East Coast Adventures

Winter 09-10 Skiing the East

2009-10-28T09:57:00.002-05:00

Winter is almost here! Trail trimming has been going on this fall. Time to ski and relaunch the blog that has sat idle. Looking forward to the first turns of the season!

Bald Mtn.

2008-05-24T08:33:00.002-05:00

We took advantage of the cooler temperatures to get out and climb Bald Mtn. without being harrassed by blackflies. We climbed Missing Moe and Yardwork. Nice day and good to lead climb again.

Spring is several weeks behind the Mohawk Valley. The trilliums are still blooming and all the foliage is not out on the trees.

Some random climbing pictures...

Rapping

Nice view looking north

Video Compilation of the 07-08 Season

2008-05-22T12:50:00.001-05:00

Video from 12/22/07

2008-05-13T13:30:00.001-05:00

Slide Pow

2008-05-09T10:57:00.002-05:00

Ending of the Season on Mt. Mansfield

2008-04-20T12:21:00.002-05:00

Had a great spring ski day at Whiteface yesterday (unfortunately slides done) and then headed to Stowe for $20 lift tickets to ride the gondola and then boot the chutes off the summit ridge. It was another fantastic day of spring skiing and a great first foray into exploring the BC on Mt. Mansfield. Sorry to see another ski season go. Maybe try for another day ski area hiking or Mt. Washington but otherwise climbing and hiking season beckons.

Great turns in a beautiful setting. Much better conditions than could be found on the slopes of Stowe.

High Peaks Tour Take Two

2008-04-18T12:02:00.002-05:00

The solo tour on Wednesday was so good and the weather so nice that I had to do it again. Lincoln joined me for the day trudging along in alpine gear. I racked up ~12 miles and 7000' vert for another big day. The lowlands have melted out significantly and are just about done. Even up high the streams are flowing and wide open.

Still a lot of snow up higher though.

Other signs of spring even on the summits. Flies, bugs and this little guy kept me company on a summit break.

Lots of bare rock for booting too.

Love these skis. They rock in any conditions!

A few scenic shots.

Once again, had the place to myself. 4 laps of this snowfield plus the ski trail down.

High Peaks Tour for Turns

2008-04-16T09:35:00.001-05:00

Took advantage of spring break to get out for a big solo tour. Conditions were perfect, deep, stable snowpack, corn, and 70* temperatures even at 5100'. I wanted to give myself a good workout and ended up with about 5500' vert in 10 miles. I was able to skin from the loj and ski all the way back to it although it is just about melted out below the junction with the Whale's Tail.

This is the view I encountered turning on the loj road. Looking good!

Less than couple of hours skinning and climbing and into the high country. As the trail sign shows there was a solid 5' base up high, deeper in places.

A view of the ski objective.

A few from up top.

Looking down upon the massive cliff of Wallface, climbing season calls!

The snowfield was excellent for corn laps. Steep and corned up perfectly. I had the place to myself.

At the end of the day, had to resummit and take an incredible twisty turny historic ski trail out.

Always good to see the Matrix waiting at a lonely trailhead at the end of a long day.

Last Day for the Slide

2008-04-12T09:27:00.002-05:00

The sun has set on the season on the local slide. Still top to bottom but not after another warm day or two.

The many stream crossings on the approach took some creativity but able to skin from the road without taking skis off.

Skiing was bad on what was left.

Whiteface Slides

2008-04-06T12:55:00.000-05:00

An incredible day of lift assisted laps of corn on the Whiteface Slides. It doesn't get much better than this on the east coast!
The traverse heads from summit lift to the slide area.

Awesome terrain!

Looking down on 2000' vert. of pure corn goodness :)

Now the good part. Skiing the upper slide.

Exiting the ice bulges.

Looking down the lower slide.

Looking back up, what an area to spend the day doing laps!

High Peaks shining in the sun.

T Lake Turns

2008-03-29T11:02:00.003-05:00

We headed back to T Lake area for turns. It didn't disappoint.

T Lake Winter Camping Trip

2008-03-22T09:14:00.003-05:00

With longer days upon us and deep snowpack prevailing we decided to do an overnight trip to T Lake since we have never been there before. We saw some very interesting ski terrain while traversing around 3 different 3100' mountains on the way in. A long uphill slog with winter gear on unbroken trail. It wasn't until the nearly at the leanto that we encountered downed trees from ice that slowed progress.

We started lakeside at Piseco.

And passed many interesting ski lines that I'll be back for when I don't have a shack on my back.

The snowpack was deep, a solid 4' in most places. Trail markers and signs were hanging a bit low.

The leanto was pretty buried too. It made for a nice shelter from the wind. We also set up a superlight single walled tent as a bivy inside and the night while cold wasn't unbearable.

We carried the extra weight of the outback oven and the baked goods made it well worth it.

Once the sun went down, it wasn't too bad with the tent in the leanto and a few hot water bottles in the sleeping bag.

Took some excavating to gain access to the outhouse in the morning.

Got in some good turns out the front and back of the leanto.

T Lake

Heading out was mostly downhill, got some turns but not easy with a full winter pack.

The pack showing me who is the boss.

An overview of a great trip.

Snow Ridge Powder Again

2008-03-02T08:43:00.001-05:00

We get so many great powder days on the Tug Hill. I really like this first picture of Kate's.

Perfect conditions to get some air!

A JohnF sighting out in the woods.

TUG BC

2008-02-22T08:37:00.000-05:00

Just another great day of skiing a logged area on the Tug Hill both using lifts and skinning for access.

Great Skiing Again at SR!

2008-02-21T12:14:00.002-05:00

Yet another stellar day at Snow Ridge. Who gets to ski one untracked run after another?? We do!!!

Blue Mtn

2008-02-16T13:49:00.001-05:00

Did a tour up the hiking trail on Blue Mtn. in nice powder conditions. We broke trail but there were many snowshoers on the way up as we descended. The skin up was beautiful.

Once on top, the old observers cabin had some cool hoar frost.

And of course the reason we climbed up ...

BIG POWDER at the Ridge

2008-02-10T13:05:00.003-05:00

The pictures say it all. One of the best powder days from the season!

13th Lake and Peaked Mtn. Pond

2008-02-01T09:27:00.001-05:00

We skied across 13th Lake into the Siamese Ponds Wilderness Area

And up the streambed.

The many stream crossings were frozen, mostly ...

Skied across several beaver towards Peaked Mtn. Pond to check things out.

Had lunch under a big boulder that would make for good climbing.

Finally the skate out.

More Ridge Fun

2008-01-27T09:13:00.000-05:00

Another great day at the Ridge, deep snow all to ourselves.

An exit across the stream gone wrong. Just need to keep up speed to float across....

So close, yet so far ....

Time to scrape the mud and ice off.

Another Pow Day at Snow Ridge

2008-01-26T08:51:00.003-05:00

Conditions on the Tug Hill are incredible right now, Kate and I skied the last two days. Several inches have fallen every day for the last week and the snow is deep. Good to see you today JohnF.

Post Thaw Tug Powder

2008-01-20T10:57:00.002-05:00

18" new in the past few days thanks to good old lake effect (Parish, under an hour away got 42", Oswego County had a no unnecessary travel state police advisory yesterday.) The woods at the Tug Hill are back post thaw! Still some lurking hazards, boulders look covered but just have light fluff on them for a complementary base grind Bottoms of ravines are still a little blown out for safe skiing but no water showing. The Tug has gotten and is predicated to keep getting a few inches each night and will be prime time again next weekend. Meanwhile 18" out in the woods did not suck today. After skiing the Adks Saturday and the Tug today, the BC is back up and running in NY. Got to love lake effect !

Incredible Day on the Slide!

2008-01-19T10:25:00.002-05:00

8"+ of light snow on top over a very stout 2" thick ice layer on top of 2' of crusty snow. Ice layer very slick, almost had to use ice axe and crampons. Kicking steps was difficult. Kate got some good pictures. Blower new snow!!!

Approaching the slide

Difficult climbing conditions but looking good for the down!

Light pow

Another Great Day at the Ridge

2008-01-05T10:01:00.000-05:00

A classic powder day at Snow Ridge. Deep snow and the ravines all to ourselves. It doesn't get any better than this.

With snow this deep, just pick something and jump off it.

New Year's Tug Hill Powder Laps

2008-01-01T12:04:00.000-05:00

Skied 1'+ new and it dumped all day except a brief clearing later in the afternoon. Snowing at 3"+ per hour rate for a while this afternoon. Tracks from earlier in the day filled in quickly.

A day of one untracked lap after another, had choice of lines from start to finish in our favorite woods and ravines. Not a great light day but a great ski day - here are a few pics.

Roger's Mtn Tour Redux

2007-12-31T11:35:00.004-05:00

Followed this long trail for a short ways ...

and then off trail and up.

And down. 6-8" of nice new snow. Alternated between sun and snow squalls all day. Snowing as usual on Rt. 8 on way home. Tonight lake effect and tomorrow another clipper will make for another good day skiing to ring in '08.

Happy New Year !!!

Roger's Mtn. Tour

2007-12-29T11:27:00.002-05:00

S. Adks, 2' of firm base with 4" of crusting glop. Crust got set up more as the day became colder. A little recon ski given tough downhill conditions. Skied a little ways in on the Northville Placid Trail.

Bushwhacked off NPT and up a small rocky mountain to check a new area out that is sure to be revisted. Steep, with many rock ledges and wide open mature oak and maple glades. Will be great for about 800' vert in turns but not today, survival turns just to get down. A fun cruise out on the frozen skin track.

Ledge Mtn. Tour

2007-12-26T09:56:00.001-05:00

After two days of sloth and gluttony we needed to move! Despite naysayers, we were confident that skiable BC conditions could be found as is usually the case. Skiing all conditions in the BC builds skills and makes nearly all snow conditions fun on skis. Ski was in the SW edge of Adk Park. Snowmobile trail made for an easy stroll up the road.

And soon onto an obscure trail to a cliff. Warm -mid 30s. sunny day with gathering clouds.

Easily gained the low ridge looking over the expanse of the SW ADK Park as a pack of coyotes howled in the West Canada River Valley below.

We found 1'-2' of locked up crust, a few streams on steeps were blown out, but the snowpack held nicely. 2" of warming new snow from Xmas eve made the hardpack very skiable, but faaast!

Sometimes threading the needle is the way to go,

but other times throwing on the brakes is the right choice.

Fast cruise out.

Nice sunset *Kate's picture as are most of the good ones.

Tips up!

First Day of Winter on Slide

2007-12-22T13:34:00.003-05:00

We welcomed the first day of winter skiing the slide in powder conditions. Doug home for Xmas joined us. Great skiing!

The climb was difficult with all the new snow but the snowshoers helped beat down a bootpack.

Skiing was fantastic :)

Panther Mtn

2007-12-16T10:44:00.001-05:00

Figured in the wake of the storm, it was about time take the new rides out for a spin...

(Kate is skiing the Dynastar Altirides/01s, and I the BC 100s/01s)

Local haunt that got hammered by the storm and regularly gets big lake effect, within 1 hr of home and one of our favorite climbing crags. Bluebird day, couple feet new, a little wind hammered and drifted but still very soft. This isn't big mtn skiing, but at .9 miles from the car, and 900’ vert with first part being 1/4 mile of low angle touring, there are some decent steeps, fun chutes and drops in between the cliff bands. Plus the trail up is a great ski in itself. Good area to run laps. We added to the explorations of last season (wasn't until Feb. last year!) of the steep and rocky area and found a little saddle between mini peaks with a bunch of rocky chutes.

Skinned and grinned , and booted, wallowing up steep ramps.

to ski down in the light goodness

find waldo ...

slough beating me down ...

Kate rocks at taking pics!

Drop

Faceplant Good thing there was so much snow!

Brief review of the 01s, wow – I knew I was giving up something skiing the HHs in the BC (even moving the pivot points), but never imagined how much less effort! Very comparable performance to HHs pos. 4. The BC100s floated, never plowing snow, breaking trail in nearly 2’ of new snow. Similarly, Kate reported that the Altirides (touring version of the Dyna 4800) had no problem in the deep when she took the lead breaking trail. Two thumbs up on the 01s and the new touring setups.

Classic lake effect clouds on the way into town(6” more predicted tonight) looming over West End Brewery, brewers of Saranac beers (drinking a Season’s Best Nut Brown Lager right now ).

A damn good day on skis !!!

2007-12-15T10:33:00.000-05:00

Skied SR today, 10" fell yesterday. First day of the season. Got out into the woods and the Tug Hill BC wasn't bad - will be fantastic after the storm as will much of the Adks. Looks like the local stomping grounds will get a good dump. Predicting some sleet mixing in here but just north and higher should stay all snow. Kate today - DUCK!

Jay Telefest

2007-12-09T09:38:00.002-05:00

Got some incredible early season powder turns skinning for turns off 242 while the telefest was going on. A great day!

Hiking for Turns

2007-12-02T12:04:00.001-05:00

Another successful day of hiking for early season turns at Mt. Ellen, VT. Found nice powder conditions and was able to skin and ski from and to the car.

Kate enjoying the trip up

Great conditions on the way down. Nice powder and coverage all the way back to the car.

Jay Pass Land of Ice and Snow

2007-11-29T19:24:00.001-05:00

11/24/07 1st BC Turns of the Season!

Cold clear blue day with an ethereal cloud providing a snow globe effect up high. Surreal world of white and ice with a solid 1/8"+ of ice uniformly covering everything plastered with the 6" of superlight that fell when the temperature dropped after the rain/ice storm.

Started skinning from the sparkly pass.

Glazed

Frost Giants in a World Of White.

The BC is opening for business. It was cold but calm, we set a skin track and took a couple of laps. Incredible atmospheric snow on the ridgeline that seemed to appear out of nowhere and significantly colder despite no breeze. A solid 1' of base locked up with a fairly stout crust that was supportable but breakable if not delicate with turns. 6" of light powder on top provided the float. Needed to either slide turns or just hammer and crude bust. There is a moose poaching skintracks up there.

Beautiful day to be out Got out Sunday too at Mt Ellen, windswept, funky crusty icy with pockets of drifted snow. Should have headed back N but wanted to avoid extra 1.5hr drive home. The drainage ditches skied well.

Early Season Powder!

2007-11-19T20:21:00.000-05:00

Skinning for Turns
11/17/07 Mt Ellen, Sugarbush VT

We skied from the car and back to it on 2" of fastgrass to 1'+ up high and drifted along edges. Decent powder turns w/out trimming the turf were had until at least half way down! Many telers, ATers and boarders out skinning and hiking for turns at SB and MRG, but no lack of untracked. The winner of the bunch (one of Kate's, she takes the best photos) even though shutter didn't open all the way in cold and pic had to be cropped.

Kate kickin up some nice powder.

Shadowy November days.

Digital camera video of Katie enjoying the early season conditions.

2007-11-11T19:52:00.001-05:00

1st Day of Ski Season 07-08!!!

11-11-07

Mt Ellen, Sugarbush VT

A little hike to get to snow,

then skinning was possible.

Good to be on the skin track again.

Good natural snow up higher, untracked except for the foot tracks of the snowmaker checking the guns.

Nice frozen base with super light recrystallized powder.

Other places it was mounds of cornflake and scale like hoar frost.

Good turns were had.

A little digi cam video of literally my first turns 07-08.

Better than expected skiing for the 1st day out!

Blurry sasquatch surfing the preseason dust.

Fall Colors

2007-10-15T08:47:00.000-05:00

Sorry, haven't updated the blog in a bit but with a new computer at home and high speed digital cable, regular updates will continue just in time for ski season. A few good fall pictures taken while out climbing.

Flora and Fauna

2007-07-24T11:13:00.000-05:00

Flora and fauna will be a recurring post with pictures of all the plant and animal life we encounter on our journeys. Most of the first batch were taken during climbing trips during July.

Blue Heron on shore of Chapel Pond

Salamanders (red eft) on found on trail early, cool mornings.

Water lily, Middle Settlement Lake

Grouse, Hinkley State Forest

Iris, shore of Chapel Pond

Day lily, Hinkley State Forest

Loon on Middle Settlement Lake

'07 Climbing Journal

2007-07-18T10:13:00.000-05:00

I will post each climb attempted or completed by Kate or myself throughout the season and will bump the post up by changing the date periodically. This section of the blog will become our "tick" list for the season and will hopefully document a progression in our climbing. I will continue to make individual trips that standout beyond just an attempted climb.
7/22/07 Middle Settlement Lake, backpacked in for weekend with climbing gear. Tried previously attempted route without any more success.
7/17/07 Moss Island, lead climbed Chunky Chimbly 5.4, Echo Cliffs, climbed cracks on summit cliff.
7/16/07 Moss Island, worked on Snow White, climbed Cool Headed
7/15/07 Moss Island, worked on Snow White
7/14/07 Moss Island, Kate's first lead climb, Tower Ramp 5.1
7/8/07 Moss Island, worked on Snow White 5.8
7/7/07 King Phillips Spring Wall, lead climb 5.4
7/5/07 King Phillips Spring Wall, top roped steepest part of wall overlooking Northway.
7/4/07 Hiked Monument Falls Slide
7/3/07 Recon Creature Wall, Keene Valley, King Phillips Spring Wall lead climb 5.4
7/2/07 Echo Cliffs, Piseco, did 2 climbs top rope on "grotto" wall.
7/1/07 Climbed Kings Phillips Spring Wall, top rope 5.4

6/30/07 Huckleberry Mtn. Started to lead crack left of Great Dihedral, got run out and Kate scrambled above and dropped me a rope. Followed base of Dihedral up to White Slab and scrambled edge of White Slab to summit. Horrible bushwack back down.

6/23/07 Huckleberry Mtn., Tallywacker (5.4) lead climb, 2 pitches, ran out of time to climb White Slab to top of mountain. 2 pitch rappel back to ground.

View from Huckleberry

At the crux

Kate rapping Tallywacker

6/16/07 Moss Island, Power Tower (5.6), 1st true lead climb on Tower Ramp(easy5thclass)

6/9/07 Moss Island, Appendix (5.5), both Hydraplex var., Playback (5.7), and Woki(5.7+) climbed. I couldn't quite get the reach after the dyno start directly up the overhang. Kate climbed Hydraplex var. exiting on left wall using little ripple to edge up, I climbed directly up the Appendix open book, negotiated overhang onto block and mantled block to finish. A good day of climbing, fun climbs with good challenges.

Appendix(5.5) is in deep in the open book and exiting r. or l. at block, Hydraplex var. climbs either wall, Playback (5.7) starts in the open book and turns the nose before heading up and Woki (5.7+) negotiates overhang directly

Setting up at the top of the Appendix open book

6/7/07 Moss Island, Lets Stand Him On His Head (5.1), both climbed, easy warm up, harder climb completed between LSHOHH and Climbski negotiating three small ledges. Able to leapfrog over second ledge with a cool long reach move.
6/2/07 Moss Island, Sno White (5.8), unfinished, made it a little higher almost completing the traverse from the ledge on Sno White to the ledge where Sister Moonshine and Sno White join.
5/28/07 Moss Island, Sister Moonshine (5.9) and Sno White (5.8), unfinished, Kate came close to making the turn in the corner and the grab onto the block.

5/26/07 Wind Wall, D'Vine Crack (5.7), sport, unfinished - need tricams to protect horizontal cracks on run out traverse.

5/26/07 Moss Island, Cane Crack (5.5), D climbed, "the hardest 5.5 in the world" according to a regular who stopped by, a sandbag, much more difficult than 5.5. The key is to swing out right from the ledge, pull up over the overhang and work the crack to the top. How many 5.5s have an overhang and necessitate a swing move?

5/12/07 Moss Island, Sail Away (5.9), D climbed (2x) without boulder start, Kate close just has to pull through top overhang.

5/4/07 Middle Settlement Lake, unfinished, possible FA if completed

4/22/07 Wind Wall, Recess Time (5.9+) bolted sport climb, unfinished, very sparsely bolted with just two bolts and an old piton from the 60's. Cracks won't take hexes or stoppers. Cams and tricams will make the scary runout doable.

Huckleberry Mountain

2007-06-23T09:46:00.000-05:00

A beautiful cool day that kept the bugs at bay was perfect for exploring the cliffs of Huckleberry Mountain. Great rock and a variety of routes of all levels make this a really appealing destination. The navigation to the cliffs while not hard is enough to keep crowds away. Look forward to climbing at Huckleberry again.

Nice stroll on the approach

The bushwack portion of the approach wasn't too bad either

Racking up

Ready to go

Heading up the first pitch of Tallywacker (5.4), 2 pitches

Onward and upward

Nearing 1st belay/rap ledge

Nice view looking towards SW

Just below the crux on 2nd pitch

The crux

Me rapping the 1st rappel

Kate rapping 2nd rappel (her backpack just visible over the prow)

Kate almost back on ground

Middle Settlement Lake Rock Recon

2007-05-07T09:18:00.000-05:00

Kate and I took a day from spring skiing to do a little recon and climbing at Middle Settlement Lake. I knew that there would be some potential there. Here is what we found.

3.2 mile, relatively flat hike into Middlesettlement Lake

End of the lake, cliffs are right here also

Nearing the end of the lake the large boulders at the base of the cliff come into view. Several large blocks that would make for good bouldering.

Pictures from looker's left to right along cliff. Cliff tapers down just outside left side of picture. The cliff is 20-25' high here. The first small roof is encountered here.

The big roofs on the highest point of the cliff (50'). These would be probably some very hard routes or possibly aid routes.

Looking towards right end of cliff

Far right hand end of the cliff

From ground level there are three overhangs that would be good bouldering problems or make for very difficult starts to climbs.

We tried to climb this on the left end. The crux is right above where I'm standing. Somebody tall (I'm 5'10) could make the stretch to the next ledge for a handhold which would make it significantly easier. Will be back to try to get a FA on this one.

In retrospect we wished we spent some time on this crack. Looks to be easy climbing up to the tree and then an offwidth crack up to the top of the column. We will be back to give it a try.

Another route that looks possible for mere mortals but still wet.

The rock is solid, didn't encounter any chossy, crumbling rock. Routes require little or no preparation. Anything under the roofs is bare rock. Some lichens a few places that need some brushing but otherwise good to go. All routes are protectable top roping. There are many trees for anchors up top but little rock on the cliff edge. Long runners or a static rope would be helpful. Don't expect to be plugging in cams in cracks up top because there aren't any. There are 3-4 routes that I see could go under 5.10 but the rest are some serious climbing with big roofs to negotiate. The cliffs range from 20'-50' high.

Corn Harvesting

2007-05-07T08:58:00.000-05:00

Joined a group of from telemarktips at Jay for some runs on Jet. Met Carbo (Peter), Willow (Jessie), CAJ (Chris), Dr. Liz, Dirk, and Woodi (Jeff) and skied some great corn. A few pictures from the outing.

Manfield shining in the sun from the patrol deck

Me turning

Woodi

Kate and Carter

The Best of Ski Season 06-07

2007-05-01T08:07:00.000-05:00

Ski season has just about come to a close save for a trip or two hiking for turns at closed ski areas. What a season!!! As late as early January, it looked as though the east was going to have one of the worst winters ever but by mid April one incredible storm after another made for the best snowpack in 15 years. Unfortunately, spring has sprung. The ropes and rock gear has already emerged from winter hibernation. Bikes are out and ready to ride. Ice out on rivers and lakes signals canoe season. Before moving on to summer fun, a compilation of the best pictures and skiing from the season. The best pictures are in my opinion taken by Kate. She has a great eye for it.

First days out searching for turns when there really isn't any snow is an annual rite.

Colorado Christmas thru New Years. Saved a life and enjoyed great scenery and powder!

Family ski harmony.

Slide Skiing

The record setting lake effect storm of '07. 149" fell on the Tug Hill over a 10 day period. WOW!!!

February break '07

St. Patrick's Weekend

Easter Week

Already dreaming of next season!!!

Transition Time

2007-04-23T08:01:00.000-05:00

Time to transition between skiing and climbing. February, March and April have been incredible months of skiing but the sun is getting too strong and the snow is melting rapidly.

We tried to get out Thursday night. Unconsolidated mush. The sun is setting on winter.

I tried again to go out on Saturday morning. 60* at 9:00 in the morning near Piseco. There was two feet of base that was completely rotten. There hadn't been a refreeze the night before. I headed home to enjoy the sun and get some yard work done.

We went down to Moss Island on Sunday. The island was jammed with people climbing so we went to the Wind Wall to try some sport routes. We tried a route that was over our heads and we didn't make it far but it was fun to climb again. Katie solved the first problem on the wall and climbed up to that point cleanly on her first try after I had flailed away at it three different times. Nothing leaves every muscles in your body shaking like rock climbing, even telemark skiing all out. Unfortunately, I forgot to get the camera out as Kate climbed so just a few of me. Kate always does an excellent job of photo documentation. The remains of some of the commercial signs painted on this cliff in the early 1900's that were visible from the railroad tracks below can be seen in the section I'm climbing.

First blood of the climbing season

We are not acclimated to 80* heat. Katie's umbrella is her friend in the summer.

We'll see what next weekend brings; snow? sun? skiing? climbing?

Easter Bunny Brings Snow!

2007-04-17T12:06:00.000-05:00

Spring break turned out to be an incredible week of powder skiing. Yet another holiday storm comes through. President's weekend, St. Patty's Day, and now Easter Sunday brought huge snowfalls this year.

We skied a nearby ridgeline with views of Jay

With all the new snow, I got to try out my new BD Verdicts - crazy fun ski!!!

We skied the Easter Sunday storm at Jay. We had the snow and lifts to ourselves. The rest of the week we BC skied a perfect VT spruce/birch glade that we frequent often. I can't believe that it isn't overrun by skiers. We saw 4 others during the course of the week including an ATer, Patrick, who joined us in putting a skin track up to the ridgeline on Monday. The only other signs of life were an out of place robin in a world of white and the tracks from a moose that had been meandering around the area we skied all week.

This is April!?

The skintrack. Better than any ski resort lift.

Kate hiking up the pass back to the car

Random pictures of powder bliss

48 days to date for me and 44 for Kate. With all the new snow last week in the northern mountains of NY, VT, NH and ME, it is going to be a good spring season. Mt. Mansfield's snow stake is recording the deepest snowpack since 1993.

Corn and Mashed Potatoes

2007-04-02T12:49:00.000-05:00

A great weekend of spring corn and mashed potatoes! Saturday we skied this slide

The beautiful sun had Katie smiling. Grinnin' and skinnin'

Grinnin' and bootin'

Just grinnin', the slide goes from top to bottom

Making friends

The stairway to fun

The fun part

On Sunday we explored Sugarbush for the first time. Another great day in the sun!

Here are links to a few poor quality digital camera videos. One of me on Organgrinder http://s112.photobucket.com/albums/n169/dmosny/Ski%2006-07/?action=view&current=P4010177.flv and another of me http://s112.photobucket.com/albums/n169/dmosny/Ski%2006-07/March%2007/?action=view&current=P4010176.flv and one of Katie http://s112.photobucket.com/albums/n169/dmosny/Ski%2006-07/March%2007/?action=view&current=P4020187.flv Again, pretty low quality video and skiing but I'm figuring out how to upload and link videos. Next trick is video editing. 42 days to date for me and 38 for Katie.

Slide Tour Part III

2007-03-26T09:37:00.000-05:00

The third time is a charm with skiable heavy wet glop. First two excursions to the slide found slide for life and high avy conditions. The day started warm (45*) but heavy wet snow was falling by the time we left. The BC has started to lose significant snowpack. That time of the year. Here's to a bumper corn harvest this spring! 40 days so far for me and 35 for Katie.

Panther Sunset Tour

2007-03-21T10:39:00.000-05:00

Headed up to Panther Mtn. after work on 3/20 for a quick solo foray for some turns. Skinned up breaking trail in a breakable crust racing the sunset to the top of the mountain. Got to the top in time to watch the sunset and then headed down in the twilight. Scary fast and breakable near the top but down lower nice silky turns as long as speed was kept up and edges not set too hard. Made it back to the truck just as it was getting headlamp dark. A fun evening.

St. Patricks Day Jay Powfest

2007-03-19T09:37:00.000-05:00

On Friday, March 16th a Noreaster was brewing, time to head for Jay. Saturday morning brought deep snow, relatively warm temps, no wind and no crowds. The only people around were hordes of telemarkers and the crew from Backcountry Magazine conducting ski tests. An unreal day and we got to ski with Lincoln and hang at the party van. Sunday we BC skied off the Catamount trail, met a surfer/ATer Nathaniel, who help share trail breaking duties setting the skin track in deep snow. It just kept snowing harder and harder all weekend. Nothing but fresh tracks even in bounds at the resort.

A couple few images are burned into my skiing memory from the weekend.

- First run off the tram Saturday morning, pillow dropping one wind sculpted drift after another while skimming over pine scrub on the summit ridge.

- Last run off the tram Saturday dropping skier's left of Green Beret off the summit ridge, hitting the pow field perfectly below the face chutes and then skiing fall line woods, popping through one rabbit hole after another into untracked lines, only crossing ski runs to reenter the woods, all the way down to Stateside Lodge.

- Following Linc from the top of the Quad down through steep woods. Soon after Linc told a couple of snowboarders who were sitting/slideslipping through a chute in the woods to "sh*t or get off the pot because we're coming through" we found an uninterrupted high speed, tight line through the woods that was just incredible. I managed to emerge unscathed after taking a high speed beater in close quarters.

- Skiing the drop to 242 with Kate and Nathaniel in bottomless superlight on Sunday. Steep, deep overhead powder. Faceshots galore. Snorkel weather - lots of blower powder inhaled.

Skiing in the east or anywhere for that matter just doesn't get any better. 38 days so far for me and 34 for Kate.

Gore with the Girls

2007-03-12T13:49:00.000-05:00

Spent the day, 3/11, lift skiing at Gore with the neices. Tough conditions for most of the day but a good time! Me 35 days and Kate 31 days so far this season.

Slide Tour

2007-03-12T13:42:00.000-05:00

Headed out 3/9 for a tour of a local slide. Unfortunately after digging a pit, no go, avy danger too high. Got some turns in the woods.

Jay, VT Pow!

2007-03-05T14:30:00.000-05:00

Jay Peak and the Jay cloud comes through again! Friday 3/2 brought another snow day from school with ice, freezing rain and rain hitting upstate NY, destroying the great conditions. Headed north in search of all snow and made the drive up the sometime sketchy Northway to Jay. Saturday we were one of the first in line for the Jet lift and got first tracks down Derricks with 6" of powder. The rest of the day was spent lift assisted lapping of the OB diving down towards 242 from the Stateside area. Sunday brought truly insane conditions. It was nuking at the Pass with nearly a foot on the ground when we got there in the morning. We skinned up to one of the most beautiful birch glades around, set a skin track, and did laps as far down as the Catamount Trail. The morning tracks were filled in by afternoon. On our last run we ran into chadh who came out of nowhere and skied right up to us. We followed him down through perfect trees to the steep drop to 242 where I left Kate and the gear for the walk up the pass. Luckily, I was picked up right away. The last two pictures are from Sunday. It was snowing too hard to bother with a camera. The powder streak is alive! Nothing but untracked powder runs in February and the same goes for March so far. Kate is up to 28 days and me 32. At least half BC days and more than half are deep powder days. Whoever says the east doesn't have good conditions doesn't really ski the east.

President's Week

2007-02-27T09:11:00.000-05:00

Following the Valentines Day Noreaster and 3 days of shoveling, we turned our attention back to skiing. The Central Adirondacks scored a direct hit with the storm and we looked forward to getting into some new and old favorite BC areas. We opted to stay off slides with all the recent deep snow, high winds and wind loading coupled with observations of whumping, settling and shooting cracks. It turned out that two favorite rock climbing areas are excellent for BC skiing. Great terrain, good skinning and seclusion are all positives. I doubt that these areas have been skied before, not on the BC skiing scene radar at all. 16 days of skiing in the month of February, all powder days and every run fresh tracks. This brings the total to 28 days for me and 26 for Kate for the season so far.

Valentines Day Storm

2007-02-27T09:03:00.000-05:00

Valentines Day brought a major Noreaster which dumped 37" at home in 3 days. 3 straight days of shoveling. The roof even needed to be shoveled twice. This is the deepest conditions we have had in years. Looks like a good old fashioned winter from the early 70's when I was growing up.

Lake Effect Epic Continued (2/10-2/11) ...

2007-02-27T08:53:00.000-05:00

The lake effect machine just kept producing record breaking snowfalls. Our friend Taiga came down from Ottawa on Saturday and we showed him around the deepness. We haven't skied anything but untracked powder runs for many days.

Tug Hill Lake Effect Epic!

2007-02-27T08:29:00.000-05:00

It started snowing on January 31st and didn't stop until February 12th up on the Tug Hill Plateau. Redfield, NY received 149" in that time period! Our favorite haunt at Snow Ridge received close to 90". The skiing has been fantastic. One day of untracked deep light powder after another. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

East Goes West

2007-01-03T11:07:00.000-05:00

Kate and I had an exciting Christmas break flying to Colorado for skiing. The first day out 12/26/06 skiing at Loveland, we saved a person who Kate noticed unconcious in the trees. The rest of the week we enjoyed skiing Loveland, Cooper and the Tennessee Pass backcountry. A trip that will never be forgotten! 12 days out to date for me and 10 for Kate.

Ski Season Arrives!

2006-12-11T11:01:00.000-05:00

Kate and I spent Friday 12/8 at Gore and Saturday 12/9 and Sunday 12/10 at the NE telefest at Jay Peak. Got in a DP early Sunday morning before lifts opened. Typical early season conditions to be found. Kate's knee is back and she really know how to carve the turn. A big progression over the course of three days! Current season tally is 5 days on snow for Kate and 7 for me.

Thanksgiving Weekend

2006-11-27T10:27:00.000-05:00

Got some turns in hiking at Jay, went to Smuggler's and just hiked around with skis since the one run was scary icy. We also did some bouldering and recon of sport routes on the Wind Wall. The highlight besides Kate skiing some tough conditions on only her second day out since ACL surgery was the sunsets over the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain.

First Turns of Season

2006-11-14T14:22:00.000-05:00

On Saturday 11/4, I headed to Jay Peak, VT to get some turns. Snow guns were roaring on Stateside and some natural covering made for decent skiing. I hiked then skinned Hot Shot to the top of Stateside, took a quick lap, skinned back up, skied down Montrealer for skin up Vermonter to summit. Vermonter was skiable all the way back down to Montrealer for the skin back up and descent down Jet that had been buried deep with snowmaking. On Friday 11/10 we headed back to Jet for Kate's first skin and turns of the season on her reconstructed ACL. She didn't forget how to ski!

First Snow

2006-11-06T14:51:00.000-05:00

Sunday October 29th brought the first snow to the area. Old Forge got dumped on by nearly 2' of heavy wet snow that brought down trees and powerlines. Unable to get to McCauley for turns so skinned up the old ski area behind the high school instead.

Bouldering Moss Island

2006-10-27T09:58:00.000-05:00

Bouldering in the potholes of Moss Island. The incredible power of water is evidenced by the holes bored into the rock.

Columbus Weekend

2006-10-25T12:19:00.000-05:00

A great weekend in the mountains. The air was crisp and clean and made for taking pictures. To get started on this blog here are some favorites.