It's supposed to be warm all day today, with rain late, and not refreeze over night. Monday night it will at least freeze. So soft snow Monday? And Tuesday it will depend on when they last groom. It is supposed to freeze again Tuesday night, but Wednesday will warm up early. I should check the webcams later today to see what conditions are looking like.
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Wachusett 22/23
- Thread starter diymom
- Start date
jmfd84
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I did end up going on opening day, Wednesday, 11/23 - it was great! Ralph's Run was skiing the nicest with the best snow conditions and about 75% side to side coverage. Conifer was my least favorite run, too firm and narrow with too many people skiing too fast for my liking, so I only did it once.
I'm not sure if I'll make it again this week. Maybe Friday, if it works out.
I'm not sure if I'll make it again this week. Maybe Friday, if it works out.
Day one for the season on the books. I clearly still need to shake off the cobwebs though. I recognized @NewEnglandSkier sitting next to me on the lift by her Grasssticks ski poles, and had a nice time doing some runs with her. Challenger and Ralphs started out firm but softened up decently by the afternoon. I did one run down Conifer after seeing how those two had softened up, and it was nice as long as you don't mind a lot of small rocks on the surface. Most everyone out yesterday seemed to stick to the green though doing drills and just early season cruising, even the beer league crew.
It looks like Friday will be the best day of the week there. That said, I'll be back out tomorrow with fingers crossed that todays rain doesn't wreak too much havoc, since my pass isn't good on Fridays.
It looks like Friday will be the best day of the week there. That said, I'll be back out tomorrow with fingers crossed that todays rain doesn't wreak too much havoc, since my pass isn't good on Fridays.
NewEnglandSkier
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
jmfd84
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Wachusett just announced Demo Day on Saturday 12/10: https://www.wachusett.com/Events-Park/On-Mountain-Events/Event-Calendar/MNTSide-Demo-Sale!.aspx
I plan to go - I’m hoping to find new skis this season - ready to move to something stiffer from my current skis. Has anyone ever been to Wachusett’s demo day before? I haven’t - only been to one other demo day (at Sunapee, which is how I found my current skis).
I plan to go - I’m hoping to find new skis this season - ready to move to something stiffer from my current skis. Has anyone ever been to Wachusett’s demo day before? I haven’t - only been to one other demo day (at Sunapee, which is how I found my current skis).
You beat me to posting about this- we had our power and internet go out for a few hours.
Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it this year, but have gone a few times. Be sure to buy your demo ticket/ reg in ad
ance, they do sell out at times since they limit the number.
I’ve had fun just trying out various skis for the heck of it at times, as well as getting back on a ski I liked at the Sunapee demo to decide if it is one I really want to buy. Hopefully there won’t be a demo day at another hill the same day this year. I had wanted to try the SA 88 in both the 165 I’d been on before as well as one size down, but the demo fleet had been split up. I demoed the 165 again and bought it, but have wondered at times about the 158.
Another thing to keep in mind is that they only get reps from the brands they sell. So no Blizzard. And try to hit as many conditions as you can on the day if you find a ski that might be a contender to see how they handle, even the scraped icy bits and under the guns.
Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it this year, but have gone a few times. Be sure to buy your demo ticket/ reg in ad
ance, they do sell out at times since they limit the number.
I’ve had fun just trying out various skis for the heck of it at times, as well as getting back on a ski I liked at the Sunapee demo to decide if it is one I really want to buy. Hopefully there won’t be a demo day at another hill the same day this year. I had wanted to try the SA 88 in both the 165 I’d been on before as well as one size down, but the demo fleet had been split up. I demoed the 165 again and bought it, but have wondered at times about the 158.
Another thing to keep in mind is that they only get reps from the brands they sell. So no Blizzard. And try to hit as many conditions as you can on the day if you find a ski that might be a contender to see how they handle, even the scraped icy bits and under the guns.
I asked the guy in the demo shop today which vendors will be at the demo day. I'm not sure he fully understood my question, but he did take me back into the demo area and showed me the entire fleet they are currently mounting up for the season. The brands they have at Mountainside are Head, Volkl, Nordica, Atomic, Elan, Rossignol, K2, and Salomon. I know in the past Kastle and Parlor have been at the demo day.
Yesterday's rain took a toll on Challenger. It was open, but definitely narrow trail and thin cover. Conifer on the other hand was better than Tuesday.
Yesterday's rain took a toll on Challenger. It was open, but definitely narrow trail and thin cover. Conifer on the other hand was better than Tuesday.
marzNC
Angel Diva
Wanted to share an article about Wachusett that makes it clear the third-generation of the Crowley clan is very actively involved in management roles. Keep in mind the article was written at the start of the 2021-22 season so some info about operations doesn't apply to 2022-23.
Recently discovered the podcast series about the history and operations at Wachusett that was started in 2020 and find it fascinating. One reason I fully enjoyed skiing at Wawa was it's rich history . . . and the doughnuts by the fire in the CCC-built stone lodge that used to be at the base of the slopes. Combining that with detachable high-speed lifts makes Wawa the perfect midweek ski area.
November 2021
Recently discovered the podcast series about the history and operations at Wachusett that was started in 2020 and find it fascinating. One reason I fully enjoyed skiing at Wawa was it's rich history . . . and the doughnuts by the fire in the CCC-built stone lodge that used to be at the base of the slopes. Combining that with detachable high-speed lifts makes Wawa the perfect midweek ski area.
November 2021
Snow sports: Next generation keeps Wachusett Mountain Ski Area thriving
Independent facility is in solid, experienced hands with third-generation Crowleys stepping up
www.telegram.com
marzNC
Angel Diva
If you only listen to one of the Wachusett podcasts, it should be this one with Jeff Crowley about the early years. Among other stories, he mentions a few reasons Wawa has high-speed lifts. He's one of the children of the founder who stayed with the ski area, while others focused on Polar Beverages. That company has been the family business since 1882!
August 2020
anchor.fm
August 2020
Jeff Crowley: History of Wachusett pt. 1 by The Wachusett Wire
Jeff Crowley walks us through the early years of the mountain, and gives some perspective on the team of visionaries that made Wachusett happen.
anchor.fm
jmfd84
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm glad I didn't get to Wachusett until about 10:30am yesterday, because the trails got much nicer as the day went on. I ran into a bunch of my dad's ski buddies while getting dressed and these guys always, always say it's great out there... when asked how it was yesterday morning, they responded with crickets, ha. Apparently the lower portion of Ralph's was a field of golf ball sized ice chunks. Spent the first hour and a half on Indian Summer, which was nice, before moving over to Ralph's and Challenger. Challenger was one-and-done, it wasn't too bad but it just wasn't very fun to ski. Typical early season conditions, I know, but I'm so glad I went last week, too - that snow was AMAZING after the 5 solid cold, dry days they had leading up to opening day. I hadn't gotten my skis tuned yet, and while it was no issue last week, I wished I had some edges yesterday.
It isn't up on the site yet, but I asked about the Women's clinic when I popped into the ski school to help a friend sign up for a lesson today, and they said that they are planning on getting it up sometime tonight. I guess they have been making some changes to the website, and have been waiting until the new site goes up to post the info. I didn't ask price, but was told it would start the first week of Jan and include the usual $10 lunch voucher each week. I'm keeping an eye on the site since my friend wants to do the clinic and I know they did sell out last year. Oh, and they should have a bronze pass add on option again this year.
jmfd84
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've been eagerly checking the website for the women's clinic info. One of the women from my clinic group last year called them on Friday, I think, and they said it should be up in a couple days. I'm debating which level skier to sign up for - I said level 5 last year and have definitely progressed to a solid 6. My instructor last year told us to tell ski school we were level 7 if we signed up for an individual lesson, presumably so we would be assigned a PSIA II or III instructor.
Ermit
Certified Ski Diva
I just noticed that registration is now available for the women's clinic; there's another (progression) clinic as well but it isn't yet open for registration.
jmfd84
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Finally! The women's clinic price went up quite a bit, from $199 for 8 weeks to $279 for only 6 weeks. A food voucher is still included, which is great. Last year's price was probably too low: it worked out to less than $25 per 2 hours of instruction each session, and you got a $10 food voucher every week. But still - the per session price nearly doubled due to 2 fewer weeks of instruction.
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Thanks for posting this @Ermit . I've been checking several times a day this week since my neighbor has decided to do it this year (of course, the year that I'll be out of state most of the season, so can't carpool with her.)
I just looked back through the threads, my first time doing it they had two 5 week sessions for $177 each. I saw in your post from last year @jmfd84 that it was for 7 sessions? Price did go up, but still a great deal at around $47 for 2 hours, and still a $10 voucher. Considering that the regular group lesson price is around $100 for only an hour and a half.... Oh, and when I last did it there was no demo day either. Hopefully they will still keep the groups small.
I took my friend there on Monday so she could get a feel for the place. She took a lesson and got a really good match with the instructor. Hopefully she'll be as happy with her instructor in the women's clinic. She'll be in a lower level group, so I'm guessing that it will be a small group.
Who else is signing up?
I just looked back through the threads, my first time doing it they had two 5 week sessions for $177 each. I saw in your post from last year @jmfd84 that it was for 7 sessions? Price did go up, but still a great deal at around $47 for 2 hours, and still a $10 voucher. Considering that the regular group lesson price is around $100 for only an hour and a half.... Oh, and when I last did it there was no demo day either. Hopefully they will still keep the groups small.
I took my friend there on Monday so she could get a feel for the place. She took a lesson and got a really good match with the instructor. Hopefully she'll be as happy with her instructor in the women's clinic. She'll be in a lower level group, so I'm guessing that it will be a small group.
Who else is signing up?
