LostCosmonaut Posted January 22, 2018 Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 This is the official thread for discussion of anything related to skiing/snowboarding on SH. If you like throwing yourself down a frozen mountain, or are at all interested, this is the place. My personal experience: I mostly ski in the northeast (New York / Vermont), have never tried snowboarding. All my experience is at resorts, so if you want to know more about crazy backcountry shit I might not be able to answer 100% (though I am seriously considering heading to Tuckerman Ravine this year). Basic advice: Wear a helmet Rating systems are uniform everywhere, what's a black diamond somewhere might be a blue at a more hardcore place. Anything above black diamond (and especially above double black) is as much marketing as difficulty rating. Difficulty depends on conditions Wear a helmet Taking a lesson your first time is probably a good idea Make sure your boots are properly fitted Resources: http://www.skibum.net/ Site with a bunch of general info about skiing, and has little blurbs/ratings about a whole lot of American ski/snowboard places, grouped by state (surprised how many midwest states have ski places). Has a pro-ski / anti-snowboard tilt. https://www.liftopia.com/ Deals on lift tickets (it is an expensive hobby, especially if you go to Aspen or Vail) http://nyskiblog.com/ Blog about New York skiing http://forums.alpinezone.com/forumdisplay.php/10-Northeast-Skiing-and-Snowboarding-Forum Forum about skiing in the Northeast https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/ General skiing forum, but has more of a western audience. Also appears to have a vibrant shitposting culture. http://mountainvertical.com/ Shows de-marketified vertical ratings for each mountain. Vertical (distance from top to bottom) is a big deal for marketing, and there's a lot of ways to fudge it. http://www.goremountain.com/ http://www.whiteface.com/ The two places I go most often. Whiteface has more vertical and longer runs, but is farther away and is often windy and iced over. Gore is closer, less crowded, and sometimes has better conditions. http://timefortuckerman.com/ Site about Tuckerman Ravine, one of the holy sites of Northeast skiing. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzmlnH8vDQHoEb2TrC0WDCg Jerry of the Day Pic at the top is from the summit of Whiteface about a year ago. Oedipus Wreckx-n-Effect 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted January 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 Random videos: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeeps_Guns_Tanks Posted January 22, 2018 Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 For the older people on the forums, this reads as the broken bones and sprained joints threads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juretrn Posted January 22, 2018 Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 If you're ever in my locale, go to Turracher Hohe or Bad Kleinkirchheim - Bad features a really dope world cup downhill run! What are your skis? I bought these just last week https://shop.atomic.com/en/products/redster-x7-xt-12-aa2718.html Zyklon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oedipus Wreckx-n-Effect Posted January 22, 2018 Report Share Posted January 22, 2018 If this is a Ski thread and you didn't include Hot Dog, you've got to be a gaper. This movie is RADICAL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted January 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 6 hours ago, juretrn said: If you're ever in my locale, go to Turracher Hohe or Bad Kleinkirchheim - Bad features a really dope world cup downhill run! What are your skis? I bought these just last week https://shop.atomic.com/en/products/redster-x7-xt-12-aa2718.html I'd love to head over to Europe some winter, gotta save up more money and vacation time first. I have a pair of 2015 Salomons; https://www.skis.com/Salomon-X-Drive-8.0-FS-Skis-with-XT-12-Bindings-2015/361001P,default,pd.html Apparently the shop that sold them to me is terrible at business because I got mine for $125 (granted, that was in fall 2016, and they were trying to clear space in their store for new stuff). Since I am a manlet I use 152s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donward Posted January 23, 2018 Report Share Posted January 23, 2018 Sadly, there has been no snow of any amount around the small town where I reside which is a shame because these rolling Palouse wheatfields are perfect for inner-tubing/sledding and/or snow-machining. Never been on skis since I know I have genetically bad knees. Went snowboarding a few times. But inner tubing is where it's at in regards to going down a snowy hill with the assistance of gravity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted January 25, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2018 Warren Miller passed away; https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/snow-sports/pioneering-inspiring-snow-sports-filmmaker-warren-a-miller-has-died-at-his-home-on-orcas-island-at-the-age-of-93/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xoon Posted January 26, 2018 Report Share Posted January 26, 2018 Since a ski on a yearly basis I guess I can post here. First I would add to your advice list: -Wear a helmet. -Use a balaclava or similar to cover your face when it is cold, you don't want to get frost bitten. -For the love of god and your kids, don't stand right below the top of a slope half way down the mountain, especially not in a line covering most of the slope. -Wear a back spine guard, unless you want to live dangerous and paralyzed, especially if you are new. -Do not do long windy turns while going downhill, it will wear out your legs faster and you are a pain in the ass to pass. -Wear a helmet. -Do not pile up in front of the lift at the top. -Do not force yourself in on others when they take a T-lift or bench if they are in a group. -Do not slam the harness of the bench in the head of the others. -Do not slam the harness of the bench in the head of the others. -Do not slam the harness of the bench in the head of the others. -Do not slam the harness of the bench in the head of the others. -Do not slam the harness of the bench in the head of the others. -Do not slam the harness of the bench in the head of the others. -Wear a helmet. -Do not cover up narrow passes. -Do not stand still right around the corner in the middle of the track. -If you are waiting, go of the track into the loose snow and wait there. -Do not buy hot chocolate at the cafe up at the top of the lift, unless you love your 6-8 dollar coca. -Wear a helmet. I use randonee skis, they are designed for back country skiing and climbing mountains, but they were leagues above my downhill skis, so I use them for both. They aren't as stiff, which makes the skis wobble at high speeds, but they are also way lighter, which is practical. Also I can run like a maniac in the boots. When I go downhill I prefer going fast, as fast as I can manage without crashing down the slope. I always try to break as little as possible. I do recommend the Swiss alps as they have much larger resorts than here in Norway, but also have a amazing amount of beginners than want to kill you. Here in Norway it is tradition to go skiing, a joke is that we are born with skis on our feet. This of course means that you will mostly meet experienced skiers in Norway, be it cross country or downhill. Though, cross country is not as common. Oh, and we don't have ratings, we only have child slopes, family slopes and then just different names for the slopes. LostCosmonaut and Collimatrix 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted January 27, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2018 8 hours ago, Xoon said: -For the love of god and your kids, don't stand right below the top of a slope half way down the mountain, especially not in a line covering most of the slope. too fucking real On the other hand, to the old guy at Whiteface that bitched me out last year because he almost ran me over bombing down Cloudspin (while I was taking it slow and doing turns because it's my first season skiing in six years), fuck you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juretrn Posted January 27, 2018 Report Share Posted January 27, 2018 18 hours ago, Xoon said: And it's always snowboarders. Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roguetechie Posted January 28, 2018 Report Share Posted January 28, 2018 On 1/22/2018 at 6:00 PM, Donward said: Sadly, there has been no snow of any amount around the small town where I reside which is a shame because these rolling Palouse wheatfields are perfect for inner-tubing/sledding and/or snow-machining. Never been on skis since I know I have genetically bad knees. Went snowboarding a few times. But inner tubing is where it's at in regards to going down a snowy hill with the assistance of gravity. ^5 I went sand dune snowboarding yesterday... This involves a four wheeler with sand paddle tires and a mildly psychotic pilot, a snowboard you are never going to use on snow again, a Waterski tow rope, a helmet, and generally old motocross gear (because we're crazy not stupid see above about paralysis) It is insanely fun but also incredibly dangerous and you get bonus points if you can thwack a rabbit on the hop with your board or the four wheelers skid plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted January 28, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2018 Gore dumped a bunch of snow on one of their black diamonds the past couple days. Normally, ski areas groom out the huge piles, but Gore decided that was too much work. They made the correct choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xoon Posted January 29, 2018 Report Share Posted January 29, 2018 19 hours ago, LostCosmonaut said: Gore dumped a bunch of snow on one of their black diamonds the past couple days. Normally, ski areas groom out the huge piles, but Gore decided that was too much work. They made the correct choice. That looks like a really bumpy slope, how fast can you go there? This is what I am used to off-pist: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted February 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2018 On 1/29/2018 at 12:53 PM, Xoon said: That looks like a really bumpy slope, how fast can you go there? Not fast at all, the fun is more trying to figure out how to get down smoothly (something I failed at a couple times, falling hard enough that you bounce and go airborne is always fun). In stupid New York skiing news: http://www.mtv.com/news/3030914/winter-break-hunter-mountain-first-look/ At least it's not at a place I ever plan on going to. Hunter would be a decent mountain if it wasn't overcrowded with New York City and North Jersey stereotypes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted February 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2018 Stay safe everyone; http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2018/02/search-underway-for-missing-whiteface-skier/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted March 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2018 Looks like a bunch of southern Vermont got 24+ inches yesterday, should be pretty good this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted March 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2018 A bit old, but Liftopia's "Best in Snow" rankings have some interesting results; https://bestinsnow.liftopia.com/#/ First thing is that Magic Mountain got #1, which validates my choice to go there tomorrow. Good to see a smaller, locally owned place getting that instead of one of the Vail-owned megaplexes out west. It also got #4 in "beginner friendly" and #1 in the "most challenging" category, which is ??? (MRG's head probably exploded at that ranking, being the most difficult is a big part of their shtick. Also, Jackson Hole is #3, but I doubt there's any individual trails at Magic that are as hard as Corbett's Couloir). Magic Mountain also got #1 in "best value", which is always good. Something that's more interest to other ( @Collimatrix ) people here, the rankings for "beginner friendly"; The official ski area of SH makes an appearance! If you break it down by region, they're #2 in the region for "beginner friendly", #3 for "family friendly", and #9 for best value. Was pretty surprised to see it on here, and pretty funny that it got more awards than any of the areas I go to in New York that are way larger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted March 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2018 Good day at Magic Mountain today. Definitely made the right choice going there. Snow conditions were excellent; I couldn't actually go into the really deep powder in my 70mm wide skis without sinking up to my knees. Still, lots of shallower powder left, and the packed down stuff was pretty good. Moguls everywhere, which made it difficult, but is a nice change of place from the groomers everywhere else. Think Magic only groomed one or two non-green trails. Only complaint was that one of the lifts was running at half capacity due to mechanical issues, and the only other lift they have (other than a small tow in the kids area and stuff like that) is a double chair. Well, at least it kept the trails clear (they also stopped selling walkup tickets about 45 minutes after I got there, which thinned out the crowds). I also found out that my technique still sucks. I have a pretty good idea what to do in my head, but whenever I push myself to the edge of my ability I keep going back to shitty habits like shifting my weight back and turning my shoulders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oedipus Wreckx-n-Effect Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 On 1/29/2018 at 10:53 AM, Xoon said: That looks like a really bumpy slope, how fast can you go there? It's called moguls. Look it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xoon Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 2 hours ago, Oedipus Wreckx-n-Effect said: It's called moguls. Look it up. Interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oedipus Wreckx-n-Effect Posted March 13, 2018 Report Share Posted March 13, 2018 3 hours ago, Xoon said: Interesting. Mary Jane, one of my favorite places to ski, has some of the world's best moguls. Hell, they hold an annual event there just for mogul skiers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted March 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 Magic had a shitload of moguls this past Saturday. They're getting 18+ from this storm, so I might be heading back Friday. @Oedipus Wreckx-n-Effect, what are your favorite areas out west? I have vague plans of doing a trip out west in the winter of '19-'20 (considering Colorado, Montana/Wyoming, BC, and Alaska). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oedipus Wreckx-n-Effect Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 8 minutes ago, LostCosmonaut said: Magic had a shitload of moguls this past Saturday. They're getting 18+ from this storm, so I might be heading back Friday. @Oedipus Wreckx-n-Effect, what are your favorite areas out west? I have vague plans of doing a trip out west in the winter of '19-'20 (considering Colorado, Montana/Wyoming, BC, and Alaska). Mary Jane/Winter Park is the best mountain on I70. If you want a smaller mountain with fantastic tree skiing, Eldora near Boulder is really fun. If they have a lot of snow, Breckenridge has like 7 bowls to check out. And if you want steep, Taos is actually really steep terrain-wise. Not sure what you're looking for exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCosmonaut Posted March 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 Haven’t thought about it that much, but I’d like somewhere with decent very, and definitely above-treelike skiing. Can’t get much of that back east. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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