Mary on the upper headwall of Superstar

Mary on the upper headwall of Superstar

Spring has finally decided to make an appearance at Killington.

I had planned on skiing this morning. Unfortunately, melting snow and ice found their way into a tear on one of the inns rubber roofs requiring my attention. A hour of snow and ice removal followed by 3 tubes of roof sealing compound appears to have corrected the problem... Of course, until it r@!ns it is anyones guess. So it goes.

We did have the great forture to venture out on the slopes 3 days this week. Conditions steadily improved from mid-winter to early spring with the passing of each day.

Conditions earlier in the week resembled mid-February with firm surfaces throughout the resort. By Thursday, after several afternoons in the mid-40's, conditions had shifted to soft, spring snow. It's about time!

Trails over at Bear Mountain are starting to take on their typical sandy appearance. Early morning skiers and riders break up the groomed surfaces, resulting in round snow pellets which do not adhere to each other. Ankle deep snow sand starts to develop, especially in areas where lots of turns are required at the bottom of the trails. After several hours of sunshine, the sand starts to melt slightly with the surface taking on a creamy texture. Thats when things start to get fun.

Killington Peak to Superstar from the junction of Killink and Royal Flush.

Killngton Peak from the top of Highline.

Steep trails are skiing beautifully. OL is taking on the normal spring softness that has made it into the premier bumps trail in the east. Superstar, whose headwalls are still in shadows for long stretches of the day is taking on a nice medium texture. It is not too soft, yet surfaces are soft enough that turns are easy to execute with minimal side slipping taking place. I have skied all sides of the lower headwall on Superstar. I still really like skiers left under the lift. But when I had the chance to be by myself on the lower headwall, the middle was also a lot of fun. The surface was very compliant, encouraging wide sweeping turns; something you can do on Superstar only when you are alone with the trail.

Continuing on Skye Peak, Vertigo was good. The upper headwall is a one or two turn event with minimal bumps. The middle section softens nicely as the day wears on. The lower section is still somewhat firm, being mostly shaded. As temperatures rise, I would expect the lower section to also soften up considerably.

Back on the basin side, Ovation is still flat and fast. Cascades is starting to soften. The lower portion which joins into Double Dipper is still slick in spots. Downdraft has been closed most of the week when I was on the mountain. Early morning slickness has probably caused the ski patrol to rope it to prevent unnecessary rescues. East Fall is ok. Highline is prime. In full sunshine most of the day, the surface is becoming one creamy piece of goodness.

The weather forecast for Easter Weekend in Killington is definitely New England weather. It looks like we are supposed to get a mixture of everything, including some new snow overnight on Friday. Next week is calling for more of the same, with snow showers in the forecast most days. Just what we need to keep refreshing the slopes of Killington to allow many more weeks of skiing and riding.

A friend of mine remanded me for continiously ending by blog with "Let it snow"! After the winter the northeast has had, I totally understand. So in homage to the sunshine, it's time for a change....

Unless you are working on a serious goggle tan..."Don't forget your sunscreen."