Magic Mountain Conditions

Firm and fast today, with only one way down from red.  Avoiding the uphill racers was the best part.  The wind is whipping now.

First day at Magic in 2020!  10 trails open, and more people there then I thought.  Trick skied very good, and that was where you could hide from lots of beginners trying to get to the bottom.  Once we all got to Show Off (with racing practice) it was pretty crowded at times.  With a wet butt from the icy red chair, I took off early.  Hoping for more trails next weekend, and more snow.

Glad I got over there yesterday, as they closed today due to lack of coverage.  It was hard to get into a spring skiing mindset as the season is still young and I knew what that warm weather was doing to the snow.  

One can only hope natural snow and average temps return for a sustained amount of time.  Magic needs both in spades.

Did it rain over there yesterday?

It did not rain during the day, but the weather and snow conditions were weird. 50+ degrees, stiff winds, overcast. You would think the snow would have softened up, but everything was pretty crunchy if edgeable. I think the temps and wind caused some significant sublimation leading to the firm conditions but that is backed up by no particular scientific research. It did rain overnight. Not sure how much, but clearly conditions deteriorated to the point that they could not open the upper mountain today. Which is why I'm sitting here at home, responding to the question instead of out skiing...

Very similar at Plattekill.   We thought it would soften more than it did.

GetAmped wrote

It did not rain during the day, but the weather and snow conditions were weird. 50+ degrees, stiff winds, overcast. You would think the snow would have softened up, but everything was pretty crunchy if edgeable. I think the temps and wind caused some significant sublimation leading to the firm conditions but that is backed up by no particular scientific research. It did rain overnight. Not sure how much, but clearly conditions deteriorated to the point that they could not open the upper mountain today. Which is why I'm sitting here at home, responding to the question instead of out skiing...

Should of gone to Bromley, place was empty and could ski where ever you wanted *.

* -  Some hiking was required.

No doubt I could have skied there or Gore or any number of places except my season pass is at Magic and I'm not inclined to buy a day ticket elsewhere, especially for sketchy conditions.

I'll be very curious to hear your reports from Glebe this weekend.  Last year was a real turn-off for me that weekend (granted a pow day struck on it).  Since the new black chair is off-line and looks to stay that way the rest of the season, it doesn't take much to cause some long lines.

Being a holiday nomad this year is ok thus far.      

Magic was decent this weekend.  They hosted the McBrine Division of the USCSA (Yale, URI, Amherst, Brandeis, ect), so Showoff was off-limits.  With these constant rain storms, they cannot open any new terrain, so it's been the same trails for almost 2 months now.  Saturday was certainly better conditions-wise, good carving on Trick and Hocus Pocus.  With Showoff offline, it did create a bit of a jam on Wand at times (and by jam, I mean a Magic jam).

Today wasn't horrible, the snow-making trails absorbed the rain and it was hard and fast in the morning.  The sun was out and that played well with the ice-covered trees on the upper mountain. For once, we has some sun while The Sun Mountain to the west did not.

Magic needs, nay deserves, a pow day.  Hopefully one is in the works soon.  

Race on Saturday..

Firm and fast today.  They received almost the same shit we did in Saratoga Springs, which knocked out my power for 30 hours.  A cold northern wind didn't help matters.  It was good base material, but at this point in the season base material is getting old.  

Any updates for this week at Magic? I’d like to go on Saturday if the conditions are good.

I was there over the holiday weekend Sat-Mon and the whole mountain was open except for Pitch Black/Black Magic. Not that it was all soft and quiet, but coverage was excellent. Talisman has a glacier on it now, Sorceror and Slide of Hans skied well, and I know many of the regulars went down Magician, Goniff, Black Line and Twilight Zone. People were in the trees but not me. Ditto with Red Line. It looked (and sounded) punishing but many skiers went for it.

With the 7-9" they got on Tuesday, it's full game on this weekend. Last weekend lines were no more than 12-15 minutes wait. Monday was 5 or less. I expect somewhere between those numbers Saturday and probably ski onto the lift on Sunday.

Thank you @getamped!

Yesterday kicked ass in my opinion

Man, I hope March is great there.  Today is the final day of my black out ban.  I'm never going that route again.

Brownski wrote

Yesterday kicked ass in my opinion

Wow. I’d love to hear more details about your impression. We were A bit underwhelmed.

I guess I was pretty jazzed about how Talisman, Sorcerer and Slide of Hans were skiing. The snow was extremely good in my opinion. I do understand where you’re coming from though. That was by far the longest lift line I ever saw at Magic. I hope you’ll give it another chance. I’m working on a TR

This past weekend were the longest lift lines you've seen?  That frightens me.  

I meant the longest at Magic- very manageable by most hills’ standards