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Hunter 01/02/12

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Cornhead

Hunter 01/02/12

Hey PDQ, thanks for the heads up on Hunter treating today as non-holiday. Figured I'd pass on Greek's meager offerings and go for a drive. I didn't decide to go till after I read your GP TR, about 9 AM. I get there, there was a guy hawking the Hunter Big Lift Card in the que. I told him I didn't need one, that I get a discount from Greek. He starts asking me about all the trails at Greek that aren't open yet, by name, guess he knows the place. I get to the window, inform them of my discount, the girl says it's not valid today. I look back and call the guy over that I just spoke to. He leads me over to customer service, and takes care of me, thanks.

So on my first run I stop and ask this guy if anything on the west is open. I proceed to tell him I got a half price lift ticket. He asks me where my home hill is, I tell him Greek. He asks if I know a Sharon from Ithaca, I said, "Does she post on Harvey Road?". Yep, I told him you were there today, I can't remember his name, he was tall and thin wearing an orange jacket. Did he find you?

A few runs later, I run into a guy from Albany I met at Jay last Spring. He was just standing in the trail taking a break, I look at him, "Hey, don't I know you?" Made quite a few runs with him.

Oh, TR, conditions were O.K., man made granular, pretty icy and slick underneath all over the hill. Kudos to Hunter for having as much open as they do considering what a crappy early season it's been. I heard it was quite firm first thing, I bet. Well worth twenty nine bones. I skied from 11:00 till 3:30. Zooy, not quite as zooy as opening day, more terrain to spread the nuts out. The new six pack really gobbles up the line, that and single lines, kept me from waiting much at all. The triple was never a wait, the new/old quad at the west was ski on too. That'll be a sweet pod later in the year.

It's funny, I got a little queasy looking down at the ground from the six pack it was moving so fast. I look down at the ground on 1A at Greek and think, "I'm pretty sure I could walk up the hill this fast."

Hoping Greek gets close to a foot of LES tonight and tomorrow. About friggin time! I've had my fill of man made granular atop ice. I do think Greek skied really nice this weekend though, just not enough terrain.

Big D

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

Hey Cornhead:

Are you going to go to Elk Mountain on this Fri. 1/6/12 for the Winterfest day with free Demos? You get a $25.00 lift ticket voucher from Cliff House ski shop in Vestal... I am thinking about going... would like to Demo some wider all-mountain skis like - Dynastar Legend 94, Line Prophet 98, Volkl RTM 84, etc.

Cornhead

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

I wanted to go, but it doesn't look like I'm going to make it. I'm interested in some new skis too. I'm leaning towards the Volkl RTM 84's, but would like to demo various skis. It's a lot of cash to drop on something you haven't skied. I'll probably try to make the second Winterfest day later in the season. With the lack of snow, don't know how much of a deal $25 is anyway. I don't think that one is a demo day, might have to find another, Greek maybe?

Powderqueen

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

This post was updated on .

In reply to this post by Cornhead

Completely bored with our local WROD, 4 of us decided we needed variety. Hunter is giving Greek Peak passholder half-priced lift tix on weekdays, so we figured we'd go for a day trip and check it out.

Since the temps were turning colder, I was hopeful to be skiing the fine talcum that comes from the snow guns. We also figured the holiday crowds would be gone and it would be uncrowded.

It was another story.

Maybe I'm not used to such crowds, but it was very uncomfortable to be skiing with so many people so close together on very icy conditions. Most of whom were teenagers on snowboards. There were snowboarders sitting everywhere, even right where you get off the lift! Two of us shared a lift with a snowboarder. His buddies were at the top, strewn about right on the lift ramp! As we get off the lift our passenger suddenly makes a turn and chokes the 2 of us off because he had to say hi to his pals.

On another lift ride, another snowboarder passenger says "I have no edges". So we decide to steer clear of him, yet he seemed to be present at every juncture in his yellow pants and orange jacket...he could not be missed.

Conditions were horrid. Refrozen glacier. Loud skiing. My friend Nathan, the guy you met, whom I never saw that day called conditions "uninspiring"...which was spot on.

But the 4 of us laughed a lot, marveled at the crowds and the horrible conditions. Somehow we managed to have a good time, skiing from 10 until 3.

Thankfully it started snowing yesterday and has been snowing ever since. There will be better skiing this week in NY.

Anyone know what those giant fences are on West? It's the trail you look at from the quad...really nice pitch...pretty wide...kinda like Double Dipper at Kmart. But curiously there were these 20-30' wide/high fences, fastened with I-beams placed at random locations.

This is not a good year for me. Knee issues, lack of snow, snowboarder hoards, and a trip planned to snowless Tahoe. Oh well. I realized yesterday it is really about getting out there anyway, no matter the conditions and laughing it off with friends.

Chris

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

This post was updated on .

Queen- When are you heading to Tahoe?

We get there Jan 17th till the 25th. At the time we booked the flights we didn't realize it was MLK week.

Our good friend works at the mountain and says its' brown everywhere. They used 35 of their 70 million gallons on Shawn Whites half pipe, so snowmaking hasn't been that strong especially with the 40-50 degree temps.. We're thinking about renting some mtn bikes for a couple days!

The day begins... Your mountain awaits.

Powderqueen

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

I arrive the day after you. Which mountain are you referring to? We'll stay away.

We are staying near Alpine Meadows, Squaw Valley and Homewood. We were also planning to ski Mt Rose. Maybe we'll rent bikes.

Harvey

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

Administrator

The second pic is the most crowded spot at Hunter I think - top of Hellgate headwall?

Hey I'm certainly no meteorologist but Tahoe can get six feet in 2 days. Jason was sure he was getting skunked at Mt. B and he did alright.

I had no idea a half pipe could use up 35 million gallons.

"You just need to go at that shit wide open, hang on, and own it." —Camp

Adk Jeff

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

Harvey44 wrote

Hey I'm certainly no meteorologist but Tahoe can get six feet in 2 days. Jason was sure he was getting skunked at Mt. B and he did alright.

I had no idea a half pipe could use up 35 million gallons.

For perspective, Gore goes through approximately 250 million gallons of water annually for snowmaking. It's amazing that a half pipe could use 35M, but it's also interesting that Squaw's water allocation for snowmaking is just a third of what Gore pumps. That speaks to the scarcity of water in the West, a problem that we don't have to deal with for the most part here in the East.

PDQ, have a great time at Tahoe. My favorite place to ski out there is Kirkwood, Alpine Meadows is probably a close second.

Cornhead

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

In reply to this post by Powderqueen

Powderqueen wrote

Completely bored with our local WROD, 4 of us decided we needed variety. Hunter is giving Greek Peak passholder half-priced lift tix on weekdays, so we figured we'd go for a day trip and check it out.

Since the temps were turning colder, I was hopeful to be skiing the fine talcum that comes from the snow guns. We also figured the holiday crowds would be gone and it would be uncrowded.

It was another story.

Maybe I'm not used to such crowds, but it was very uncomfortable to be skiing with so many people so close together on very icy conditions. Most of whom were teenagers on snowboards. There were snowboarders sitting everywhere, even right where you get off the lift! Two of us shared a lift with a snowboarder. His buddies were at the top, strewn about right on the lift ramp! As we get off the lift our passenger suddenly makes a turn and chokes the 2 of us off because he had to say hi to his pals.
You've got to hit opening days at places like Hunter and Whiteface, everything from then on seems tame, crowd wise. Yeah, those weren't the best conditions, I too had fun. Later in the day, some trail edges were pretty good, lots of pushed up granular. Pretty damn slick everywhere else. Blues were an adventure crowdwise, for sure.
On another lift ride, another snowboarder passenger says "I have no edges". So we decide to steer clear of him, yet he seemed to be present at every juncture in his yellow pants and orange jacket...he could not be missed.

Conditions were horrid. Refrozen glacier. Loud skiing. My friend Nathan, the guy you met, whom I never saw that day called conditions "uninspiring"...which was spot on.

But the 4 of us laughed a lot, marveled at the crowds and the horrible conditions. Somehow we managed to have a good time, skiing from 10 until 3.

Thankfully it started snowing yesterday and has been snowing ever since. There will be better skiing this week in NY.

Anyone know what those giant fences are on West? It's the trail you look at from the quad...really nice pitch...pretty wide...kinda like Double Dipper at Kmart. But curiously there were these 20-30' wide/high fences, fastened with I-beams placed at random locations.

This is not a good year for me. Knee issues, lack of snow, snowboarder hoards, and a trip planned to snowless Tahoe. Oh well. I realized yesterday it is really about getting out there anyway, no matter the conditions and laughing it off with friends.

You've got to start hitting these places opening day, everything else seems tame afterwards, density wise. Navigating the blue runs yesterday was more challenging than the icy blacks. I had one incident, that I'm aware of, this guy was standing on a ledge skier's right on Beltway?, I was skiing the left edge of the trail. He hops down skis perpendicular to the trail straight at me, turns just missing me, and stays a foot away from me. I felt like hip checking him right there.
Opening day the steeper part of Hellgate looked like a battle field, bodies strewn everywhere, gates. It's tough when there's only one trail open, I'm sure some of those people would never be on that trail if there were other options.

I definitely want to ski there when all of the West is open. That pod should be fun with the high speed lift. Maybe those fences are used to aid snowmaking somehow? Wind blocks to help keep the trail hold snow?

I was so stoked to hit Greek after work today. I thought they were in store for close to a foot. My son went this afternoon, he was not impressed, they got a couple inches of fluff. I came to my senses and aborted that mission. It is friggin cold tonight. They should have the guns blasting at least. Probably blowing on currently open terrain, I would imagine. They lost a lot of "snow" this weekend.

Sorry to hear about your trip, things suck almost everywhere. Good luck with your knee, been there, done that. I have a reconstructed ACL, felt a few sharp twinges today, makes me nervous.

Did you pass through Prattsville? Looks like that town was almost swept off the map. That huge pile of debris is pretty heart wrenching. We've been flooded twice in the last five years, that looks far more devastating.

JasonWx

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

PDQ that trail is Westway or 44..to the right is Annapurna..without snow they do not look to imposing , but these are some steep sob's. Purna is one of the great trails of the east..

harv, yes it can snow 6' in 2 days in tahoe. but these types of storms come with a host of problems. Usually high winds ,road closers , avi's etc..
right now the weather for west still looks dry..except for oregon and washington

not to sound like the poster child for bachelor but, head up there. they have plenty of snow..

"Peace and Love"

Powderqueen

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

JasonWx wrote

not to sound like the poster child for bachelor but, head up there. they have plenty of snow..

Bachelor is not getting as much snow as Mt Baker and Crystal. They are still hurting for normal snow at Bachelor. I was thinking that it may make sense to do a road trip to Bachelor from Tahoe if there is no snow there, though it is an 8 hour drive. Would have to be worth it. I checked FTO for Shubwa's report and it sounds like they need more snow too.

tBatt

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

Mt Baker got pissed on today. They had to close. But about a foot of snow in the forecast for tomorrow..

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ml242

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

In reply to this post by Powderqueen

Those fences are indeed snow fences. Haven't seen Hunter so crowded in a decade. West is awesome and they'll be moving over there ASAP. It bums me out to hear the conditions were so dicey, I've been there, but I've also seen what they can do to resurface given the time and desire. It can be hard though with the thaw/freeze cycles. I hate to see Hunter judged negatively for being icy when it's 75 percent open and a lot of other mountains are just a couple ribbons. We really need some snow and consistent cold temps, and that goes for everywhere.

JasonWx

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

In reply to this post by Powderqueen

This is true that Crystal and Baker have more snow. But Crystal is 15hrs from Tahoe and only 1.5 from Seattle. So the locals are pillaging what ever fresh they receive.
The day after I left Bachelor they opened the Summit lift and Northwest lift. So my guess is they probably have more terrain opened than most of Tahoe combined..

I hope it snows so all this is moot..

"Peace and Love"

campgottagopee

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

I really need to get over and check out Hunter...I'm not far away, maybe 1hr40min and have never been. May have to get the crew around for a road trip sometime.

Cornhead

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

campgottagopee wrote

I really need to get over and check out Hunter...I'm not far away, maybe 1hr40min and have never been. May have to get the crew around for a road trip sometime.

I went there for the first time last year, wasn't too impressed. I think the place is growing on me. The West pod should be real good, if it ever snows. Putting the old quad from the front side over there is a big improvement. The front side is weird, a lot of the trails seem eerily the same. The mountain itself is weird too, everything was blasted out of rock, it looks very unnatural. The six pack is great, it really moves a lot of people quickly, not so sure that's a good thing, especially with limited terrain. Now that we can ski it for $29 weekdays, I like it a lot more. Costs me about $40 to get there and back, that equation's a little f'd up, I'd say. At least our discount almost covers gas.

Powderqueen

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

I used to ski Hunter when I was a teenager in the 70s. It was a zoo then...still a zoo. But now the lifts are faster so it is even more crowded on the slopes. I was not too happy about this and it could be a real deal breaker on future trips.

JasonWx

Re: Hunter 01/02/12

If you get there early( in lodge by 8:15) and leave early (1:30), use the D and the Quad. The Zoo is very manageable.

"Peace and Love"