HoliMont - I'm in!

[Gary]

A big thanks to Greg and Kathleen for the special warm welcome...2 awesome people and Greg cooked up sausages, mushrooms, onions, peppers....along with brownies, veggies and lots of great food, laugh and discussion of skiiing.

Greg can most certainly drive and power any pair of the 9 skis he brought with him. The energy he puts into those skis blows me away. He is one strong both mentally and physically skier.  We had so much fun....we really enjoyed our on snow time with Kathleen and Greg.

I wish they could have stayed and enjoyed the pow that fell....I was at the lift 15 min before the bell rang....4 of us went up 1st thing and scattered like rats.....over to Greer to track it out and work our way back. We even found pow our last run at 3pm. I did ski the DPS in the fresh stuff till 11:30....felt so guility...cause they were just a no brainer in that snow...surfing the white was such blast...I was laughing out loud with joy...even did pow bumps with them.

Today we were treated to spring snow and we all were inspired by the great conditions. I have to say putting some Zardox in my jacket to hit my bases with made all the difference in the world in the 84's...snow got sticky and a coat in the am and after lunch paid dividends. Mike had the Dynastar 94's singing...smooth as silk in the soft snow. He really connects well with that ski. He droped into a bump field and those 94's ironed it all out.  His SS came in handy in the firmer granular snow and he even powered them through some of the clumpy broken snow we encounted.

After all left today Mike and I made 5 more runs and headed home. We had granular, hardpack, powder, clumps, and spring snow....and it was just a fabulous trip. Hope more can make it next year and for sure....Greg and Kathleen must make it and thanks again for your efforts, the great tips and fun conversations.

Best, G

[HeluvaSkier]

Gary,
Thanks for the very kind words. I'm glad your trip turned out to be great snow. You really were able to ski the best Holimont has to offer - a day of fabulous groomers, a powder day, and a day of spring skiing. Kathleen and I really had a great time skiing with you guys Sunday. I wish we could have stayed to ski Monday and Tuesday. I hope you're able to make it down again this season - everyone is always welcome. We don't have a very big mountain but we certainly make the most of it and have a blast while doing it. 

[LivingProof]

Hey Mike, did you get first turns on the Sultans? You did bring them....didn't you....?

Svend - sure did, and, then some.

Just arrived home, time to catch up on the last 2 days.

On Monday, it snowed 6" of light powder. Gary had us all at the mountain 45 minutes before HoliMont opening, and, he was the first person in line - a full 15 minutes prior to opening...and, the place was empty. We joined him and were on the first chair. Gary proved "there are no friends on powder days" and just headed off to parts unknow. We caught him a little later. But, it was a fine morning of powder for at least 2 hours.

Some will laugh at our 'powder" adventure, but, hey, there is no snow this year! One sweet morning. Gary rocked the DPS skis (and was the only pair at the mountain ). I did the Sultan 94's and after a couple of runs to figure them out, we just cruised. For what it's worth, Gary's friend James rocked Supershape Speeds in the same snow, proving G's old proverb that 'Shapes work in boot high and less'.

Tuesday brought really warm sunny weather to Holiday Valley, for my first visit there. Short mountain, nice cruising trails. Snow held together very well without piles of loose granular, a little slow.

So, Svend, I used the Sultan 94's a total of 3 days where soft snow ruled. Nice cruisers, turn easily, comfortable to be on for a full day, but, not the fast edge changes that I am used to skiing - no surprise there. They will come to Tahoe in a couple of weeks and hopefully will get the conditions for which they are designed.

It was just a great 5 days on snow. Gary and I had a blast. It's nice to know he's only a 5 hour drive, so, maybe later this year......

And thanks to Helluva for some video and a detailed improvement plan for my non-PMTS skiing.

[Svend]

Hey Mike - sounds like a fantastic few days of skiing with Big G and the boys.  Damn, I'm still upset about missing it. 

Hope you're liking the 94's.  I can imagine they would take a few days to get dialed into them.  It took me that long to figure out how to make my Mythics sing.  They were my first wider ski, and more damp than anything I'd skied before.  But after about 3 or 4 days I began to realize what all the buzz was about.  Hope it's the same for you and your Sultans.  Post a review once you're back from Tahoe.

And I heard that the Ellicottville locals, upon seeing the bright yellow DPS, were inspecting the glades looking for tropical fruit trees.   

[Gary]

The fruit trees were barren Svend due to the fact it took so many of them to make my skis... the locals however were curious as all get out at the size of those fatties for that ski resort...got quite a few chuckles and some interesting conversations. But me and the nanna's ripped up the ripe trails leaving wakes of sweet snow blowing in the wind....


Happy Trails Viking!

[bushwacka]

I have skied a Atomic Thug at Holimont, you should see the looks from that thing.

its 120mm straight ski with a twin tip.

[HeluvaSkier]

I have skied a Atomic Thug at Holimont, you should see the looks from that thing.

Understandable... if its not a race ski or equipped with an integrated binding it is bound to draw some looks at HM. I think you were on PEs when we skied there back in the day.