Bad day at the 'loaf

[meput]

I have a saying about skiing: "Any day that you ski and walk off the mountain has been a good day"

Today was not a good day at the 'loaf and no, I did not hurt myself. It was brutal out there today. Temps 0 - +15 F, depending on elevation, with winds 25 mph sustained with gusts topping 40. The conditions prevented opening the upper half of the mountain that had even nastier conditions. Add lines that were crazy due to the end of a vacation week and weekend pressure from Mainers on the day after a 9 inch snow storm (got to get a little of that eastern pow? ). The sad thing was that the snow conditions were spectacular? . Thank goodness I ski on a season pass and therefore not feel too bad to say "nuts to this" before I got frostbite. Oh, did I say the lift lines are are not oriented to be wind protected and while in line you are facing into the wind. After the second time of a 30+ min. lift line in the great Artic North blast zone, freezing while? riding up the lifts that are so slow that the cable will occasionally rust to the sheeve wheels when the lift is running, I decided to call it quits. Oh, did I say earlier that the conditions were spectacular? It brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it? . Not a good day at the 'loaf.

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

So, what makes for a bad day at your mountain (hopefully without getting hurt - physically)

[ToddW]

The last weekend of March 2010 was bad, very bad.? One of the best snowpacks on record melted in two days.? Mid-seventies temps and some noncrystalline precipitation were to blame.? Underground rivers of melted snow carved out thin-walled caverns to entomb the unwary skiers above.? They spread so quickly that patrol couldn't close one trail before two more had collapsed.? Only a few trails that had been specially built up for late season survived, and even they closed early.

That weekend was bad because it cheated us out of many days that we should have skied and walked off the mountain.?


Snowhot recently posted about an even worse day.? There was so much loose, uncompacted snow that to fall was to drown in this white sea and to remain there without proper burial until the summer thaw.

[meput]

Todd,

I agree, spring monsoons are a disaster for any mountain. Mid winter monsoons can also be creative. Had a day this Jan. that rained. Only took 3 runs to soak through my ski pants (my parka rated as "waterproof" actually stood up to the condensing humidity). That also was not a good day a the 'loaf.

I don't know about the "loose, uncompacted snow that to fall was to drown". Sounds like the obscene powder that the westerners always talk about and us easterners only dream about? .

Jim

[LivingProof]

meput,

That storm visited Philly on Friday night only it was all rain and really strong wind.

Very high winds spoil a ski day, especially if the wind is blowing up hill so that you can't go downhill without a major tuck. Very thick fog is no fun either and a lot more dangerous as losing the ability to sense balance makes skiing a nightmare.

Other than the above, I can get through most other stuff and still smile.

[Gary]

Hmmm....a bad day for me at the mountain....let me ponder...well boiler plate sucks but the young-ins grind it up in 90min making loose granular...

a....a...lift lines so bad that me waiting for anything longer than 5 minutes is just well...unnatural but good snow trumps long lift lines...

Well I guess...a bad day at the mountain, not weather, people or conditions related...it's when there's no snow on the mountain...now that sucks!    g

[ToddW]

I had a close call with a bad day on Friday.? I lost a white ski (icon tt 80) in a foot and a half of fresh.? It took almost two hours to find it.? The next run more than made up for the frustration though?

[meput]

Todd, Sorry to hear about your ski that decided to go snow submarining and then stay submerged. Glad you found it. Did three laps on a chair lift today and a skier under the lift had a similar experience with an AWOL ski. The last time over, there were about 10 people all poking and sounding for the ski? .

Sugarloaf kissed and made up today. Still cold but limited wind. A lot fewer people in the lines with all 15 lifts running. Longest line was 5 min. max. Beautiful conditions: trails packed powder and untracked areas in the trees.