They have some good temps to work on snow making this week. I'm hoping they have more of the whales spread out tomorrow. I was actively avoiding them yesterday since they weren't the fun kind, the texture was more like skiing over dehydrated marshmallow. Looked pretty though.
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Wachusett 22/23
- Thread starter diymom
- Start date
NewEnglandSkier
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I hope to be there tomorrow. Since they've been blowing snow for the past couple days I was hoping maybe they'd get another trail or 2 open.
jmfd84
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Early mornings at Wachusett this holiday week have been noticeably un-crowded. I skied today until the first lines started forming around 10:30am. All trails off the Minuteman lift were pretty good. Ralph's was really rolly from the snow whales they've been making. I found it fun and kind of different. The right side green trail (Sundowner) was nice, but the left one (Indian Summer) was hard and scrapey. I only skied once from the summit lift - Conifer was ABSOLUTELY AWFUL. Rock hard, slippery, and fist-sized chunks of ice littering the entire trail. That was an exercise in survival not to be repeated twice. Apparently one side of upper Tenth was decent (but it sounded like an ice sheet to me from the lift) and they've opened upper Smith. After getting halfway down Conifer, I bailed across the mountain to get back to the Minuteman lift, and lower Smith was really good snow.
I demoed skis the last time I was there. Today I was back on my own skis. Yikes! I am so ready for a stiffer ski with better edge bite!
I demoed skis the last time I was there. Today I was back on my own skis. Yikes! I am so ready for a stiffer ski with better edge bite!
marzNC
Angel Diva
Voting has opened for the I AM A SNOWMAKER 2023 contest. Wachusett is one of the finalists. Can vote daily Jan. 13-23, 2023.
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NewEnglandSkier
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Well, it's no wonder Wachusett had no power through yesterday. Everything is still covered in ice out there. Lots of broken trees and very stressed bending over trees to fall on things. Here's a shot on Ralph's of the snow/ice trees. On some trails the trees were bent so far over you could ski under them like a tunnel (I wouldn't though in case one broke).
I fear the next storm will cause major issues in that part of the state again since the trees are still so loaded with ice from the last storm.
I fear the next storm will cause major issues in that part of the state again since the trees are still so loaded with ice from the last storm.
Divegirl
Angel Diva
I was there today too. Lot of thick ice on the trees and the lifts. Skiing was very nice - slightly crowded. Most all of the cut thrus connecting Conifer to 10th were closed as was Oxbow. They were using the satellite parking today as I saw one of the shuttles when I was leaving.
NewEnglandSkier
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yeah, I definitely waited in line longer than usual today. I arrived a little after 8am and cars were flowing in steadily behind me. More kids than normal today-- I think some who live in the local area may have been off of school due to power issues.
Divegirl
Angel Diva
@BlueSkies - I saw you and DH in line at the lower lift late morning but you were just about to go thru the gates. I didn't see you after that. I left about noon.
TrixieRuby
Certified Ski Diva
I was at Wachusett yesterday, drove right into the main lot at 9 am but it was filling up. Conditions were excellent all morning, got crusty and icy as the day went on. It was busy, but not crazy busy. Seemed like a lot for a weekday!
Divegirl
Angel Diva
Skied today at Wachusett - definitely spring conditions right now. Very soft but not slushy. Cool thing - riding up the Minuteman lift, I saw a large bird fly over. Overcast and very flat light. I have seen red-tailed hawks out there in the spring. The bird turned towards the lift - it was a bald eagle. So I watched and another large bird passed over the lift - a 2nd bald eagle. They spent time circling around Look Mom and Hitchcock then split up. Next lift up guy I was sitting w/ said the 2 had been flying low over the parking lot when he got there this morning.
MissySki
Angel Diva
Wow, that is really cool!!
NewEnglandSkier
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I skied Wachusett today and @Divegirl was right---it was very soft. Not slushy/sticky snow but very soft--like a few more degrees and it will be slushy. The busier trails were getting some piles. Smith Walton had more bumps and piles than 10th Mountain, but 10th had a fair bit of hard pack and ice exposed where the snow had been scraped off. Conifer was fun and there was hardly anyone on it, so I repeated that one a bunch of times. Challenger was good earlier on but I found Ralph's to be sort of deep and I was on my carving skis so they wanted to sink. It's supposed to be pretty warm I think through next week unfortunately. Spring skiing is great and all, when it's actually spring.
If not for the warm conditions I had wanted to do some carver demos, but didn't bother since I usually would use something else for those warm conditions.
When I saw how soft it was I was nervous about the day, as it has been years since I've skied narrow skis in spring snow and I never enjoyed it in the past, but it turned out to be a fun day. Hopefully this means my skills have improved!
It's too bad they didn't have any actual mogul trails, as it would have been great conditions for that.
If not for the warm conditions I had wanted to do some carver demos, but didn't bother since I usually would use something else for those warm conditions.
When I saw how soft it was I was nervous about the day, as it has been years since I've skied narrow skis in spring snow and I never enjoyed it in the past, but it turned out to be a fun day. Hopefully this means my skills have improved!
It's too bad they didn't have any actual mogul trails, as it would have been great conditions for that.
TrixieRuby
Certified Ski Diva
I read somewhere that Wachusett might join the Epic pass. (OMG!) anyone have any news on this?
Please, no! I’d honestly be surprised. They were on the pre Ikon Maxpass, but nothing since then. And the years that passholder perks included bigger resorts out west it has been Ikon resorts ( a few years ago it was Taos, this year Alta.). The Crowleys have been putting money into snowmaking, and seem like they prefer to stay independent from what I can tell, and seem to be doing ok as is. So maybe Ikon affiliation in some way, but since they are independent and not a full resort, I think they would be a better fit for the Indy Pass.
marzNC
Angel Diva
I find that very unlikely. Joining Indy would be a much better fit if Wachusett wants to be part of a "collective."
Epic resorts are essentially all owned by Vail Resorts. Telluride is the sole Epic Partner now that Sun Valley and Snowbasin moved to Ikon and back to the MCP.
Ikon is a very different situation with Alterra-owned resorts mixed with well known independent resorts such as Alta and Taos, along with Boyne and Powdr resorts such as Big Sky, Sunday River, and Snowbird. Wachusett is a very successful day mountain for locals and doesn't feel like a good fit for Ikon.
Divegirl
Angel Diva
I would be surprised if they joined IKON or Epic. Indy pass would probably be a better fit.
As it was explained to me by a local one morning. Wachusett cannot expand. They are in an old growth forest in a state park which is why there is no skiing in the trees there. Years ago there was a plan for expansion up past hitchock and Franny's to the summit hence the "lift to nowhere" that just serves piece of cake. It was supposed eventually serve several more blue and black runs from the lower summit. Apparently the state and Wachusett even had an agreement for expansion where in exchange expanding on state property, Wachusett would maintain the old growth forest. The Sierra Club sued Wachusett and the state and won so Wachusett can never expand. Also regardless of how much snow we get, Wachusett has to hand parts of the ski area back to the state in early /mid-April to open Mass Pike and Roper's for car/bike/hiker traffic.
As it was explained to me by a local one morning. Wachusett cannot expand. They are in an old growth forest in a state park which is why there is no skiing in the trees there. Years ago there was a plan for expansion up past hitchock and Franny's to the summit hence the "lift to nowhere" that just serves piece of cake. It was supposed eventually serve several more blue and black runs from the lower summit. Apparently the state and Wachusett even had an agreement for expansion where in exchange expanding on state property, Wachusett would maintain the old growth forest. The Sierra Club sued Wachusett and the state and won so Wachusett can never expand. Also regardless of how much snow we get, Wachusett has to hand parts of the ski area back to the state in early /mid-April to open Mass Pike and Roper's for car/bike/hiker traffic.
