Gore Mountain: 02/06/2010

Marko under the Guns on Sagamore

Sagamore, on Burnt Ridge, skis like no other trail at Gore. When it opened last season, it was on all natural snow. I was concerned that the addition of snowmaking for this year might change it's character. It didn't.

I didn't get the chance to ski Sagamore two weeks ago when it opened for this season. I was a bit disappointed that I had missed some great skiing that day. Today I made up for it - I lapped Sagamore, under the guns, for 6 or 7 consecutive runs, with my friend Marko.



It was pure chance that Marko and I hooked up this morning, but it was fitting. I know Marko from the days when I lived in North River and he was working up at Garnet Hill. I had just skied at Garnet Hill yesterday for the first time in two years.

Marko ripped. I had to stop to catch my breath a hundred yards uphill of him every time. I knew from last year, that Sagamore can really whip your legs if you ski it hard. Today my legs were feeling it by noon, when I headed over to pick up Daniel from his morning ski lesson.

In the afternoon, Daniel and I skied his first real black diamond run, Topridge, and he did great. Topridge had huge whales of blown snow at the top, and it was chalky and carveable, with fun bumps all the way down. Daniel now understands the word "mogul."

Although we hit only Cloud and Headwaters at the summit, the expert terrain up top looked to be in much better condition than last weekend. Conversations with other skiers confirmed it. There were guns going all day on Hawkeye and Hullabaloo as well as Sagamore. If the next storm comes our way, things should really start to take off.