Plattekill, NY: 3/11/18 #FKNA

Friday I had a huge day at Magic. I made some new friends who offered me a place to stay in Londonderry. I was probably nuts to decline, but I did. I drove a couple hours over to NY, checked out my pics from the day and crashed.

On Saturday, I probably should have slept in, but I went over to Gore for first chair. I skied the morning alone and honestly it kind of bummed me out a bit. I never used to mind skiing alone, but I think I don't want to do it anymore.


Rumor was groomed

Gore was pretty decent, some trees were skiable (Dark Side best) but after Riley at Plattekill and Quinn at Magic, it felt pretty average.  I did connect with Bob and Armon for my last two runs and that lifted my spirits. Armon is a guy I have been friends with on FB for a long time, really only because we have like 30 friends in common.  I've been on this kick of unfriending people who I never met, but I never unfriended Armon. Very cool guy, psyched he is now a real friend.

I went back to the cabin and CRASHED hard from 1:30 until 4pm.  I skied our nordic trails until dark and then went into town for dinner.  Back at the cabin, I got into bed super early around 8:30.  I was thinking I would sleep late ski a little more on our land and head home.


Candace rips the Plattekill Trees on Saturday - photo courtesy MC

BUT... just before I fell asleep... I saw MC's pics of Candace in Plattekill Conditions. I cursed the fact that I was losing an hour to daylight saving and set my alarm for 3:30 am.  Woke up drained the pipes and headed down Route 30. Somewhere, in never-never land between Gore and Plattekill, there was a fire in a farmhouse, and about 1000 firetrucks, and they made me turn around. Google maps was no help. I had no idea WTF I was going, but I went back north on 30 over to 88 and somehow got back on track.


Plattekill was looking fine in the morning.

I ran into Chris.

"Harvey are you up for the Ridge?"

"Why yes, yes I am."

"OK, go out and ski Plunge, stay under the chair so we can find you.  We are waiting for Marcski, I want to go in with three."

I skied a lap on Plunge, and Chris came out. Another two and there was Marcski.

We went all the way out.  The very top is getting grown in but after a few tight turns we reached the promised land.


Chris points the way and then lets us choose the first line..


Marcski



...and followed himself, ripping...





An incredible run and when we got to the road... Chris' car was there ... SAWEET!

Chris drove us back to the mountain and had to take off. Back in the lodge, who should I see but... RILEY!

"Harvey are you up for the Ridge?"

"Why yes, yes I am."

We went out and did two more of the shorter laps (dropping in sooner, to shorten the walk back). You miss the some of the Nirvana part, but the cost/benefit is pretty prime. Down side is maybe you aren't supposed to be there.


Sir Riley

On the second Riley round we heard gun shots! I thought it was odd but whatev.  When we got close to the road there is a traverse that you can take to eliminate some of the hike back. It's always a conundrum because the lines below are so deluxe, you get about 200 feet of addition vert, but it adds a lot to the walk.

I started traversing, Rieman was ahead. All of a sudden I see him drop down to the road direct. What the fuck! so I follow. As I get closer I see a truck... "oh cool we are getting another ride!"  

Uh nope. It's the landowner. He's super friendly but his pop doesn't really want peeps on his land. I asked him if he had been shooting at us.

"Not exactly at you, more like over your head." He smiled.

His final word: "If you are skiing with Riley OK. Anyone else KEEP OUT."

I'll remember that. You should too.

We hiked back. We had an appointment at 3pm to ski with Catskill Freeheel and some of his buds, one last run on the Ridge, all the way out, nice an legal. It was 2:20 and we didn't have time for another lap in the side country so we skied under the double, Twist, Ridge and Plunge.

I saw JT's post in Plattekill Conditions, he was in the house! We agreed to meet at the Learning Center for the "final run" of the day.


Nirvana

It was great. So cool to meet JT too. When we were about halfway down, I thought it would be super cool to have one more run on Plunge when we got back, give me a chance to share a lift ride with JT and get to talk. I txt'd Laz and he agreed to spin until we got there. #FKNA

JT is a great skier, super smooth in the bumps.


JTG

I sucked that last run, my binding popped off, I crashed and broke my safety, it was ugly!

It was so much fun, although I am not sure Patrol appreciated it as much as we did.

We went into the bar and the landowner was there! We bought beers for him, his wife and patrol, and all was cool!

Great day!

Sorry for all the exclaimation points!

Looks sweet!  Nice report. I gotta make it over there one of these days to meet up with some of you Plattekill regulars. Only been there once, when I was like 10.

FKNA is right

No apologies needed, Harvey....some days are just multiple exclamation mark kind of days!!!  Sunday fit that bill, even if it wasn’t 30+ inches.  They had received a solid 8 inches of fluff since Thursday afternoon and even after MC ripping it up Saturday there were tons of untracked boot top lines in the woods.  The morning was great, it got even better when the sun started shining, and the day got better yet when I hooked up with you!

I was there with my boys and some of our friends.  Only downer on the day is that my friend’s daughter got a little too up close and personal with a tree and separated her shoulder.  Could have been worse, and it’s her non-writing arm, so all will be fine.  Otherwise, it was a soectacular day.  The half groomed/half bumped trails kept everyone happy until we started playing in the woods.  The bumps were so soft, and the lines skied in very nicely.

This was my first really great day of exploring glades deeper into the woods, on both sides of the mountain.  I got three laps in from various spots down to the road.  First lap the shuttle bus was coming by just as I hit the road.  That was sweet.  The second lap after lunch I took the boys with.  We were the other group that Kyle yelled at on Sunday, fortunately sans gunpowder!  That last lap further out the ridge with you, Riley, and company was sublime, and Riley’s stashed car was the super bonus.

Here are a couple vids of you on that lap.
https://vimeo.com/259605244
https://vimeo.com/259604998

I’ve honestly never skied with someone that wields as much power as you, and as tired as we were it was nice to ski the double until 4:40!  It’s pretty cool the relationships you’ve been able to develop through your hobby, and we all know Laz is a special guy (even though I’ve never “met” him, more than to buy my lift ticket!).  The boys enjoyed taking that last, late run with you, and I’m glad they were able to occupy themselves while we had a couple beers to end a spectacular day!!  

Harvey wrote

 

On the second Riley round we heard gun shots! I thought it was odd but whatev.  When we got close to the road there is a traverse that you can take to eliminate some of the hike back. It's always a conundrum because the lines below are so deluxe, you get about 200 feet of addition vert, but it adds a lot to the walk.

I started traversing, Rieman was ahead. All of a sudden I see him drop down to the road direct. What the fuck! so I follow. As I get closer I see a truck... "oh cool we are getting another ride!"  

Uh nope. It's the landowner. He's super friendly but his pop doesn't really want peeps on his land. I asked him if he had been shooting at us.

"Not exactly at you, more like over your head." He smiled.

His final word: "If you are skiing with Riley OK. Anyone else KEEP OUT."

I'll remember that. You should too.
 

LMAO --- gotta love those country boys

Harvey wrote

 

We went into the bar and the landowner was there! We bought beers for him, his wife and patrol, and all was cool!

Great day!

Sorry for all the exclaimation points!

Beer is the great communicator

Nice report Harv ---- your drive to ski is great

I’ll just make skins part of my Platty Powder Day equipment list from now on.  Just as easy to throw the skins on and to come back up to Platty near the tubing hill as it is to hoof it up the road dodging lead!

Curious as to how the terrain is down the back side of Plattekill on State land.  If the trees are as nice as the front side it could make for a nice lap.  Anyone ever been?  I like to go in 1 and 5 from the top of the double and it’s always tempting to drop right!

JTG4eva! wrote

That last lap further out the ridge with you, Riley, and company was sublime, and Riley’s stashed car was the super bonus.

I'm pumped that you enjoyed it. As I mentioned Sunday, I wasn't sure a WF guy would be into the amount of traversing we did for that much vert.  It's certainly not uninterrupted.

One of the kids we skied with was Nick, Laz's kid. That was kind of fun. Last time I skied with him he was about 2 feet shorter! Apparently he's a hot stuff racer.

Ha!  The traverse out was fun, well worth it.  If we had to walk back......🤔

Harvey wrote

On Saturday, I probably should have slept in, but I went over to Gore for first chair. I skied the morning alone and honestly it kind of bummed me out a bit. I never used to mind skiing alone, but I think I don't want to do it anymore.

i don't mind skiing alone, probably because i am used to it. riding the chair by yourself, especially the dbl at platty, is a drag. i also notice without a partner i am less likely to hunt and peck for the goods. safety in numbers.