Mark Renson
New member
For trail check, I was given Upper Panther - <BR>standard MRG gnarl. I discovered some soft <BR>fresh snow in the troughs of the huge moguls that form there and found a smooth enjoyable rythym! Great fluff was found going into Slalom Hill. <BR> Coverage had improved since the prior weekend with hust a few minor but magic snowfalls that kept snow coverage hanging in and the fine snow quality fresh. <BR> During the day, we would open some expert terrain such as Paradise for about and hour or two in order to "give the public something" <BR>and also to work the snow over and help it get packed down and set up for the bigger snowfalls that will happen. Upper Glade was a bit punchy. <BR>Chute was opened and I had a stellar roller coaster ride down the left jug handle. <BR> A few of us boot packed the Gazelle headwall - hand grooming with TLC by skiers as opposed to brutal grooming by Bombardier. We never opened it, but it is ready for the candy from the next storm. <BR> The day wore on uneventfully yet very pleasant on the fine packed surfaces that had and inch or two of new. For Sweep, I picked Upper Panther and still found great conditions and the best snow of the day on the pitch that merges into Slalom Hill. <BR> For trail check on Sunday, I chose Upper Antelope-Beaver only to be told by an older wiser patroller that if you pick Upper Antelope, you have to take LA, too. "Oh, OK, ya' gotta' go coast-to-coast" I replied. <BR> Pleasant untracked solitude was had all the way down 2,037 feet of roller coaster riding - a reason why we go through the torture to <BR>become a patroller. <BR> Great skiing and untracked was found on Upper Panther, much of Birdland and Beaver. Great fluff bumps were found on Porcupine. <BR> Everyone, there is indeed great skiing in Northern Vermont. It's thin and you'll hit rocks, but the snow quality is great and the <BR>crowds sparse. With one more storm, novice terrain at MRG will truly be novice. Anyone who is accessible to Sugarbush northward, has a weekend/day off and is ambulatory absolutely MUST ski.