Plattekill, NY: 3/24/18 #Legends

Harvey

Administrator
Joined
Jul 15, 2020
Ski Day 30: Don't have a ton of great pics, but this story needs to be told. Plattekill was stacked with Legends on Saturday.

I set my Plattekill alarm and arrived Harv early. I was surprised to find that the door to the bar was unlocked and there were people inside, usually it's just me.

I said hello to Bobcat Ira and his son Charlie. Ira was decked out in his beach party outfit incredibly pumped, about the day, and the party to come. We talked a little Bobcat and I asked him if he had ever seen James' NY Ski Magazine article on Bobcat. He hadn't and was super excited to see it.

pool.jpg

Shark Charlie

I also met the Wortmanns, Rob and Andrea. I learned about their family's deep connection to Plattekill and was surprised that I hadn't met them in all my visits to the mountain. Great to ski with them.

mackers-cord.jpg

Macker at work

groomers.jpg

Here comes the team

We booted up and headed out to the triple. On the lift ride up Rob, Andrea and I strategized... "what would be softest?"

I have liftline bias. I alway want to ski what is under the lift. I think that is a Gore thing. I said Face, but they pushed for Block, Rob explained that Block gets good early sun. It was a good call and super trenchy.

north-face.jpg

Rob Wortmann

rob.jpg

Rob Rips

It seems that my plea for help last week was received, and the day was jammed with ski partners. Forum peeps like timbly, Breck and Ethan stepped up to say hello and rip. Laz was out and about, bounding in the bumps. Chris was in the house, hiking up Plunge to train for his upcoming trip to Tuckerman, and restock the cardinal. JHoward_Glass was representin, the Pride of Skaneateles NY.

ethan-2.jpg

Ethan

j-howard-glass_-_1.jpg

jhoward_glass

breck.jpg

Breck

laszlo-2.jpg

Laz Rips

laszlo.jpg

RIPS!

Big News: Blockbuster is going to be renamed "Hayfield." Actually this is a reversion to it's original name. There was a short ceremony to install the new signage at the top of the headwall. The old sign will remain for a period, until trail maps can be reprinted to keep the general public from getting confused.

hayfield.jpg


I really didn't want to quit at the end of the day. I'm headed into the deep (LOL) south next week for Easter break and if the snow doesn't last until mid-April my season could be done, save a Killy day in May. Gasp. Did I just say that out loud?

view-from-deck.jpg


When we did come in, it was hard to decide whether to hang on the deck on a beautiful sunny day, or go into the bar and listen to the band that was absolutely slaying it.

band.jpg


We finally ran into the guys from Powder Magazine at the end of the day. Porter Fox and Dave Reddick are ski biz publishing legends who'd decided that it was time to do a piece on the Catskills. They did a photo shoot at Plattekill with Scottski on Friday, and headed over to take some shots at Hunter on Saturday.

Laz gave me Porter's number and I txt'd him, telling him I was bummed missing meeting him by day. He said they'd try to come back after Hunter, maybe around 3pm.

I knew I'd never see them at 3, as I'd be out trying to bang out a few more last runs. But when I came in Laz was talking to Dave and I got intro'd. Dave had a big legit Canon around his neck and occasionally would focus and shoot. At one point, he was taking super closeups portraits of Laz, somehow keeping him relaxed while a point blank range.

Still, it didn't feel like they were really working at this point. Maybe I'm projecting but it seemed like they just wanted to be there. The Bongo Surf Band was cranking, and they were loud. We stayed and listened and raised our voices.

Dave skis with a big pack or camera gear. Since my day at Magic, I've jettisoned my fanny pack inbounds and it is very freeing. I asked him "how many days a year he got to ski without a pack, he said "not many."

I also got a big kick out of it when I asked him about his favorite mountains. He said, "I really like Jackson Hole. I like this place too."
 
Back
Top