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Wachusett 2020-21

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yes, they are seeded bumps. I'm guessing that with the lower temps they'll keep making snow and get the bump run going. Personally I'm glad they haven't seeded them yet, since I prefer skiing that side of the run. I'm hoping they seed some on the side of the greens again like a few years ago. Baby bumps.

If you check the trail report, they will mark if a run has bumps or features. Nothing marked as of today for Upper 10th.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
Yes, they are seeded bumps. I'm guessing that with the lower temps they'll keep making snow and get the bump run going. Personally I'm glad they haven't seeded them yet, since I prefer skiing that side of the run. I'm hoping they seed some on the side of the greens again like a few years ago. Baby bumps.

If you check the trail report, they will mark if a run has bumps or features. Nothing marked as of today for Upper 10th.

Wherever is fine with me and lower angles work. :smile: I've just been practicing in bumps a lot and can go for longer periods of time than I used to be able to before having to stop and regroup. I thought it'd be fun to work on rhythm when it's very predictably set versus those made randomly by skiers and boarders that are more all over the place with spacing and shape.

Thanks for the tip on the report, I didn't think of that. Sunday River only marks groomed or ungroomed, but that doesn't necessarily speak to whether there are bumps and they usually aren't seeded except for one space where it's used for training/roped off and a bit steeper than what I want for this purpose.
 

Ermit

Certified Ski Diva
I’m here right now and still no bumps but the snow is fantastic for MA. I did see some evidence of bumps early season but I think they were lost in the warm weather.

Edit: I’m looking forward to their appearance because I really need the practice :smile: I’m very very new to bumps but think they’re a lot of fun.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I’m here right now and still no bumps but the snow is fantastic for MA. I did see some evidence of bumps early season but I think they were lost in the warm weather.

Thanks for the note on the snow quality, I am tempted to try and get over sometime this week..
 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm regretting booking the dog in to the groomers for Wednesday morning- looks like they'll be getting some fresh overnight on Tuesday and into Wednesday. My planned days for this week are Tuesday and Thursday.
 

BlueSkies

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm regretting booking the dog in to the groomers for Wednesday morning- looks like they'll be getting some fresh overnight on Tuesday and into Wednesday. My planned days for this week are Tuesday and Thursday.
I'm regretting booking the dog in to the groomers for Wednesday morning- looks like they'll be getting some fresh overnight on Tuesday and into Wednesday. My planned days for this week are Tuesday and Thursday.
Going to miss the freshies too. Wednesdays are just not good for me. Will probable be there tomorrow too.
 

NewEnglandSkier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I was there yesterday. Not too many people compared to some of the other days I've been so far this year (got row 2 parking for an 8:25am arrival, as opposed to row 3 or 4 for same time arrival other days). Mask compliance seemed pretty good. One of the attendants managing the line at the Minuteman Lift was calling out people who didn't have their mask over their nose and even asking people to pull it up higher if it didn't seem like it was on there very well.
I got off the green lift for the first time this year (have only been using that lift since there has been no line on that one) but it was getting really boring, so when I saw a lull at the Minuteman lift I went over there and skied the blues off that one. I did share a chair with one other person on each of my rides up, but I decided that since it's not a very long lift ride and you move along pretty fast, plus people seemed to be keeping masks up that it would be okay to do so. They did give you the choice to ride by yourself if you wanted to though.
It was nice to ski something a little steeper. Now that I've decided if people are good about wearing masks that I'll ride with another person, hopefully next time I'll make it over to the Polar Express lift and ski off the summit-if the line is not too long. I would have this time, but my hands and feet got too cold without being able to go inside and warm up so I left after 2.5 hours.

Question for those who are Wachusett regulars--in a "normal" year where it's cold enough to hold snow, how long do they typically stay open? Early April? Mid April? I've never paid attention to when they normally close before. I'm another person who would like a bump run--though I don't think I want black bumps. (I wish they would allow part of a blue to bump up--I'm really missing being able to go to Killington/Pico and out West this year to work on less steep bumps.) Hoping in the spring there will be soft bumps somewhere and of course things will automatically bump up through the day anyway on those warmer days.
 

BlueSkies

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I was there yesterday. Not too many people compared to some of the other days I've been so far this year (got row 2 parking for an 8:25am arrival, as opposed to row 3 or 4 for same time arrival other days). Mask compliance seemed pretty good. One of the attendants managing the line at the Minuteman Lift was calling out people who didn't have their mask over their nose and even asking people to pull it up higher if it didn't seem like it was on there very well.
I got off the green lift for the first time this year (have only been using that lift since there has been no line on that one) but it was getting really boring, so when I saw a lull at the Minuteman lift I went over there and skied the blues off that one. I did share a chair with one other person on each of my rides up, but I decided that since it's not a very long lift ride and you move along pretty fast, plus people seemed to be keeping masks up that it would be okay to do so. They did give you the choice to ride by yourself if you wanted to though.
It was nice to ski something a little steeper. Now that I've decided if people are good about wearing masks that I'll ride with another person, hopefully next time I'll make it over to the Polar Express lift and ski off the summit-if the line is not too long. I would have this time, but my hands and feet got too cold without being able to go inside and warm up so I left after 2.5 hours.

Question for those who are Wachusett regulars--in a "normal" year where it's cold enough to hold snow, how long do they typically stay open? Early April? Mid April? I've never paid attention to when they normally close before. I'm another person who would like a bump run--though I don't think I want black bumps. (I wish they would allow part of a blue to bump up--I'm really missing being able to go to Killington/Pico and out West this year to work on less steep bumps.) Hoping in the spring there will be soft bumps somewhere and of course things will automatically bump up through the day anyway on those warmer days.

Usually they stay open until early to mid April, depending on how the snow holds up.
As for bumps, one year they did have have bumps on Frannie's Folly (where the min park is now). I'd be happy if they would just extend the bumps on 10th a little further down where the slope is not as steep. If you avoid the steep bumps, the usual configuration allows for about 2 turns before the end.
 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yes, mid April is when the state takes back the roads that go through Wachusett (ropers road, mass pike) and Wachusett has to close down. But by then it feels about right for the conditions.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
Anyone going to be at Wachusett the next couple of days? I'm debating if and when I could get there when there's fresh snow but not a treacherous drive. Usually not the best of things to easily sync up obviously haha. I think I've gotten spoiled renting on mountain at Sunday River, I'm going soft in the "driving through the storm" piece it seems. I've gotten used to just rolling in and out of a place without the need for a car and therefore no concern with timing of when or how much snow is falling.

In my defense though, my ability to get up my steep driveway in MA is also a factor and dependent on how well we can keep up with the snow/which hours the most of it falls etc.. I have snow tires which is great, but I also currently drive a sedan and the steepness of my driveway just doesn't allow me to get out if there's too much snow depth and what that depth limit is varies depending how heavy or light the snow is. (My next car will definitely be an SUV with AWD, and that will be somewhat soon since I just went over 200k miles! Likely would have happened already if I hadn't been working from home for 10 months now..) :smile:
 
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Ermit

Certified Ski Diva
Anyone going to be at Wachusett the next couple of days? I'm debating if and when I could get there when there's fresh snow but not a treacherous drive.

I'm trying to figure that out for myself. I so want tomorrow morning to be possible, but I hate driving in the snow. HATE. I have a Subaru so it should be easier, but no.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I'm trying to figure that out for myself. I so want tomorrow morning to be possible, but I hate driving in the snow. HATE. I have a Subaru so it should be easier, but no.

I drive like SUCH and old lady in the snow.. hunched over and death grip on the steering wheel. By the time I get where I'm going I feel like I ran a marathon from the tension and adrenaline! lol

I'm ~45 minutes from Wachusett, so I imagine that would easily double depending on the roads. Maybe like midday tomorrow would work and have some nice soft bumps, if they don't groom too late in the morning (do they leave stuff to bump up on a powder day??).. Seems the bulk will come overnight tonight.
 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm a tentative maybe. It's sounding like it will be wet heavy snow, so not exactly powder, and not overly tempting for ungroomed for me. The few times I've been to Wachusett with conditions similar to the forecast they had most groomed, but left one or two runs ungroomed.

I also have a car donation pick up scheduled for tomorrow. DH can help with that if they don't reschedule on me, but I'll probably wait and see how much shoveling needs to be done in the morning before deciding if I'll ski or not. So if I do decide to head out, it will most likely be more along the lines of mid morning or later, not first chair.

Speaking of snow, flurries are just starting up here in Quincy. I think I'll go take the pup for his walk before it turns to more than flurries.
 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@MissySki -- just finally looked at the snow report. They are reporting 18" overnight, and left upper 10th and upper Smith ungroomed. And if you are out there now, I'm looking forward to your report when you get home.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
@MissySki -- just finally looked at the snow report. They are reporting 18" overnight, and left upper 10th and upper Smith ungroomed. And if you are out there now, I'm looking forward to your report when you get home.

Ugh that sounds lovely! We got around 15 inches where I am. Snow blowing was delayed because the snowblower wouldn’t start again, looks like we need a tune up or something.. By the time that got going and everything else was cleared and shoveled it was lunchtime. I was completely sweating and starving so I chose a shower and making soup over heading out to the mountain. :doh: I wish I’d been more motivated hearing the report though! Now I have a meeting at 3 and 4 so my window has passed.
 

Ermit

Certified Ski Diva
I was there yesterday from about 4 to close; bad timing on my part because I had to park in the overflow lot but my schedule is my schedule so what can I do? The snow was very very slow and from what I heard they groomed all of the trails before open. Beer league times were some of the slowest ever. Still, there is no ice and everything is filled in, which is nice. I had 2 pair of skis with me and used the narrower after the first few runs. I talked to one snowboarder who had been there Monday night and he said that it had been 'epic' of course. Maybe this will start the bumps on SW.
 

Ermit

Certified Ski Diva
Did you notice whether or not they left the left side of the trail ungroomed so those bumps could grow? I thought they usually seeded those bumps.

If they did there didn't appear to be a meaningful difference? The pace setter told me that the entire mountain had been groomed but I didn't ask about the intent for bumps. It could have been ungroomed but skied off as a lot of people were skiing/boarding the edges and I think that's a more heavily trafficked zone, if that makes sense. There was definitely some buildup in the snow.
 

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