Gore Mtn, NY: 1/8/11

Ski Day 11: Gore reported 11 inches from the "super clipper." I estimated 10 at the base and 14 at the summit.



We arrived around 7:30. It was exciting to see plows, snow on the tables and ski racks. Gondi went green at 8:05.



Reports from yesterday indicated that the lower mountain had the best surfaces and we went with it. We skied Bear Mountain early and both Uncas and Topridge were in amazing shape.



I was hoping that Sunway would have a swath groomed down the center, and big wide lanes on the sides with all 10 inches on top. No such luck, and very tight side skiing was required to get at the fresh snow....


Zelda

Pete Gay was ignored by skiers, and had wide lanes of fresh snow on both sides.  We lapped it three times, in the company of Paul and Natalie...


Paul Moore

Pine Knot had tons of cutup down the left side and we got there late - about 10:30...



Snowmaking was going on in some key spots... Hawkeye and Topridge included. In the morning, Topridge was an interesting combo of manmade on skiers right, natural on the left and a transitional zone in between. Big bumps developed across much of the mountain, regardless of snowmaking.


Linc

Up top, Lies, Hullabaloo and Lower Darby had some great light snow, but the headwalls were tough.  With so much deluxe skiing across all parts of Bear, we spent most of the day there.


Rochester Mark

Great conditions and ski partners were everywhere. Zelda, Rochester Mark, PDQ, Pammy, Eric, Kirby and Martha, Paul and Natatie, and MC2.

Amazing what ten inches of snow can do for a mountain, and a ski town.  

Didn't hurt that I got my birthday wish.

(Hell I wish for snow everyday, why should my birthday be different?)

Topped it off with an amazing, delicious, custom cake from Sarah's Cafe.

Note that it was I who insisted on the full compliment of 52 candles, Sarah has much more sense than that...

Best day of the year for me.

OMG Everyone headed up top early and Top Ridge and Uncas were the rock stars all day.  The MM part of Topridge was tough but the natural was incredible(extreme skiers left) but Uncas was great from early morning right until the last of the day. Topridge had great bumps by the end of the day but my legs couldn't take it anymore.  I agree a great day on the mountain...can't wait until tomorrow

Great TR and awesome pics

Man working saturdays sucks.

nice TR Harv, it finally came!

It was great skiing with you on your birthday Harvey!

On Saturday there seemed to be a rush to get to the top.  We kept lapping Showcase and Twister.  In the morning the crowds were minimal and the skiing was great.  We were in the 3rd or 4th gondola and that first run was amazing. We got up to Lies but felt it was skied off by 9.  Then we went back down and kept skiing the triple.  It is as good a day as I have ever had at Gore.

A great day of skiing! My pick of the day was Topridge. A great line no matter where you hit it. So glad I finally caught up to you Harv and it was even better that I got to ski with you on your birthday. A great way to spend the day!  

Happy Birthday Harv!  Surprised that I didn't run into at all this weekend.  I had a couple of mid level intermediates with me so we stayed mostly on the front side of the mountain both days.  Everything skied well.  You know how much I like powder.  I couldn't get enough laps in on Showcase.  Couldn't believe how much more crowded it was on Sunday.  We rode the shuttle up from North Creek on Sunday morning which was great.  It allowed the prego wife to keep the car and drive up with our daughter for her 12pm lesson.  We also took the shuttle back into NC on Saturday after we got off the mountain.  The only thing I don't like is that the last shuttle is at 4:30.  I wish they ran it for another hour or two so that you could grab a beer or three in the Tannery and listen to some music after you get off the mountain.

My 2 1/2 year old had her second and third lessons this weekend and is loving it.  SUPER big props to the ski school crew - especially Erin O who has been working with Ashley.  She had Ashley on the j-bar and the carpet ride.  She was "ripping" turns by the end of her lesson on Sunday.  Now she just needs to work on stopping:)  I also took a "group" lesson this weekend which I should have done 5 years ago.  Even as an advanced intermediate boarder I learned an amazing amount in my lesson.  I now have a much better feel for what my board and my body are doing and how to make the board work better for me.  My turns improved 100% afterwards.  Special thanks to Matt C for a great lesson on Sunday.  I know I am going to have a much more fun trip to Utah with my newfound knowledge.  Matt may have actually talked me into becoming an instructor next year too.

If you didn't know a group lesson at Gore is $35 if you have a lift ticket.  I always thought it was more for some reason.  Best money I have spent in a while.  You are never too good for a lesson.

BTW if you didn't know the old Casey's North reopened last Wednesday as Basil and Wicks.  We stopped in on our way out on Sunday and the place looks great.  They moved the bar from the center where it used to be into the room with the fake woodstove.  I think it makes sense the way they have it set up.  They had a guy playing acoustic guitar in the main dining room and they were pretty packed by the time we left.  The dinner menu looks good and fairly reasonable price wise.  Beers were well priced ($3.25 for a yeungling draft).  The only thing I didn't like is that you have to order off of the bar menu before 5pm.  The bar menu only has about 8 items on it which is a bit limiting.  Not sure why they wouldn't either have a more extensive lunch/bar menu or open up the full menu all day.  Seems a bit silly.  Hopefully they will adapt.  

I can see why you folks love Gore Mountain. That video really shows off the aesthetic nature of the runs. Beautiful lines through the trees. It didn't hurt that the Allman Brothers provided the soundtrack either. If I ever visit Gore, I will be skiing with "Memories of Elizabeth Read" running through my head. I especially liked the "tree thwacking" segments.

Now that I've said all these nice things, I'm sorry but someone has to tell The Mysterious Skier in Red that he has got to get some new pants. The "tucked in to the top of the boot look" went out about the same time that Dexter Rutecki left Brighton Mountain.

Here's another "Still Video" I made with the continuous shutter images I took at Gore on 1/8/11:


Linc on Topridge