Great TRs from F.I.S.

Famous Internet Skiers have really done their share providing early season skiporn to all of us regular guys who have jobs. I've been linking to some of their stuff because let's face it - it's awesome. Here's the TR.

(TEO on Goat by gpetrics)

Gore Summit from Bear Mountain

Panorama by Raymo

Mysterious New Weather Blog

A weather blog appeared in November seemingly out of nowhere. It's called Convective Solutions. It's odd for reasons I can't quite put my finger on.  When you Google it you get results for "Convective Solutions LLC." I think an LLC is a type of corporation, but I can't really see any reason why a business would be blogging about the weather.

In any case, I've been following it and a few weeks ago I installed a feed from Convective Solutions to Harvey Road, in the "Eastern Ski Blog" Section.  Whoever is the mysterious meteorologist is...I like the work being done.

Herb Stevens Forecast for December 2009

Excerpts from Herb's SnoCountry Forecast:

NORTHEAST/EASTERN CANADA

The storm that is departing today has deposited some valuable backlash snow from the Adirondacks eastward to the mountains of Maine. For the first time this season, it looks as though the snow will be able to hang in there through a brief warmup that will precede next week’s storm. That storm will produce some rain on the front end all the way up into Quebec, but there will be another substantial backlash swath of snow, which will reach more resorts than this weekend’s version.

Longer term, the prospects are excellent, both in terms of snowmaking temps, lake effect snow, and the threat of coastal storms that could boost early season base depths in a big way.

MRG's Josh Fox Winter Forecast

Mad River Glen's Single Chair Weather Blog has published Josh Fox's Winter Forecast.  Check it out.

A Choice Excerpt...

"Temperatures will thus fall in the normal to perhaps slightly above normal range. Snowfall on the other hand will be outstanding and I am going to predict the snowiest winter since the blog began and will include one lone epic period similar to what happened in February of 2007 and Christmas/New Years 2002-2003. Snowfall in the end will exceed 300 inches. "

CS Films at Big Tupper

Update 2 from Craig Stay on Vimeo.

The Meek Shall Inherit the Cold

The map above is from the NWS 6-10 day temp probability forecast. Things are looking up for the east. While the timing feels two weeks late, at the end of the season, early frustration will be a distant memory. Stay updated on medium range temp forecasts with the 10 day and 14 day temp forecast links on the Weather Page of NYSkiBlog.

NWS Long Term for Black Friday

The NWS Forecast Discussion (ALY) addresses the possibility that a coastal system, may produce some mountain snow/valley rain late next week. Excerpts are below the GFS model image for Black Friday:

(Click on image to enlarge.)

LONG TERM WED NT-FRI

ANOTHER SFC LOW DEVELOPS ALONG THE SE COAST AND TRACKS NNE. AT THE VERY LEAST...WILL INDICATE CHC POPS DURING THIS PERIOD FOR RAIN...ALTHOUGH SOME WET SNOW COULD BE MIXED IN ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS EARLY THU. THEN ...AS MID/UPPER LEVEL CONTINUE TO COOL...WE EXPECT ANY RAIN TO GRADUALLY MIX WITH/CHANGE TO SNOW ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS BY LATE THU ...AND PERHAPS WITHIN VALLEYS BY THU NT OR EARLY FRI.

WHETHER THIS PRECIPITATION IS WIDESPREAD AND STEADY...OR MORE SCATTERED AND SHOWERY IS STILL UNCERTAIN ... THERE IS AT LEAST SOME POSSIBILITY FOR PORTIONS OF THE REGION TO RECEIVE MEASURABLE SNOW SOMETIME DURING THIS PERIOD.

* * *

Harv's 2¢: This is the real first call for any kind of snow or cold in a timeframe that is relevant to the ski season, so I posted it. One issue is that under these conditions...marginal snowmaking temps with wet snow falling....I think it's tough to make snow.

There are real weather guys out there who think that this coastal low may bomb out and produce something bigger - maybe an upslope event on the northern end of the Green Mtn spine. That's a long way to go for a boy with a pass to Gore and no money in his pocket.

In any case, we'll all be watching this one.

Mo' Better Blues: NWS 8-14 Day Forecast

Excerpts from the NWS 8-14 Day discussion. It's a serious cut and paste job, with lots removed. I left the relevant goodies for eastern skiers.

8-14 DAY OUTLOOK FOR NOV 24 - 30 2009

TODAYS GFS ENSEMBLE MEANS ARE IN VERY GOOD AGREEMENT ... PREDICTING THE TROUGH OVER THE CONUS TO SHIFT EASTWARD ...

GREATER CHANCES FOR BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST FOR MOST OF THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN US BENEATH OF THE TROUGH ... ENHANCED PROBABILITIES FOR ABOVE MEDIAN PRECIPITATION ARE FORECAST FOR THE SOUTHEAST US AND MOST OF THE EAST COAST DOWNSTREAM OF THE TROUGH AXIS.

NWS on the Band Wagon

Looks like the NWS is starting to buy into a pattern change.

Accuweather has been calling this - but to me NWS is more credible.

Snowy Mountain Dreams

I've had a different definition of "backcountry skiing" than most. When most skiers use the phrase - the gear is heavy duty, and the goal is earned turns. In North River, we've used the phrase to describe winter camping or daytime exploring of the woods in leather boots and long straight skis.

It's time to expand my definition. I want to ski Snowy.

Building a Ski Cabin

It's no secret that FLEXIBILITY is an important ingredient in a great ski season. And there are a bunch of impediments to ski flexibility ... distance from the mountains ... the cost of skiing ... job commitments ... and the availability of last minute lodging.

Our solution to two of these issues was to build a ski cabin in the Adirondacks. Our little building helps us keep the cost of skiing down and give us the lodging flexibility to get 30+ ski-days/year.

Recently another fanatical snow rider asked me if I would share what I learned doing this project. This details some of what we learned building the cabin. One caveat...this entry could be called "Building a Ski Cabin in the Central Adirondacks." Some of what follows is specific to the area.

Two Lifts OK'd at Big Tupper

Excerpt from a piece by Rick Karlin in the Albany Times Union:

A group of snow-loving volunteers has gotten the go-ahead to re-open part of the shuttered Big Tupper ski area in Tupper Lake. Area Residents Intent on Saving their Economy, or ARISE has approval from the Adirondack Park Agency to run a chairlift and T-bar at the resort this winter.

The area has been closed since 1999 but since then a group of investors has proposed re-opening the mountain along with an extensive real estate development. Plans for the development are still with the APA and have been criticized by environmentalists.

(Rest of the piece on the ATU website.)

Gore Mountain Postcard (Circa 1968)

Can you identify the exact location of all 5 pictures?

(Click on image to enlarge.)

Tree Skiing and the Big Jay Cut

Vermont Life just published an article on the effect of tree skiing on the woods.

I never thought twice about the impact of tree skiing until the Big Jay Cut. It's definitely hard to face the fact that something that I live for, could be harmful.

Naturally occurring tree skiing exists in very limited quantities in the east. If you are talking about tree skiing on today's alpine, AT or telegear. At today's speeds. On most pitches, the spacing to ski at those speed just isn't there.

I skied for years on much less aggressive gear, softer boots, longer skis at slower speeds. Mostly in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness in the Central Adks. Much of the time we'd ski places that hadn't seen another skier for years. We'd take the long way around witch hobble or pines or whatever. If something was wide open we'd remember it, but we never cut anything.

Don't get me wrong...I love skiing at the fastest speed I can safely handle through the trees. It's an adrenaline rush. If you've skied Tahawas or Twister glades at Gore — they are glades that you can fly through — low angle and they have definitely been thinned. Not just clipped.

No question about it gladed terrain tends to move from "off the map" to "on the map." This is CLEARLY at pattern at Gore. At least in that case the ski area boundary is a limit. Somehow...within the boundary...I'm ok with it. Not sure why exactly. Maybe because it's a playground for humans, not a wilderness.

Ultimately I never really understood until Big Jay...that as I went from leather to plastic....and to more sidecut, and shorter skis... that I could be part of the problem.

There is great coverage and interpretation of the Vermont Life article and the Cut at Big Jay on TheSnowWay.

The Dark Side (of Tele).

This is for all the haters out there. :)

The Future in North Creek, NY

"I've seen the future and it's in North Creek, New York."

Seasonal T2M Forecast

I've had a hard time finding good news for eastern skiers. Finally, some. This chart is NWS's best guess at how temps will compare to the long-term average in the crucial period Dec-Feb.

Gore Mtn Mystery Photo

Where was this photo taken?

Twister's Little Sister

Check it out ... Gore's new trail, Twister's Little Sister, is shown on the snow report as a glade. Anybody who skied the "worm-hole" last year may see the humor here — you are technically skiing in between trees and I suppose it could be dangerous, but it's not exactly a glade.

Interesting to note that on the trail map Twister's Little Sister is shown with an intermediate trail graphic, but she's illustrated like a glade.

Scarpa T2X

I've been eyeing up the T2Xs for two years now. I got a Mountain Gear catalog last night and noticed that they've been discontinued. Replaced with something called the T2 ECO - a newer version made out of mazzola instead of dead dinosaurs. "Protect the backcountry while you ski it!" Um OK.

See ... I got no business buying these bad boys. My old T2's are a little beat but basically ok. I've gone to a wider ski (Atomic RT-86) but still, I don't HAVE to have stiffer boots.

So I'm sitting here in the office...and I started Googling the T2Xs. Everyone's got em on sale because they are discontinued. Looking ...looking ...looking - of course NONE are in my size - a fairly average size 10 foot. Then I find some place in Colorado ...Wilderness Experience - ONE PAIR IN MY SIZE.

It was almost completely involuntary. The credit card practically did all the work itself. I was an innocent bystander. I might have some real explaining to do but I'm covered ... I just hooked up Mrs. Harv at Steiner's Sports a few weeks ago.

Now we need some colder temps!

Camera for a Ski Blogger

To continue to bring you those awesome, stoke enhancing TRs with pics... I need a camera to replace my defunct Sony Cybershot DSC-P9.  I've posted on FirstTracks and AlpineZone to get input from skiers, to find out what they're using.  It seems like a lot of people are using Canons.  I've read through all that great input and posted a summary below.

First, my wish list:

• A viewfinder. LCD displays seem worthless in bright light. At least on my Sony it was. It would be cool if the frame in the viewfinder matched up to the actual frame in the final photo.

• Speed. Not sure what it takes but it drives me nuts when the camera is calculating whatever and the shutter finally clicks after the action has passed. Not sure if what I am asking for is low light performance?

• Some amount of toughness, if possible.

• Good color saturation and sharpness.

• Small enough to fit reasonably in a fleece breast pocket.

• Quick startup/powerup.

• In the neighborhood of $350.

* * * * 

Some of the recommendations from threads I've posted on FirstTracks and AlpineZone:

Sony 130 or Sony 150 .... "some of last year's Sonys are still on the market that have view finders.... Sony forces you to buy their proprietary memory stick instead of using your existing card."

Long Term Weather Outlook 09/10

First a disclaimer: I am not a meteorologist. I'm just a guy fascinated by the weather. And not coincidentally...my stoke level...November through April...is affected by the weather. I've spent a lot of time searching the internet for meteorologists and people who know the weather and are willing to take a shot at something beyond the standard 5-day forecast.

To me - especially at this time of year - it's all about temps. If we get our share of arctic air, snowmaking can begin, and precip will fall into place. This one is new to me...it's an NOAA/NWS prediction of the next 6 months of the effect of El Nino on temps across the continent:



If we could get those Jan-Feb temps to verify, I'd take my chances with March and April.

Dreaming of Winter Snowstorms

When the JONES is running high and there's no skiing to be had...I start looking through old trip reports. This photo brings back memories of the awesome early season at Gore Mountain last year. The day before I took this there had been a big dump and a fantastic day of skiing. In this shot, it's 8am, and it's starting to dump again.

The gondola is RUNNING and there is no line. You can't see anything up the mountain, but you know all that terrain is up there just waiting. And it was another great day on the mountain.