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Analysis of snow conditions


jtslalom

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Most people on this site ride in great conditions. I see pictures from Utah where guys are carving through freshly groomed snow digging soft deep trenches. Other guys are up in New England with slightly harder conditions but still carving through generally the same soft snow. I love the fact that I ride on the hardest iciest conditions out of any one who posts on this sight ( New Jersey). I love the fact that the hill I ride on is scraped off by the end of the night by G.S. and S.L. skiers. Thats when riding gets good. So as I sit here and read all the posts of guys carving through soft groomed conditions I can only dream about, I begin to wonder if people really understand how good they got it. I've been riding since 1988 on the same conditions and know no better. I would like to hear about other local conditions and how people deal with them.

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You obviously haven't been to Utah either. Less than a week ago, we were riding on boiler plate. Thaw during the day, groom in the eve, freeze solid at night, bullet proof til 11 am. You're not as special as you thought you were I guess. But I love the fact that you love the fact that you ride the worst conditions in the nation. I guess you do, though, riding in NJ.

Ride on,

Davo

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ever been to michigan? seriously, i bring my ice skates along because one of these days i'm going to get the balls to prove that i really could ice skate down the hill because its so rock hard. and yeah when i was at sugarloaf, maine for the uscsa nationals race, they attempted to chop that stuff up and created the biggest death cookies i've ever seen.

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tilledog,

YOU obviously haven't been to NJ. You're right, I haven't been to Utah but I can sure guess that your average snowfall is 10 times that of NJ. I can also tell you that when you enjoy the early season snows I have early season rain. It will be 56 degrees and raining on a Tuesday day then drop down to 20 that night. It will stay below freezing the following day. So the snow hardens to a nice reflective ice you can see yourself in. Tilledog, this is very typical of NJ weather. So please don't tell me that its harder in Utah. When I think of Utah I think of soft pack 90% of the time. NJ is 20% at best softpack. Jack I was not at eces, but I've been all over New England inluding White Face in New York. I have to laugh at what some of the locals up there call hard pack. Sure you do get it, but not like it is down here. Again your average snowfall is much much greater than it is down here.

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Guest justanotherdude

Here we go with the "my conditions are worse; consequently, I am a better rider". I am just waiting for the usual egos to chime in here and to tell us what aggressive and incredible riders - excuse me - what aggressive and incredible groomed run riders they are on pseudo ski hills.

Utah boy: if you think that the crappy conditions of Utah mimic the crappy conditions of the east, well, not correct. A crappy day in Utah or, umm Colorado, is still far and away better than a sheet of ice somewhere east of the Mississippi and you would probably flounder initially. Kudos for the determination of people that tolerate piss poor snow conditions and bunny slope type grades; however, just because your terrain and snow suck does not make you a better rider - it gives you a different skill set.

Today, as most of you boys were at work, as was I, I took a nice 3 hour lunch break for four runs, none of which started below 12,500 ft. Yup, me and my Sims Premium 167 were rippin' down open spring bowls and rock chutes, none of which were under 45 degrees, that I had to hike to. Yes, I know, the Premium 167 is not the best carving board - relatively short radius and soft flex. Most of the crappy snow and mild grade boys with big egos here would tell you how it is a "beginner board", but it works for all mountain very well.

Get it?

I see that you don't.

I love watching people from east of the Rocky Mountains tell me how horrible their snow is and how we have "hero snow" for carving. I also love watching these people flounder in powder - I observe this daily, as I work at a ski resort in Colorado. However, the terrain of the ski hills east of Denver is minor league compared to the terrain of the Rocky Mountains. Get it?

Back to the original question:

I begin to wonder if people really understand how good they got it

Yea, I know how good I have it for doing nothing more than riding down groomed runs - you know, those runs that 60 year old ladies from Iowa negotiate just fine.

I also know how good I have it for terrain that makes East Coast Ice look like the minor leagues.

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wow...isnt it nice when someone proves how arrogant and self-important they are by displaying their own arrogance and self-importance?

SO glad you signed up, man! 2 posts and both of them with about as much hot air and chest beating as the entire forum combined

nice!

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I used to frequent MI bunny hills though. I DO know what "firm" conditions are ( as Bill would say " even if it's icey, no slidy slidy " or something like that ) So I probably do know what NJ's like. I think if you check the almanac, Mi would have more extreme cold than NJ.

Besides, when there are wet conditions, NJ or UT, and it freezes, well, Ice is ice.

I do love the "greatest snow on earth" though.... I will not deny.

Love,

Davey

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and it gets below 30 the next day guess what it will be rock hard just as nasty as here in the east I have lived in the west and it does get nasty there like four or five days a season here its like that every morning after march 15th or so

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What really amazes me is how conditions can change dramatically from day to day in the midwest. One day you can not even leave a scratch on the corderoy, and the next day might excellent. Much depending on the grooming. Also, there were times this winter when conditions were abismally hard and people went home early. Then the sun comes out and within 10 minutes it's carve city. If you live near the hill and have a season pass, it's not a big deal, but for for those who have to drive a distance, it must be very frustrating. That leads to people missing out.

Last Sunday at Buckhill, I was the only carver there. I guess every one assumed that after the warm day befor and the very cold night, it would just be a sheet of ice. Well it wasn't. In fact, it was amazing.

I think because they were spreading out the last of the snow, it was groomed like a billiard table. It was very hard, but the edge hold was great and without the bumps and ridges, you could let it all hang out. My gloves were almost smoking at the end of each run. No chance of cold hands. Even my heelside hip was getting warm on some turns. I was just grinning fron ear to ear all the way back up on the lift each time. Just so sad there was no one else to share it with.

BobD

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If you live near the hill and have a season pass, it's not a big deal, but for for those who have to drive a distance, it must be very frustrating.

This couldn't be more true but I live in the town I ride in and still get tired of the same crappy conditions. Twice a year I get a chance to ride in Vermont. This year it was Sugarbush. The condtions were incredible. It seems every time I ride someplace other than my home mountain, the conditions are great. Maybe that is the way with every one. The excitement of riding a strange mountain other than your own makes bad conditions disappear. Conditions that might be considered crappy at your home mountain may be considered good if you are riding an unfamiliar hill.

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Guest Jagger
Originally posted by timinor

When I was a kid I had to walk to the ski area carrying my board...in the snow...ten miles...uphill...both ways.

Well we didn't even have snow or feet to walk on we had to crawl through the mud and we were thankful to do it!:D

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Originally posted by Jagger

Well we didn't even have snow or feet to walk on we had to crawl through the mud and we were thankful to do it!:D

thansk for the info granpas . . .

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Guest dragonfly jones

What snow been down New Mexico way - bone freaking dry there.

When they did the fireworks display I thought the forest was gonna burn and take out the entire area.

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