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Powder resorts?

11K views 112 replies 28 participants last post by  Efilnikufesin 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey I'm in central ct and was just wondering what ski area's tend to NOT groom most of their trails RIGHT after a fresh dumping of snow? I couldn't believe my eyes at a groomer ruining almost the entire mountain after nearly 6 inch dump. he was doing this crap 15 minutes before the place even opened with all kinds of fresh snow. Grooming at the end of the day/night after everything is tracked and beat up is ok and totally needed, but destroying first tracks from fresh powder? What the HELL? I'm also not looking to go all the way to vermont. Although I would like a recommendation for a souther vt area for the 1 or 2 times a year I'll go. So something nearby in ct/ma? I'm not into anything really steep so a place that has a lot of greens and blues is good.. Anyone have any recommendations?
 
#6 · (Edited)
I doubt you're going to find any greens or even blues that are ungroomed no matter where you go. Most bigger resorts have trails they leave untouched but those are all likely black/double black. Sugarbush has a lot of ungroomed stuff. but ungroomed also usually = moguls

As for places close to CT, you could try berkshire east, jiminy peak, butternut which are all in MA. Southern VT isn't too much farther than those places and you have you choice of mt snow, stratton, okemo, bromley, magic mountain. but for frequent powder you'll really have to go farther north unfortunately. I can't really speak on the grooming habits, sadly i havent lived in that area for quite awhile :(
 
#8 · (Edited)
I doubt you're going to find any greens or even blues that are ungroomed no matter where you go. Most bigger resorts have trails they leave untouched but those are all likely black/double black. Sugarbush has a lot of ungroomed stuff. but ungroomed also usually = moguls

(
I'm not talking ungroomed all the time. I just mean right after a storm/fresh snow comes in. Leave the fresh stuff alone and then groom at the end of the day. You're telling me that those resorts in VT groom every single green run; in the morning right before opening, after a big overnight dump? In other words, NEVER having any fresh powder? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

I'm a beginner rider. Don't really want to go on double lack trails. I don't feel like leafing it the whole way down. Want to stay safe and have fun.

I have sooo much fun riding on greens in powder. I just take it easy. It's so much more fun than groomed stuff. It's like your carving in the clouds. :)
 
#10 ·
No thanks. I like wide open long carving and not hugging a tree ;) lol

I always thought ski's were a better tool for really tight east coast tree skiing anyway. Can change direction much quicker. Snowboards better for wide open deep powder.
So rightcoast shred....if they have a big overnight storm at wachuesett, do they groom the entire mountain before opening?
 
#11 · (Edited)
I'm starting to think the reason the right coast has such a bad rep for lack of powder has more to do with grooming than actual snowfall. Vermont averages over 200 inches a year....it's not grand targhee, but technically it should have half the powder days. And it's not even close to that. Hell, the berkshires get 1/5 the snow of grand targhee. I highly doubt they have 1/5 the amount of powder days. lol Grooming is totally neccessary, but should be done right before a storm hits after closing and then again after a full day of riding dependent on usage/how beat up it is. Going out and grooming fresh untouched powder is insanity and I've seen it done around here.
 
#25 ·
Oh and I should add it's my first season snowboarding and I had no problem riding powder on a green trail. So it's fine for beginners. It's nonsense that you need groomed slopes instead of a few inches of fresh powder. Maybe your first couple of days riding, but after that a few inches of powder is fine.
 
#37 ·
If you want to ride green powder runs then you had better learn to like riding off piste in the trees. Green runs are groomed for newbies, it too hard for learners to ride in pow, they don't have the skills yet.

When different owners owned the mountain where I ride they didn't groom the runs much. It was always a newb yard sale on pow days, even on the easy runs.
 
#41 · (Edited)
If you want to ride green powder runs then you had better learn to like riding off piste in the trees. Green runs are groomed for newbies, it too hard for learners to ride in pow, they don't have the skills yet.
They only get about 10-15 dumps a year here. No reason they couldn't leave it ungroomed for half the day 15 times a year. Pow treat The people who can't handle the powder could easily go 95% of the time when it's groomed(next day after the storm). Also you could groom half and leave half ungroomed. Lots of common sense solutions. This is just an east coast mentality I think. I think you guys think powder is just for extreme off piste stuff and that's simply not true. Powder is FUN
 
#52 ·
Its already been covered multiple times. They don't groom the entire mountain, they often time leave black diamonds ungroomed. Green's are for newbies, who (with the exception of yourself apparently) are not good at riding powder.


You claim to have all this experience on carving powder on a green run, so why don't you just go back to wherever you found this ungroomed green trail?
 
#51 · (Edited)
You really need to get out of green runs (and blue for that matter) and learn how to handle steeper terrain within your skills. The best way to push yourself is to get out of your comfort zone. You want pow ? Go where it is on the mountain and enjoy riding instead of complaining. I'm on my 4th year snowboarding, and I'm still alot more confident into pow then groomed. I simply go where the best snow is on the mountain no matters what, always been and always will, try it, you'll feel way better at the end of the day.
 
#53 · (Edited)
I may be wrong, but most places feel the need to provide one or more groomed ways down the hill for the safety of all their guests. The factor that hasn't been mentioned is that 6 inches of powder also turns into countless bumps and moguls that are considered to be less than safe and desirable for newbie skiers and boarders. Grandma and the grandkids have to have a place to go or the entire family won't come.

As for getting stuck on greens in powder, there's runs at some of the hills I ride that I've never been able to carry enough speed to make without unstrapping even on glare ice (20 vertical foot drop in to a 300 yard uphill)
 
#56 ·
I may be wrong, but most places feel the need to provide one or more groomed ways down the hill for the safety of all their guests. The factor that hasn't been mentioned is that 6 inches of powder also turns into countless bumps and moguls that are considered to be less than safe and desirable for newbie skiers and boarders. Grandma and the grandkids have to have a place to go or the entire family won't come.

As for getting stuck on greens in powder, there's runs at some of the hills I ride that I've never been able to carry enough speed to make without unstrapping.
Like I said. Just leave a few green/blues ungroomed, not the whole mountain. I've seen people get stuck on flat spots on groomed slopes. Depends on the hill. As long as it's not flat, you're golden and you'll move. 6 inches of powder takes a while to turn into moguls. As soon as it gets a bumpy mess....groom it.
 
#60 · (Edited)
Powder is more fun to ride and more forgiving if you fall. SAFER. Some of these beginners would learn quickly how much more fun powder is if they simply took the time to learn how to ride it in. It doesn't take long. Like any other skillset. Doesn't matter what color the run is. Lose the ego buddy. Do you get paid to ride? Then you're doing it for fun so buzz off. The idea that pow is only for experts/risk taking adrenaline junkies is laughable. Around here blues and greens are nearly the same anyway. Not much difference between blue and green. A snowboard was BUILT for powder. Much better than ski's in powder. Obviously there's a cultural thing about powder here that like many cultural things doesn't make any sense. Sort of like snowboarders should be banned from ski area's..... Yeah. LOL

Oh and golf course hills aren't long enough for snowboarding and I like a chairlift. It's like a 2 second ride. Fun for a tube, but not snowboarding unfortunately. You're really going to compare nearly a mile long blue/green runs to a golf course hill? Are you kidding me?

I like playing in powder...simple. And I think a few green blue runs should be ungroomed after a fresh dump . Completely reasonable. All of you can go buzz off if you have a problem with that. You think you're all bad ass's riding your blacks. Big deal. You have a hobby. It's kind of juvenile how ridiculous some of you sound. You guys think you're elite. You're not. Just a bunch of arrogant jerks. I never made a personal attack against anyone, just gave an opinion. Yet I was being told to stfu and all this other nonsense. Grow up! Oh and I should add that the blacks are groomed around this area anyway as well so it's kind of a moot point.
 
#66 ·
I was told multiple things. Actually I was told by some members that it can only be found once a year if that on the EC. One person told me I'd have to drive to VT, which I'm going to do once in a while. It's just I'd rather avoid driving over 300 miles. It would be much easier if local hills didn't groom EVERYTHING like a lunatic after a fresh snowfall.

Again, my question of which local resort does the least grooming after a storm, my question was not answered. That was all I was really looking for. Not a lecture from a bunch of elitist egotistical jackass's who all carry the same opinion and try to insult people who differ from them.

Goodbye. I'm done with this forum. It's useless(yes...yes...don't let the door hit me on the way out. I'm used to internet forum people)
 
#74 · (Edited)
You guys are so cool and smart. I wish I could be cool just like you guys and rule the internet forums! You guys showed me! Yeah imagine enjoying a few inches of fresh powder on a green/blue run....the nerve of me! What was I thinking!?!? I might drown in the powder never to be found again since I'm just a beginner! Have to wait till I'm a super duper expert just like you desk jockeys who are bored at work posting to an internet forum! Oh and good waves(southern cali) are far from most good mountains out west(As in more than an hour drive from a break). Jeez. Take the stick out of your ass and relax. Utah, colorado, wyoming, montana ect. ect. And what does this have to do with anything anyway? Who the hell cares.

We have a disagreement.....MOVE ON. People can disagree with your opinion. It's ok. Life will go on.

It was funny watching elknuefisn say exactly what I knew someone would say!
Predictable.
And who the hell has the money to spend 85 buck and drive 300 miles to go to vermont for a few hours on the slopes? Talk about disposable income. I'm not making 150k a year. Goodbye and good riddance.

THE SKI AREAS AROUND HERE GROOM ALL THE RUNS INCLUDING BLACK AFTER A FRESH SNOWSTORM......SO IT'S A NON POINT. I like powder on a green and blue slope and so do a lot of others. SO? Get over it.
 
#75 ·
You guys are so cool and smart. I wish I could be cool just like you guys and rule the internet forums! You guys showed me! Yeah imagine enjoying a few inches of fresh powder on a green/blue run....the nerve of me! What was I thinking!?!? I might drown in the powder never to be found again since I'm just a beginner! Have to wait till I'm a super duper expert just like you desk jockeys who are bored at work posting to an internet forum! Oh and good waves(southern cali) are far from most good mountains out west(As in more than an hour drive from a break). Jeez. Take the stick out of your ass and relax. Utah, colorado, wyoming, montana ect. ect. And what does this have to do with anything anyway? Who the hell cares.

It was funny watching elknuefisn say exactly what I knew someone would say!
Predictable.
You are far to easy to provoke :thumbsup:
 
#82 · (Edited)
dude, quit your fucking whining. i drive 300 miles round-trip every time i go boarding, lift tickets 65. i work a part-time job and have barely enough money to pay bills. instead of bitching, i'm stoked just to be going. i wake up at 4 in the morning, drive 3 and a half hours, and use my fucking credit card with a smile. because the debt is worth it. if you really wanted better powder, you can make it happen.

also, you really shouldn't say 6 inches is a powder dump. it's not. it's still a lot of fun, but when it's that little... get used to trees. i'm sure most women would agree with me when i say that 6 inches isn't bad... but it's definitely not something to boast about. :dunno:

quit your fucking whining and buy a helmet and some knee pads if you're that worried about hurting yourself off of greens.

stop bitching and get out to another mountain. you're acting like a child on here. throwing a temper tantrum on a forum isn't going to change anything.

but thanks for the lolz :eusa_clap:
 
#92 ·
I specifically said if you can't go down a green run(no flat spots in this run...gradual consistent slope) with a few inches of powder then you need to work on your skills because I did it just fine as a beginner while turning. He basically said it was impossible to ride.

I never got my question answered which is what resort in the area does the least amount of grooming after a storm. That was the question and it never got answered. Anyway, this is my last post on here for sure. This like many internet forums are a waste of time.
People tried to help but none of their suggestions worked because you didn't want to drive far and weren't willing to seek out powder. At that point people really didn't know how to help. Then.....You said something that annoyed someone, they poked at you, you called him a smart ass, someone else poked at you, you said that everyone that rides fast will eventually get hurt....so on and so on.

This forum is great for many people. It sounds like you don't know how to handle yourself on this type of forum. You said it yourself, you've experienced this before :dunno:
 
#94 ·
This forum is great for many people. It sounds like you don't know how to handle yourself on this type of forum. You said it yourself, you've experienced this before :dunno:

Yes Yes Yes! I was reading this and flashing back to arguments with my ex. (actually a few of my exs.......hmm, maybe it wasn't them. maybe I'm the ass! I need to make a few phone calls and apologize.)

OP. Listen: Many mountains groom overnight. If it snowed the day before, and people left bumps on the hill, then it snowed overnight....the bumps become covered by the snow....the hill needs to groom them for beginners. Beginners dont do bumps (I'm not even talking moguls) well at all. Hell, I hate bumps on green runs (yes, I can ride most anything....and I'm and adult....and I live in the east.)


To answer your original question...which someone actually did answer....you may need to call your local resorts and ask. I know some mountains post which runs were groomed and which ones were not. Many people appreciate groomed runs and many of us (you included) appreciate non-groomed runs. Also, be on the look-out for fluffy fluff on the sides of the groomed runs. They may not provide super big fluff, but that may atleast whet your whistle.

Also suggested...go to the mtn the day it IS snowing (not the day after.) Days that the snow keeps accumulating are AWESOME DAYS. Lets hope for one of those days this Friday or Saturday.

Be well and relax a bit....life in the forum is pretty laid-back.
 
#80 ·
The best part is he said he's done with the forum about 3 times now but just can't help himself. Apparently a lot of people must make 150k because I see a ton of people from CT/NY making the trip up to Vermont.

You have two options to ride fresh un-groomed powder in the CT area.
1. Get off the trails and try to find some stashes in the trees
2. Be lucky enough for it to dump the day you're at the resort

But by all means please come back and post its nice to have someone to laugh at during the day.
 
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