Okemo - 12/17 & 12/18/10

Got a chance to visit my friend Donna in CT and ski Okemo with her on Friday and with her and her daughters on Saturday.


First of all, I want to state that skiing this weekend has given me a new appreciation for the dedication of the “flatlanders”that  have to travel for their skiing. Friday found us heading north from Donna’s home near Hartford after getting the kids off to school. A 2.5 hour drive up and back for 4 ½ hours of skiing. Saturday found us up at 5:30 and with children and equipment packed and on the road by 6 arriving at the mountain just after the lifts started turning. I’ll admit I saw little of the Saturday morning drive as I snoozed a good part of the way. (No I wasn’t driving.) People who know me know that there is little else I would rather do than ski, but I really don’t think I could manage that schedule, weekend after weekend as she and many others do. I feel very fortunate to be able to walk out my door and be on the lift 20 minutes later. My helmet is off to all of you.

Friday found 10 lifts open and a good variety of terrain. Crowds numbers were low and conditions were good. We were joined Friday by a number of other telemarkers which, according to Donna, is unusual at that mountain. Coverage was very good all over the mountain and there looked to be 6-8 inches of natural in the woods; tempting. but not enough to trust my new skis in it yet. After lunch we ventured over to the Jackson Gore area where we found some pretty icy condition on the steeper trails. “Hard and fast with unlimited speed potential.” Whooo Hooo!!


Saturday saw 16 lifts open and the crowds in evidence at the main base area and those lifts originating there. We quickly made our way over to the South Face Express and for the rest of the day, the crowds were really not an issue. As the day wore on we worked our way back north across the mountain. After lunch we made the traverse over to the Jackson Gore area and found no one on the trails there. The reason became clear as ice as soon as we started down those trails.  With the exception of 20 ft. strips down each side of the trails, the conditions were quite dicey and icy.


From there we skied the Solitude lift for a couple of runs before heading back toward the central mountain area. I found it interesting that on the wider trails there they make snow down a strip in the middle, leaving the edges thin, delineating the edges of the man made with bamboo poles. It seemed to work pretty well, getting more trails open with less overall snow making effort.


My old legs and I quit around 2:30 while the 3 ladies did one more run, before we packed our tired and happy selves into the car and headed home. A wonderful day of skiing. It amazes and awes me to ski with children, Hannah, 11 on tele equipment and Sarah, 8 on alpine, that are so competent and comfortable in all sorts of conditions. While our first run was on an intermediate trail as a nod to the girl’s first time out this year, from then on we skied what ever we came to including some tough, icy, chunky, black diamond shots under the lifts. I also took special joy in skiing with my friend Donna, who has been teleing since the early ‘80's or as she put’s it, since before she could walk.  The ease and style of competent lady telemarkers makes my “style” of muscling my way down the mountain seem so clumsy and primitive.

On a nice note, my new BD Verdicts handled the hard conditions with no problem at all, in spite of their 103cm width underfoot. While you do have to ski them and not be lazy getting them on edge, their stiffness paid off with good control on the hardest surfaces.

Adk Keith wrote

First of all, I want to state that skiing this weekend has given me a new appreciation for the dedication of the “flatlanders”that  have to travel for their skiing.... My helmet is off to all of you.

No question we are insane. Many times I think we are at the distance limit of what is humanly possible. Last night, at the end of my ride I saw something I have never seen. A ski car with an ADK sticker on it, and Virginia plates.  I think I know you well enough to say this Keith ... you know you are lucky.

Adk Keith wrote

Crowds numbers were low and conditions were good.

Pics make it look deserted!

Adk Keith wrote

I found it interesting that on the wider trails there they make snow down a strip in the middle, leaving the edges thin, delineating the edges of the man made with bamboo poles. It seemed to work pretty well, getting more trails open with less overall snow making effort.

Cool snow conservation idea as it saves snow that builds up on the sides and end up getting skied into the trees?

Adk Keith wrote

The ease and style of competent lady telemarkers makes my “style” of muscling my way down the mountain seem so clumsy and primitive.

Telerippers = cool.

Telechicas = very cool.

Telekids = Awesome.

I was also amazed at a"fat" skis (90mm) ability to hold on very hard snow.  What boots are you using with those Verdicts?

Thanks K. Sounds like a great day.

Nice report Keith.  Seems like I make it to So Vt about once a year myself.  Skied Okemo for a couple days two years ago I think, and Stratton just a few days ago - pretty similar terrain.  One thing I remember about Okemo is that there weren't too many glades, at least not designated on the map.  Cheers.

Adk Jeff wrote

Nice report Keith.  Seems like I make it to So Vt about once a year myself.  Skied Okemo for a couple days two years ago I think, and Stratton just a few days ago - pretty similar terrain.  One thing I remember about Okemo is that there weren't too many glades, at least not designated on the map.  Cheers.

There are two trails listed as "glades" at Okemo, however, the actual woods there is extremely young and thick with young sapplings...at least as I recall. There are a few places you can slip in and find a line, but they are few.

Okemo typically has good grooming, but it is pretty homogenous. Not much variety or pitch. But it is a good place to get away from the crowds.

Harvey - I have 3 buckle black and silver T1's. A more active binding than the TM 7's that I'm using might be an improvement.

I was at Okemo for the first time mid season last year and we found the designated glades deserted for the most part and untracked once you got away from the main lines. (The undesignated glades were completely untracted  ). I could see a lot of potential for new glade skiing there.

Keith, if you find yourself in So VT some more this season you might consider Mt Snow and Bromley.  I had a great time at Mt Snow last March and found their terrain a bit more interesting than Stratton and Okemo.  Quite a few glades as well, mostly along the lines of the Twister Glades at Gore, so not too challenging.  It's been a few years since I've been to Bromley (sorry, no link) but I've enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere (great place for kids) and fun terrain - again a bit more character than Stratton and Okemo.  Anyhow, see you at Gore...