<I>(Note from the Administrator: This report was originally posted on 2/16/00. Due to our move to new servers, the date and time attributed to this post is incorrect.)</I> <BR> <BR>Arrived at MRG at 8:15 Monday morning, 1st car in the parking lot, with about 4"-5" fresh snow all around. The gap had been plowed at least once but my little Audi still made first tracks with the moderate winds. Those tracks would not be the last of the day... <BR> <BR>Mark and Marc arrived in the basebox about 8:30 and a familiar bearded face entered soon after. After a couple seconds of mutual recognition, "Mike Taub?" <BR> <BR>"Yeah, events just conspired today to bring me here. Did I mention that work will be really slow and that the roads are terrible?" Yeah, we all got the picture. So all four of us were able to "blow work off if you can" and proceeded to pig out on a day full of run after epic run. <BR> <BR>We started with a dreamy cruiser down Antelope and Porcupine, I believe, with mid-boot to boot top silky, moderate moisture content snow, our skis making that unmistakable slithering sound that accompanies such snow. <BR> <BR>Next up were Quacky and numerous woods off the double that had more options than you could ski in one day. To say that the woods at MRG are filled in is a understatement. You may choose any line you please as long as you obey that silly law of physics that says two objects can't occupy the same part of space at the same time. That one still holds, as I proved a couple times during the day... We sampled the MRG hardwoods all over the mtn., with first tracks at just about every point. We all marvelled at just how few folks had claimed the 8" rule that day. <BR> <BR>Marc was truly wiped out after his four day journey through the woods of VT and called it a day, wisely but sadly, at 11:00. That very run Mike, Mark, and I got the first descent of the day down TNF. Unreal. Turn after turn of knee deep, some waist deep, all sliding and sluffing around you in the steeper parts. Tighter lines were no big deal as the snow kept all the action in eternal slo-mo. Smuggs on Friday was incredible, but this one run was on a slightly different plane. We continued on to DE, staying with it all the way to the bittersweet end in a narrow streambed and what must double as a trickling waterfall in the summer as an exit. The three of us stood their as we exited the woods and exchanged few words. There were none that could serve justice to the skiing we'd just been lucky enough to experience. <BR> <BR>Marc and Mark had to depart at 1:00 so after our goodbyes Mike and I headed back to the single. Paradise was still a challenge but the waterfall landing was much softer than usual. Some of the lines seemed to be untouched even from last week's snows and the mid-torso deep on top of ice flow proved to make the run a strenuous blast. Mike looked quite exhausted himself and left after that last epic run, but I had to have a bit more. Often I make Chute and Liftline the last one of the day, loving the purity of a descent directly down the fall line. <BR> <BR>Chute kicked my butt as it usually does but with a kinder and gentler foot this time. The bumps were like soft little landing zones and even the inevitable ledges poking through looked softer. Liftline was the perfect second course, full of ledge jumps and little knolls with deep landings. Joy, rapture, all the rest. Whatta a frickin' day! <BR> <BR>True, there was a brief period of sleet on the lower mtn. but it never affected snow quality. It snowed buckets, with at least 12"-14" on the car when I left at 3:00. Another 1" fell on Burlington last night, and a little more is supposed to fall into Wed., but it def. got above freezing in town on Tuesday. Hopefully the temps will stay low for round two on Friday and Saturday. <BR> <BR>In the midst of a dream ski season, <BR> <BR>Jim B.
