Winter or Spring... Part 2. Spring!

So I've already told you all about the interesting yet wonderful conditions from Saturday, but what about Sunday... Let me preface by saying that late Saturday evening I left the condo on the mountain to head into town to grab some provisions and the wind was howling at about 60 knots. And whereas that may be an overstatement, it may not be, it was ripping through that valley and the access road was almost a white-out due to blowing snow. Pretty cool, actually!
So Sunday we awake a little late, but meet up with some friends over on the west side of the resort and not only is there no wind, but the sun is shining brighter than any day this season - in Maine that is. It was one of those days when you don't really care about taking the high-speed lifts because the slow ones allow for the goggle-tans. The conditions went from firm and powdery on the western fringes to soft corn-snow as you got closer to the hub of the resort. That's one of the great things about Sunday River; the fact that the current layout is three miles wide truly makes for different weather patterns. The west is typically colder, windier, and gets more snow as it's situated on the edge of a notch. It also is prime for sun given its' higher elevation. The fact of the matter is that Jewels and I had a perfect day with 20 runs and no desire to stop... I can't wait until this weekend!

Closing time for many of the smaller ski operations

I had a sad revelation as I was reading the sports section of the local paper yesterday. Ironically I had just gotten back form Sunday River where the mountains and surrounding lands are still buried in multiple feet of snow from this years’ near record snowfall. And still with all the snow covering the mountains, I read the snow reports for the state’s smaller ski areas and many of them had yesterday listed as the last day of operation. While these areas will mostly all close at 100% of their terrain open, it is a time of year when running the lifts isn’t viable for them. They have no other cash cows like expensive eateries, lodging, or boutiques. Thankfully, the early reports out of the Ski Maine Association indicate that almost all the states’ ski areas, if not all, had very good financial years. Combine that with the fact that a few of the larger resorts will be open for several more weeks to come and the sadness is lessoned, but it’s just one of those sign posts I hate seeing every year.

Winter or Spring... Part 1. Winter!

This past weekend was definitely one of the best since Jules and I returned from Lake Tahoe, but it had some surprises in store for all of us. After arriving at Sunday River fairly late Friday night, we awake early to some gently falling snow - just a little coating really, but enough to make everything look magical. I was a little surprised to see 18 degrees on the thermometer on the deck and then when the wind kicked in I though we had been transported back to mid-January. Nevertheless, we're from Maine and we're skiers and a little cold and windy weather doesn't hold us back... Until the wind puts lifts on hold, that is. This only happened to one lift on Saturday, but we had just ridden the Jordan Quad and had a super-sweet run down Rogue Angel with a nice firm center and wind-blown powder drifts on the sides of the trail. So we migrated over to Oz, and got first tracks on the upper part of Tin Woodsman and Lost Princess. It was amazing how the reported snowfall of 4 inches over the two days before had settled (with the wind's help) to provide us with some 8-10 inch-deep turns all the way down to Kansas. Then as Jules, our friend Mark, and myself found a patroller dropping the rope to the main sections of Tin Woodsman and Lost Princess - from Kansas down - which hadn't been open for weeks. The view from the cat tracks was intense - powder everywhere. The first few turns were deep, light, and dry - again, the 4 inches had blown right where we wanted it, then it got "special" as I hit some breakable crust-covered moguls and then a knee to waist-deep powder pocket and then another bulletproof bump. About halfway down I asked Jules how much she hated me, but she didn't. She knew it would be interesting, but neither Mark nor I thought it would be this weird. The lower third of the trail was nice and light, but it would only be one run on there for us. The rest of Saturday was great. The other side of Oz was fabulous as was Aurora and White Cap. The conditions on most of the mountain were very consistent, still firm, but not icy. The lack of crowds made it a treat. As we skied back to the Condo, I looked back towards Jordan Mountain and knew that the wind was just getting it ready for even better conditions.

The Globe has called the ski season a wrap for another year

For some of us, it doesn’t seem like winter is long enough. And while snow is currently falling outside my office window, one of the sure signs of winter has passed for another year. No, Boston isn’t considered a winter wonderland, so to speak, but over the course of the winter, skiers form all over New England pick up the Boston Globe on Thursdays to read the two pages dedicated to skiing and snowboarding. Having returned from a long day a work yesterday, I opened the sport’s section to the last few pages and the Tony Chamberlain articles were missing. There were no black and white photos of skiers or riders with smiles on their faces. I scuffled through the other pages, but to my dismay, it was all Red Sox, Celtics, and NCAA Tournament coverage. Yes, we will be skiing in northern New England for several more weeks, but my Thursday will be a little less anticipated till Tony and the gang returns next fall.

Sunday Makes News of New Hybrid Lift Official

While many people had been tlaking about the rumors of a new Chondola lift at Sunday River, the resort continued to stress for months that nothing was imminent. That was until today when the resort announced that plans are final for the $7 million combination gondola and six person chairlift, or "Chondola" as it's referred to. Sunday River will become the 4th resort in North America with one of these lifts, the closest other being at Mont Orford in southern Quebec. While additional plans were not annouced, this is widely thought to be the first step in a long-term expansion process that will include the Chondola as the center of the resorts activities including hiking and night skiing.

Sweetser finally cracks the top 10 at Nationals!

After going five years without a breakthough performance at the national level, Sam Sweetser of Cumberland, Maine - and son of Ski Maine Association Executive Director, Greg Sweetser - finally cracked the top 10 on Monday in the men's downhill at Sugarloaf, Maine. Sweetser knew going into the event that it may be his last, especially without a top result, but was happy to be least attempted it on a mountain he grew up racing and knows well. The 5th place finish is Sweeter's best career result in the downhill, which was won by T.J. Lanning, the surprise winner who also captured the combined gold.

For the Love of the Sport!

Skiing, along with the resorts we frequent, present a lot of pride. You may come from a small mountain with a couple of rope tows, but damn it, if that’s your home hill, you better defend it! That’s the way it seems at least, and quite frankly, I am just as bad as anyone when it comes to sticking up for my home mountain, (Sunday River) the mountain I grew skiing and still love, (Sugarloaf) or indeed all the ski areas and resorts form my home state of Maine. I’d probably even raise an eyebrow is someone harped on Verbier or trash-talked Wengen. Why? Because it is human nature for us to be connected to these places that we love. To us, they are scared and represent a heck of a lot more than they do to others. Sadly, though, there are some that really take this a little too far. I mean far to the point of obsession. Yes, some friendly banter back and forth has always been good and will always be present in the industry. There are any number of online forums where you can go and talk about your favorite trails, mountains, and mountain regions. A couple great places to do so are Alpine Zone and SnowJournal, but in my personal opinion, which is just that, you cross the line when you go into someone’s home territory and pick this fight. For example, I would never go to the Killington Zone talk about how I thought that Sugarbush is a better resort or how Sugarloaf’s continuous vertical drop makes their piled-up vertical look silly. Not only would I not get any satisfaction out of it, but it’s flat out rude and disrespectful to that resort and the good folks that ski and ride it. It’s a matter of respect and respect is something one should learn from spending time in the mountains. Skiing is NOT about vertical drop, inches of snow received the third week of March, or how many trail names a resort can squeak out of the actual geographical confides of the resort’s boundaries. Skiing is about the freedom of the mountains, being outdoors, having fun with family and friends, pushing oneself past their boundaries, and discovery. Skiing is NOT about high-speed 6-packs or 120-person trams, it’s about letting your skis glide down that crystallized surface with a smile as wide as Montana and the feeling that you’re still 15-years-old and you never have to grow up. All of those things truly add to the experience, but will never define the sport. I feel bad for those who lose sight of these things and because clearly they are in the sport for the wrong reasons. I’m sure there is hope for them, the bug gets us all at one point or another; I guess it just got me a lot younger than some. Regardless, I can honestly say without any equivocation that as long as it has some pitch and a frozen surface, I’m into it. That hill or mountain may be in Alaska, Nevada, Vermont, Maine, or Scotland. You see it doesn’t matter where it exists, it only matters that it exists. When we get such a wonderful chance to spend so much of our lives playing, how dare we take advantage of such a blessing?

Miller Snubs Maine Faithful!

One week removed from hoisting two crystal globes - one for the men's combined alpine skiing season title and the other for the men's overall, Bode Miller has apparently had enough skiing and press. As the annual U.S. National Alpine Championships begun at Sugarloaf, Maine, Miller was elsewhere. Having attended Carrabassett Valley Academy at the base of the mountain, Miller is a fan favorite and idol to many aspiring racers and recreational skiers alike in the part of the country, but apparently 7 months on the World Cup circuit was enough as Miller's agent confirmed that he was off to a sunny and warm place to relax after the season. I guess one more week was too much to ask from a guy who gained a lot from this mountain community. Quite frankly, it's sad, but thankful fans will get to see the women's downhill and overall champion, Lindsay Vonn in action, as she arrived for the week-long event. Ted Ligety, who won the giant slalom title in the last week of competition is home in Utah having a hand injury evaluated.
And typical of Maine weather, the downhill, which was slated for both men and women for Saturday will at least be postponed due to variable course conditions, high winds, and blowing snow.

To Learn of A Legend

This season has been nothing short of amazing for those of us who ski and ride Sunday River. Much of this has to do with the abundant snowfall, which has been well above average, but also it has a lot to do with the new ownership and the new operators; Boyne USA. While the ownership changed hands a little late to see largely tangible results on the mountain, the philosophy and ideas that have come forth from Boyne are uplifting, energetic, and bring hope to the resort and the surrounding communities. While staying in one of the resort hotels, I noticed a copy of the family patriarch’s autobiography, Everett Kircher: Michigan’s Resort Pioneer. While I’ve only skimmed the book thus far, much of the information sheds light on why the late Kircher is so revered for his enthusiasm, ideas, and innovation. Everett Kircher passed away in January of 2002, but the family business is being carried on and his legact remains. For those who ski at areas operated by the Boyne family, this should be a must read and not to worry, due to the fact it’s a soft cover, it’ll fit in your jacket for the lift!

Shawnee Peak Shuts Off The Lights

With my car packed before work, Jules and I had planned to make our last night skiing trip to Shawnee Peak yesterday. An employee had told me that last night would be the last night of night skiing for the season despite record snowfall. I can’t say enough about how night skiing after work relieves stress from a long day at the office and when timed right, the views over the horizon and towards the White Mountains of New Hampshire are hard to beat. Then when I check the web page to see what the expected temps were going to be, I was saddened to learn that Monday was actually the last night. While I’m not at a loss for skier days this year, I would have like one last night, but I’ll have to wait until next year. That of course will bring another topic – where I’ll be skiing at night. Yes, I’ll still race at Shawnee on Wednesday nights with my team, but if all goes according to plans, I may be able to ski on Fridays as well…

Anyone heard from Stumpy???

I’m curious if I’m the only one that is questions whether we will actually see the long-awaited Legend of Ahhhs this fall. While Rob Story recently wrote a piece on Greg Stump and this upcoming project, there has been little to no other press about it. As a matter of fact, when I do a Google search for the movie title, my previous post comes up first – odd. You’d think that if a film was being made that was going to “win the Sundance Film Festival” as Stumpy said in an interview in May of 2007, there would be a little more build-up. Perhaps I’m totally wrong or maybe I’m just worried that this won’t happen and this, like so many other rumored projects, will falls through the cracks. I certainly hope not, especially with the 20th anniversary of The Blizzard of Ahhhs this year.

What's your mountain theme?

I’ve recently talked a little with different folks about how music relates to skiing and being in a mountain environment. One thing to distinguish is that there is a huge difference from music you listen to on the mountain while you’re skiing, music you go to hear at a local bar or après venue, and music you think about when you picture mountain living. I know this may sound a little odd, but if you could suspend normal thinking for a moment picture you last trip to Telluride or Tahoe or wherever. If there was a soundtrack for the places you ski, what would be on it? I recall watching movies form the 70’s and 80’s that had a lot of country/western in them. I can see this; mountains have that rugged feeling that comes through particularly well in such music. So I pose the question of what musicians and types of music you associate with your favorite ski town. I’m still working on a list for mine, but for any town surrounding Lake Tahoe, it really is country/western all the way; John Denver, in particular. While most people associate him with Aspen – and they should as he lived there a long time – he lived on the South Shore for a while and performed annual events there throughout the 70’s and 80’s. Your turn!

Eastern Spring Skiing Options

While public relations often push ski areas to open as early as possible despite less than wonderful conditions and packed slopes, the race to stay open the latest is far-less heated in the east than in previous decades. After the announcement that Powdr Corp would run Killington, the Park City, UT based company advised that they would not operate the ski resort into May like all previous owners and operators had done. Killington is still scheduled to close in April this season despite extensive snow pack. Two seasons ago, Bretton Woods not only made a play to stay open the latest in the east, they pulled it off by operating a novice trail on the second weekend of May, but the scheduling of “Bodefest” was one determining factor. Under new ownership since last season, BW’s philosophy on late season skiing has changed back to a more traditional model. For skiers and riders looking to make late-season lift serviced turns, there will be at least a few options in the east. The last few years Sugarbush in Vermont has made their faithful happy by having one of the longest seasons in the state – this year should be no different. New Hampshire sliders were able to either hike Tuckerman Ravine or just watch others doing it last season as Wildcat Stayed open into May by making week-to-week operational decisions and offering up over 2000 feet of vertical on their closing day. Finally, in Maine, both Sugarloaf (notice the lack of “USA”) and Sunday River stayed open till the end of April last season with the former having good cover all the way through May for hikers to enjoy. This year promises to be much of the same. Sugarloaf has announced its’ intention to operate into May, conditions permitting. Sunday River announced yesterday that they plan to shoot for April 27th, again conditions permitting. While tough ecomonic times may keep most resorts from runnings lifts past the point of profit, this skier looks forward to a long spring season and is happy to drive to the last open resort. After that I'll strap the skis to my back and head for Tucks!

Bethel Sets Snow-Person World Record Again

It was a little over a decade a go when the good folks of Bethel, Maine set a world record by erecting the world’s largest snowman. His name was Angus, which was the name of our governor at the time. So it came as no surprise when the same good folks of Bethel decided that the world record needed to get broken. Why? Because aside from snowmobiling, skiing, and watching the snow pile up... literally, there isn't much else to do around these parts. Okay, there's hunting, but it's highly seasonal. Now just so people know, Bethel isn't afraid to shy away from a challange and this record re-certification is not because someone else built a bigger snowman - no one tried. Armed with snowmaking machines from Sunday River and owners Boyne USA, Bethel’s newest “Snowwoman” was built and her name is Olympia – pun intended. For the record, Olympia stands at over 122 feet tall and her eye lashes are made of skis. The eyes and buttons are made of 5-foot in diameter rubber tires. I've heard some estimates of the total weight being in the millions, but yikes, that sounds like a lot. Regardless, this is a pretty cool site, especially up close.

Sugarloaf gears up for Alpine Championships

The U.S. National Alpine Championships are set to begin on Wednesday, March 19th at Sugarloaf, Maine. After capturing 5 crystal globes this past week for perhaps its’ best season ever, American skiers will converge on this western Maine resort for the 4th time since 1996 for the annual National Championships. Sugarloaf is home to Carrabassett Valley Academy, which is the alma mater of newly crowned overall World Cup winner, Bode Miller. The event will run through Wednesday, March 26th. As of today, all the stars from the U.S. Ski Team, as well as Bode Miller were expected to attend the races, which were last help at Sugarloaf in 2006.

A Sense of Community at Sunday River!

The second Meet n’ Greet with Sunday River Management was a huge success once again on Saturday. The dedicated and faithful forum members were up early for first tracks and then got together for some food and fun in the afternoon. The sense of community is long been missing at Sunday River, but it’s been building over the last couple of years and I for one, am glad to be a part of it. It’s easy to go skiing or own a condo, but to take part in something special like this takes time and commitment. This is a special group of folks who love the outdoors, love Sunday River, love to bust on each other, and love to have a great time. Thanks to all!

No, I'm not a ski bum. Kinda wish I were, though!

Okay, so the fact of the matter is that I really do love skiing. No kidding, right – the first 15 or so posts on here have been all about skiing, but realistically, it is my passion. I know that others have passions and I am careful to respect them for what they are. That said, I am not a typical ski bum and quite frankly I think it’s silly that some folks choose to make that comparison because I’ve skied so many days this year. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think there is anything wrong with being a ski bum. I couldn’t live the lifestyle that many do, but my life goals are what they are. The truth is that as long as the term has existed, people have considered ski bums to be unmotivated souls that have low paying jobs, ski everyday, and party every night. Sounds like a blast, but it’s not in the real world cards for someone like me. Now the fact that I’ve already skied 70 days this year has had some people actually criticize me and liken me to having this type of unmotivated lifestyle. No, I shouldn’t and don’t really care what these people think, but I’m curious as to why they would act this way. Is it jealousy? Does the fact that I work 50 hours a week and still ski a ton make them feel like they need to lash out? Perhaps. And while it’s only a couple people, I just think it’s a poor vibe to spread around ski country. Bobr for one, would not appreciate it. Okay, so now that is off my chest, no more skiing rants… only skiing!

Vonn & Miller Clinch Over World Cup Globes!

It was March 1983, 25 years ago when Sports Illustrated published a magazine with Phil Mahre and Tamera McKinney on the cover together. Who, you ask? Phil and Tamera had just become the first US skiers to win the overall Alpine World Cup skiing titles in the same year. Given the yearly dominance of the Europeans, it was the first and the last time this had happened until today. It should also be noted that a male and a female form the same country winning in the same year almost never happens, regardless of what countries they represent. Regardless, with strong finished in the giant slalom and slalom respectively, Bode Miller and Lindsay Vonn both clinched the overall titles today. While there will be much more on this later, especially as Miller, who skis for the US, doesn’t ski for the US Ski Team; however, another American clichéd a title today as 2006 Combined Olympic Gold Medalist, Ted Ligety, won the final giant slalom, which was not only his second win in a month, but earned him the giant slalom globe. Ligety’s title makes it four title for the Americans this year. These include the two overalls and Lindsay Vonn’s Downhill title.

Of note, Miller only trailed Didier Cuche of Switzerland by five points prior to Wednesday’s scheduled downhill, which was cancelled due to weather. The cancellation gave Cuche the title. Something tells me Miller isn’t all that upset.