New here but why?

I have joined your group for strange reasons. I don't live on the east coast but I was born in Nyack New York in 75. Lived there until about 85 then moved to Rockaway New Jersey where I started skiing at Craigmuer. It is a now closed 250 ft. vertical, 4 sloped, two rope towed, one t-bar, and one double chair mole hill a few miles from the house I grew up in. It wasn't much but it was the world to me and my friends and it introduced me to a lifelong passion of skiing. I spent a few years after getting my drivers license skiing around the east during the early 90's before moving out west.

Lately I have been a bit nostalgic and surfing the nets lurking about at discussions about some of the places I used to visit. This site kept coming up when I searched for Plattekill. I have to say that I still think that pound for pound when it has snow it is one of the best little mountains that I have ever been to.

The last time I skied there the north face was only accessed by the t-bar. I thought that was so cool. I remember the first time I pulled into the parking lot, there was about four feet of snow on the ground that year and I couldn't believe the pitch. It's a special place indeed and this is coming from someone that has spent seasons at places like Alta, Jackson, Telluride, and Steamboat.

I know if I were out east I would have a pass to Platty for sure. So anyways I hope you guys don't mind if a ski bum that now lives in Flagstaff contributes a little. I still have a love for east coast skiing and one day I hope to visit Platty during a good storm cycle.

I also joined because I enjoy reading Snoloco's posts. I like some of his visionary ideas even tho he is a kid that doesn't quite get it all yet. He reminds me of myself when I was his age. I used to sit around drawing imaginary trail maps about dream ski areas I wanted to design. I know.......it's totally weird.

I tried to embed some video but I couldn't figure it out. Sorry.

Welcome RA.

Welcome to RA

Nice video.  Totally not what I expected from AZ skiing.  Was that accessed from the ski area or total back country?

To your point about Loco I think many of us were that kid day dreaming about trail maps.  At some point he will get what we have trying to tell him.  He wants the amusement park like experience still.

Coming from someone who was once that kid drawing ski maps and dreaming ( hell, I still do those things at 47!!) I couldn't agree more about Platty.  It is one of many reasons why I choose to ski there every weekend and raise my two girls there as their 2nd home.  Here are two pics from Friday...they are scheduled to open on the 5th.

Yes, welcome RA...
There's a few of us that are not  from N.Y. State, or even the U.S...
No matter, the folks here on Harvey Road are welcoming, inclusive, and for the most part, tolerant of outliers... It's a pretty cool forum.

TD

Welcome.  Plattekill is a sweet place to ride.

Welcome from Platty. Stop in and ski us when back in the east. Its a great place to work too, and reading threads like this fuels our passion.

Some of the shots are side country right off the chair and down to the access road but all of the more alpine steep terrain is in the Inner Basin. We skin up out of the area and over the ridge. We usually get in 3 or 4 good lines during a big day and we are at the bar by 3 or 4ish. It's a lot of work for very little skiing but there is no one out there so the experience is special to me. I spent a ton of time doing lift laps over the years and now I like touring more.

I will say that in my teens I liked skiing at Mad River or Platty way more than Stratton!

Dang! It's looking pretty good! We are WROD skiing at the Bowl right now. Possible storm this week, fingers crossed.

Nice vid.

My brother loves in Scottsdale and says he gets more powder days day tripping to Snowbowl than he did in the east.

A welcome from Plattekill! You guys/gals rock! Thanks. I feel special. :)

raisingarizona wrote

I also joined because I enjoy reading Snoloco's posts. I like some of his visionary ideas even tho he is a kid that doesn't quite get it all yet. He reminds me of myself when I was his age. I used to sit around drawing imaginary trail maps about dream ski areas I wanted to design. I know.......it's totally weird.

Thanks and welcome to the forum.  

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mattchuck2 wrote

Nice vid.

My brother loves in Scottsdale and says he gets more powder days day tripping to Snowbowl than he did in the east.

Shocking...how is that even possible with the mid 300 inch snowfalls on the EC? LMAO

Just saying. A lot of people don't expect 260" average snowfall from a place in Arizona.

It's a great town and with so much outdoor rec going on. The weather is awesome most of the year but unfortunately the snow is not reliable. We have had sub par seasons for the last four years, it's been a bit of a bummer. I moved here for the mountain biking in 2002 and that aspect of the area has become ridiculously good. Sedona is silly!

We had 360 inches in 2010 and around 500 inches in 2005. It's hit or miss but the terrain is awesome. You don't live here for the skiing, it's more of a bonus when it's good.

Yeah, did some mountain biking around Sedona when I was out there visiting (leaning bikes pics ahead):







I could see myself living in Flag if they only got a bit more snow.

Sweet pics !

RA...about 10 years ago we were driving throw Flagstaff on the way to the Grand Canyon and I saw Snowbowl and was supprised  to see a ski mountain that looked that good in AZ. The next winter I was talking to a patroller who worked at Snowbowl for 3 years and had just landed at WF.

I asked him why he left and he told me his last season there the place was only open 2 days because of lack of snow. He said they didn't have snowmaking because they would have to use gray water by law to do so. He said the mountain was on Indian land and they would not allow gray water because the mountain was sacred to them and gray water would be disrespectful to their beliefs.

Anyway, is all that true today?