Considering the weather roller coaster we've been on, the conditions in the packed out trees were pretty darn good, by the end of the day it seemed the snow in the trees got almost quiet. Or maybe I got used to the scrape.
We skied everything that was available, and more.
The group dynamic was excellent. For most of the day there were seven of us. I'm not usually into a big group, but it worked. ED has a way of keeping everyone together, patiently waiting at the exits for everyone to surface. It seemed like Mark Marino had been unofficially assigned to stay behind me, something I really appreciated.
All day, all season, and all summer really I'd been dreaming about the low angle trees on Burnt Ridge, and I was relentless in bringing it up. EDeO has his method, and I wasn't going to rock the boat, too much. With a long drive ahead, I was feeling the pull of the road, but agreed to get lunch with the gang IF they promised me three runs on Burnt Ridge.
Heading down for lunch paid off as Forever Wild, the front side "terrain park glade" was skiing really well.
After lunch, we made it over to Burnt Ridge, and IMO it was the best skiing on the hill. I sensed that maybe it wasn't challenging enough for some of the others. I love the fact that in a glade like that, every turn is an audible. You can run through it and never miss a beat.
Barkeater and Out
I don't think I did it justice, it was a high adventure day.
Sunday was a beautiful, brutally cold day at Gore. In the morning the wind was howling. Assuming I'd get something written for the blog from Hickory and with fingers in peril, I left my camera in my pocket most of the day.
Most of us heard the hype about the cold forecast for the weekend, but I think I got "lulled" by my Saturday at Hickory. Riding surface lifts is a great way to stay warm. There is no rest on a poma.
Everyone had eyes on the gondola for first chair, so the line was considerable. As cold as we were waiting for the gondola, by the second run, waiting in the gondi line in the sun, felt warm and comfortable compared to skiing.
After scraping my way down Sunway and Quicksilver on my first run, I had the good fortune to run into EDeO and Rochester Mark. EDeO is a quasi-local known for his relentless pursuit of trees and affinity for thin cover.
I knew trees were the solution. More work and slower speeds (less wind) seemed like the only way to survive. After that first run on Sunway I didn't think I'd last more than an hour. But it all changed when I connected with EDeO and the troops.
EDeO pushed for the Straightbrook Chair, the proper call when temps are dangerous. Uncas was a dream, up the chair and down to the Straightbrook trees and in. Considering the weather roller coaster we've been on, the conditions in the packed out trees were pretty darn good, by the end of the day it seemed the snow in the trees got almost quiet. Or maybe I got used to the scrape.
We skied everything that was available, and more.
The group dynamic was excellent. For most of the day there were seven of us. I'm not usually into a big group, but it worked. ED has a way of keeping everyone together, patiently waiting at the exits for everyone to surface. It seemed like Mark Marino had been unofficially assigned to stay behind me, something I really appreciated.
All day, all season, and all summer really I'd been dreaming about the low angle trees on Burnt Ridge, and I was relentless in bringing it up. EDeO has his method, and I wasn't going to rock the boat, too much. With a long drive ahead, I was feeling the pull of the road, but agreed to get lunch with the gang IF they promised me three runs on Burnt Ridge.
Heading down for lunch paid off as Forever Wild, the front side "terrain park glade" was skiing really well.
After lunch, we made it over to Burnt Ridge, and IMO it was the best skiing on the hill. I sensed that maybe it wasn't challenging enough for some of the others. I love the fact that in a glade like that, every turn is an audible. You can run through it and never miss a beat.
Barkeater and Out
I don't think I did it justice, it was a high adventure day.
. We don’t get that sunlight peaking through too often around the east.
