West Mtn 1/12/11

Last night my ski buddy and I decided we would ski West Mtn today and work on our powder skills.   Unfortunately my friend never made it due to reckless drivers foiling the towns snow removal efforts.  She was stranded at home.  I'm sorry Vicki, I really  did miss you.  I don't sign on to the "no friends on powder days" .  Off I went on my own to take advantage of West's great lift and lunch special.  I arrived at the mountain and was standing at the Snowdog turnstile when my pass went "green" at 11am.  Yeah, Yeah, late start.  The mountain was relatively "quiet" and I made my way immediately to the Northwest area.  Much to my suprise there was fresh untracked or lightly tracked to be had on numerous trails if you looked for it.....and I did....and I left my own tracks.  I would say a solid 8" of silky smooth goodness.  I continued to lap the NW chair until the ticketing system said I was done.  Many times I was alone, or very nearly alone.  Awsome!  This is the first time I've skied West this season and things are looking good considering what a slow start we've had.  Good coverage on everything that was open.  The mountain was being assaulted by heavy fire from the snowmakers and Mother Nature too.  Natural snow was goooood.  MM snow today was a bit "funky"....kind of heavy/sticky with a  lovely crust on top.  Yeah, I nearly had a yard sale the first time I skied through.  Oh well.  lol  One of my favorite trails at West is Midway (running under the NW triple)....they are blasting it with snow and hopefully will soon have it open.  I watched some boarders who had ducked the ropes making some sweet tracks each time I rode up and the temptation was mighty difficult to avoid.  I did....just this once.   I was just excited to FINALLY be out there on SNOW, and FINALLY feeling like I "got it" skiing powder.  Yup, there is nothing like having the lightbulb illuminate and things just "click" and being able to link smooth, floaty powder turns!  Someday I hope to be running with the Big Dogs and leaving my inner Powder Pup in the dust.  Deff a Thrill of Victory day.  My only regret is not getting there earlier.  I know better.  Killington tomorrow...maybe Gore on Friday.  Just gonna go till my legs beg for mercy.  

Thanks for the TR. Can anyone tell me why we hear virtually nothing about West Mountain? It seems like a good place for the Albany crowd to get in a couple hours of post-work turns.

James, did you see the thread I started last week on the Weds night telemark skiing at West?  Just updated it for last night.  I've got reports with pics for 1/05 and 1/12 now.  I'll be reporting in most Weds nights for the rest of the season.

Sounds like a pretty good day and night.

I was checking out pass prices for West. The adult full season's pass seemed relatively expensive compared to the day pass price.

How do you guys ski West? Day passes, season, corporate?

Does West get skiers from Albany?

It will always be filled with school ski clubs and race teams. That's why no one ever goes there.

The Wednesday nights seems like a good deal though. I pretty much never go anymore. I used to be there a fair amount last season for competitions. Not any more though. Before that, it was all races or ski club back in middle school.

Adk Jeff wrote

James, did you see the thread I started last week on the Weds night telemark skiing at West?  

I guess I missed it. As Harv once bemoaned, the moment I see the word "tele," I reach for the remote.

I went there today for their lunch special:  $16 for a soup and sandwich or salad bar and 2 hours of free skiing 11-2.  Or ski 8 runs for $16 and get a small lunch. Not a bad deal.  Nice PP conditions.  Making snow under the triple and lower summit chair.  I kind of like the new DAG system despite the $5 sunk in cost.

We usually ski West on day (or night) passes.  The Monday/Tuesday special is $17 for a 5 hr pass (4-9pm).  Great value and a good way to spend some time on the slopes with my SO and social skier friends who have more time limitations than I do.  We ski for a couple of hours, then head in for some snacks and brews.  It can become a mob scene w/ the ski clubs and racers....think bumper skiing.  However, our mantra is "get thee to the triple" where it is a much more peaceful experience.  You really can't beat their lift specials if you live locally and just want to get out for a bit.  Last year I thought hands down the snow conditions at West were superior to Gore. Just sayin'.  I'm not bashing Gore, I'm just giving credit where it is due.  They really have been making strides in upgrading and improving.  The magic carpet on the beginner hill was a major improvement IMHO.  I wished it had been there when I was teaching my SO to ski using the rope tow.  I couldn't wait to get him up the Face lift!!  So while the terrain may not be such a challenge, I have not become so a great skier that I don't enjoy cruising the blues, I think it's a gem to have in our neighborhood and I'm really glad it's there.   Many days I have skied Gore and then shown up for the night shift at West to play with my friends.

Re: the Snowdog system.  The $5 price tag on the scanner card may be a bit of an aggrevation, but just imagine the time it will save you when pre-purchase your ticket online, show up at the mountain and grin all the way to the turnstile bypassing the looooooong line at the ticket window.  Getting through the turnstile (or watching others getting through) on the other hand can be comic relief.  Especially the young man I saw yesterday trying to drag his board through in a horizontal orientation!  

As far as West getting some of the Albany crowd, ummmmm, not sure.  I lived in Albany and I want to say that many of the skiers I knew then where going to Jiminy Peak.  From Albany it's nearly the same amount of windshield time.  They also offer up quite a few ticket specials and have more amenities and terrain than West.

$17 is a sweet deal. Does sound like a great hill for Telemarking.

Good snowmaking, close to home, and you can buy it "by the hour."

I thought that in honor of our first West TR in the Forum, I'd post the map:

Jamesdeluxe wrote

It seems like a good place for the Albany crowd to get in a couple hours of post-work turns.

Not really.  Albany skiers looking for night skiing generally head to Jiminy Peak.  West Mountain at night is pretty much a local Saratoga - Glens Falls crowd.  As others have pointed out - and I mentioned in my TR for 1/05 that you missed - the place can be packed with school programs and races.  But those kids are generally gone by 7pm, and we ski most Weds nights with very few other skiers on the mountain.

Both Monday & Tuesday nights are just $17 for a 5 hour pass. If the frontside gets too busy, head to the triple until the front thins back out, usually @ 7:30. After 7:30 or so , you'll have the whole Mtn to yourself.

Last year after blowing Midway for weeks, they left it all whalebacks for weeks, with a groomed track on the sides. Very fun, unique skiing. Usually there's few people over there skiing off the Triple Chair.

In spite of living right next to West Mtn, last season was the first I skiied it much. Gotta agree w/SnowflakeADK, I was very surprised at their snow quality last season.

What's nice about West besides being so local, the night skiing makes it so easy to squeeze in a few hours. That makes it possible for 9-5 ers and school kids to gain midweek sking days.

Now, in addition to an ORDA pass, I'll always buy a West Mtn pass. For me, it's like being slopeside. Even now at 5:30pm, I could be there in 3 mins and ski till 10 o'clock. That's a game changer. Actually, I'm gonna get that I SKI NY Pass next year and be full season at all NY Mtns. Now we're talkin!

West is so convient, it's just as easy as running to the store. You don't have to have a day off to ski. First tracks at 10:00 am.

Yea it's only 1000 ft vert, but that's plenty for a few hours.

Is that more vert than Tupper? I read somewhere Tupper is only 750ish ft vert.....is that correct?

Have they been getting AOA open much these days?  My first powder days were at West.  Going big on North West and eating moms chili in the lodge.

ah the good ole days

I've haven't seen AOA open. Midweek nonholiday passes are just $249 early price. School bus nights....the rug rats usually stick to the frontside/summit chair and that usually thins out early. Trails under the triple will be empty. Day time is sparsely skied. I'v never skied West on the weekends.

Not many babes though, but during the day, you run the risk of getting hit on by cougars, some approaching ssi age.

Hey, they need lovin, too.

Nope.  No AOA yet.  How often do the ropes actually drop on Cure?  I have to admit, that trail intriques me.  I probably would have a melt down if I actually got to stand at the top of it.  hahaha

Had a powder day at West again this week.  Decided that for the 2 hrs my legs would hold out in the stuff, my best bet was to keep it local and go there.  Not many people.  Saw a couple of familiar faces who graciously took a few runs with me and gave me some useful tips.  Very cool.  However, I was a bit let down about the triple chair not running.  I checked the report after 8 am and the NW trails were listed as "open".  Not the case when I arrived.  I wonder what determines opening before 3 pm on a weekday?  I found fresh tracks anyway, and they were by far the best 3 runs of my day.  I'm just not at liberty to say where.  

Snowballs wrote

Not many babes though, but during the day, you run the risk of getting hit on by cougars, some approaching ssi age.

Hey, they need lovin, too.

Ummmmm....are you quite sure you didn't mistake "come hither" eyes with "ouch, I have a snowflake in my eye"???  Just kidding.
My friend and I were just joking around yesterday about cougars.  We were trying to decide if we are old enough to be considered cougars.  And NO!  deff not anywhere near ssi age yet!  I don't get the whole cougar thing anyway.  Why would any mature woman in her right mind want someone young enough that they had to train them???  

OOOOOOHHH!  What a gal! Told ya she was fun.

Snow flake in the eye ?....Ok, we'll go with that, but come hither looks don't rise to the level of being hit upon. That takes a more overt action.

I got some good news for you, Smartie pants.

Today, AOA was open. West lists this trail as black diamond, but it's not.  No snowmaking, au natural. Fun trail, maybe my fav over there.

The triple opened at 10 am today. The lifties think this is the case Thursdays & Fridays.

Tommorrow the Cure is set to open according to Patrol. Again, no snow making, au natural.

There's trails open there that I've never skied before. Holy Mackeral, from the summit down, AOA, various crossovers, and others I don't know the name of. Get it while you can.... Some of these closed around 3 pm probably to conserve their cover when the masses arrived.

Patrol said West is done blowing snow for the year... a little later than last year. Fear not, their conditions hold up much better than most as they bury the hill with snowmaking 24/7's for weeks at a time.

Back at it tommorrow. Should have some freshies.....snow that is.

Snowballs wrote

Snow flake in the eye ?....Ok, we'll go with that, but come hither looks don't rise to the level of being hit upon. That takes a more overt action.

Oh, yeah, I get it.  Like ski boot footsies.  "Come here often?"  "I ski rockered fatties EVERYday!" (at West Mtn) <insert eyebrow waggle here>  I dunno...too tired to be witty.

Anywho.  Thumbs up on AOA opening.  Like it alot.  Deff not a "true" black.  The littmus test for that is whether my toes are cramped from curling in my boots. (it's solidly black or even double black if I ski it with curled toes in the "toilet seat" position)  No cramped toes on AOA.

RE: Holy Mackerl etc.  Not open after 3pm cuz there are no lights.  Isn't that what they make headlamps for???  Hey! That kind of sounds fun doesn't it??  I've skied the trail a couple of times I believe and as I try to recall it all I come up with is "meh", but to each their own.  I HATE Alley at night.  Narrow and usually scraped down to nothing w/ a million young boys on snowboards flying down in a semi controled skid. I'm fairly certain I will be killed or maimed in there some day.  I'll admit that I'm not all that familiar with terrain that is typically open during the day.

Hmmm...Cure is set to go?  hehehehe.  Wondering why they named it that.  Cure for stupidity.  Cure for over inflated ego.  Just sayin'.

Thanks for the info on Thurs/Friday early triple opening.  Now I know.  
Wait!  Tomorrow is Friday....and there are some freshies in the forcast.  I think I will take a mental health day!!  

Funny funny.

Just look for the...." stick girl with crazy curly hair skiing on rocking chair runners under sunny sky with handmade wool scarf thinking "Damn my arse is freezing cuz I left my ski pants at home. Glad I brought the scarf"

She also sports a wicked cool sense of humor and is on the southside of Cougardom....I think.

No skipantlesscrazycurlyhairbuthasascarfgirl (I really need a good avatar) at West today.  I woke up at 0430 prepared to work my 12hr shift.  While I was sipping my coffee I said to myself...."Self, you are not feeling so well today <cough>. Maybe you need a visit to the Snow Docta".    
Self agreed.
This illness wasn't going to be cured today by the small hometown clinic....oh nooooo.....it required some potent drugs. Drugs only found near a town called North Creek.  This required Urgent Care.

 I swear the car turned North instead of South all on its own!!  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I waited until a "reasonable" time to call my night owl ski pal to tell her to get her arse outta bed we were skiing today!  Come to find out "reasonable" is 0600 as long as it involves skiing.  Normally I would be "defriended" if I rang before 0900.  Who knew?   hahaha

Considering that I appear to have gone on a Ski Bender, having obliged my addiction for the last 7/10 days, I'm feeling sated and some sort of traction may be in order.