Hunter Mt., NY 1/27/00

telenaut · Apr 18, 2000

(Note from the Administrator: This report was originally posted on 1/28/00. Due to our move to new servers, the date and time attributed to this post is incorrect.) Never made it to Jiminy for the epic snow day. Garage, Wife, Work and daughter's School conspired against me (Boring story snipped. I'll try to save the long-winded drivel for something mildly ski-related. And my travails don't even come within shouting distance of Matt's epic, if that's the word, car-tastrophe). But I did get to Hunter for what I figured would be sloppy seconds. Got better than I bargained for. Almost turned around. I'd made it 2+ hours on the Thruway, was on the little secondary road (32) when it came up adjacent to an open field with the wind just *whipping* snow in from driver's left. Instant, unexpected, and near-total whiteout. I followed the taillights in front of me. Slowed as they began acting strangely. Then saw the van, unable to stop, motor through a falling power line. It was lying across his roof as he drove.I expected sparks. But he seemed to make it through unjolted. In retrospect, I almost wished I'd followed. (Which reminds me: Dumb and Dumber was on the tube last night.) Instead, I stopped just short (interesting word choice) of the downed power line stretched across the road. To my right was the cause of the downed power line: another van, plowed into a telephone pole with it (the pole) and more lines lying on top. Got out of car to provide aid and was instantly hit with the reality of what I'd been comfortably reading on my car thermometer and watching through closed window. Temp 1 degree. Winds howling. It was bitter cold. Also had fears of being plowed into from behind. Gingerly stepped over the line (like they tell you never to do) and checked on the driver. Amazingly, he was flashing a thumbs up. I and another driver went to help him out but he managed to get out himself on the passenger side (where the power line wasn't draped across the door). At this point the snarling and unfriendly police arrived. I was left sitting at a newly created dead-end in what was the only road I knew to get to Hunter, and contemplating the nasty cold and the scraped conditions I was expecting. Only directions I could get were for a fifty mile detour back to the thruway and up to the next exit. I nearly turned around. But I saw some drivers taking a back road and decided to follow. After a few wrong turns by an entire mini-caravan (jeez, I thought the Cable Co, truck in the lead would know the way to go. Wrong.) made it by 10:20 to Hunter. Surprisingly, It was less cold, or at least less windy, than below. Hmm, I promised no non-ski drivel. Sorry. Anyway... Hunter was blissfully uncrowded. One-minute wait at the main Poma. Zero waits on West. But the front looked pretty scrapey. Or, more accurate, patch of powder, patch of scraped-off. I don't knw whether it's me or my Dynastar 4x4s, but I've been having a lot of trouble this year without loose stuff to work with. First run I cut into some unroped powder directly under the lift. Got 3 good turns but it quickly went nowhere and I had to tumble down an embankment back to the McTrail. 2nd, I took on the steep part of K 27 and did ok in the powder islands and ugly in the sea of scrapey-stuff they were immersed in. Day was ok so far, but not great. Wind was coming from the west, so I'd been reluctant to go to HunterWest but the time had come. First run, top half, was more of the same. Then I cut into some trees unclosed) from Claires Way to Taylors? or (closed) West Way. Excellent thick ungroomed. Big whoop de dos. But ended up on a very closed, very exposed section of West Way with major snowblowing. Risks were serious goggle icing in the blowers (what is in that crap? glue? Got one hit of it and spent five minutes trying to scrape it out of my eye-sight) or tripping on the many, many blower hoses, and/or getting a ticket pulled. Second run on West I went over to Annapurna and found powder nirvana. Top of Anna was a fun little not too steep mogul run. Then came a short steep ice trial and then I saw tracks leading into woods to skier's left. Which of course sucked me in. Woods were knarly with brush. No obvious "lines" until you got near the bottom. More a question of stop, survey, say 'I think I can make it through tthat brush, around that tree, past that rock and stop before I hit those trees that look from here to be impenetrable'. Then do same. Sometimes successfully. Then repeat. I had a blast. Powder everywhere (I soon lost the original tracks). Some bottom touching, but not too much. Woods were near enough to Annapurna so I could see trail (not fear getting lost). Each time (did 4 runs) I got a bit more confident. First was very slow, never knowing if a cliff was approaching, but soon realized there were none in there. On my second exit from woods, I met a skier who said, Oh yeah, there's lines all through there, which added to my confidence. Interesting sidebar. Same skier said he himslef would not go in there till they had another 8 inches. Third skier said, yeah, somebody should go in there and prune. Second said, "No! Leave it just like it is." I couldn't decide how I felt on this question. It was definitely tough finding routes. Although maybe it wouldn't have been with a bit more cover. On the other hand, tough was fun, in its own way. And more traffic would definitely have been a drag. Lower part of woods did have some clearer lines where I put together 6 or 7 or 8 turns. Definite yeeha material. (Philosophy question: If a skier yeehas alone in the forest and there's no one there to hear him, does he make a sound? Oh yes. Oh definitely yes.) Like I said, yoyoed that 4 times (with a lunch warmup and another, better but frigid, zip down the front Hellgate, Racer's Edge). They (the woods) were long slow, wonderful runs. On the way back, skipped the steep part of k 27 and found lovely 2 inch powder on lightly mogulled East Side Drive. Fun for my weary legs. Then the day's powder bonus. Cut up but ungroomed on glades between Milky Way and K27 run out. Sweet as sweet can be. Made a last chair at 3:55 after I thought I was already done. Riding up, I thought, wow this turned into a really full and satisfying day, after a rough start. Came down a repeat of the previous (K27 top, East Side, Milky way woods) but it was one run too many for my legs. Had a good time, but skied like a halibut. All in all, great day. Especially for "sloppy seconds"!

Hunter Mt., NY 1/27/00

telenaut

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