Whiteface Conditions (2014-2015)

Didn't get that far down that decision tree.  My brother probably just wanted to storm the regular traverse....catch me if you can! He doesn't always have the best of ideas....

So to answer your question.....don't know.

That said.....someone did go in the regular traverse at some point Sunday.  In the afternoon the netting across the entrance was higher and more secure than it had been Sunday morning.  While chatting up the lift guy sculpting a snow skull next to the entrance to the Slides traverse in the afternoon he said it was someone who had to go to the bathroom.  Ok.  My brother asked him 'what if we need to go to the bathroom?'  Said sure......just leave your skis here!

Fast and firm.  Great coverage, just a lot of firm, carvable, wind scoured hard pack, with some pp in the mix.  Haven't hit anything I'd call ice.  Best snow is in the places where they don't make snow and don't groom, but the coverage isn't quite as good.  

Checked out the Slides from one of the ridges off Hoyt's.  Just looked.  Some sweet looking tracks in 4, but it doesn't look like many people have been out there.

Hit another natural trail, gorgeous conditions.  A rock peeking through here or there, but nothing firm or icy.  Lower mountain cruisers like Valley and Boreen in very nice shape, pp to lay tracks on.  From mid up you can hit a patch of hard and lose an edge in between the pp just about anywhere, so you gotta stay aware.  Time to go hit up some woods.

Someone hit the Gondi line today.

JTG4eva! wrote

  From mid up you can hit a patch of hard and lose an edge in between the pp just about anywhere, so you gotta stay aware.  

So if I'm reading this right, anything off the summit chair is icy?   I'll be here on Sunday, guess I'll have to "manage my expectations" at bit.

Have you ventured to Lookout Mountain?  I'm wondering how Wilmington Trail is.  It's a dream if the conditions are right, and a nightmare otherwise.

No, not icy.  Even up high there is a pp surface a lot of places, but there is a firm hard pack underneath.  While there is a little true ice (boilerplate) here and there in the usual spots, the hard stuff is primarily hard pack.  Ice you can't really get an edge in, at least not easily.  Hard pack you can.  So I wouldn't call it icy, although there are icy patches.

At speed, going from pp to hard pack, it's easy for an edge to slip, so you just have to be aware.

JTG4eva! wrote

No, not icy.  Even up high there is a pp surface a lot of places, but there is a firm hard pack underneath.  While there is a little true ice (boilerplate) here and there in the usual spots, the hard stuff is primarily hard pack.  Ice you can't really get an edge in, at least not easily.  Hard pack you can.  So I wouldn't call it icy, although there are icy patches.

At speed, going from pp to hard pack, it's easy for an edge to slip, so you just have to be aware.

Thanks.   I think I know what you mean.  

My son and i had an awesome day at the Face saturday . Snow was primo pp , no ice  that i noticed and it held nicely all day inspite of high   Skier volumes .

The NCAA eastern regionals were there so pretty good crowd . We were there  8:30 and parked out by the wilmington lot on the access rd . Took 18 runs and frankly the conditions were as good at the end of the day as they were earlier in the day . No appreciable lines except a minorline at the Gondi .

hadnt been at the Face for awhile , will be back soon

BenedictGomez wrote

Thanks.   I think I know what you mean.

Hopefully, though I don't make it easy!  My idea of hard pack may be somebody else's ice....

To be honest, you will have to pick your spots.  While you could set an edge and hold it on Hoyt's and Upper Northway......it required some effort.  Enjoyable if you like to work, but not exactly a ton of fun to ski.  I didn't go back for seconds.  I skied Paron's as far as one of the Cloudspin entrances, and it was decent to that point.  Didn't ski Wilmington today.

Clousplitter Glades was nice.  A bit firm where all the traffic goes, but some untracked here and there if you explore.

It's entirely possible that Blazer's Bluff has great snow, but I wouldn't know because Lower Sky and Blazer's aren't open.....

Here is what you should read. Whiteface sucks it's not for you... And I think you are a thief, dick and asshole  all rolled into one. I say go to stowe

???

An epic dick and asshole????

Not really sure I get  your comment TJ. Conditions overall are pretty darn good.  Perfect?  Not everywhere.  Just trying to convey that as best I can....and probably not doing a good job.

Paron's in good shape, Excelsior very nice, no hard pack, no ice.  Late day Excelsior and Boreen were a little skied off in spots, as is typical.  Wilmington skied well after lunch, save for a few spots skied off in the middle.

JTG4eva! wrote

An epic dick and asshole????

Not really sure I get  your comment TJ. Conditions overall are pretty darn good.  Perfect?  Not everywhere.  Just trying to convey that as best I can....and probably not doing a good job.

Not even worth the reply, the comment readily demonstrates the poster isn't exactly a threat to cure cancer.

As for conditions today, they got better as the day wore on given it was nuking snow.   Some of the better glades were closed, which is always a bit disappointing, but the glades that were open skied pretty well given it's been a while since a big snowfall. 10th Mountain was a lot of fun to just repeat.   I was surprised at how incredibly empty the place was, felt like I was skiing on a Wednesday.

Glad you had fun.  Yes, the snow during the day was nice.  When we stopped for lunch my son noted that the mountain was more icy than it was Saturday.  The couple inches that fell from 12:00 on refreshed things and was nice.

There was a lot of good skiing out there that wasn't open....I suspect.  Did High Country with the kids.  Had a chance to jump in Cloudsplitter myself, went in off of Empire.  Snow was pretty good, even a few untracked lines here or there.

The kids did Wilmington late, said the snow was very nice, but the visibility was bad because it was snowing so hard.

My run of the day was Cloudspin, probably about the same time the kids were on Wilmington.  Not only was it nuking, but swirling winds were blowing down the slope, pushing a lot of snow into a gorgeous field of fresh powder.  Still have to be careful across the middle though.

Some pics of Cloudsplitter Glades....

Getting close on the Slides? Could be a silver opening with small guided groups. Beacons shovels probes. It's all TBD.
 

Nice pics JTG!

Slides are open.

Salute to all WhiteFace riders!

Im a newcomer at this blog, but been watching it for months. Im planning my first trip to Whiteface on the upcoming Thursday.

I would like to say a huge thanks to JTG4eva! for great conditions reports that really gives you a broad insight of some trails, esp. glades. I really do hope there are some untracked left. How good are the SugarValley now?

I was really hyped to hear the Slides opened today, though I would love to have some feeling of it in person first. In that regard I would like to ask a couple of things:
1) what actually does a silver status/beacon probe mean?
2) how do I need to be equiped to be able to enter?
3) how likely that slides will still be open on weekend? same status?

If anyone wants to share a chair on weekend I would appreciate!

Thanks!

Harvey wrote

Slides are open.

Open.......but skiable?  Looks like the summit quad is on hold so far this am.

Welcome Sal.....and you are welcome!  You are going to have a great trip, I'm sure.  Might be a couple of inches tomorrow night, then the possibility for 4-6 Sat/Sun if temps cooperate.  The mountain is skiing well and it should be a great weekend.

I didn't ski Sugar Valley last weekend, so I can't really say.  Not sure which entrance they are open from now, but the coverage was good two weeks ago.

As for the Slides, they always require two or more people, a buddy as it says today.  Sometimes my buddy is the guy who just went in ahead of me.  It's amazing how many people I know!😉  As for Silver status, it's just what it says on the conditions page and in the Slides description on the website.  You need an avalanche beacon, a shovel (wide, folding type) and a probe.  I've never had them ask me to pull out my shovel and probe, but they may ask to see your beacon.  

If you have aspirations of skiing the Slides its best to invest in a set of gear, rather than hope to get lucky with Gold status (no beacon, shovel, probe required).  Of course there is no sense in having the gear if you don't invest some time to learn the basics of how to use it.

I picked up a Pieps Freeride last year.  With Shovel and Probe you can expect to pay about $300 give or take, at least on Amazon.  Retail at EMS or elsewhere might be a bit higher.  You also want to have a decent pack to hold the equipment.  Some other basic safety supplies should be in your pack as well.  Water, energy bars, paper and a lighter, whistle, flashlight, Leatherman......at least those are the basics I keep so I can stay hydrated, eat, whistle for help if stuck/injured, make fire if I get stranded, and have light and tools if I need them.  I'm sure there are others who carry more.  You may never need any of that in the Sidecountry, but you should be prepared anyway, IMHO.