Snowing plenty in New England; so how's your skiing on fresh snow?

[liquidfeet]

This season has delivered much more snow than in recent years to New England's mountains. The soft snow is very different from crisp, impenetrable (or barely so), New England hard-pack. But it does demand a different set of skills. How are you coping with the fresh stuff underfoot?

How do you New England Divas do on these days when the whole mountain gets choppy an hour after the lifts open, "groomed" trails included? ...and bumped up by 1:00? How about when it snows while you're skiing? Are you one of the ones whooping for joy as you make your way down 6-12" of freshly falling snow? Or do you go into the lodge grumpy and aching, calling it a day earlier than you would have otherwise? If it storms overnight, do you stay home by the fire, or rush for first chair? Is this fresh stuff as easy to handle for you as the hard snow? Or do you prefer the hard stuff?

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I'm game!

Hi lf, well, I think we're temporarily back to the hard pack scenario - these winds have undoubtedly blown away all the goods :( More due Tues-Wed, let's hope. It takes me awhile to get used to skiing crud. Packed pow is easy, but it doesn't take much in terms of skier density to crud it up and start growing bumps. This was the scenario yesterday at Sugarloaf. Yes, it's more tiring, for sure. I've got a ski that sort of/kind of passes as an eastern mid-fat: it's heavier, not quite as shaped as my groomer rippers, and it's the ski of choice in crud conditions, also pow and bumps.

Achy? The next day! Grumpy? No. I was with 3 people yesterday, one of whom grumbled plenty ("this is too technical skiing for me" - I answered, no this IS skiing!).

I think the east, at least at larger resorts, tends to overgroom. Seems almost like a gentrification of skiing in some ways - making everything a "perfect carpet." Which is nice at times, but sorta/kinda gets boring. The more natural conditions make me work harder, but I find it more gratifying in the long run.

No lodges for me! If I can survive the drive, I'm out there!

 

[Jilly]

Yesterday conditions at Tremblant were beautiful. They groomer overnight, but there was about 3" of new on top. Yes it got chopped up fast, but the big shovels on my Z5's just love it. I didn't get to ski too long, as I wasn't skiing chopped without poles. Just picked up my new ones at lunch. My shop is cutting them down for me. New Goode carbons, except by the time they are the right size they may be "ode carbons".

 

[MaineSkiLady]

My shop is cutting them down for me. New Goode carbons, except by the time they are the right size they may be "ode carbons".

:ROTF: Actually had to read this twice to "get" it. doh, slow day for MSL... At least if your poles had to get ripped off, you still have a sense of humor. I've noticed that Goode's are very much targeted for theft. That's why mine are old Scott cr*p aluminum, slightly bent. Who'd want those?

 

[ride_ski]

If I answered this early last year, I would've said I was grumpy and not had alot of fun in "snow". But towards the end of last season, I started to improve and enjoy conditions other than groomed.

Now, we haven't skied since the beginning of Jan :Cry: , so I may have forgotten all my new found skills. I hope there's still snow next time I get up there, so I can find out if I've been telling the truth

 

[abc]

Having been a long time spring skier (no money to ski prime season) for many years. I'm used to soft, bumped up surfaces, even slush and re-frozen stuff doesn't faze me. Groomers are, well, good for doing drills on, I guess. ;-)

So in short, I love the un-groomed stuff, even if it's bumped up. It's soft bump after a dump at least.

I'm not exactly going crazy about the "deep powder" of the east, having skiied much "proper" western powder. Still, it beats hard packed, skied-off ice.

Nowadays, I chase storms. If it hasn't snowed for a while, I don't get motivated to go at all...

Different sets of skills? Sure. I'd much prefer to perfect the set in softer snows than on ice.