Gore Conditions (2012-2013)

Indeed - there was plent of untracked on Sat and the inch or so we got that night made Sunday great as well. It was a glorious weekend at Gore. Hopefully more this week so we set up form another great weekend.

Yes BC, today was one of those days

how the glades get groomed

Was up at the mountain yesterday for a rare midweek non-holiday day. I thought the mountain was fairly busy for weekday the main lot was full and there were 2 bus groups. Lots of folks speaking French so i guess it may be some holiday in Quebec. i think there was also a PSIA clinic going on.  

It was a nice day cloudy with temperatures in the 20's and with most of the mountain open the slopes were pretty empty. Conditions continue to be excellent especially the upper mountain glades. One strange item was that Echo was closed from mid-morning on supposedly for race training, but from the base and from Twister I never saw anyone on it. Interestingly there was a sign at the gondola base saying that Burnt Ridge was open I'm not sure if they were running the snow cat again to get back because the North chair was not running so you could not even go down Tahawas glade. Also Chatterbox glade was closed which was surprising because when i skied it Sunday afternoon it was in great shape and I can't imagine it got much traffic Monday or Tuesday.

i also skied today. the place was empty. never more than 5 people in gondola line. no line high peaks chair. snow was soft. skied chatterbox about 1 pm. much different from last weekend. hard-packed and scapey. i actually bailed at old terminus as it became very icy and cover became quite thin with lots of natural hazards appearing. lower chatterbox will be closed after this weekend temps. nice bumps on lower darby. the woods are getting scratchy. looks like spring skiing ahead.

Spring skiing at its best!
Lies corned up nicely in the AM, Rumor was soft spring bumps, the upper mountain glades were sweet. There was some mashed potatoes in the lower terrain in the lower terrain in the mid afternoon, but at the end of the day it was back to corn. What a nice day.

What a great weekend of skiing!  Everything was great

i concur. tremendous conditions all weekend. sunday's cloud cover made skiing better as it prevented slush. glades still skiing well. no crowds.

  We had a great time at Gore this past weekend.  It way over exceeded our high expectations. Hope to get back in 2 weeks if weather  cooperates.

Gunny J wrote

We had a great time at Gore this past weekend.  It way over exceeded our high expectations. Hope to get back in 2 weeks if weather cooperates.

Gunny... first time at Gore?

I'm curious about what you expected and what surprised you.

 First time Harv , expected the moutain to be vast and big but the trail map doesn't do it justice.  The different types of terrain offered ,was impressive. We started early just cruising and the grooming was great. As we moved up and around the mountain  the vast explorable acreas of trees , lift lines , short chutes, all over the place, had us in awe . In the six hrs we were skiing ,didn't even make it Burnt ridge or even touch the surface of what was skiable. Haven't been to the Dacks in years, reminded us a little of Northern California. We loved it , just wish it was as close as the Cats and not 245 miles away.

Gunny J wrote

First time Harv , expected the moutain to be vast and big but the trail map doesn't do it justice.  The different types of terrain offered ,was impressive. We started early just cruising and the grooming was great. As we moved up and around the mountain  the vast explorable acreas of trees , lift lines , short chutes, all over the place, had us in awe . In the six hrs we were skiing ,didn't even make it Burnt ridge or even touch the surface of what was skiable. Haven't been to the Dacks in years, reminded us a little of Northern California. We loved it , just wish it was as close as the Cats and not 245 miles away.

Glad you had a great time. It takes several days and good snow to explore all Gore has to offer. Having a guide also helps, there are stashes tucked here and there that you can easily miss. There are some places that without a good guide you can get very lost.

Come back soon - we'll keep the light on for ya.

Gunny J wrote

First time Harv , expected the moutain to be vast and big but the trail map doesn't do it justice.  The different types of terrain offered ,was impressive. We started early just cruising and the grooming was great. As we moved up and around the mountain  the vast explorable acreas of trees , lift lines , short chutes, all over the place, had us in awe . In the six hrs we were skiing ,didn't even make it Burnt ridge or even touch the surface of what was skiable. Haven't been to the Dacks in years, reminded us a little of Northern California. We loved it , just wish it was as close as the Cats and not 245 miles away.

Gunny this makes me smile.  I'm a Gore homer for sure, and to see you and you'rn appreciate the mountain... well it makes me feel good.

DackerDan wrote

Gunny J wrote

First time Harv , expected the moutain to be vast and big but the trail map doesn't do it justice.  The different types of terrain offered ,was impressive. We started early just cruising and the grooming was great. As we moved up and around the mountain  the vast explorable acreas of trees , lift lines , short chutes, all over the place, had us in awe . In the six hrs we were skiing ,didn't even make it Burnt ridge or even touch the surface of what was skiable. Haven't been to the Dacks in years, reminded us a little of Northern California. We loved it , just wish it was as close as the Cats and not 245 miles away.

Glad you had a great time. It takes several days and good snow to explore all Gore has to offer. Having a guide also helps, there are stashes tucked here and there that you can easily miss. There are some places that without a good guide you can get very lost.

Come back soon - we'll keep the light on for ya.

+1

I am by no means fully knowledgable on the nooks and crannies of Gore but I have been lucky enough to get a guide for my cloudsplitter group a few years ago for the woods and it totally makes a big difference to ski Gore with a local in the know.  I now feel I know how to get around better and enjoy the trees more.

How are the woods holding up? I'm thinking of bringing my son down on the 23rd since his Nysef season ends this weekend.

Coach Z wrote

How are the woods holding up? I'm thinking of bringing my son down on the 23rd since his Nysef season ends this weekend.

A lot can happen between now and the 23rd. This weekend the glades were ok in the afternoon when things softened. As you may recall many of the glades at Gore will have a choke point, Like the exit of chatterbox, cave or mineshaft, they can get very thin to bare. Last weekend I found that you had to ski the glades with much caution making sure you maintained a path where you were not going to touch bottom, rock skis will allow for more freedom. We will need more snow to keep a good variety of glades open that long. However Darby woods with it's hidden entrance and north face holds up very well and well after all the others are chewed to bits. I will be at Gore for the next two weekends - my daughter's NYSEF training ends on the 24th.

Z, as Dan stated it's hard to predict 2 weeks out, but I found the glades to be excellent - way better than just "ok" - this past weekend (Saturday).  Plenty of base, just a few thin spots in the usual places that Dan mentions, IMO no more than the usual amount of caution whenever skiing in the trees.  On Sat, the north-facing glades / trees stayed in very nice packed powder conditions (from Thurs night's snow) all day.  Darkside Glades, Darby Woods and a few others  with northern exposure were stellar.  Others, like Straightbrook Glade and Chatterbox softened up nicely early in the day.  If the trees are skiing anything near as nice as Sat when you're up on the 23rd, you're in for a treat.  Give me a shout, my 9-yr-old and I will show you and your 9-yr-old some off-the-beaten-path trees that you'll enjoy!  Pics are all from Saturday:

Chatterbox:


Off-the-beaten-path:


Undisclosed:


Darkside Glade:

Adk Jeff wrote

I found the glades to be excellent - way better than just "ok" - this past weekend (Saturday).  Plenty of base, just a few thin spots in the usual places that Dan mentions, IMO no more than the usual amount of caution whenever skiing in the trees.  On Sat, the north-facing glades / trees stayed in very nice packed powder conditions (from Thurs night's snow) all day.  Darkside Glades, Darby Woods and a few others  with northern exposure were stellar.  Others, like Straightbrook Glade and Chatterbox softened up nicely early in the day.  If the trees are skiing anything near as nice as Sat when you're up on the 23rd, you're in for a treat.  Give me a shout, my 9-yr-old and I will show you and your 9-yr-old some off-the-beaten-path trees that you'll enjoy!  

I see you subscribe to Harv's rating system

I would have used those terms for Sat the 2nd where finding boot top untracked and light powder was rather easy even in the more frequently visited glades. There is little room for a winter powder day if you apply "excellent" and "stellar" to "packed powder".

I am with ADK Jeff...I thought the trees were incredible.  The Darkside was great but did anyone ski the Chati Glades?  So much snow and very few people.  With tree skiing on any day, with the exception of the deep powder days, you have to ski with your eyes open and have the ability to avoid objects(snow snakes) at a moments notice.  IMO the snowpack in the woods, in those favorable aspects, had some of the best snow of the year (again with the exception of those powder days...sorry, daize)

I hope there is some left for this coming Sunday as I am in the flatlands until then (my allstars will go over anything)

sudsnbumps wrote

I am with ADK Jeff...I thought the trees were incredible.  The Darkside was great but did anyone ski the Chati Glades?  So much snow and very few people.  With tree skiing on any day, with the exception of the deep powder days, you have to ski with your eyes open and have the ability to avoid objects(snow snakes) at a moments notice.  IMO the snowpack in the woods, in those favorable aspects, had some of the best snow of the year (again with the exception of those powder days...sorry, daize)

I hope there is some left for this coming Sunday as I am in the flatlands until then (my allstars will go over anything)

I had some beginner/intermediate friends up for the weekend so didn't get into the trees up top.  We did kill kare on Saturday and it was pretty bony at the steep pitch.  Twister glade on Friday afternoon was still good with a few avoidable bare spots.  Cirque was open on Saturday afternoon and my 4 1/2 year old insisted on going in.  Highlight of the weekend was following her through there (with a few uphill tows).  She was tired by the end but up to the task.  We passed a group of snowboarders about halfway through and never saw them again.  Lots of cover in there except for a few high traffic spots.  Hope we get to see it again this year.  Next run she dusted mom and dad in Tahawus glade.  Lots of snow in there too.  Girl loves the trees.  Hit the ski bowl on Sunday afternoon.  All the glades were closed and the snow was soft and super slow.  Good cover but man it was slow.

Gunny - glad you had good conditions for your first time on the hill.  I'm a homer too I suppose.  Its an awesome place and when it is close to 100% open it really is pretty big.  I had a first timer who is an advanced skier up with me a few weeks ago and he couldn't believe how much tree skiing there is.  He has skied VT his entire life and couldn't understand why he hadn't ever heard of the place:)

Anyone ski today?  Looked like they only had 30 something trails open.  Wondering how bad they got hit.

fast and firm,groomers were ok,un groomed not soo good,,snowed most of the morning,mayb an inch,but the wind was a blowing so it didnt stay on the trails,and it was pretty cold.theres still alot of snow around just gotta warm up a bit.all in all a good day.