SPRING SKIING AT WHITEFACE
Today was the first real spring-like ski day of the season. There was lots of sunshine, warm temperatures, soft snow and plenty of terrain open. After what’s been a fairly cold winter, it was pretty nice to bask in the warmth for once, though I will always prefer the cold and snow over sun and warm temperatures. That’s just how I’m built. Nevertheless, I can’t deny that I do enjoy spring skiing weather.
Upper Mackenzie.
Boreen.
Since it was a Wednesday, I skied after work in the afternoon. I got to the mountain and it was pretty quiet, as per usual mid-week. The first thing I did today was drop my rock skis off to get repaired at the repair shop. One of the tails is delaminating and I figure I better get it fixed before the real spring skiing starts. Though they’re rock skis, I still try to take care of them.
Lookout Below.
Lookout Below.
Hoyt’s High.
Snow conditions varied across the mountain. Anywhere that was heavily exposed to the sun, or low elevation, was typically pretty soft, and even mushy. This included Hoyt’s High and Lookout Below. Lookout Below, especially, was baking in the sun today. The snow and the bumps on it were very soft. It was the best it’s skied all season for me. I found the lower elevation terrain to be a bit grabby in spots, so I avoided it most of the day.
Upper Skyward.
Upper Skyward.
Though exposed to the sun, the temperatures must’ve stayed below freezing way up high, because Upper Skyward was sensational with packed powder most of the way down. The headwall was a little slick, but outside that, it was my run of the day. Lower Skyward was well in to the shade by the time I skied it, so it was a mix of soft snow and firm spots. Another run I really enjoyed was Upper Northway, which faces north. As a result, it held its packed powder conditions all day.
Rand’s Last Stand.
Rand’s Last Stand.
Rand’s Last Stand.
For the first time ever, I skied Rand’s Last Stand off Hoyt’s High. This glade is tight, steep and long. There were plenty of rocks and roots poking through it today, and the snow was heavy in areas that weren’t tracked out. This glade could really use some TLC. There’s some grown in areas and, at times, I found it difficult to follow where I was supposed to go. The lower part was fun, as it was a bit more open and clear. The top part would probably be fun with a lot of fresh snow. Today, though, I didn’t have the most enjoyable experience. I’ll ski it again someday, but it’s low on my list of favorite glades at Whiteface.
Never Quit Skiing,
Lincoln