Burning Snow up North

[hikerbrian]

Thanks Skiguy, very useful to set expectations. I read recently about how you can pay extra to skip the lift lines, and then almost didn't book because that will make me angry if it is happening a lot. I'm also seeing that parking requires payment in some areas too (that was the case at Mount Snow). Just when you think skiing can't get more expensive... It does make me consider AT, COVID aside.

OTOH, I like exploring, and sometimes places surprise you. I'll keep an open mind. Any day skiing is better than...

[jfb]

Thanks Skiguy, very useful to set expectations. I read recently about how you can pay extra to skip the lift lines, and then almost didn't book because that will make me angry if it is happening a lot. I'm also seeing that parking requires payment in some areas too (that was the case at Mount Snow). Just when you think skiing can't get more expensive... It does make me consider AT, COVID aside.

OTOH, I like exploring, and sometimes places surprise you. I'll keep an open mind. Any day skiing is better than...

The Skyeship base area on Route 100 is a good place to park because it is easy to drive to (especially on a busy day) and you can take a gondola up to Skye Peak to start your day.

[skiguy]

Looks like quite the meltdown starting today right through next week. I think the peak of winter lasted about 2-3 days.

[hikerbrian]

Unfortunately, yep. Gonna see what K-town looks like after 2" of rain...

[skiguy]

Unfortunately, yep. Gonna see what K-town looks like after 2" of rain...

If you grew up skiing in New Jersey you should be fine.

[peakbagger]

As of 8 AM Friday, the front looks to have passed and my guess is I have 6" of snow in the yard in Gorham with the usual melt holes around tree trunks down to ground line. No doubt what snow will be left is going to be solid with the expected cool down. The driveway also looks like it will be skating rink in few hours. Most of the north country streamflow gauges are iced in but the one on the Andro in Gorham doesnt show a surge. That usually implies that the snow pack absorbed the rain.

[NHClimber]

Strap on those ice skates for some driveway skating!

[skiguy]

Strap on those ice skates for some driveway skating!

Pray to the Snow Gods. It's not over until it's over. Here is a bit of stoke from better times. https://downeast.com/features/ski-mo...vwXxqxP90OLGmU

[Mike P.]

My wife still talks about being snowed in at North Conway in March of 1993... We've had to many nor'easters in March and early April. It does sound like having several dozens of feet in Tucks sounds remote and the layers between snow, rain and then ice doesn't sound that great for new snow.

Just looked at the view from the top of Wildcat, skiing still looks fine and looks like snow in the notch. (Okay, it may be man-made)

[ChrisB]

Strap on those ice skates for some driveway skating!

This will be a good weekend to work on those self arrest skills in the ravines. Greased lightn.

[Andrew]

I thought for sure I would have go-anywhere snow after the last cycle yesterday. Generally, still more than a foot around here where I'm at ~1100' that did not fully settle and soak but has a friable crust with softer snow under. I could only stay on top bare booted on a snowshoe track that I packed out when it was warm last weekend. Other snowshoe tracks I could barely keep afloat on only with great care.

There was some action down on the town road yesterday afternoon and I went cross-lots onto my neighbors to check out a 1/2 acre pond that was forming in a lowland softwood forest by the road. A stream flushed its ice down and plugged the culvert and the water was finding all kinds of new ways to flow. I was debating wearing my snowshoes to go check out this excitement, but the snow didn't cooperate, and I was up almost to my knees in places but could keep to some old animal tracks to stay on crust in some places. Was interesting to note which streams stayed locked up and soaking the snow and which started running during the thaw.

[skiguy]

I thought for sure I would have go-anywhere snow after the last cycle yesterday. Generally, still more than a foot around here where I'm at ~1100' that did not fully settle and soak but has a friable crust with softer snow under. I could only stay on top bare booted on a snowshoe track that I packed out when it was warm last weekend. Other snowshoe tracks I could barely keep afloat on only with great care.

There was some action down on the town road yesterday afternoon and I went cross-lots onto my neighbors to check out a 1/2 acre pond that was forming in a lowland softwood forest by the road. A stream flushed its ice down and plugged the culvert and the water was finding all kinds of new ways to flow. I was debating wearing my snowshoes to go check out this excitement, but the snow didn't cooperate, and I was up almost to my knees in places but could keep to some old animal tracks to stay on crust in some places. Was interesting to note which streams stayed locked up and soaking the snow and which started running during the thaw.

Interesting run off. The Snowpack is such a tiramisu of layers this year including multiple crust layers that I suspect much of the rain did not soak through to ground level but was diverted on its way through. Meanwhile the ice jam in The Ammo downstream from downtown Littleton looked impressive. We were in Littelton on Wednesday and commented how chocked up the river was before the rain came. It was like a loaded cannon awaiting for something to light the fuse.

[Andrew]

Well, I was ignorantly impatient on Friday as I went out yesterday and the snow settled even more and firmed up. Needed to freeze some more and I was able to walk on top of the crust around the footprint holes I made the previous day. Not exactly hardpan and not boilerplate. A firm but friable crust.

Skiguy- "It was like a loaded cannon awaiting for something to light the fuse."

On Friday I was standing in the town road looking at the pond growing at the head end of the culvert, which was now a few feet above the road. And was imagining it bursting forth and washing me across the street and down stream. I was trying to determine the best spot to kick at the snow to make it happen.

[NHClimber]

Lots of ice in the north country yesterday, and some snow squalls throughout the day. Even with a few warm days this week, I think there is hope for several more weeks of snow sports if the temps stay cold at night and hopefully we pick up a few inches of snow here or there, if not a big storm.

[hikerbrian]

Pray to the Snow Gods. It's not over until it's over. Here is a bit of stoke from better times. https://downeast.com/features/ski-mo...vwXxqxP90OLGmU

Some amazing stuff right there. Those guys are operating on another level. I'm too much of a scaredy cat when it comes to avy danger to embark on such an adventure. My hats off to anyone who has the skill to do it.

K-town was pretty beat up on Saturday. They closed nearly half the mountain as a result of Thursday's rain, and the terrain that was open on Saturday was...slippery concrete, mostly. Yesterday was better, but still a lot of closed terrain. Still, there's a lot of season left, and I'm hoping to get a few more days in. I was hoping to backpack the next couple of weekends with my boys - I'm not sure I've ever had to dig a tent platform into concrete before! Plans may evolve...