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Vermont 19-20

newboots

Angel Diva
At Bolton Valley, Cobrass kicked my brass with its ungroomed bumps and rock ledges. It’s labeled blue but at any other mountain I ski it would have been black, I think.
Sherman’s Run was lovely. I didn’t make it over there, but someone told me there were friendly and fairly easy runs off of the lower lodge - I think it’s called Timberline.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
Has anyone been to Stratton recently? I’m heading up there this weekend, hoping for good conditions!

Not Stratton specifically, but I was nearby at Bromley on Monday. Conditions were great and they all just got snow in the area today, 4-6 inches I believe. I’m thinking things should be nice at Stratton for you as well.
 

Peaheartsmama

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Ok thanks! I’m super excited! Which greens would you recommend to start with at Stratton? My kids are comfortable on blues in Camelback but I’m going to start with the Green trails first.
 

SqueakySnow

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Can anyone provide clarity on the criteria Bolton Valley uses to rate it's runs? I skied down 2 Blues today that were more technical and challenging than the Blacks. Are they only using pitch in their classification? I'm also interested in how they define "groomed". Some of the runs they had listed as groomed had bald spots, rocks, stump, and deep ditches. To say the least, it was an interesting day ;)
 

newboots

Angel Diva
I'm with ya, @SqueakySnow ! I'll bet one was Cobrass, which kicked my brass for sure. Not just moguls and ungroomed (I was unprepared and didn't belong there) but lots of granite sticking out! and new skis!
 

Tvan

Angel Diva
Skiing Sugarbush this week. Beautiful day today with million mile views in all directions, but lots of mashed potatoes by noon. I stopped at lunch because I could not get out of the backseat and I was exhausted. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
 

Mary Tee

Angel Diva
Skiing Sugarbush this week. Beautiful day today with million mile views in all directions, but lots of mashed potatoes by noon. I stopped at lunch because I could not get out of the backseat and I was exhausted. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Same at Whiteface today.
 

knolan12

Angel Diva
Stowe was all mashed potatoes today. Absolutely beautiful day, but skiing was exhausting. Called it a day a lot earlier than I wanted to, but we're skiing Bolton tomorrow so was trying to save some energy. Hoping it's less mashed potatoey tomorrow
 

Peaheartsmama

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
What exactly is mashed potatoes? Is that like in the afternoon when trails are not as nice and flat as in the mornings anymore? Rougher and messed up? Or is that when things get really mushed up and almost like there are little piles everywhere and it’s hard to turn?
 

SqueakySnow

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@knolan12 – definitely isolated ares of mash all around at Bolton. Wasn't too bad, but it definitely got grabby in spots.

@newboots – Yes! Cobrass was one of the runs. It was like skiing a drainage ditch. I chose it because the grooming report said it had been groomed last night because I didn't want another surprise like I got on Moose Run. It was full of giant ruts, ice, bald patches... fun times. That was my fault because I didn't check the grooming report. Moose run was definitely not listed as groomed.

@SallyCat – I just moved to VT, so I haven't established a usual place quite yet. I've loved skiing Smuggs (mostly Madonna so far), Mt. Ellen at Sugarbush, and Mad River Glen. When I lived in California, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows was my usual with an occasional Sierra-at-Tahoe thrown in.

My day at Bolton was confusing. Some of the Blue runs (Alta Vista, Fanny Hill) felt more like challenging Greens, while others (Cobrass, Moose Run) could have easily been Blacks if not Double Blacks. I just couldn't reconcile something like Fanny Hill and Cobrass being in the same category level. Any light anyone can shed on my confusion would be appreciated :smile:
 

newboots

Angel Diva
@SqueakySnow - I’m as confused as you. Maybe they rated Cobrass blue in the old days, before it grew so many rocks. I ski blues because I’m not ready for bumps! and my new skis...
 

SallyCat

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Bolton reminds me a lot of Magic, which has a green bump run and where there are trails that are sometimes groomed, sometimes not depending on the quality of the snow. At both places, a blue might be naturally bumped, but it won't have the pitch of a black diamond. I really value that array of trails because I like skiing more varied snow. But maybe it's time to have a new symbol that indicates a blue trail that is more challenging because of the surface condition. Something like the tree symbol that indicates a glade, but for cut trails that are in a natural/varied state.

And definitely snow reports could be more helpful in helping people find the sort of trails they like and avoid the ones they don't.
 

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