NE Skiing: Intel needed

[SlowPokePete]

Butternut was great...left the house on Friday morning around 8:15, temps in the low 20's, warmed up as the morning went on.

Snow was great, started to get a little heavier in the afternoon...14 runs all together.

Butternut is a little more spread out than Catamount, but definitely has plenty of intermediate trails that seem perfect for me to work on my turns.

33 minutes from home, and $25 for the day... (pretty sure this is their "every Friday" pricing, other that holiday weeks, etc.

March 1, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 1, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 1, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 1, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 1, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 1, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 1, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

SPP

[72gmc]

That looks like fun. I’d be tempted to look for a pin with that butternut logo on it.

[vertical_doug]

Luckily they have invested in snow guns.

[j44ke]

Luckily they have invested in snow guns.

Bill Gilbert at (nearby) Catamount invented the airless snow gun.

https://www.newenglandskiindustry.co...hp?storyid=387

[SlowPokePete]

I skied at Catamount on Friday, conditions were OK but since I bought a season pass for next year, it is valid for the remainder of this year.

18 runs and I had a good time.

March 8, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

Today my wife and I went over to watch the cardboard sled races. We missed the first couple of participants, but the Catamount Ski Patrol sled crashed through all barriers and fencing and this seemed to be celebrated!

March 9, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 9, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 9, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 9, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

I'm heading to Gore Mountain on Monday. This is the first place I ever skied, not sure but probably around eleven years old.

Forecast is for 7-11" up there, two hours away.

See you there @Bobonli ?

SPP

[Bobonli]

Nah, got to work. Gore is nice, though. 2 hours for you is more like 4.5-5 for me!

[SlowPokePete]

Gore Mountain was fantastic!

Went on Monday with my buddy Martyn, who managed to get us there and home in record time, thanks to 90+ mph in a little shit box of a Subaru.

incredible conditions, a bit windy (60mph gusts!).

My first time skiing was at Gore, nearly fifty years ago, as a Boy Scout in Troop 11, Port Chester, NY.

There were probably three or four vehicles who took us kids up there on a Friday night, staying for the weekend.

Memorable was the fact that we left in a blizzard, and since my Uncle Paul was driving, I was with him along with three of my friends.

Uncle Paul's vehicle?

Ford F-150 two-wheel drive pickup with a cap. He was a carpenter, and had built a couple of cots in the back, basically elevated plywood.

So, two kids rode in the front, and the other two froze their asses off in the dark and cold back there. He would pull over about every hour to swap out the frozen kids with the thawed out ones.

We literally loved shit like this!

Anyway, here's some pics from probably the best day of skiing I've ever had!

Planning to go back Wednesday...

March 11, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 11, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 11, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 11, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 11, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 11, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 11, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 11, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 11, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

SPP

[Tom]

It's been a while since we were there, but the one chair that comes out of the trees and unloads where one lift comes up from the right and an old double goes up to the left on a windy day, that last 300 yards can be as much fun as skiing!

Now that I gots me a new hip I still can't ride my snowboards because that's my lead leg and the torque probably wouldn't be good but I can ski again. Your pics have certainly got me feeling the need.

[SlowPokePete]

Hit Gore Mountain again on Wednesday, solo this time.

Met Jorn's nephew Aaron and we did a couple of runs together.

Jorn say he heard he's a "pretty good skier."

That is true time about a hundred.

Morning was great, snow became very grippy after about 11:30 and challenging for this guy trying to learn how to turn.

Anyway, I was thinking that was my last time on the slopes for the season, but might hit Catamount on Sunday morning for a few runs since it's already paid for with my season ticket for next year.

That will make seven days of skiing in about four weeks....not too shabby!

March 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 13, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

SPP

[SlowPokePete]

We had cold weather last week, and Catamount got busy making snow.

I took a ride down Saturday morning, but never got out of my car it was raining so heavily.

Later in the day, it cooled down and we had a decent ice storm, coating everything in ice above about 500' of elevation.

Headed down there on Sunday morning and conditions were quite good, got in 16 runs on my 8th day of skiing this year.

Day 9 of skiing will be today, as I await the arrival of Martyn the tree guy to pick me up and provide a 90+ mph shuttle to Gore Mountain today.

Pics to follow...

If you're wondering about that mess, some guy leaves his four year old kid at the table to eat a muffin and have hot chocolate.

He leaves the kid there alone (at four years old ?) to go to the bathroom. When he comes back, while I'm booting up with my back to them, they leave and I guess dad couldn't take the trouble to clean up after his kid. Or set a good example for him.

Wolf Hill Road on the way there....right near my house, probably about 1,100' up...

March 24, 2023 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 24, 2023 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 24, 2023 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 24, 2023 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 24, 2023 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 24, 2023 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 24, 2023 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 24, 2023 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

SPP

[72gmc]

I know that dad’s kind. They used to drop their kids off at the sports store and then cross the street to the mall to shop, as if sporting goods retail equaled childcare. They would always be offended by the professional but pointed earful we would give them when they returned.

[j44ke]

Unattended kids will be given espresso and a puppy?

[SlowPokePete]

Gore Mountain yesterday...

March 26, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

This guy's around here once in a while ...

March 26, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

How I became friends with some burly tree guys is sort of a mystery but it happened...

March 26, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

Party ON ...

March 26, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

SPP

[j44ke]

You’ll need a van for shuttling the Hillsdale Ski Club up there next year.

[Tom]

I am sorely, sorely tempted to get the midweek season pass to Gore and Whiteface.

[SlowPokePete]

Solo trip up to Gore again on Wednesday.

Day ten for the season!

Rain, heavy fog, sunshine ... it all happened yesterday.

When I met up with Aaron, Jorn's nephew, he and Dave (also a ski instructor) and I took a few runs together.

It was so foggy on our first run down that I could barely see him in front of me, or much else for that matter.

I've basically skied one out of four days since I got this going again in mid-February.

Pretty sure that's gonna be it for the year, though...

although it's kind of like the number of times I say I'm just gonna do one more run....

Proper fuel on arrival...

March 27, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

I like to take the Gondola on the first run since I already have my skis off...

March 27, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

Waiting at Saddle Lodge for Aaron and Dave...

March 27, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

I mentioned the fog?

March 27, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 27, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

I did two black diamond runs ... Uncas and Open Pit. Neither was too difficult, but many of the harder runs are way far beyond my ability, and likely always will be.

March 27, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 27, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

It did clear up, although often it was only in one direction, or higher up on the mountain...

March 27, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

I'm a gear guy, and this Patagonia shell has been fantastic, even in steady rain...

March 27, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 27, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 27, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

March 27, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

SPP

[72gmc]

Looks good enough! Glad you’re getting as many runs as you can. I think I might be done—the local area has a lot of lumpy ground that isn’t playing well with thin snow, so they’re closing some lifts “until further notice.” I sense further notice will come around Thanksgiving.

[SlowPokePete]

Gore Mountain, North Creek, NY....April 5, 2024.

17" at the summit, day 11 for me.

To think I had found the place where my ski equipment would rest until next season, only to get it all out again!

Conditions were full on winter fantastic!

April 5, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

April 5, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

April 5, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

April 5, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

April 5, 2024 by SPP™ SlowPokePete, on Flickr

SPP

[Tom]

You're killing me. When we skied a lot I was amused by the sign the lift operator had up at the loading area for the north chair, counting down the days to trout season. I never thought it'd have a chance to be in single digits ever again... this year it's gone negative. You gotta love it.

[SlowPokePete]

Pretty sure today will be closing day at Catamount.

I'm gonna take the 15 minute drive down and do a few runs since I have to head that way anyways to drop off the recycling lol.

Maybe one more trip to Gore...Monday's out (eclipse) but I'm available on Wednesday!

It is snowing here in Hillsdale now by the way....

SPP