A
Anonymous
Guest
Post work, Friday ski club met again for the first ( and last?) May meeting. Taking full advantage of daylight savings, we boldly set forth to hike the awe inspiring Gondolier trail at Stowe Moutain Resort. It may look flatish from the bottom, but throw in wet snow on a funny base for the first few pitches and you will get tired as you slog upwards... <BR> <BR>Bravely pushing on, we ignored the occassional waterbar and mud patch and continued to ascend the mighty peak. By the time we got to the 2500 ft mark, things were looking wintery and covered. At the 3000 ft mark, It was winter as usual. Well, maybe even better than usual! The upper part of the mountain has plenty of cover, including about five inches of lightish powder on a corn base. We skinned up, leaving a nice figure 11 through untracked snow. Before the Cliff house, we took a right and bushwacked our way through the woods, seeking the Climbing Gully. Deep wells around the trees were the only sign that meltage had been going on before the latest two weeks of cold and snow. <BR> <BR>We gomered forth, managing to stay on our skis as we wacked a path upwards and onwards. Wes was doing well, his plastic skins actually working better than usual. Stopping for a moment to figure out why, a careful skier analysis showed that clumped snow on the bottoms had transformed his lame-o skins into climbing machines. <BR> <BR>About midway up the Gully we decided that we were getting diminished returns on our hiking investment. It was getting narrower and narrower, and sharp pungi sticks abounded. I for one, wanted to keep my buttocks from a piercing, so we de-skinned. <BR> <BR>Turns were wonderful. A consistent base, powder on top, winter all around. Snow blasting around your legs in each and every turn. Exiting the Gully, we made dozens and dozens of perfect turns in the creamy surface. The only reason to stop was because you were tired. It reminded me of the better turns at Whistler; you dice a section, look back, and see wonderful lines. Then your buddy makes a set next to yours. Hoots and hollers! <BR> <BR>We cut it up all the way back to the bottom. Last 1/2 of the run I had to switch to monkey parallel turns in order to keep from the heavier stuff tossing me over on tele. Took off the skis about two minutes from the car. <BR> <BR>Once again, the old adage was proven true: "Don't doubt brave skier---head forth to the moutains- 9 of 10 times it will be awesome!"