12.30.11 Back to the Opening Day... Mad River Glen, VT

Getting an opportunity to ski anywhere on Opening Day is a treat, but getting another in this 2011 will set the bar pretty high for future ski seasons. Mad River Glen was awesome yesterday!


(looking up towards towards Vixen and Quacky)

Although poachers and earlier risers had cut some rugs and gotten their dance on before I got there, the skiing showed off what Mad River is about: A great community of sick skiers on awesome terrain featuring 100 percent natural snow.  Lots of familiar faces were there, and everyone was smiling big time. If you've never been, MRG is kind of a cult. Many of the pass holders hadn't skied at all this year because they don't see the point of skiing elsewhere. That's not exactly my attitude, but I've consumed plenty of the kool-aid and I'm pretty addicted to the place, too.


(obvious pow right under the double)

The GF was in tow again, and trying hard to rip it up on the foot plus of ungroomed that was just littering the windy slopes of General Starks Mountain. Antelope had seen a groomer, so we stayed up there mostly, picking off empty single chairs from the Midstation. Although the view from the top was pretty socked in with the persistent snow shower, seeing snow ghosts made of the arboreal forest for the first time this year was pretty cool.


(The single on is a great sight. An empty single means time for another run!!!)

I also managed to sneak off for a few runs. Lynx closed after an hour which was sad, but I managed to get to Canyon, and Fall Line. Canyon is probably my favorite trail on the mountain. Paradise can have all the glory in the ski mags, on a powder day I just want to crank out long turns on Canyon and see the valley open up underneath me. It gets great light, too. Because most of the trails at Mad River are narrow or in the trees, stepping out onto Canyon is like wandering into the giant piazza by Saint Peters after bumping into people in crowded Rome all day. Basically, it's awe inspiring and makes you want to burn skis and make other sacrifices for Ullr.


(pow in the afternoon)

One of my other faves, Fall Line, I managed to get to just in time because cover was getting thin. I stayed on the trail because I can't condone skiing the woods until they're in, but bouncing around Mad River is always interesting because they take the woods so seriously. Every year, there are new zones getting thinned and others set aside for reclamation to preserve the mountain for future generations. Here's one that will now take out a mini chute off of Fall Line:


(There's more about this up at Treeskier.org)

Even though conditions were thin, the snow was soft and skis are meant to be skied. They can be repaired pretty easily ultimately, not like a german car with an electrical problem. (something I'm also getting familiar with right now after cruising the Audi Forums all day)


(stuff starting to poke up through Catamount, but the pole marks a waterbar)

All in all, Day number one was a great success at MRG. The bar is now serving up two of Lawson's local brews, so there's no reason not to check out the shrine above the bar to the places the iconic stickers have appeared:





My new years resolution probably has to include to use up those remaining five days on my Mad Cards on more pow days!

Happy New Years and many turns for 2012!

A few more images:


(Looking over to the App Gap and double from Chute)


Snow Ghosts!!! (it's about time)


GF on Antelope

where did all that snow come from?  don't have any where near that much in the Daks.  I'm having some serious snow envy

looks great

That's that VT upslope.

Wrap up by Jspin with VT totals:

http://jandeproductions.com/2011/12/29/another-storm-for-the-holiday-week-another-foot-of-snow-for-the-northern-mountains/

Nice TR ML.  Really nice to see natural snow.

jeez

this has me thinking i need to move from the Daks to the People's Democratic Republic of Vermont