Crotched Mountain 2019-20 Season

joshua_segal

Chuckstah;c-40976 wrote
joshua_segal;c-40971 wrote
Chuckstah;c-40969 wroteJoshua, or anyone in the know, is hiking allowed during the closure? I still need at least one day per week for the forseable future.
I've hiked and skied Sunday and today. I didn't see any other skiers today (Monday), but there were a lot on Sunday.
Thanks Joshua I hope the snow last's for a long while. Uphill should be possible at Killington well into June, possibly early July at Killington if they don't touch the giant pile on SS.

I'm hoping that Killington re-opens soon. As for CM, pick your times carefully. Without grooming, my trip down yesterday was icy, with icy ridges: not real pleasant. I'm planning to hold off to the PM today after some fresh snow has some time to repair the trail the "old-fashioned way".

joshua_segal

Mar. 19, 2020 - Thurs.
I was surprised at the number of people skinning and hiking uphill with skis or boards.

There was about 3" of fresh snow that smoothed out much of the icy-ridged surfaces left in the absence of grooming.

I decided to go downhill via Solstice Glade which was bare 2-days ago. It wasn't a great run, but it wasn't terrible either - and I hit no rocks or stumps the entire way!

Still hoping that Killington re-opens soon.

Remski

Nice! This virus is a pissah. Tuckerman’s is still an option.

Quietman

Joshua posting pics?! Nice!

I assuming still close to full coverage top to bottom, can you please confirm as the web cams are still out. Looking for a hike this weekend as I am going stir crazy!

joshua_segal

Quietman;c-41074 wroteJoshua posting pics?! Nice!

I assuming still close to full coverage top to bottom, can you please confirm as the web cams are still out. Looking for a hike this weekend as I am going stir crazy!

When I only take one run, and know that it is only going to be one-run, I can take time to take photos!

It is full t2b coverage: no almost about it!

rickbolger

Quietman;c-41074 wroteJoshua posting pics?!

A sign of the apocalypse. ;)

joshua_segal

rickbolger;c-41104 wrote
Quietman;c-41074 wroteJoshua posting pics?!
A sign of the apocalypse. ;)

I think I've actually posted 3 or 4 photos in the last year. Rare, but not apocalyptic.

By the way: today is the first day since January 26 that I did not take one or more runs at some ski area. If I don't ski again this season: 113 days, 104 lift serviced, 2.5M feet of vertical.

joshua_segal

Mar. 24, 2020 - Mon.

Last night's storm was probably the biggest we had all season. Pre-compression, it was probably 8", but by the time I got out at around noon, it had compressed and melted to about 4" (and in two days it will be completely gone).

I had hoped for a powder day (or at least a powder run). Sadly. it was very heavy and the best I could do was enjoy some long radius turns, with a lot of drag.

In the movie, Annie Hall, Woody Allen describes life like a trip to the Catskills when he says, "The food here is terrible and such small portions." Plugging into that metaphor is the only reason I can account for taking 3-runs!

People are desperate to get outdoors in places that it is easy to maintain "social distance". I couldn't believe how many people were out there skinning and/or hiking. Every trail had multiple tracks on it before I got to them.

Chuckstah

Nice job, 3 runs. I planned to go out for a couple runs today but when I saw the snow's water content I couldn't get excited for the uphill. I'll be looking for a nice corn cycle when it comes around. Keep us informed.

Remski

My friend and I got the first tracks on Velocity and progression park Tuesday. Everything on the Rocket side was very much tracked already at 8:00 AM.

joshua_segal

Remski;c-41129 wroteMy friend and I got the first tracks on Velocity and progression park Tuesday. Everything on the Rocket side was very much tracked already at 8:00 AM.

I wondered who beat me to Velocity yesterday. Was it still powdery when you skied it or was it already heavy?

I was up early today and found the crust on the unskied terrain to be very skiable (i.e. where it had not been tracked). The tracked-on areas I found to be rutted and nasty.

If any of you are going to be here later today, after it warms up a bit and the crust softens, Solstice Glade might just be wonderful.

Yesterday's 8" after compression and melting is down to 1.5 to 2". New snow in March doesn't last long.

Remski

It had a thin crust the top 1/2 then it was powder the rest of the way. The upper Mt had a thin crust also. That made it a little tough on teles.

joshua_segal

Remski;c-41134 wroteIt had a thin crust the top 1/2 then it was powder the rest of the way. The upper Mt had a thin crust also. That made it a little tough on teles.

Is the "it" to which you referred, Solstice Glade today or Velocity yesterday?

Remski

Velocity

Quietman

Hiked up the Crotch yesterday and while there are some bare spots, Meteor was edge to edge with some leftover fresh snow from last week. Moon walk was still skiable but will require walk overs soon. Probably 25 cars in the lot, but everyone kept their distance except for the dog running around.

Griffinr04061

Hi everyone, I am Bob from Southern Maine. I have been a follower of this forum for years, but just recently sign up to participate. I wanted to start with a few comments attached to a Crotched thread. About 13 years ago when our sons were 3 and 5, I was looking for a small mountain to teach them to ski at. We live close to Shawnee, King Pine, Cranmore, and a few others. After reading the Crotched Mountain story on the NELSAP site, and all that had gone into trying to bring the mountain back to life, we drove the little more than two hours one fall day to visit. I liked the size, and the fact that the few people we saw on the hill were very friendly. I bought a season pass for myself, and each son got the $50.00 pass that came with free hot chocolate each visit.

We loved skiing at Crotched, getting to know many of the folks who work there, and have skied there each year since. For many years, the boys always looked forward to seeing Tom, who had managed the rental area, as he knew their names, and always took the time to talk with them. One year Tom even gave the kids a small Easter basket.

Most recently we have gotten the Peak Pass which has led to us more frequently going to Attitash or Wildcat due to how much closer they are, but have continued going over to Crotched several times each season. The kids still love the events that Crotched puts on, and we were all sorry to see the season end early.

Even though the boys are teenagers and don't think skiing is much fun with dad anymore, I look back on their years learning to ski at Crotched as some of the best memories we will have forever.

joshua_segal

Welcome to snowjournal Griffinr04061 aka Bob!

Those of us long time CM people hope that changes that will undoubtedly be made by Vail, will not diminish the Crotched vibe which you described above.

BTW: An inch or two of snow last night translated to some great skiing today for the 15 to 25 people who were earning turns here today. (Mar. 31, 2020).

The photo shows the T2B figure 8 that Matt Currier, a CM regular, and I did this afternoon on Pluto's Plunge.

We maintained a minimum of 12 feet of social distancing!

ski_it

Welcome Griffin / Bob !
Although unfortunately for me I didn’t make to CM for the first season in a long time but IMHO everyone is first rate.
I’ve watched ski classes low & high and they’ve nail it from my short perspective. Reason: kids are all smiling

tedede

Welcome Bob! I think we road the lift one time together unless there's some else driving 2 hours from Maine to ski Crotched :) I work on patrol. Glad you like our hidden gem and thanks for your patronage.

joshua_segal

Apr. 5, 2020 - Sunday
Without more snow or grooming, today was probably the last day of full T2B (Satellite Summit to Meteor). There still is full T2B on Pluto's from Moon Walk as well as Meteor and Galaxy from the top of Valley. The skiing was lovely.

Social distancing seemed to be maintained. I'd estimate less than 2-dozen people on the mountain.

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