Titus Powder Wednesday

For my wife and I, life is better in the mountains. There are so many things we love about it. Fresh air, clean water, enticing exercise options and views. Another big one, now that we live where we want to be, we drive much less. Less than half as much. Gas costs more in NY, but we are using much less.

Still I’ve got goals. Over the next several years, I want to ski every ski area in New York. Trips to my perennial favorites are added on top. Plattekill, McCauley, Snow Ridge and Titus to name a few. So yes, there will be driving.

What inspires a guy who lives ten miles from Gore to drive 100 miles to Titus?

Titus is often colder than ski areas to the south, and this makes a difference. The snow is lighter and rain is less likely. Lake enhanced snow is pretty common too. This year to date, Titus has put up a healthy snow total of 140 inches, and the natural terrain has been in play for much of the winter.

For me, it’s more than the weather. I like the low angle terrain, the uphill friendly approach and the relaxed family vibe. Management is clearly driven, managing several successful businesses at once, yet somehow it all feels relaxed.

I also like knowing that Lift 6 will spin on a regular weekday schedule, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I’m a Lift 6 fanboy, so I look for powder on those weekdays.

Tuesday night I was watching the weather and entertaining options. A disturbance was moving through New York, with forecasts for 2-4″ across the state. It looked like Titus had the potential for 8 inches or more. There was also a signal about the potential for freezing rain from NWS, but no one else was really talking about it.

Titus spins first chair on weekdays at 10am. For a road warrior — that’s a homerun — it’s a free hour of sleep.  I set an alarm for 4:30 am, splitting the difference, taking half of the hour as sleep, and the other half as additional buffer drive time.

I always give myself extra time beyond the google maps recommendation.  When I’m traveling to my perennials, those I ski every year, I’m often driving in snow, and it slows you down. But this time, on a two-hour+ drive I added an hour. The goal is to arrive 60 mins before first chair.

Then, I decided to add an additional 30 minutes with the idea that I’d be more patient, driving behind slow moving objects. I arrived more than an hour before first chair but I have to admit the effect was good, replacing tension with relaxation. It snowed most of the way and the snowbanks loomed large as I got off Route 30 on to Fayette Road, a few miles south of Malone.

I made my way to the main lodge, and booted up. My primary contact at Titus is Bruce Monette 3, we’d been texting about plans the last 24 hours. He was on his way in from a meeting at company HQ, expected around 9:30. We connected shortly after his arrival, and he introduced me to Joel and Meeka.

Joel rode with me all morning. We met at Lift 6 and then moved to Lift 5, doing 12 laps. Everything was in, with no thoughts of the bottom or traces of a scrape.  We were first after patrol for many of our runs. Every run included untracked snow.  The snow was so floaty and you could really feel it on anything that had been groomed before the snow.

As usual these days, the lowest angle trees were the most fun for me. And Titus is loaded with them; Bernardi’s, Harvey’s, Three Trees, and Sweet Sugar Lou. We skied it all off Lift 6 and 5, and then headed in for lunch after noon.

I spoke to Bruce 3 about the season so far. He told me that Christmas was huge, but three periods of dangerous cold, falling on weekends had hurt. I wouldn’t be surprised if that scenario played out across New York.

After a big French Onion Burger and French Onion Soup, I said bonjour to the afternoon. I didn’t know the Titus uphill policy, so I asked Bruce about it.  Beyond normal safety stuff regarding visibility and crash prevention, have a lift ticket and keep your turn earning between 9am and 4pm. He told me it was cool to park in the Upper Mountain lot and it was ok to bring my skis in, to skin up, indoors.  Love that.

I drove to the Upper Mountain on Johnson Road. It had been snowing all day, and the route is really steep. Seriously, if you have any intention of skiing Titus come equipped with dedicated snow tires and a good amount of tread.

When I arrived at the upper mountain base it was deserted.  I clicked in, and it dawned on me, a foot of snow was new, and there was likely no skin track. I headed up the lowest angle route I could find Sundance. Riverview may have been a better choice, but I missed it.

The skinning was extremely pleasant. In spite of the fact that the new snow was blower, I felt like I was only sinking in about 6 or 8 inches. My skis weren’t buried and I didn’t have to lift them out of the snow. It was perfect, beautiful and moderate exercise in the falling snow.

I took a few breaks on the way up. I was delighted to find the leanto at the top of Titus Mountain. I knew it was there, but I had forgotten. So great to make a skin transition with a seat and a roof over your head. After I got my skins put away, and added another layer, I took it all in. I was a bit choked up to tell you the truth, I love getting out in the winter.

At lunch, I’d asked Joel what downhill route he recommended. He said Titusville Express, but if I wanted trees I should check out the newest glade, Partridge Point, that Tiffany had reported on at Christmas. I thought e told me it was on skier’s right about 500 feet below the entrance of Titusville Express. I figured I’d peek in and make my decision.

I never saw Partridge Point, as it was snowing really hard by the time I dropped in. The run down was sublime.  There’s been an ongoing discussion in the forum, about which is more precious, powder on the trails or powder in the trees.  I’m starting to agree with the Pow Trails contingent.  It was dreamy.

It was snowing steadily all day, I had four inches on my car at the end of my day. I drove all the way home with a smile. Love me a Titus Powder Wednesday.

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