After waiting for the heat of the day (which never came), I ventured up to take a few runs at 2:30PM. It was -7<SUP>0</SUP>F in the Tram parking lot, and -17<SUP>0</SUP>F at the Tram mountain station. <BR> <BR>The bitter cold ruled the skiing experience. Even in full-face-mask-and-goggles (I usually ski in sunglasses), it required warm-up breaks every 15 minutes to regain feeling in toes & fingers. <BR> <BR>Snow surfaces are slowly improving. Upper mountain was 100% open. Vista Way had very thin cover, OK skiers left, a narrow line last half on skiers right). Tramway looked OK from the Tram. Upper Cannon had good cover all the way (surprise!). Profile looked Ok from the chair. Upper Ravine & Skylight were open, but didn't have time to check 'em out. Taft Slalom had good cover from recent snowmaking, and the last rays of afternoon sunlight. <BR> <BR>Upper Hardscrabble had very thin cover. Middle Hardscrabble was closed (probably not much different than last week). Lower Hardscrabble was still closed; ducked rope at top entrance, and it was superb; hiked back up & out at lower entrance near Cannonball Quad (below there is probably a minefield of rocks under thin cover). <BR> <BR>Middle Ravine had good cover, great groomed carving; Big Link actually had snow on it; Little Link did, too. Didn't have time to hit Middle Cannon above Spooky (it wasn't bad below Spooky), or Extension. <BR> <BR>Turnpike & Redball still closed, (snowmaking shutting down, so it looks like Turnpike & Lower Hardscrabble might not open at all this season). <BR> <BR>Still no sign of a halfpipe (what am I supposed to say when friends tell me Cannon isn't "board friendly" - it's not). Hey, but Billy's tubing park is 100% open, LOL. <BR> <BR>Didn't check out Garys (race-in-progress) or Rocket. Zoomer is still in great shape post-snowmaking, though groomed weatherbee-style nearly "wall-to-wall". Paulies closed, a minefield, though a few tracks visible from the adventurous. Avalanche snow conditions still in great shape post-snowmaking; groomed except for skiers right 10%; grooming OK, but still far from perfect. Banshee/Jaspers are good, but very thin on Banshee. <BR> <BR>All the glades are officially closed, and for good reason. The natural cover is very thin, not enough to cover the usual rocks, roots, & veggies. I wouldn't bother with Mittersill until we get some more snow (praying for Monday-Tuesday!). <BR> <BR>joeGM's description of Loon conditions, "flat groomed out fake pp with spots of slick all over", would have applied to most of Cannon a week or two ago (and still applies to a few trails). It's slowly improving, and the bitter cold probably kept it from being skied off worse. Hoping for a warmer day tomorrow, in spite of all odds.
Cannon Mt., NH - 01/24/04
- Thread starter Lftgly
- Start date