Mark Renson
New member
Ladies & Gents, these are the BEST of times ..... <BR> This 3 day weekend was epic and a huge white blur and I am having a difficult time remembering what went on. These MRG Saturdays have been epic, yet to my disappointment, the latest one started out as being only a <BR>packed powder day. Yes, it was packed, but very edgeable and I did find some nice snow in some of the minor tree bands. I found some nice skiing <BR>in the Fall-Dise woods and then I descended on some fine packed in Schultz' Chute 'til I came upon a frozen waterfall. The landings seemed too awkward for comfort and I was alone, so I scooted off into the brush and bushwacked to the on-piste. Snow on Lower Glade was very nice packed through the negotiable brush. Penny and I were annoyed that there were some patrollers <BR>who thought it should not have been opened - what in the name of "McSkiing <BR>Dork" were they thinking ? <BR> Snow started to commence at around 12:30PM and surfaces became fresh as did the skiing throughout the afternoon. At one point, I was able to get around to doing a run that I had wanted to do for a while - a nice cruise down the novice Fox. Sweep was down one of my favorites - Cat/Lynx/Beaver which was enjoyable as I listened to the soft sounds that snowfall in the <BR>forest makes while I waited for my "checks" at each checkpoint. My faith in "MRG Saturdays" had also been restored. At the Patrol HQ, I asked the <BR>Director about what we were to do the next morning - ".. uh, um, ... duh, like Steve, what are we gonna' do tomorrow .... I mean, like ... um POWDER? .. duh" What I really was trying to ask was "Let's have a Milk Run, pretty please with sugar on it". "Mark, what are you talking about .... just be here at about 7:00, alright" was the response I got. <BR> In the festive outdoor atmosphere of heavy snowfall, I headed down the road by myself for a few reebs at the Hyde Away. The place was rocking with a packed house which made going from one place to another difficult as one had to squeeze between people which was OK being that there were some babes there ... ahem, maybe I should keep my piggishness to myself. The <BR>place had that raw ski country electricity that happens when a dump is in progress and a grand next day is to follow ! <BR> The next morning (Sunday), I had to deal with logistical hurdles. I wanted to earn some powder turns before opening when there was enough <BR>light, yet I had to start shovelling snow with the patrol at 7:00AM in order to be part of an outside chance that there would be a Milk Run. I <BR>woke early and skinned uphill with my AT gear, my headlamp on , an energy bar, GU and some water in the darkness at 6:15AM. Winds howled and it was <BR>dumping. The morning MRG report would later announce that 10-14" new had fallen. I ascended via the not-so-brutally groomed Bunny. Snow was so soft that I sunk in a bit even on the groomed surface. I figured that at the top of Lower Glade, I would decide for either that or to continue on to Lower Canyon. With the time approaching 7AM, I opted for Lower Glade. I <BR>downed my breakfast of the energy bar, GU and and water and then shuffled to the edge. The skies were still dark and I had a difficult time picking <BR>out definition in the virgin snow. I struggled in the upper stretch but halfway down, my eyes adjusted and I got that powder rythm and "it" <BR>happened under the dark skies. I rocketed over to Periwinkle Bowl and got more great candy all the way down to the Basebox. Very dramatic ! Very exciting ! <BR> It was 7AM at the bottom and sure enough, the Patrol Director, Assistant Director and the Patrol Director of The 20th, Nick Malcyzk were there. Time to grab a shovel and score points. At 7:30, Steve the Director informed me that we were granted Security Clearance and that we were to launch at 8:00:00EST and I was part of the mission. We patrollers jostled for position and away we went up the Single. My assignment was to do "trail check" on Upper and Lower Glade - a bit of redundancy there 
. I entered Cat Bowl and was humbled by the flat light and the windblown over crusty bumps. I biffed in a drift and then ejected twice in my AT gear. <BR> At the bottom of Cat Bowl, I got my act together and then flew out onto the groomed Catamount-Antelope braids and over to Upper Glade. Skiing <BR>there was epic in the untracked and I had an even better run down Lower Glade and over to P Bowl, again. Remember, this is all untracked !!! <BR> Up the Double we went before the public and down Panther-Slalom Hill to a Birdland tree band I went revelling in the virgin snow !! Another trip up the Double was in order and I went for that right jug handle on Slalom Hill <BR>that almost always pays off for me. It did ! ... and then over to another tree band. <BR> In the Single line, I ran into Ben Bloom and with a passionate look on my face, I softly mentioned to him "... ever been to The 20th?". He grinned and said "yup, in fact, that's where we're goin!" With Ben's friend, Wilt, <BR>we had a threesome and they promised to wait for me just inside the <BR>entrance, sheltered from the winds. We enjoyed 2 monstrous runs down this <BR>temple, bagging all sorts of knee deep. The second run was out further <BR>than I had ever been and we were mesmerized by all of the amazing options <BR>unfolding in front of us that we had never known about. One bad thing that <BR>happened to me was that my pole handle had seperated from my pole shaft <BR>twice. <BR> After the second run, I was physically trashed and needed to break. I <BR>also had to perform some duct tape maintenance on my poles. I forgot what <BR>I skied for the rest of the afternoon .... whatever it was, it was great. <BR> I did run into Nick and The Kommissar. <BR> I was fried from the 2 days and 1 still remained. On New Year's Day <BR>morning, we assembled in the Patrol Shack. We were all a little tired and <BR>even though the storm total had reached 20-24", we were not especially <BR>enthused. <BR> Up the Double I went, knowing that the best snow falls on the mountain <BR>falls around the top of the Double. Fresh wind deposited snow abounded <BR>with hardly any grooming evident (yeeeha !). We got our trail check <BR>assignments and I drew Gazelle Woods-Chipmunk. I launched onto Upper <BR>Panther and had an astounding revelation - "This snow is incredible .... <BR>much lighter than the prior day !! ... and the bumps underneath were soft <BR>with no crunchiness !!" I thought to myself. Knee deep high grade fluff <BR>lifted my spirits. It was epic. I traversed over to Gazelle Woods and was <BR>blown away. Skiing was incredible and competitive with anything the <BR>Rockies could offer .... and where are their winding roller coaster ride <BR>New England style trails ?!?! I let out whoops and unloaded onto Chipmunk, <BR>still finding untracked knee deep. It was everywhere, man, and crowds were <BR>non-existent. These are the BEST of times !! <BR> Another trip up the Double. At the top, I was assgned to go to the <BR>Practice Slope (AAARRGH!) and do checks on Grasshopper and Half Moon. Moon <BR>this. Anyway, I repeated the first run and found even deeper and better <BR>untracked snow. Being a good soldier, I did indeed go to the Practice <BR>Slope. Since the lift goes over Grasshopper, I deemed that as "checked" <BR>[ahem] and descended down the novice Half Moon which was happily ungroomed <BR>! I then found an untracked line of shin deep fluff on the skier's right <BR>of the Practice Slope - not a dreadful chore, after all !! These are the <BR>BEST of times !! <BR> Up the Double again and I went for the right Jug Handle of Slalom Hill - <BR>thigh deep of untracked !! This was incredible !! I wasn't even thinking <BR> of going into the woods - there was no need to !! On the lift (The <BR>Double, of course), I talked to "Art". We mentioned that there was no need <BR>to go into the woods. He then mentioned that he had a great run in the <BR>@#$%^&*+? Woods the prior day. We then did the intelligent thing - we went <BR>into the @#$%^&*+? Woods to see if we could track down Danny, Keith, Laurie <BR>and Mr. Kincade. It was sick, man. After launching off of the ledge, I <BR>dove into some waist deep fluff, getting some hard core face shots. <BR> Another skier blew by me, blurting out "sick, Sick, SICK, M-A-A-AN". It <BR>was. I got caught in a spruce trap and I choked and gagged on some snow <BR>which was actually pretty funny. It tied a record for the deepest fluff I <BR>have ever bagged in The East. These are the BEST of times !! <BR> After that, I bagged a few more untracked Gazelle Woods lines and <BR>experienced a curious phenomenon - I was getting slightly progressively <BR>deeper and softer snow up to my thighs. It was unreal and I was totally <BR>unaware of how physically tired I was. I was getting euphoric and <BR>intoxicated on powder and had no problem finding untracked. It was <BR>fantastic ! In getting to Gazelle Woods, I switched to accessing it via <BR>upper Partridge as opposed to upper Panther and found untracked thigh deep. <BR> You did not have to go off-piste. These are the BEST of times !! <BR> I decided to give The Single a try. Snow was not as great over there - <BR>just merely great as opposed to fantastic. Fall Line was nice as was the <BR>woods shot used to exit it - just knee deep untracked. Then, I got some <BR>knee deep chowder on upper Canyon. <BR> After Lunch, I went back to the Double and found a thigh deep untracked <BR>line on Partridge (I'm not making this up!) and then nailed a beautiful <BR>tree shot that OTH Mike, Jay and I had worked on. I bagged this again .... <BR>did another line off of Gazelle ("only" knee deep). Crowds were light and <BR>I was able to bag an astounding amount of untracked during this day. These <BR>are the BEST of times !! <BR> As the day wore on, my turns became a bit wider and I started to go for <BR>some groomed and did a nice "Whose Cruise" down Upper Antelope-Broadway and <BR>something else that I am forgetting. Nice wind drifted fluff had crept <BR>over Broadway. I had a nice run down Canyon sometime during the latter <BR>part of the day. <BR> Sweep was down Chute-Upper Glade-Lower Glade. Nice! <BR> Unreal day. I am sure that it was one of the 7 or 8 best days that I have <BR>ever had in the Lower 48. These are the BEST of times !!
. I entered Cat Bowl and was humbled by the flat light and the windblown over crusty bumps. I biffed in a drift and then ejected twice in my AT gear. <BR> At the bottom of Cat Bowl, I got my act together and then flew out onto the groomed Catamount-Antelope braids and over to Upper Glade. Skiing <BR>there was epic in the untracked and I had an even better run down Lower Glade and over to P Bowl, again. Remember, this is all untracked !!! <BR> Up the Double we went before the public and down Panther-Slalom Hill to a Birdland tree band I went revelling in the virgin snow !! Another trip up the Double was in order and I went for that right jug handle on Slalom Hill <BR>that almost always pays off for me. It did ! ... and then over to another tree band. <BR> In the Single line, I ran into Ben Bloom and with a passionate look on my face, I softly mentioned to him "... ever been to The 20th?". He grinned and said "yup, in fact, that's where we're goin!" With Ben's friend, Wilt, <BR>we had a threesome and they promised to wait for me just inside the <BR>entrance, sheltered from the winds. We enjoyed 2 monstrous runs down this <BR>temple, bagging all sorts of knee deep. The second run was out further <BR>than I had ever been and we were mesmerized by all of the amazing options <BR>unfolding in front of us that we had never known about. One bad thing that <BR>happened to me was that my pole handle had seperated from my pole shaft <BR>twice. <BR> After the second run, I was physically trashed and needed to break. I <BR>also had to perform some duct tape maintenance on my poles. I forgot what <BR>I skied for the rest of the afternoon .... whatever it was, it was great. <BR> I did run into Nick and The Kommissar. <BR> I was fried from the 2 days and 1 still remained. On New Year's Day <BR>morning, we assembled in the Patrol Shack. We were all a little tired and <BR>even though the storm total had reached 20-24", we were not especially <BR>enthused. <BR> Up the Double I went, knowing that the best snow falls on the mountain <BR>falls around the top of the Double. Fresh wind deposited snow abounded <BR>with hardly any grooming evident (yeeeha !). We got our trail check <BR>assignments and I drew Gazelle Woods-Chipmunk. I launched onto Upper <BR>Panther and had an astounding revelation - "This snow is incredible .... <BR>much lighter than the prior day !! ... and the bumps underneath were soft <BR>with no crunchiness !!" I thought to myself. Knee deep high grade fluff <BR>lifted my spirits. It was epic. I traversed over to Gazelle Woods and was <BR>blown away. Skiing was incredible and competitive with anything the <BR>Rockies could offer .... and where are their winding roller coaster ride <BR>New England style trails ?!?! I let out whoops and unloaded onto Chipmunk, <BR>still finding untracked knee deep. It was everywhere, man, and crowds were <BR>non-existent. These are the BEST of times !! <BR> Another trip up the Double. At the top, I was assgned to go to the <BR>Practice Slope (AAARRGH!) and do checks on Grasshopper and Half Moon. Moon <BR>this. Anyway, I repeated the first run and found even deeper and better <BR>untracked snow. Being a good soldier, I did indeed go to the Practice <BR>Slope. Since the lift goes over Grasshopper, I deemed that as "checked" <BR>[ahem] and descended down the novice Half Moon which was happily ungroomed <BR>! I then found an untracked line of shin deep fluff on the skier's right <BR>of the Practice Slope - not a dreadful chore, after all !! These are the <BR>BEST of times !! <BR> Up the Double again and I went for the right Jug Handle of Slalom Hill - <BR>thigh deep of untracked !! This was incredible !! I wasn't even thinking <BR> of going into the woods - there was no need to !! On the lift (The <BR>Double, of course), I talked to "Art". We mentioned that there was no need <BR>to go into the woods. He then mentioned that he had a great run in the <BR>@#$%^&*+? Woods the prior day. We then did the intelligent thing - we went <BR>into the @#$%^&*+? Woods to see if we could track down Danny, Keith, Laurie <BR>and Mr. Kincade. It was sick, man. After launching off of the ledge, I <BR>dove into some waist deep fluff, getting some hard core face shots. <BR> Another skier blew by me, blurting out "sick, Sick, SICK, M-A-A-AN". It <BR>was. I got caught in a spruce trap and I choked and gagged on some snow <BR>which was actually pretty funny. It tied a record for the deepest fluff I <BR>have ever bagged in The East. These are the BEST of times !! <BR> After that, I bagged a few more untracked Gazelle Woods lines and <BR>experienced a curious phenomenon - I was getting slightly progressively <BR>deeper and softer snow up to my thighs. It was unreal and I was totally <BR>unaware of how physically tired I was. I was getting euphoric and <BR>intoxicated on powder and had no problem finding untracked. It was <BR>fantastic ! In getting to Gazelle Woods, I switched to accessing it via <BR>upper Partridge as opposed to upper Panther and found untracked thigh deep. <BR> You did not have to go off-piste. These are the BEST of times !! <BR> I decided to give The Single a try. Snow was not as great over there - <BR>just merely great as opposed to fantastic. Fall Line was nice as was the <BR>woods shot used to exit it - just knee deep untracked. Then, I got some <BR>knee deep chowder on upper Canyon. <BR> After Lunch, I went back to the Double and found a thigh deep untracked <BR>line on Partridge (I'm not making this up!) and then nailed a beautiful <BR>tree shot that OTH Mike, Jay and I had worked on. I bagged this again .... <BR>did another line off of Gazelle ("only" knee deep). Crowds were light and <BR>I was able to bag an astounding amount of untracked during this day. These <BR>are the BEST of times !! <BR> As the day wore on, my turns became a bit wider and I started to go for <BR>some groomed and did a nice "Whose Cruise" down Upper Antelope-Broadway and <BR>something else that I am forgetting. Nice wind drifted fluff had crept <BR>over Broadway. I had a nice run down Canyon sometime during the latter <BR>part of the day. <BR> Sweep was down Chute-Upper Glade-Lower Glade. Nice! <BR> Unreal day. I am sure that it was one of the 7 or 8 best days that I have <BR>ever had in the Lower 48. These are the BEST of times !!