Gore: 2/11/17

Former forum member Glade Runner told me he was skiing in the dacks this weekend on his way back from Vermont.  It was between Gore and Whiteface, but he decided on Gore for the better tree skiing.  He rarely skis on weekends, so I took up this chance to ski with him again.  Given his knowledge of the glades at Gore, I knew I'd get to ski a lot of terrain I hadn't been on before.  I also met Cornhead this day.

Knowing it was going to be a busy day, I got there at about 7:45 and booted up in the car.  Gondola and AE2 opened about 15 minutes early, so I took a warmup run on Showcase while waiting for my skiing partners to arrive.  Everyone must've taken Sunway or the summit must've been open, because I had the lift and entire run to myself.


As I got to the bottom, I saw Glade and Cornhead coming out of the Northwoods Lodge having just gotten their tickets.  We decided to take the gondola and go straight to the summit.  We took Chatiemac for our first run.


Then Lies


We saw Rumor had been resurfaced overnight, but Patrol hadn't opened it yet, so we bailed back to Hawkeye rather than wait.  On the next lap, it was open, and this is the first time I've skied it from the top.  Man that thing is steep.


Action shots of me on Rumor, taken by Glade.




Glade showed us MacIntyre next, from an off map cut.  He led the way and this is his photo.  Dust on crust in there, but was fun to ski it.


Me, taking a jump on the MacIntyre exit.


We took a couple runs on the Dark Side next, but they were all icy, so we took Wood Out to the North Quad to try that out.  After a failed attempt to get into Tahawus Glades, which were closed, we took Powder Pass to North Star.  That was a fun natural trail.  Neither of us got any pics of it.  After that it was down to the base on Twister for lunch.  After lunch, it was back up the AE2, and we ripped Twister down to Cedars to Burnt Ridge.


I noticed Boreas was open on the ride up, and Glade wanted to get in there right away.  Cornhead is in this pic.


Cornhead and I in Boreas, taken by Glade


Glade skiing Boreas




A full run on Sagamore after that


And then to the Ski Bowl.  Glade and Cornhead poached Barkeater, which later opened.  I took the slog around Pipeline because I'm a passholder and have more to lose if I get caught poaching.


Glade accidently took a wrong turn and ended up back at Burnt Ridge, so Cornhead and I took a lap on 46er while we waited for Glade to come through Barkeater again.  That's such an awesome trail, with great views of the town.  It makes the Ski Bowl so much more useful when open.  Hudson was also open, but we didn't ski it.


Once Glade came, we took Ski Bowl Glades, photo creds to Glade.


Action shots of me in the Ski Bowl Glades.




Cornhead had to go back to the main mountain to meet someone else, while Glade and I took another run on 46er, and he took this action shot of me.


Glade wanted to check out his favorite Gore trail/glade High Pines, so back up Burnt Ridge, and through the North Side and Dark Side to get there.  On our way over, he hucked off this rock on Tannery.


High Pines


Me skiing High Pines, taken by Glade.






Glade skiing High Pines, taken by me.




We were going to take a second lap, but the lift entrance to Topridge and Uncas were closed, so we took Snoopy's on our way down to the base.  In very bad icy condition, and I regretted going in.  Not one of the day's finer moments for me.


After that, we went down the rest of the way, and skied Wild Air.  Then we took one last run in Chatterbox, although it wasn't photographed.  This was really the first time I did a lot of tree skiing on a given day.  I'm so glad I got to experience it with someone who knows the Gore woods inside and out.  I will ski with Glade on days when the trees are in play any chance I get.

Nice report, looks like you had a great day.  Me and the girls were likely 2 or 3 chairs behind you on the AE I I at open, we were 4th on line before theyou ran the lift.  Was that you at the very front?

Petronio

No it wasn't.  I got on after the people waiting for it to open did.  I absolutely bombed Showcase that run because I didn't want to keep Glade waiting.  Was the first regular customer to get back down.  I love that last drop on Showcase.  It feels kind of like a roller coaster when you ski it.

Then you must have passed us on the trail since we did Showcase first as well.

I probably did.  Met Glade and Cornhead and went up the gondola shortly after getting back down.

Moxaham was so good early in the morning, about 4 inches of POW on a very good groomed surface, JJ's glade, 46er, Boreas, and Chaterbox and the new terrain park glade were all good.

Nice report. You have to love those "crowded" Gore trails.