I can understand how some people may be getting weary of winter. Here it is almost April, and we’re struggling to get out of the 30s most days. And that’s in Saratoga. In the mountains, winter hasn’t even started to think about loosening its grip.
A surprise 4 to 6 inches of snow fell on Thursday and Friday, putting conditions at Gore back to their mid-winter best. The best skiing could be found on the upper mountain, where the new snow piled up the deepest.
Despite the excellent conditions, crowds were extremely light, which helped conditions hold up well all day. I guess people have either put away their ski gear for the season, are waiting for spring conditions to show up, or are just staying home trying to figure out a way to get the hell out of the cold and snowy northeast. Go figure.
All of the usual summit black diamonds skied very well, including Hawkeye, Chatiemac, Open Pit, and Uncas, with packed powder surfaces that held up all day with the light traffic. Ski patrol had dropped the ropes on quite a few of the summit glades. I usually avoid the Straightbrook Glade, but it turned out to be one of the highlights of the day, with untracked lines in some of the nooks and crannies. Chatiemac Glade, Darby Woods and a few other summit stashes made for a great day of tree skiing, a real treat when you consider we’re just a few days shy of April.
It seems like this winter just keeps going and going, but spring will arrive eventually. When it does, the deep bases and wall-to-wall coverage we’re enjoying now should make for some fantastic spring skiing.
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