With something like 18 inches of new snow in the preceding week, we knew skiers would be out in force on Saturday. Sure enough, we had hardly left the house before we started getting text messages from friends who had arrived before us that the lots were full and the lodge mobbed. Our strategy on days like this: head for the Ski Bowl.
Gore's second hub remains something of a well-kept secret. The low key, uncrowded vibe is a big part of the Ski Bowl's appeal. Plus the Ski Bowl's terrain pod has a nice selection of trails and glades. The downside is that it's not easy to ski the "main" mountain's terrain from the Ski Bowl - it takes at least four chairlifts to reach the summit. And since the Ski Bowl is near the bottom of Gore's snowmaking priority, it's frequently closed. In fact the last time the Ski Bowl was open was over the New Year's holiday weekend.
Since we hadn't skied the Ski Bowl terrain at all this year, we were happy to base ourselves there for the day. Despite intentions to work our way to the summit and back, we never got beyond the Ski Bowl, Burnt Ridge and the North Quad. There simply was no reason to go further - we had found good snow conditions and stuck with it.
Our picks of the day were Sagamore, the Tahawus trees and the Burnt Ridge glades. While we were skiing those, Daniel and his pal were off pillaging the the glades back at the Ski Bowl:
By lunchtime temperatures had crept past the freezing mark. It was hero snow on the trails, but the glades were starting to show signs of wear and tear, especially on the steeper pitches. The base in the woods just isn't as deep at the lower elevations of Burnt Ridge and the Ski Bowl as it is higher up on the mountain. If you spend much time skiing the Burnt Ridge and Ski Bowl glades you quickly learn: Ski it When You Can.
Funny that you end it with "Ski it When you Can" as I was just about to write that!
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