Whiteface 3-21-15 (Slides 1, 2, 3 & 4)

JTG4eva! wrote

Glade Runner wrote

I've rode gnarlier shit.

Yeah, that awesome cliff drop you posted earlier in the season is so much more rad.....

No I meant at Mad River and Smuggs.  That cliff drop was literally my back yard and the video was of my friend but, I hit it to.

Glade Runner wrote

Look at this windswept trail of shit.

Ya.......pick one of the few sections of trail that hasn't been open all season, that they didn't make snow on, to criticize.   I skied that windswept shit today.  Fantastic, if you know where to ski.  Cut over to Blazer's.  Sweet.....

I really have zero interest in whiteface except for the slides or a huge powder day.  I just don't get excited over 139".

Glade Runner wrote

I really have zero interest in whiteface except for the slides or a huge powder day.  I just don't get excited over 139".

No worries, nobody said you should be interested in WF outside the Slides........you just don't have to be a dick about it.  You wanna schlep off to VT, have at it.

GR....you aren't exactly wrong, depending on where and how you ski the Slides.  There are ways you CAN navigate the Slides and avoid ice flows, waterfalls and cliffs if you want to.  When conditions/coverage are good they CAN be fun and very skiable by many.  It's such an expansive area that looks gnarly from the lift, but all that space includes lots of open ways down when you get in there.  So there may be tougher stuff out there at places like Mad River, where you don't have as many options.

So, if you found it so lame, where did you go?  Did you navigate the falls on 1, especially skiers right? Standing at the top with a 6 ft air to a 4 ft strip of snow, with another drop to follow, and another.....MR generally isn't tougher than that.

Second trip through we got to the ice flows at the bottom of 2.  Most people navigate skiers left around, or far skiers right.  Nobody had been straight down the middle.  So much untouched powder.  I chose that line.  The people I hooked up with were great skiers and even he called it an agressive line.  Drop the first section of ice to a small spot of powder, ice all around, quick left over the next section of ice, to a powder line maybe 10 feet wide for 30 yards, ice on either side.  Tight, no room for error, fall and you are in real trouble, not knowing exactly what's lurking under the enticing looking powder.  MR probably isn't harder than that, outside of spots like 3 cliffs.  That was the run of the last few seasons for me......until we hit the woods next time through.

Noticed you posted a picture of the first, easier ledge drop on 4.  Why not post a pick of the second drop, if you are looking to show the challenge?  Ice that drops 10 feet in a very short span.  Many scoot around right, side slip it.  Can be done.....but if you ski the drop, which I did, it rivals the 'legendary' waterfall at the top of Paradise.

So yes, the Slides can be no big deal, if you choose to ski them that way.....I hope you challenged yourself in there, if that's what you were looking for.  The family we saw come out with their two kids, both under 10 it looked like, saying how great it was.....they weren't looking to challenge themselves and had fun.  At the same time there were others in there skiing tight, technical, no fall lines.  What the Slides are in terms of "gnarly" is entirely up to you.

I want to read this start to finish, just caught parts of it yesterday.  Glade... thanks for the photo dump. So you really did not have a good time? Or you did? I can't tell.  For me this was a day I won't forget.

Harvey wrote

I want to read this start to finish, just caught parts of it yesterday.  Glade... thanks for the photo dump. So you really did not have a good time? Or you did? I can't tell.  For me this was a day I won't forget.

I had a good time.  I went there for the slides.  Like I said would have been pretty bummed out if I didn't get in there.  The snow was great in there compared to the mountain.  I realize there are some really crazy lines in there.  Some I would probably never do.  But, when I meant it was easy, I meant it was easy to navigate through without being forced to do anything too crazy.  I didn't realize so many of you ski bloggers were in there.

I was at Whiteface yesterday and was able to ski the Slides something I have dreamed about since I first skied at WF 7 years ago.  I did not have a group to go with at first.  I started going down Slide 2 by myself since it was okay at the top.  About halfway I stopped and decided to wait for someone.  I went down Slide 2 without too many issues but had to move to the left as the ice on Slide 1 was pretty gnarly.  I am pretty sure that was slide 3 that I was pushed into but am not 100% sure.  As we moved to the left the next section was steep with rock croppings and some ice patches.  My heart was pounding.  I got down safely in what looked like a pretty scary decent.  I thought to myself that a fall here would be brutal.  I took it slowly and hopped side to side.  I got to the bottom of the slides with a huge smile on my face.  The snow was deep but somewhat heavy.  Coverage was pretty good in most places.  It was something I wanted to do for years and years.  I thought the slides were amazing and I am sad to think this might have been a once in a lifetime experience.    

I had a great day at WF until my friends 8 year old son who kept going in and out of the trees on Wilmington trail hit the snow gun.  He was hurt pretty bad and that ended the day for us at 2:30pm.  Luckily he was okay and was able to ski down.  He has major swelling and bruising today but overall is okay.  

We spent the next couple of hours in Lake Placid shopping and eating dinner.  The drive was eventual and we got home at 12:30am.  This capped off a week of skiing in Killington for the Canadian March break and 1 day at WF.  I am dead tired today after this trip.

Claude  

JTG4eva! wrote

GR....you aren't exactly wrong, depending on where and how you ski the Slides.  There are ways you CAN navigate the Slides and avoid ice flows, waterfalls and cliffs if you want to.  When conditions/coverage are good they CAN be fun and very skiable by many.  It's such an expansive area that looks gnarly from the lift, but all that space includes lots of open ways down when you get in there.  So there may be tougher stuff out there at places like Mad River, where you don't have as many options.

So, if you found it so lame, where did you go?  Did you navigate the falls on 1, especially skiers right? Standing at the top with a 6 ft air to a 4 ft strip of snow, with another drop to follow, and another.....MR generally isn't tougher than that.

Second trip through we got to the ice flows at the bottom of 2.  Most people navigate skiers left around, or far skiers right.  Nobody had been straight down the middle.  So much untouched powder.  I chose that line.  The people I hooked up with were great skiers and even he called it an agressive line.  Drop the first section of ice to a small spot of powder, ice all around, quick left over the next section of ice, to a powder line maybe 10 feet wide for 30 yards, ice on either side.  Tight, no room for error, fall and you are in real trouble, not knowing exactly what's lurking under the enticing looking powder.  MR probably isn't harder than that, outside of spots like 3 cliffs.  That was the run of the last few seasons for me......until we hit the woods next time through.

Noticed you posted a picture of the first, easier ledge drop on 4.  Why not post a pick of the second drop, if you are looking to show the challenge?  Ice that drops 10 feet in a very short span.  Many scoot around right, side slip it.  Can be done.....but if you ski the drop, which I did, it rivals the 'legendary' waterfall at the top of Paradise.

So yes, the Slides can be no big deal, if you choose to ski them that way.....I hope you challenged yourself in there, if that's what you were looking for.  The family we saw come out with their two kids, both under 10 it looked like, saying how great it was.....they weren't looking to challenge themselves and had fun.  At the same time there were others in there skiing tight, technical, no fall lines.  What the Slides are in terms of "gnarly" is entirely up to you.

I agree with everything you said.  It's all a blur now.  I don't know what I hit.  I was on ice at times and I challenged myself at points.  I made some drops but, nothing anyone here would be impressed with.  I'd stop here and there to get a few pictures.  There was definitely some crazy stuff but, you weren't forced down most of it.  I know on slide 1 I took far skier's right around it.  You really have to be familiar with the terrain or have a spotter to hit some stuff.  I'm not quite that core to go balls out wreckless like that.  I am interested to go back but, only if there's a shot to get back in there.

From the pics it looks like some real fun billy goat lines for the creative skier. I'm not sure how billy goating without poles would be.

GR - why so many of your posts indicate a lack of interest on skiing in bounds at Whiteface?

I<3ADK wrote

GR - why so many of your posts indicate a lack of interest on skiing in bounds at Whiteface?

Snow coverage.  Lack of snow.  I guess I have been spoiling myself by riding places that get good snow and have deep base depths.

Glade Runner wrote

I am interested to go back but, only if there's a shot to get back in there.

If you aren't local, or even if you are, beta is key.  Your approach may make it harder to come by.

Face facts, nobody wants to hook you up.

So what you are saying is I'm a dick.  

Glade Runner wrote

 So what you are saying is I'm  a dick.

Hey, it's good that you've found a talent in life.

Harvey wrote

Glade Runner wrote

I am interested to go back but, only if there's a shot to get back in there.

If you aren't local, or even if you are, beta is key.  Your approach may make it harder to come by.

Glade Runner wrote

So what you are saying is I'm a dick.

'This corner of the interweb is a bunch of asshole Nancy pedos on a shitty little ski blog making the Slides out to be way harder than the gnar-gnar you ski elsewhere, and btw, Whiteface sucks!'

No way anyone might have implied (inadvertently or otherwise) anything like that along the way?

I don't think anyone really meant any of that, but I'm not everybody.

I don't want to get into a pissing contest on this forum but Whiteface does not suck.  I have skied a lot of places in East including Killington, Whiteface, Smugglers, Stowe, Mont Tremblant, Gore, Pico and Jay Peak.  Whiteface is by far my favorite for reasons that I can go into if anyone cares.  I have generally found the conditions to be pretty good when I have been there.  In the end the mix of terrain, vertical, great village(LP), super friendly staff, super friendly locals, great prices have made it a great destination for me and my family.  Just wondering why you think it sucks.  If you have any other places in that east that you think are much better please let me know and I will go check them out.  

BTW: Dennis the shuttle driver remembers me and my family from 7 years ago.  Hi is always thrilled to see us as we are thrilled to see him.  What place would treat you like that?

In addition I loved doing the slides.  I thought it was incredible.  I just wished I had more then one chance at it.  That's life with family.  Watching my 7 year old ski Upper Skyward and loving every minute of it makes it worth it.  :) Now there is a new member of the family that loves Whiteface.  

Claude

BigK75 wrote

I don't want to get into a pissing contest on this forum but Whiteface does not suck.  I have skied a lot of places in East including Killington, Whiteface, Smugglers, Stowe, Mont Tremblant, Gore, Pico and Jay Peak.  Whiteface is by far my favorite for reasons that I can go into if anyone cares.  I have generally found the conditions to be pretty good when I have been there.  In the end the mix of terrain, vertical, great village(LP), super friendly staff, super friendly locals, great prices have made it a great destination for me and my family.  Just wondering why you think it sucks.  If you have any other places in that east that you think are much better please let me know and I will go check them out.  

BTW: Dennis the shuttle driver remembers me and my family from 7 years ago.  Hi is always thrilled to see us as we are thrilled to see him.  What place would treat you like that?

In addition I loved doing the slides.  I thought it was incredible.  I just wished I had more then one chance at it.  That's life with family.  Watching my 7 year old ski Upper Skyward and loving every minute of it makes it worth it.  :) Now there is a new member of the family that loves Whiteface.  

Claude

I would disagree on conditions and friendly staff.  But, I'm not there enough to give an accurate opinion.

BigK75 wrote

I don't want to get into a pissing contest on this forum but Whiteface does not suck.  
Claude

we love our friends from the North!