You know it's been cold when a 10 degree day is considered a heat wave. No complaints from the Saratoga Skier crew though. We got in a prime day at Gore in some of the best Christmas Week conditions we've seen since 2012. Between the sun, calm winds and some great skiing it was easy to forget we were right in the middle of a Polar Vortex.
Gore's a great mountain when it's 100% open and that's exactly what skiers got. There's been just enough snowfall with just enough density to put Gore's trees in play, along with most of the trails that the snowmaking crews hadn't gotten to yet. Sure, some of the trails and glades were a bit thin, but lower-angled natural snow terrain skied like mid-winter.
You can't ski all of Gore in a day, but we did our best to get around. We spent most of the morning on the summit glades and trails, dropping back down to the main base for lunch. We probably should have packed a lunch to bring to the new Straightbrook Lodge though. It's a great addition to the mountain and is something of a game changer for many skiers like ourselves since it eliminates a mandatory 2 lift detour from the summit in order to use a restroom. Just like the new Saddle Lodge, we're thrilled with the nice job that Gore did.
We made our way over to Burnt Ridge for a couple runs, including a nice ski through the Abenaki glade. The funky snowmaking whales on Sagamore aren't exactly my thing, but I suspect they've been groomed out by now. Last year Burnt Ridge didn't even open until late January. I'd say we're off to a pretty good start. We finished up our day with a bunch of front-side cruisers. Showcase was so nice it may have been the pick of the day.
It's great to see Gore off to such a great start to the ski season. Our family pretty much grew up skiing Gore's trails and trees, and it's still one of our favorite mountains when conditions are good. With more cold and some snow in the forecast, I'd say things are likely going to get even better.
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