Stowe,vt 4/2-4/6 and loon vt, 4/9-10

[joegm]

was in stowe for a week... it's always good being in stowe regardless. but!!!!, mon tues wed saw a big international race and a psia teacher fest taking place...pretty crowded!!!!... snow was variable on all days... mon tues partly cloudy with borderline packed powder on top half of mountain and mush ( bad type ) on bottom by 2pm... wed colder and harder w/ some cookies...thursday was lame aa backed up by report below... got real cold and chin clip really was unskiable... goat and star and lookout and bypass were all right though... the bumps on the top part of national are insane...friday was overcast...it's so late , don't want to waste time but the irony of this great temps at stowe this year contributing to the epic season , appear to be limiting the early spring season!!!... it's just to cold up there to get a solid thaw freeze cycle for corn going... oh well, like i said , it's always good to be in stowe!!!! there is an amazing amount of snowpack on mansfield... they extended the stake and it was at around 11 feet when i was there on tues...the amount of cover and lack of bare spots in the front four is astounding... i don't know when they are calling it quits but whenever it is it will not be for lack of snow.. if spring ever arrives up there it's just gonna be an extension of the epic season. <BR>monday and tuesday at loon were in the top 5 days i've, had all year to be frank!!!!...mopnday featured partly sunny and around 45 to 50 f and real corn everywhere...tuesday was bluebird by 11 am and same temps...small cowds made even smaller by quad lodge being closed so the masses hit the gondy lodge and generally stayed on that side... loon is running the gondy and triple and as of today, wed 12 pm, the quad, which suited me fine seeing it accesses a sweet med pitch bump run in 5 min which me and buddy gil pretty much hit all day after being humbled by the almighty front four at stowe land!!!! loon is 100% open and has legit bump lines on flume, triple trouble , angel street, double dipper and the sunset!!!! all legit corn!!!!... the line under the gondy ( highly illegal according to loon ) is skiable from the top easily and has a lot of snow in it...it's the first time i can recall not being afraid to drop in there and damage skis, never mind this late in the season!!!!!... please tell your friends to go skiing...somewhere, anywhere, to give the resorts a reason to stay open... it will be a crime to close with all this snowpack...loon has announced the 22 for the last day... not sure how long they will keep the quad running though... if you are looking for a med pitched bump run, with surprisingly consistent lines, to learn on and access in 5 min, go to loon

 

[joegm]

oh yeah, not to be mr. negative but... is there any racer out there who can explain to me why 99% of the racers out there feel as if the universe revolves around them and that anything or anyone that happens to be on the same trail as them while they are on their way to their starting gate is nothing but a major annoyance and distraction for them...the arrogance of what i saw in stowe on mon tues and wed of last week only serves to substantiate the perception that racers are spoiled young brats who grow up to be big spoiled young brats who need a good ass kickin!!!!...ok mr. gs... i know you can kick my ass all over the hill... i know... but that does not give you the right to ski so fast that you become, at the least, an intimidating negative force to the other "regular people " some of whom are exerting all of their energy just to stay standing upright and at the most, a real meanace who is endangering the health of others...slow the hell down on non gated sections of a run you donkeys!!!!...when you are in the gates go as fast as you want, but if you are not running a gate you ought to smarten the hell up!!! after coming off the triple on tues, and bieng stopped on lord, i had one guy ski by me, through at least a 50 foot wide area, and come within 2 feet of me...this occoured while i was attempting to, after looking uphill, begin to jump back into a line... mr. hard corp super g man comes over a lip on the fly and came within 2 feet of colliding with me, and then, and this is the kicker, proceedes to cop the attitude like it was my fault!!! ok i'm done, but if there is any racer out there who has done this, smarten up would ya!!!! <BR>p.s, oh yeah, and like g. plake says " if you wanna find the best skiers on the mountain, you might want to take a good hard look at whose skiing the bumps "!!!!!!!