shadyjay.com

WE HAVE MOVED TO WORDPRESS!

2011-07-29T12:18:00.001-07:00

Effective July 29, 2011, this blog will no longer be updated. To view the new, updated blog (complete with all past blog entries), go here:

http://shadyjayvt.wordpress.com

MAYHEM!!!

2011-07-24T15:57:00.001-07:00

It has been a few years since I’ve been to any big outdoor concert or festival. I think my last one was Ozzfest around 2003 or 2004 before I moved to Vermont. But when a coworker of mine convinced me to go to the Mayhem Festival down in Massachusetts, I had a desire to tear some shit up. But could I get the day off from work, after having gotten the previous weekend off completely? Luckily, I convinced my supervisor that he owed me, gave the go-ahead to Ryan to order the tickets, and after a morning shift on Friday July 22, at 9am we were on our way to the Comcast Center in Mansfield, MA.

This was the lineup for the day… ** indicates those bands we watched:
JAGERMEISTER STAGE:
Deadseason - 1:45
Red Fang - 2:35 **
Kingdom of Sorrow - 3:35 **
Unearth - 4:35 **
In Flames - 5:40 **
REVOLVER STAGE:
Straight Line Stitch - 2:05 **
All Shall Perish - 3:05
Suicide Silence - 4:05
Machine Head - 5:05
ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAIN STAGE:
Trivium - 6:25
Megadeth - 7:15 **
Godsmack - 8:30 **
Disturbed - 9:55 **

When we got to the grounds of the Comcast Center (ironically, where I saw my first major outdoor show back in 1995 – Phish – at what was then called “Great Woods”), it was 100 degrees. We got there not long after doors had opened and caught several acts on the secondary stages. On the Revolver stage, we caught Straight Line Stitch, then moved to the Jagermeister Stage (right next to the Revolver Stage), for Kingdom of Sorrow, Unearth, and In Flames, with a half hour break in between each. All 3 were off the charts, and our position for each of these was about 4 rows back from the barricades, and at the edge of the circle pit. We all were doing a bit of moshing at times, and the other times, pushing what seemed like 50+ people over our heads crowdsurfing. A couple of people I just launched over the crowd to the waiting security guards to catch them. It was unreal and something I’ve never experienced on that level before (I wasn’t nearly as close for Ozzfest, and other shows there was some crowd surfing but nothing like this).

The hot sun was brutal but luckily there were a couple of “cooling stations” which were nothing more than a hose spraying water and us all running through. Bottled water was $4.50, Gatorade was $6, and there was a Rockstar Energy Drink tent giving away free cans of Rockstar. This was also one of my first shows which I didn’t have any beer – not because of the price (though it was $9.50 or so for a beer), but because of the heat. We both felt content with just water or gatorade. The sun was also roasting my back and I’m sure I’m not the only one who was at that show that is presently feeling the effects of sunburn.

After the Jager and Revolver Stage acts were concluded, we all filtered towards the pavillion area. By this time, the sun had receaded to a point where it was not blazing the lawn, and we found ourselves a spot to watch Megadeth and Godsmack from. The peaceful serenity of the lawn was a complete 180 from the standing in the sun and the pit of earlier in the day. Godsmack put on one hell of a good show. Partway through Disturbed, we decided to head for the exit and get a jump on the road, by this point it was 10:30pm. Headin’ for the exit, I decided to plunk down $25 for an official 2011 Mayhem Festival shirt. It was then on the road, stopping for gas and McDonalds, on our trip north back to Vermont.

By the time we arrived back in the Mad River Valley, it was around 3:30am. Holy shit – what a show. I’m glad I went and thank Ryan for convincing me to go. He had told me it would be the highlight of my summer… and I think it most definitely was!

From the Mayhem Festival Web Site, here are pics and a video from the day:

http://rockstarmayhemfest.com/blog/id/1844913

“Berkshire County Rambler” 6/18/2011 Rail Excursion Trip Report

2011-06-19T10:35:00.001-07:00

BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO VIEW THEM FULL-SIZE!

Once again, Mass Bay Railroad Enthusiasts outdid themselves with another excellent rail excursion, including some “rare mileage”. I ordered my tickets online at the last minute and I’m glad I was able to participate.

I left home base at Sugarbush Resort at 5:20AM on Saturday morning, June 18. I had conflicting trip lengths from Google Maps and Delorme, with Google saying nearly 4 hours while DeLorme saying 3 Hours 20 Minutes. Well, I had made it to Rutland in 1 Hour 10 Minutes, took a brief break just south of Rutland at a rest area, another hour later was in Bennington, and took a break to get a coffee in Lanesborough, MA. I arrived at the Lenox station of the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum at about 8:40. So the trip took about 3 Hours 20 Minutes.

I had plenty of time to photograph the equipment in the yard and the beautifully restored station. The last time I was here (c 1993), the station was closed and no trains were running. Inside the station houses various artifacts and exhibits, and in an old B&O coach-baggage combine outside, an exhibit tells the story of the various mansions built early in the 20th century in the Berkshires.

Our train, a 5-car consist bracketed by Housatonic Railroad GP35 #3601 at the south end and Berkshire Scenic’s SW-8 #8619 at the north end. The coaches, north to south were: 328, 310 (where I sat), 3204, 341, 329. After the Berkshire Scenic’s regular excursion train, led by SW-9 #9128 departed south, our train moved to the platform/main to board, then we departed at about 10:40AM, 10 minutes late.

We first headed north through New Lenox to Pittsfield, stopping parallel to the CSX Boston & Albany Line, just as an autorack train was speeding east towards Boston. After a moment, we headed south back to New Lenox for a photo runby, then back south to Lenox for a bathroom break. At this time, the locomotives were rearranged so that they were all on the south end, with #3601 leading.

What amazed me, especially between Lenox and Stockbridge, was the fact that Housatonic Railroad has laid welded rail in sections, giving a nice smooth ride. There’s still plenty of “clickety clack” and some 10 mph slow orders, but a good amount of 25 mph running as well.

Photo Runbys at New Lenox (left) and South Lee (right)

Heading south, we had a photo stop at the US 20 crossing in downtown Lee, then another in South Lee, before our arrival at Stockbridge. It was here we learned that former New Haven Railroad employee Peter Lynch had passed away within the past week. He was a long supporter of the BSRM, and our conductor gave a brief speech about him, then had the locomotive #3601 perform a horn memorial, “calling in the flagman”. After another runaround at Stockbridge, we continued south to Great Barrington, where the locomotives changed ends and another runby was performed. We then headed back north, with a stop in Stockbridge at 4:20, then arriving back at Lenox at 5:05pm, completing the trip.

(left): Locomotives are repositioned at north end of train at Great Barrington.
(right): Heading back north through the Glendale curves

There is a good deal of scenery along this line, from boggy marshes to historic villages, old stations, industry, the Housatonic River, waterfalls, and other scenic highlights. Mass Bay RRE, the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum, and Housatonic Railroad should all be commended for a job well done!

BE SURE TO VIEW THE COMPLETE PHOTO GALLERY AND THE PHOTO RUNBY VIDEOS ON MY YOUTUBE PAGE

White River Flyer Special Excursion: 6/4/2011

2011-06-19T10:32:00.001-07:00

CLICK EACH IMAGE TO SEE THE FULL SIZE VERSION

On Saturday June 4, it was off to White River Junction with my friend Pete for a ride on the Green Mountain Railroad’s White River Flyer special excursion. We met at the Amtrak station in Waterbury and then drove down to White River Junction, picked up our tickets, then boarded the train. Our destination was Farmway in Bradford, an excursion I last took in 2007.

(left) NECR GP-38 #3857 at White River Jct
(right) Boarding underway for our train on the adjacent platform

Our consist:
GP40-2 #308 (leading NB)
Coach #1323 (we rode here)
Coach #1301
Cab Control/Coach #1317 (leading SB)

We departed about 15 minutes late (10:15am) and slowly began to make our way north up along the Connecticut River. It was a beautiful cloudless morning in the Upper Valley. Once we got to Wilder, we picked up some speed and would alternate between running at track speed and running at 10 mph due to slow orders.

(left) Norwich-Hanover Bridge
(right) Serious rock ledges alongside I-91, US 5, and the railroad in Fairlee

It was a picture perfect day, a welcome change from our recent bouts with heavy rain and severe weather. We rambled up the river valley, passing through Thetford, Ely, and Fairlee, before arriving at around noon at the Farmway “station” in Bradford. As we departed the train, a large group was boarding to ride north to Newbury. While they did that, we headed off to the complimentary BBQ for some hot dogs, hamburgers, chili, and snacks. We then browsed around Farmway and the area for a while. Just around 2pm, our train returned from Newbury, and we reboarded for the trip back south to White River Junction, arriving at about 3:45pm.

(left) Farmway complex alongside VT Route 25 in Bradford
(right) Special excursion crosses VT Route 25 heading south

Thanks to Vermont Rail System for another great trip!

To view my complete photo gallery from this trip,
click here!

2011 Summer Hiking Series Gets Underway!

2011-06-06T18:36:00.001-07:00

On Friday June 3 2011, I kicked off my 2011 Summer Hiking Series with a hike up and around Camel’s Hump. My friend Trevor from work came with me, on a trip that we almost cancelled due to the weather. As you probably know, this spring has had less than desirable weather. Heavy rain, severe thunderstorms, flooding, and even some tornados (in Massachusetts) has struck New England. Adding to the weather anomolies this spring was a 90 degree day on Wednesday June 1, followed by a 40 degree temperature drop the next day. Rain continued into the evening of June 2. But instead of calling Trevor to cancel the hike, I picked him up at 8AM the next morning.

We arrived at the parking lot at the top of Camel’s Hump Road in Huntington shortly before 9am and right at 9, we hit the trail. This would be a first-time hike for me, as I have never done the ‘Hump from the Huntington side. We decided to head up the Burrows Trail to the Long Trail, then head south over the Hump to the Forest City Trail, to complete the loop. I felt pretty good hiking up the trail, going at a pretty good pace over the progressively rockier surface. This was not only my first hike of the season, but also the first time hiking in my new boots. I did pretty good, and at 10:18, we arrived at the Hut Clearing, 2.2 miles into the hike.

LEFT: Arriving at the Hut Clearing
RIGHT: Final 0.3 mile push to the summit
CLICK THE IMAGES FOR THE FULL SIZE VIEW

It was chilly and very cloudy, so we had anticipated not having much of a view from the summit. The 0.3 mile hike to the summit took just over 10 minutes and after a 20 minute or so break on the summit, the clouds broke and the view from the 4083’ summit opened up.

LEFT: Jay standing on the 4083’ summit disk while still in the clouds
RIGHT: 30 minutes later, the clouds lifted and broke and the view appeared

We descended south from the summit under very windy conditions until we had looped around the summit cone. Proceeding down past the Alpine Trail and down the Long Trail, we took another break inside a cave not too far from Wind Gap. After the break, we continued down to the Forest City Trail for the final 1.2 mile downhill to the Forest City-Burrows Connector, then it was a simple 0.1 mile connector back to the parking lot where we started. It was 1PM when we arrived back at the truck, completing the 5.7 mile hike and my first hike of the season was in the books!

LEFT: View of the Hump from an overlook along the Long Trail
RIGHT: Bridge over a brook on the Forest City-Burrows Connector Trail

For the complete photo gallery from the first hike of the 2011 Season, CLICK HERE!

LINK FIXED 6/14/2011

The 2010/2011 Season In Review

2011-05-06T12:11:00.001-07:00

As I stare out my window overlooking the base of Lincoln Peak, then up at the mountain, I see patches of snow. Some has been around since the guns were fired up back in November and December, while some just fell during yesterday’s squalls. Yes, I know, it’s May 6. But we’ve seen it all this winter… including over 300” of natural snow.

The season started on November 25, Thanksgiving Day, 2010, and lasted through to Sunday May 1. We had only a couple of days where we had to close the mountain completely due to weather (high winds just after Christmas, and again in late April due to thunderstorms). We also had a very limited period of spring conditions. Our January Thaw occurred Dec 31-Jan 1, and was followed by a long duration of frequent snowstorms and powder days, most occuring on my days off. 21” fell on Groundhog Day, and 37”+ fell in the beginning of March, leading to some truly epic days. When Mt Ellen closed for the season on March 27, it closed being 100% open with not a bare spot to be found, and temps in the 20s and 30s. (If only it was economical to keep both sides open into April).

I experienced several personal milestones this season. I rode a total of 118 days. Yes, I know – some of those days I only get a run or two in, but on my days off (which I largely spend on the mountain), I can get 20-30 runs. Of those 118 days, I spent 4 days exclusively riding at Mt Ellen, and another 2 days were spent starting off at Mt Ellen, then coming back to Lincoln Peak to get my fill. The other 112 days were spent exclusively riding at Lincoln Peak. First-time runs for me this season included Stein’s Run at Lincoln Peak, and over at Mt Ellen, I rode FIS, Bravo, Spinout, and Southbound for the first time. I also snowboarded Village Run for the first time ever, and made my descent down Lower FIS, Encore, and Brambles for the first time in 3 years. And not only did I ride Castlerock, but I also worked it several times, so I probably got in close to 10 days up there, on and off the clock. What a great lift that is to work!!!

The trail map image below I have modified to mark off the trails that I have done at Sugarbush. Those in green I rode more than once this season. Those in yellow I called my “one hit wonders” – time ran out before I could make a second descent down them this season, and the few in red are those which I have never been down yet. There’s always next year!

CLICK FOR FULL SIZE VERSION

This post will be my last of the 2010/2011 season, but keep watching here for my summer posts, including:

*   The 2011 Summer Hiking Series

*   Mountain Biking

*   Train Rides

*   And other adventures throughout Vermont & beyond!

April 30 & May 1, 2011: One More Weekend

2011-05-06T11:47:00.001-07:00

If you told me back on Thanksgiving Day 2010, our first day we were open for the 2010/2011 season that I’d be working Heaven’s Gate, bumping chairs on May 1, I wouldn’t have believed you.

Saturday, April 30 – heading up Bravo

Not long after the close of operations on April 24, it started to rain, and rain with thunderstorms was in the forecast for most of the week. With Lake Champlain reaching record levels, on Friday I received a call from my boss saying that Heaven’s Gate was a GO for the weekend. I thought for sure we’d be down to just Stein’s & Spring Fling, but Heaven’s Gate? Really??? Yes, really! But there were a few twists.

The trail count for the weekend of April 30 & May 1 included: Downspout, Lower Downspout, Jester, Lower Jester, Lower Organgrinder, Murphy’s, Birdland, Coffee Run, VH Traverse, Snowball, Stein’s, Spring Fling, Organgrinder, and Ripcord. While Stein’s, Spring Fling, and Organgrinder had essentially edge-to-edge coverage, elsewhere it was “sketchy”. But with temps in the 50s on Saturday and rising through the 60s on Sunday, I don’t think anybody cared!

April 30 – Upper Jester

One challenge of the weekend was avoiding the new terrain feature positioned on Upper Jester, between a pair of switchbacks. A groomer had gotten stuck and couldn’t be moved without destroying the remaining snowpack, or turning it all into mud. Skiers and riders had to thread their way around it on paths of snow that got narrower and narrower with each passing hour. Scores of people were raving about the conditions and how good they were for so late in the season. On Sunday, the compliments continued but were a lot more numerous. After all, noone could complain – lift tickets were FREE! It was a celebration of what would turn out to be the last day of the season.

May 1 – Base of Heaven’s Gate, with just an hour or so to go

The runout on the other hand was anything but a celebration… until you made it through in one piece. Lower Jester on its approach to Gondolier/ Coffee Run was down to bare ground in one section, forcing you to make your way through the mud. Thank god noone was coming when I was coming down on Sunday to see me go right into the dirt, as my co-worker followed shortly later, coming down to the base area with a huge streak of mud on his shirt and snow pants.

But that’s all part of the spring skiing and riding experience! You can’t expect to have perfect edge-to-edge coverage or have a trail without bumps on it past 10am. I only got a couple of runs in each day, but then I thought of when I would be riding next… not for another 6 months or so. As they say, a bad day of snowboarding is better than a good day at work. But what about those people who work on the mountain? Then… its just another day at the office, and one that I wouldn’t trade for almost anything in the world!

May 1 – Everyone got on the lift and the soft snow fell off their skis and boards, landing in the only pile of snow in the low tip area.

One of the things I love about this job is the people…. from those that I meet, to those that I work with day in, day out from November through April. I am pleased to once again have worked with such a great crew – let’s do it all again, come November!

I did not take this – most likely our photographer extraordinaire, Sandy Macys, did, as it was on sugarbush.com earlier in the season. It’s a great shot of mid winter conditions up on the mountain. During those dog days of summer, think about this picture and how we’ll all long for a day like this.

The Final Epitaph Of The 2010/2011 Season Has NOT YET Been Written!

2011-04-24T18:21:00.001-07:00

We are in temporary suspension mode. The plan is to reopen for the weekend of April 30-May 1, and potentially the weekend of May 7-8 as well, weather permitting. A lot can happen in 5 days and the forecast for the upcoming week doesn’t bode well for maintaining the snowpack on all of this weekend’s 30+ trails. But things do change and right now, the plan is to keep Super Bravo and Heaven’s Gate in reserve.

But let’s look back at the past week, where we’ve seen it all…. winter like temperatures, thunderstorms, ice, a busy bluebird warm day on Good Friday, followed by 2” of new snow on Saturday, wrapping it up with Easter Sunday temps in the 50s and lots of smiles to be had, with coverage still really good on numerous trails. It’s a far cry from where we were a year ago.

Here’s a couple of pics from today:

Heading up Super Bravo at 9AM on Easter Sunday. Some of those who attended the Easter Service at Allyn’s Lodge skied down, while others rode the chair.

Getting what could be my last cruise of the season down Jester from the summit. The coverage was great and the snow was soft.

So now we wait and see…. even if Heaven’s Gate has seen its last chair riders of the season and only Bravo or Valley House spins, I plan to get out and make my final late-season turns. I have never ridden in May, and the latest I’ve ridden was April 30 at Mt Ellen a few years ago. This has already been a record-setting season for me and hopefully we can keep it going at least one more weekend.

Check with sugarbush.com for the latest on a possible April 30-May 1 re-opening.

Terrain Diminishes, But Still Good Coverage

2011-04-12T19:40:00.001-07:00

We are really getting to the point in the season where our crowds are diminishing rapidly, even on beautiful weekends. The weekend of April 9 & 10 saw some great weather and soft snow. Lincoln Peak was still 100% open with 72 trails available. I worked North Lynx for its last day of the season on Sunday and what should have been a busy day turned out to be dead. You can’t justify keeping the “sunny side” of the mountain open when it can’t attract guests on the weekend. Therefore, the entire Gate House side was closed, most likely for the season, at 4pm on Sunday April 10.

April 10, 2011 – Morning Star is still mostly covered (except parts of the upper half) but that would change tomorrow. Doesn’t really matter, as its now closed for the season.

So Monday when we arrived into work, it was in the 50s-60s and raining, with thunder and lightning, plus high winds. The decision was made to close the mountain for the day. When we arrived on Tuesday, we found ourselves with repairing the damage from the day before. Ramps at Super Bravo and Heaven’s Gate needed to be built from scratch. While heading up Super Bravo, we noticed the natural snow trails were becoming bare. Indeed, we lost Lower Birdland, plus all of Castlerock and its connecting trails. Natural trails Twist and Moonshine looked bare but are passable, however the snowmaking trails such as Spring Fling, Snowball, Stein’s, Birdland, [most of] Murphy’s, Downspout, Jester, Ripcord, and others are still buried with snow. Upon on Heaven’s Gate, the loss of coverage was limited to a good portion of Lower Paradise, and a small swath of Lower Ripcord. Spillsville, Orangrinder, and the rest all are still 90-100% white.

April 12, 2011 – Top of Heaven’s Gate, looking down, reveals a white Ripcord. Despite warm temperatures and some heavy rain, the snowmaking trails still have a good depth on them.

We continue to plug away at the season and our guests may have dwindled in number but are still very much enjoying what we have to offer. Our projected closing date is still Sunday April 24, with operation beyond that possible for the following weekend. Come on out and enjoy some soft snow!

Ask… And Ye Shall Receive!

2011-04-08T17:28:00.001-07:00

You Want Spring Conditions? We’ve got ‘em!!!

Crystal clear blue skies have greeted Sugarbush skiers and riders these past two days (April 7 and 8). Temps have risen into the 40s and 50s and the snow has softened up. Coverage is still edge-to-edge and 100% on most trails, and the bumps are soft. Groomed trails are “creamy” in the morning before succoming to skier/rider traffic later in the day. All in all, the past two days have been great!

On Thursday April 7, I worked Heaven’s Gate and took advantage of the soft snow to hit up several trails that aren’t in my usual rotation, including Spillsville, Organgrinder, and Domino…. all really good. Ripcord, Lower Paradise, Paradise Extension, and the usual Downspout and Jester were also on the schedule that day. As the picture above attests, the skies remained bluebird all day long, and temps rising into the 40s, though it felt a lot warmer than that!

Friday April 8 I rode from 10Am to 4:30Pm, starting on the Gate House side, then working my way left as the day progressed. After a few North Lynx runs (Birch and Sunrise), I headed up to Castlerock for 5 runs. Middle Earth and LCR were great, and one visit back to Castlerock for “last chair” at 4pm led me down Cotillion, which was just as good! In between, I tore it up on Murphy’s, Domino, Lower Birdland, Twist, Moonshine, and yes, even The Mall. Temps were in the 50s and riding in a sweatshirt with my new shades on felt really good, especially after a whole winter of riding with a facemask and layers upon layers.

Enough talk… how ‘bout some pics?

April 3 – really impressed with the photo quality of the camera on my new cell phone! Heaven’s Gate lift line.

April 7 – top of Organgrinder.

April 8 – Castlerock Run – EXCELLENT!

April 8 – Lower Birdland – AWESOME!

April 8 – The Mall – TONS of Snow!!!

FULL PHOTO GALLERY HERE:
https://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt/Sugarbush20102011Season#

Day 100!!!

2011-04-01T18:25:00.001-07:00

3-27-2011 – Top of Super Bravo

Saturday April 2 will be my 100th day on the snow for the winter of 2010/2011. Now granted, some of those days I have only had a single run (from the top of my lift back down to the base), but other days I can get several runs in, and on my days off, I usually average 20 runs in a day.

We currently have all of Lincoln Peak open. Where were we last year? According to the snow report clip from last year posted on Thursday 3/31… it was 70 degrees and trails were losing their coverage at an alarming rate. We closed the Gate House side on April 4, and Heaven’s Gate kept spinning until April 8.

Not so this year. Our base depths are still quite substantial and were touched up today by a small amount of snow – nothing more than an inch or two out of what was supposed to be a 6-12” snowfall. Our snowfall total for the season is 294”… that’s more than 100” over last year’s total snowfall. In addition, our temperatures in recent weeks have remained quite winter-like. While we did see some very nice temps during St Patrick’s Day, they did not last, and 20s became the norm, along with single digits at night.

4-1-2011 – Heading up Castlerock while the snow flies!

At this point in the season, many of us are looking forward to warm-weather activities, myself included. That is not to say I’m done with snowboarding for the season… I’m just ready for some comfortable temps and soft snow to ride in. I like temps where I can wear a sweatshirt and be comfortable, retire my well-worn gloves and neck warmer, and enjoy great spring conditions.

4-17-08 – Soaking up the sun on a warm spring day on North Lynx

Until that day comes, I’ll continue to enjoy whatever conditions we are faced with. Our closing date is up in the air at this point, dependent on Mother Nature and our current snow conditions, however it has been extended to April 24, with **possible** weekend operation past that.

So that begs the question:

Can we make it to May?

St Patrick’s Day 2011 at Mt Ellen

2011-03-17T18:09:00.001-07:00

Awesome!!!

A shot of FIS (on the right, ahead), from back in February 2008. I had never been down FIS… until today! Read on…..

I woke up this morning, went to Lincoln Peak to get my gear, and headed off to Mt Ellen to take part in the St Patrick’s Day celebration there. With a forecast calling for blue skies and temps in the 40s, I had a good feeling about the day. I started off a little uneasy, but by noontime, that would change.

I started off the day at 9:50am and stuck to the groomers for most of the morning. Lookin’ Good was a little firm, as was Cruiser and Which Way, but Rim Run, Lower Rim Run, Upper Lookin’ Good, and Elbow were really nice and soft. I took a quick jaunt over the Northway then u-turn onto a groomed (and first-tracks) Northridge Expressway.

Around noon, I decided to head to the base area and take a break. It was there when I ran into some friends of mine, including Hazen and his wife Shayne, and Mark. After a couple of beers, we headed up for a “quick” run off GMX. The run chosen was Encore, and it was excellent – the bumps were really softening up now. The next run, down Elbow to Cruiser, I had a collision with Shayne – we turned into each other and our boards hit resulting in a crazy fall for both of us. Me & Mark decided to head back up and do some runs. At the top of the Summit Quad, Mark convinced me to go down Upper FIS – my first time ever on this trail. It was surprisingly soft, not so steep, and a lot of fun that we did it again on our next run. Then it was over towards North Ridge to hit up Bravo, another first-time trail for me. The headwall, which usually has exposed rock, was fully covered with tons of soft snow. I was on such a high from doing both FIS and Bravo that we had to do Bravo again… even better the second time around! But that was it for me – it was around 2:15 and I had an excellent day of riding in some great springtime conditions. I returned to the deck of Mt Ellen and had a couple more beers before returning to Lincoln Peak via the shuttle bus, then home.

After today, I can say that I have ridden every trail at Mt Ellen this season, with the exception of Black Diamond. Today would’ve been the day to do that run as well, but I wanted to quit while I was ahead, and doing two runs each on FIS and Bravo was quite an accomplishment for me. There’s always next time, though!

Castlerock: Day 3

2011-03-10T18:27:00.001-08:00

Upon the conclusion of my riding yesterday, I checked the schedule to see where I would be assigned to for my Monday, which is actually Thursday. “CASTLEROCK”, the schedule said. Wow – could my legs handle the terrain at the ‘Rock after 2 days of riding hard in powder conditions?

My run to the ‘Rock from the top of Super Bravo took me down Downspout, which was covered in about 3” or so of fresh snow on top of a groomed surface. It was a really nice run… one where I felt like I was floating but using minimal effort. I took the connector, stopped briefly at the bottom to take care of clearances, then headed up.

As I made my first descent from the top of Castlerock Peak, any fears of a rough day were soon put to rest. The bumps only existed on the upper half of Castlerock Run, and I had a great time enjoying the rest of that run, plus Hi & Lo Road, and Cotillion. I did stop very briefly a few times to rest my legs – after all, Castlerock is not my regular assignment and the terrain there is much different than other trails at Sugarbush.

Throughout the day, I alternated shifts at the bottom and the top of Castlerock with my co-workers for the day, Kyle and Cloe. My second run down the ‘Rock took me down Castlerock Run to Lower Castlerock Run. Again, very nice, especially the lower half, and I was able to cut my descent time almost in half. Next came Castlerock Run to Cotillion to Lower Lift Line. Every run was a powder run, and I had no fear as I shredded the powder underneath the liftline. Finally, just after 2pm, I descended down Castlerock Run to Troll Road to Middle Earth. I decided to not do Middle Earth in its entirety today, as that is a LONG run and can take me quite a while to get down. On that last run, I felt my legs getting more tired. I decided I would "quit while I was ahead” and let my coworkers take runs while I remained at the bottom of the ‘Rock for the last hour of the day.

This was my third visit to Castlerock for the season. My first day working this lift EVER was the end of January, and on February 2 I ended up getting a few runs up there on another epic powder day. Today’s conditions, however, were a shocker. Forecasts originally called for a changeover from snow to rain by noon – it was 4pm and it was still solid snow at the base. The snow made for some great carving on trails which had largely not become bumped-up. It was a great day, and I hope to get back up to the ‘Rock again before the season is out… whether it be an assigned work shift or my day off.

PS – no day at Castlerock is complete without visiting the Castlerock Pub after work. Long Trail Ale never tasted sooo good, and perfect to wash down a delicious Mountain Burger!

Posted by Jay at 6:11 PM 0 comments

From Rain to 37” of Powder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-03-09T18:30:00.000-08:00

The Weather Tales Of March 6-7 and epic March 8-9 Trip Reports

Sugarbush Village Road looks more like a ski trail than a road on the morning of Monday March 7. It would end up snowing all day, accumulating 24” at the base area and an astounding 37” at the summits

What’s that old saying? If you don’t like the weather in New England, wait 5 minutes? Expect the unexpected? Well over the past few days, we’ve had one heck of a storm that was record-breaking, but it started out ugly.

Let’s go back to Sunday March 6. I show up for work and its pouring rain. Things are not looking good. My post at the top of the Gate House is a lake and we dig a trench to drain some of the water out. Throughout the morning, a little bit of pond skimming was required. To make matters worse, we had heard Mt Ellen was closed for the day – partially because of some thin cover at the top of GMX-the plateau. It was around 1pm when the tide began to change. The snow began to fall, replacing the rain. It was a wet snow, but it still was white. Original forecasts for 8-10” were steadily increased throughout the day, first to 10”, then I heard up to 20”. When I got home Sunday night, WCAX was saying 32” along the spine of the Green Mountains. Hmmm….

Monday morning I awoke to a complete 180 scene from the morning previous. There was at least a foot+ of snow and the walk to work was… let’s say… challenging. In fact, after sinking up to my waist on one section of Village Run, I decided to take the road. There was about 6” but at least it was an easier walk than the woods and the trails. Arriving at the mountain, we had our work cut out for us. But we managed to open Super Bravo on time, Castlerock and Gate House soon followed. The snow continued to fall, heavy at times, and at 11am I was able to get a run on Domino, a truly spectacular adventure. High winds had closed ‘Bravo by 1pm, and we remained that way for the rest of the day, as the snow continued to fall, finally tapering off by late afternoon.

On Saturday, a co-worker approached me with an idea to switch days off for the week. I usually have Wed-Thu and after the switch, I would have Tue-Wed. I agreed, not realizing what this meant… the biggest single storm event of the season had left us with 35+” inches of new snow, and I had a day off!

So I hiked down to Lincoln Peak on Tuesday morning, got my gear on, and got 5th chair on Super Bravo. Run after run was even better than the one preceeding it. Even Lower Birdland, which usually has rocks and ledges poking out, was a dream come true … silent turns each and every time. Snow cascading over my shoulders and in every direction as I steered my way down Domino, Paradise, Spillsville, Organgrinder, Twist, Moonshine, and others. Then there was Stein’s Run… my first time ever on this trail… a delight! I even had to do it a 2nd time to make sure the first time wasn’t a fluke. It wasn’t, and the 2nd time was the charm. Concluding the day with a few runs on Gate House, including 2 on Sleeper and 1 on Morning Star. It was 2:30 and I was beat! And oh yeah, I forgot to mention the best part – the weather: 20s, bluebird skies, and not a breath of wind. It really doesn’t get any better than that! After returning home Tuesday, I dug my truck out of my parking lot and prepped it for its weekly drive.

On Wednesday, I arrived at Mt Ellen, again under mostly sunny skies and hardly any wind. Just moments after 9, I began my ascent, then spent the next 2 1/2 hours descending some of my favorite runs including: Cruiser, Which Way, Rim Run, Lookin’ Good, and Elbow. I also did 2 runs on Exterminator (last ridden – 12/09), Semi-Tough, Inverness, Lower FIS (last ridden – 2008), and my first time on Spinout and Southbound. The groomers were groomed to perfection while the natural snow/ungroomed trails had some powder stashes and soft bumps. I passed on Tumbler, Hammerhead, and Brambles, but the tradeoff was the Lower FIS excursions, which were aided by the lower half of Lower FIS being groomed.. that and the desire to knock out two trails I’ve never done. I called it a day around 12:40, going into town to get some things done, then to drop my gear off at Lincoln Peak.

It was two of the greatest days of snowboarding I’ve ever had. When you get at this point of the season, you have to seize the moment and ride it while its here, cause’ you just never know what tomorrow may bring. As I type this, another weather system is on its way in, bringing with it the dreaded “mixed bag”. But we’ll see – I’m just glad I got to ride in the 20-30” of new snow on the most perfect day on Tuesday, and enjoy some great packed powder riding on Wednesday.

If you were here, then you know what I’m talking about. If you weren’t… you should’ve been. Sorry – no pictures this time, but just the memories of an awesome 2 days of shredding the ‘gnar at the ‘Bush!

God Bless the Valley House Chair!

2011-02-16T15:55:00.001-08:00

April 8, 2008

These past few weeks have really proved the fact that the Valley House Chair is a very valuable asset in the Sugarbush lift system… more than you may realize. The Valley House Chair’s position, height, and the fact that it is not a high speed chair, makes it less vulnerable to wind holds. Early in February, high winds have affected the operation of the Super Bravo Express, our primary lift at Lincoln Peak. Usually, the Valley House Chair is operated only on weekends, since its terrain can be accessed quickly off the Super Bravo Express.

Just a few days after the “Groundhog Day 2011 Storm”, Bravo experienced windholds, so our crew was sent over to ready the Valley House for operation. There was over 2 feet of snow on the chairs and on the ramps and low-tip areas that we all shovelled out so the lift could be operated. Not only was the lift an integral part of operation that day, but it also became the “early lift” on Saturday February 5 when the high winds continued to affect Bravo’s operation.

While the lift does have some quirks and oddities (including the hike to reach it, its “everyone exit right” policy, and the flat “Reverse Traverse”), it has proved to be a very valuable asset. And with its lower profile, it is less exposed to high winds. It is likely that a future replacement of this lift will retain its “fixed-grip” model, either a triple or a quad, so that, in times of need, it can be called upon to meet the needs of skiers and riders to get up to the great terrain that Lincoln Peak has to offer!

Finally… It’s Our Turn!

2011-02-03T15:04:00.001-08:00

The Groundhog Day Storm of 2011

For most of January, we have stood and watched storm after storm roll up the coast and blast New York City and southern New England with more snow than they know what to do with. This is kind of a double-edge sword for us, since the snow-in-their-backyard makes them head to the ski resorts, however the feet that the lowlands have received has only given the resorts a few inches at best.

Then on February 2, it all came together for us. A major storm affecting a giant swath of the country from Texas to New England came rolling in. And due to the low pressure’s position of heading inland and passing to our south, Vermont stayed on the cold side and permitted the snow to fall. Our 2-day total here at Sugarbush was 21” and the locals, those who called in sick or had a conveniently-placed midweek vacation on their hands, and those employees on their day off, got a chance to really enjoy it.

I got on Super Bravo just a few short ticks after 9am, and headed straight for a rarely-groomed Domino, though covered with about 8” of new snow. Then I hit up Castlerock for several runs: a rough Middle Earth kicked my ass, but I made up for it quickly with several runs on Castlerock Run, with one run continuing on Cotillion to Lower Lift Line, another on LCR, and still another on LCR to Bailout. Pick of the day on the ‘Rock was LCR (Lower Castlerock Run), which had virtually no bumps and a lot of powder. The only bad side to C’Rock today were the wicked winds that were only hitting the very top of the lift. These winds also kept Heaven’s Gate from spinning all day. After C’Rock, I relaxed on a beautiful Murphy’s Glade, then into a delightful Lower Birdland. Feeling a little whooped, I meandered to Gate House and did a Birch Run to Castlerock Connection, but found myself back up on the ‘Rock again, with a Castlerock Run to an LCR. It was just too good to just do once. To round out the day, I hit up a Sleeper, then a Pushover Chute down to Out to Lunch, and concluded with a mild Sugarbear Road. I did not get over to The Mall or anything to the left of Bravo for that matter – I’m sure Twist and Moonshine were excellent.

On Thursday February 3, I headed over to Mt Ellen, arriving there around 9:45AM and riding until 1PM. After starting with The Cliffs, I lapped the Summit Quad a few times to do Rim Run, Lookin’ Good, and Elbow. The traverse on Northway over to the Inverness Area was well worth it, as I hit up Walt’s Trail & Inverness (both partially groomed), a u-turn on a fresh Northridge Expressway, and a truly spectacular Brambles. If I did not have to traverse over on Northway, I would’ve hit up Brambles again, but then again if the Inverness Quad was open, it wouldn’t have been as good as it was. TAlso in the mix there were 2 runs on an ungroomed Cruiser. To round out the visit, I took 3 runs off the Sunny D, including Riemergasse and Graduation. A barely-tracked Sugar Run concluded the day.

Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures from these two days out. I was more concerned with doing the runs that I did and doing them fast. I had my best times ever down Castlerock Run (probably to make up for that 20-minute Middle Earth debacle) and stopping on Lower Birdland or Brambles for pictures just would have ruined my fluidity. It was an epic couple of days and this storm has left the mountain in EXCELLENT condition. Come on up and get some great turns!!!

Late January Report

2011-02-03T14:42:00.001-08:00

A –25 base area at Lincoln Peak on Monday January 24, 2011

We experienced some extreme bitter cold during the weekend of January 22-23, which continued into January 24, where base temps in the morning were as cold as –25. It was chilly and conditions were hard-packed, but by January 26 & 27, the groomers did an excellent job whipping the trails into great shape… perfect timing since my brother was up for some riding (along with my dad – though he stayed at the condo). The weather was perfect and conditions couldn’t have been better.

Then came Friday January 28, when I made my 2010/2011 season Castlerock debut. It was also my first day ever working the lift and I had some interesting turns on Castlerock trails including Castlerock Run, Hi – Lo Road, Cotillion, and Troll Road. The weekend was busy as well and I spent it working the Slide Brook Express. On Sunday the 30th during my lunch break, I took my first ride on the Slide Brook in 4 years. If you have never taken the Slide Brook, I highly recommend it. Keep in mind, however, that it runs only on weekends and holiday periods and only when the temperatures are above 5 degrees, the wind isn’t too strong, and there is enough of a snowpack along the liftline to permit evacuation activities if necessary.

Now for some pics:

1-27-11, top of North Ridge Express, looking towards FIS & Mt Ellen summit

1-28-11, making my debut at working Castlerock

1-28-11, top of Castlerock

1-30-11, a couple of shots of the Slide Brook Express liftline

More pics at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt

January 13, 2011: Just As Good!

2011-01-14T17:59:00.001-08:00

Hammerhead

After a day of epic riding at Lincoln Peak, I woke up on January 13 very sore but determined to ride again, this time at Mount Ellen. I got to the “other side” around 10AM via the shuttle bus and began with several runs off the GMX, since North Ridge was down. In quick succession, I hit up a groomed Cliffs, followed by Hammerhead, a sweet Encore, and Tumbler. It was my first time on Encore (lower lift line of North Ridge Express) since 07/08, and it was a great run, especially with the lack of an audience above (since the lift was down).

After these runs, I took 3 runs off the Summit Quad, on Rim Run/Lower Rim Run, Lookin’ Good, and finally Elbow to Northway to Semi-Tough. Semi-Tough started out great, but about 3/4 of the way down, I hit a waterbar with a stream running in front of it. My board nosedived into it, and since it was so cold, the water, mud, and snow instantly froze to the bottom of my board. With no easy way to scrape it off, I used my fingers and a branch of a tree to get just enough off to make it down the rest of the way to the base.

Encore

A visit to the repair shop to use a scraper, and I was back in action. But at this point, I was really getting tired so I finished with another run down Cliffs, then Cruiser and finally Which Way. By that time, the North Ridge Express chair had opened, but I was heading back to Lincoln Peak to put my gear away, then head for home.

It was my first day riding at Mount Ellen this year, and it was a good day. I was glad I hit up The Cliffs, Encore, Hammerhead, and Tumbler under great conditions, and look forward to my return visit to the “MEllen”, hopefully next Thursday.

Summit Quad

January 12, 2011: Phenomenal!!!

2011-01-12T17:26:00.001-08:00

Another storm was forecasted to slam southern New England with feet of snow, while the amounts predicted for the Mad River Valley were on the lighter side (4-6 if we were lucky). When I woke up, there was already a good 6-8” out there and I wasted little time getting down to the base of Lincoln Peak. It was my Saturday, and would be an epic powder day.

I got first chair at 9AM on the Gate House Express and headed up to do a quick warmup on Hot Shot->Waterfall. Next, it was up North Lynx and slay down through the pow-pow on Birch. There was at least a foot of fresh. Subsequent runs would lead me down Sunrise, Sleeper, and one of my top 3 runs of the day: Morning Star! The other top run on the Gate House side was Sleeper Road, which switchbacks Sleeper. It had untouched powder and the waterbars were soft and covered.

Moving over to Super Bravo, riding occasionally with Cyrus (one of our ticket checkers), the pick run there was Moonshine, with Twist a close second. While there is no base, the powder covered up most of the “death cookies”, leading to a soft-as-silk quiet ride. Other runs on that side were just as good, as I made my way down Snowball, Racer’s Edge, Cat’s Meow (diverging briefly into Snow Creek condos before unstrapping and walking the short distance back to Spring Fling), Lower Organgrinder, Murphy’s Glade, and a terrific Domino and Lower Domino. Every run was just as good as the one before it.

With my legs getting tired, I decided to end my day around 2:30 with a final run down Sleeper. It still was just as good as the morning, with the snow still falling, covering up lines left by previous skiers and riders. I called it a day, after logging about 16 runs. I didn’t do any runs on Heaven’s Gate, nor did I hike the Long Trail to Castlerock (which opened for hiking yesterday). There was just too much powder and too much fun to be had from mid mountain, down.

I’ll let the pics do the rest of the talking for me….

Morning Star

Moonshine

Murphy’s

Domino

Sleeper

Of course the pics don’t do the justice of what was a great day, and the timing was perfect: not just on my day off, but also setting us up for what looks to be a busy MLK weekend. And we are also inching very close to being 100% open - - - come on up and get some for yourself!

The Post Holiday Headlines

2011-01-12T17:13:00.001-08:00

We survived yet another Holiday Week, which saw some high winds resulting in several windholds on December 27 & 28, while southern New England and the New York City metro got slammed with snow. The end of the week (Dec 31 & Jan 1) saw well above-normal temperatures, leading to a party atmosphere that felt more like spring break or St Patrick’s Day than New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day. The mountain was extremely busy and folks were enjoying the soft snow. Unfortunately, while we saw no rain, the warm temps (40s to near 50) did a number on our natural snow trails, and our trail counts suffered as the cold weather returned on January 2 and 3.

On January 5, I rode for several hours on my day off at Lincoln Peak. Snow had returned, the snowguns were turned on high, and multiple trails could be resurfaced simultaneously. Here are a few pics from that day:

As January 10 dawned, the reports were coming in of up to 16” of new snow overnight up top, with about 6-8” at the base. On January 11, the skies cleared and revealed a beautiful morning as the snow guns continued to lay down the white gold…

And it was a picture perfect morning, heading up the Gate House Express…

But the Best Was Yet To Come…… on January 12, 2011…

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

2010-12-21T21:08:00.001-08:00

From the staff of 1 here at shadyjay.com, to all of you:
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Best Wishes for 2011!!!

I look forward to providing commentary, photos, trip reports (snowboarding, hiking, and mountain biking), and more in the new year. So be sure to check back with us often, and I look forward to meeting many of you on the slopes of Sugarbush this season.

-Shady Jay

12/17/10: I REALLY should’ve brought my camera to work today!!!

2010-12-17T20:05:00.001-08:00

I’m not sure what would’ve been a better picture today: my 8AM run on Downspout with 10” of fresh fluffy powder burying my board as a trail of snow sprayed out behind me… heading up for my first run of the day from the summit and the sun glistening through the clouds… or my 4:15PM descent down the mountain with pink sky off to the north and the moon growing ever brighter. Really… it was that kind of day.

Mountain weather has a mind of its own, and last night was no exception. The forecast called for merely “snow showers”. When I arrived at work at 7:30AM, I heard the snow report say 10” of new snow up top, with about 6” at the base. Not a bad accumulation for “snow showers”! After my early morning epic Downspout run, I arrived at Heaven’s Gate with my crew to find quite a bit of shoveling awaiting us. We busted it out, and got into a rotation, with everyone getting a chance to do several runs. And still in the afternoon, there was still plenty of powder to go around.

After work, I went to the Pine Tree Pub, a new bar/restaurant in Sugarbush Village (formerly Miguel’s, The Phoenix, and others). My downstairs neighbor is co-owner of the new establishment which hosted its “soft opening” tonight. I wish Paulie and his partners luck in their new venture.

Upon getting home this evening, I checked the snow report again to find out that more ropes were dropped on trails throughout the mountain. There are plenty of open runs that are running solely on natural snow, plus the snowmakers continue to lay down the white stuff on other trails.

Come on up and get some for yourself…

BE BETTER HERE –> www.sugarbush.com

The New Entry Plaza at Lincoln Peak

2010-11-30T16:58:00.001-08:00

On my last day of work in lift operations for the 2009/2010 season, I helped with the demolition of the “interim village” at Sugarbush’s Lincoln Peak base area. Construction on two new buildings to replace the temporary structures began in May of 2010. Since then, the base area has seen a constant parade of bulldozers, hardhats, cranes, and other construction equipment.

On Thanksgiving Day of this year, Sugarbush opened for the 2010/2011 season and with the opening of the lifts came the opening of the Farmhouse, one of the two new buildings, and the new entry plaza. On my walk to work, I walked through the new plaza. The difference over last year is phenominal. The temporary trailers, “sprung structure”, and 44 stairs of doom have been replaced with a newly regraded area, new lighted walkways, permanent (and fewer) steps, and the two new buildings. While work continues on the Schoolhouse (which will house children’s programs), the Farmhouse is open. This building houses ticket windows, the season pass office, rentals, and storage space/lockers. Within the next couple of weeks, the Sunrise Café will open and the Schoolhouse will be completed.

Despite the continued construction, the plaza is a vast improvement and compliments the existing facilities. I’m sure our guests this season will appreciate the improvements as well. Until then, here are a few shots of the new plaza and buildings. CLICK EACH PICTURE FOR THE FULL SIZE:

LEFT: The Schoolhouse
RIGHT: Entering the plaza

LEFT: Coming up the plaza towards the Farmhouse
RIGHT: The Farmhouse, with outside ticket windows

LEFT: Permanent stairs up from the Farmhouse to the Gate House area
RIGHT: The Waffle Cabin in its new spot against the Gate House Lodge

Come check out the new Lincoln Peak Village at Sugarbush!
For more information, visit www.sugarbush.com

We Are Open! Sugarbush Kicks Off 2010/2011 Season on Thanksgiving!

2010-11-29T18:23:00.001-08:00

On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 25 2010, Sugarbush kicked off its 2010/2011 season, and I returned to work – back at lift operations for my 3rd season. For Thursday through Sunday, I would be stationed at the Heaven’s Gate Chair, and we had only 1 route open from the summit down to the bottom of Heaven’s Gate – Jester to Allyn’s Traverse to Downspout. It was great being back at work on the mountain and seeing many familiar faces from last year (and some from the summer). I took one run on Friday, but didn’t get any in over the weekend, since it was quite busy.

Now one may be wondering how does the lift staff get down the mountain after closing their lifts down at the end of the day. The work roads are still open up to Heaven’s Gate and we utilize on-mountain vehicles to get us up and down. Being early in the season, we are bringing gear to/from our lift and picking up anything else that we are told to acquire along the way. By the time we reach the base area at the end of the day, its around 4:30 and nearly dark. We park our vehicle and return to our locker room to close out the day.

On Monday, I worked the top of the Super Bravo Express. Running this lift is complicated during the early season due to downloading. Not just our visitors, but our staff will definitely be glad once we are open top-to-bottom. It will come soon enough, but first we have to get through some interesting weather. It is still early, and I have to think back to last year when we did not open for the season until the first weekend in December.

Our snow WILL come. Until then, here are a few shots of the early season

LEFT: Top of Super Bravo Express, looking at Lincoln Peak’s summit
RIGHT: Down the line of the Super Bravo Express
Both shots taken 11/29/2010 – click them for the full size version

Amtrak Trip to Connecticut & New York City–November 8-12, 2010

2010-11-15T16:07:00.001-08:00

Sleet and freezing rain was falling as I drove north on Route 100 towards Waterbury. With the train arriving on time, I settled into my seat, and we were up to track speed (50-59MPH) while traffic out on Interstate 89 was moving MUCH slower. The roads by now were covered in a layer of sleet and ice. A good day to spend on the train! Our consist was the usual standard-fare Vermonter setup of a P42 locomotive, 4 coaches, 1 café/business class, and another P42. I was seated in the coach closest to the café car.

Heading south, we were more or less on time at stations down the line. It wasn’t until we hit Amtrak rails south of Springfield when we were slightly delayed coming into Hartford, for I believe adjacent construction work. I got off in Meriden at around 4pm, just about 5 minutes or so behind schedule, and my cousin Matt was waiting for me. I spent the night in nearby Durham, CT, with him, his wife, and their kids.

Waiting For A Train – New Haven Union Station

The next day, Tuesday 11/9, they drove me to New Haven to catch a Metro North New Haven Line train to Grand Central. It arrived on Track 14, they saw me off, and I was NYC-bound. After arriving at GCT, I took the 4-5-6 line downtown to Union Square, then walked the remaining distance to my brother’s apartment on the lower East Side. Later that night, I saw his band Stark play at the Delancey.

STARK doing what they do best… ROCK OUT!

Wednesday was pretty uneventful, as I geared up for a train ride and hike the next day.

Grand Central Terminal

On Thursday 11/11, I woke up and headed off to Grand Central. While waiting for departure time for my Poughkeepsie-bound train, I walked around, bought a Trains magazine, and photographed a couple Metro North locomotives on my platform. My train had a Metro North P32AC-DM locomotive in the older scheme on the front, plus 6 or 7 Bombardier coaches. After arrival in Poughkeepsie, I walked the ½ mile or so to Parker Avenue and headed up the new staircase to the Walkway Over The Hudson. Entering the Walkway heading west, the day was beautiful – not a cloud in the sky and comfortable temperatures, but a little bit windy. The bridge had a descent amount of people on it today. After all, it was a holiday and a beautiful fall day at that! If you have never been to the Walkway Over The Hudson, I HIGHLY recommend it. It is 1.25 miles long and is a former railroad bridge over the Hudson. After decades of dormancy, it opened as a public walkway last fall. It gives you a great vantage point of the Hudson and surrounding area from some 200 feet up.

After arriving at the Highland side, I walked down a local road towards the Mid Hudson Bridge. Crossing the bridge, I get a nice view of the Walkway bridge which I just crossed. Arriving back at the Poughkeepsie railroad station, I had completed the 4.5 mile loop. I boarded the next train back to Grand Central, and upon arrival, took the #5 train to the L at Union Square to 1^st Avenue, thus reducing my walk by several blocks.

LEFT: View of the Walkway Over The Hudson from the Mid Hudson Bridge
RIGHT: Looking west to the Hudson from the Poughkeepsie Station

Friday morning, 11/12, I woke up and walked to the L, then took the A-C-E line north to Penn Station. I had over an hour to kill before my Amtrak train to Vermont would depart, so I spent some time in the Amtrak Waiting Area (which was surprisingly quiet and had free wi-fi) then got some food, and it was time to board. I boarded the 2^nd Northbound coach on the train, which was a TIGER/ARRA (Recovery Act) funded overhauled coach. It looks identical to other Amfleet coaches, with the exception of a strip of lights embedded in one side of the aisle. We left NYP on time, pulled by a pair of AEM-7s, and at New Haven, the electrics were taken off and a usual P42 was placed on each end. We arrived into Springfield MA on time and had a layover, which I used to pick up a box of timetables for the Waterbury station, and to take pictures of some of the locomotives in the station. We departed on time from Springfield and from Amherst. Things were going good.

LEFT: The Vermonter’s Power Change at New Haven
RIGHT: Vermonter on the right and another train at Springfield

Just before crossing into Vermont, our crew informed us that we would be stopped in Brattleboro for an “undetermined” amount of time due to a freight train derailment ahead of us. We arrived into Brattleboro on time, stopping short of the busy Vernon Road/Bridge St crossing. Some time passed, then were told the train was not going any farther and that buses would be dispatched to bring us further north. Since the buses wouldn’t arrive until around 9pm, I had some time to kill. I walked to the store, then met several fellow riders / new friends after moving up from the rear of the train to the front. While others on the train were frustrated, frantically calling for rides or seeking other alternate transportation, or blaming the Amtrak crew for the delay, the 4 of us were sitting in the dinette section of the café car having a good ole’ time, enjoying some drinks, listening to music, and talking. It made the time go by much faster than just sitting around by yourself.

By 9:30PM, we were on the buses and heading north. One bus handled stops from Bellows Falls to Randolph, while the second bus (which I was on) handled stops Montpelier, Waterbury, Essex Jct, and Saint Albans. It was 11:50PM when we arrived into Waterbury. My vacation was over and it felt good to be home!

For the full photo albums from this trip:
http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt

4 Hours In Brattleboro–November 12, 2010

2010-11-15T14:00:00.000-08:00

Returning from my New York City vacation, I was on northbound Amtrak train #56, the Vermonter. We were on time into Amherst, but north of there we were told we would be held at Brattleboro for an indetermined amount of time. Arriving at the station at around 5:10pm, many passengers got off the train to stretch or go into the station while others remained in their seats and slept, read, or used laptops. After hearing that the reason for the delay was a freight train derailment, some passengers became upset and blamed the Amtrak crew for the delay. Since we were operating on a privately owned railroad, we were at the mercy of their operations and Amtrak is nothing more than a guest, so therefore wasn’t responsible. They did announce complimentary coffee and soft drinks.

I moved my seat up from the rear of the train closer to the café car. There I met fellow passengers Scott, Hilary, and Mike. Scott lives in Northfield and had Mountain, his traveling companion/dog with him. Hilary was going to visit friends from college in Waterbury, and Mike was going to Montpelier. While other passengers were arranging for rides, rental cars/vans, or ordering pizza, we all sat in the café car, turning it into a NYC bar called “TRAINS”. I had a few Heinekens, while others endulged in wine or Scotch. Nevertheless, the café car attendant Nichole did pretty well. One of our train crew members, as a gesture of good will, opened up her wallet and bought pizzas for everyone on the train.

It was around 6 or 7 when it was announced the buses were on their way but wouldn’t arrive until 9pm. We had a few more drinks, exchanged cocktails, had some music crankin’, and made the best of the situation. At around 9:20pm, we were on our buses heading to our final destinations. I was just before midnight when I got off in Waterbury, over 3 1/2 hours late.

Amtrak’s slogans over the years have varied, but two of them stood out on this trip…. “Getting There Is Half The Fun” and “Enjoy The Journey”. It is during incidents like these when those slogans really come into play. I met some great people and over the course of the delay, others came over and joined our group. You have to make the best of the situation and have a little patience.

So if you find yourself on a delayed Amtrak train, take it in stride. Don’t blame the crew. Head to the café car and enjoy a beverage. Meet new friends. Talk. Laugh. And… Enjoy the Journey!

2010 Hiking Season–Summary

2010-11-07T10:10:00.001-08:00

On October 4, I concluded my 2010 Hiking Season with my 13th hike of the season. I had planned at least one more hike, but the following weekend, the higher elevations received their first snowfall and that stuck around for the remainder of the month. That’s ok – my legs need the break, in preparation for the upcoming ski & ride season.

When I started the season back in June, I never expected that I would get in as much hiking as I did. The combination of good weather, some good friends (who provided rides to or from the hikes), and shear determination allowed me to accomplish more than I had set out to do.

All told, I hiked 119.2 miles this season. The majority of those miles took place on the Long Trail, but I also hit up various LT side trails, the ski trails at Sugarbush, and Mt Hunger. My Long Trail mileage now stands at 76.3 miles, as I have covered the trail from Brandon Gap north to Nebraska Notch. I still have 196 miles left on the Long Trail if I want to do the whole trail, which is my eventual goal.

Over the course of my 13 hikes this season, all but one were done solo. At first it was a little difficult to get myself motivated to do hikes by myself, but once I got up to the ridgeline, the beauty of the trail and the views inspired me. The weather also helped, as a good 90% of my hiking was done under the perfect hiking conditions. By going solo, I could go at my own pace – at times which was over 2 mph.

There was only 2 hikes which I had planned but didn’t get a chance to do this season. One of these hikes would have extended my Long Trail coverage north of Nebraska Notch to Smuggler’s Notch. It would have included hiking up and over Mt Mansfield on some very rugged terrain. I was waiting for a day with the perfect weather conditions. While this would have been possible in late summer, I had other hikes that I wanted to do first. Then time ran out. The other hike would have been Camel’s Hump from the Huntington side, but that was cancelled due to the early season snowfall which blanketed the ‘Hump in snow. And you really don’t want to hike up there when there’s snow on the ground.

So now I look ahead to the 2011 season. My early goals for the season are to push my LT coverage in both directions: covering Brandon Gap south to US 4 near Sherburne Pass to the south, and going north from Nebraska Notch to the Lamoille River (including Mt Mansfield) in the north on 2 separate hikes. Most likely like last year, I’ll accomplish more than I set out to do. It all depends on the weather, my work schedule, and my ability to find rides to bring me back to my starting point (or to my starting point, as the case may be).

Until then, I count down the days till the start of my 2010/2011 snowboarding season. Thanks for following this blog and checking out the pics from the 2010 hiking season. Join me right here come June 2011 for more trip reports and photos. Until then, see you on the slopes later this month!

Hiking Series #13: Brandon Gap to Middlebury Gap

2010-10-06T13:41:00.001-07:00

On Friday October 1, the Mad River (along with many other rivers in Vermont) was running rampant after 4.5 inches of rain had fallen. Saturday and Sunday however, we were rewarded with blue skies and much colder temperatures. Sunday I had originally scheduled this hike, but pushed it back a day due to a tournament at work on Sunday. So On Monday October 4, I met Cliff at the top of Middlebury Gap. Leaving my truck, he shuttled me to Brandon Gap, my starting point. It was 8AM when I set out on the trail to head north. My destination was 10 miles away.

Like most of my Long Trail hikes, the initial half mile-mile is the most difficult. It was very steep at times heading up to the Great Cliff, but after the top of a rock staircase and a short 0.1 mile spur, my reward was a spectacular view of the road 600’ below the cliff, and to points east and west…

Views from the Great Cliff

After enjoying the view, I returned back to the Long Trail and continued north. On this hike I seemed to stop and take more breaks. Maybe its because my legs are telling me to give them a rest before snowboarding season starts. Regardless, I was just taking my time and enjoying the beautiful weather, and the occasional western vista. It was still in the 40s and the air felt nice and crisp. The trail was wet in spots but nothing out of the ordinary. After a couple summits, I descended and followed the west side of the ridge for quite a while, until reaching the Sucker Brook Trail. From there, it was uphill to the top of Worth Mountain. The summit was wooden and passed a couple of ladies who were doing my same hike, only southbound. After talking for a while, they headed south while I made my way north, and arrived at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl. For the next mile or so, I would cross their ski trails several times. The layout of the area seems a bit confusing but I had no problem staying on the Long Trail, as its a pretty well-defined footpath as it crosses the trails, and you can usually spot the blazes from across the trail.

Passing through Middlebury College Snow Bowl

After a short diversion on a spur to Lake Pleiad, I crested one last ridge and arrived at Middlebury Gap at 1:30PM. Even though I took several breaks, the 10.4 mile hike clocked in at 5 1/2 hours, and extends my Long Trail coverage further south. And only 20 miles to the south lies US 4 and Sherburne Pass… but that’ll wait for the 2011 hiking series.

LEFT: Lake Pleiad
RIGHT: Arriving at the finish line, Middlebury Gap

How bout the rest of the pics from this great fall hike? Head on over HERE to check ‘em out!

Hiking Series #12: Gap 2 Gap Redux

2010-09-27T13:18:00.000-07:00

In August of 2007, I hiked 11.6 miles on the Long Trail from Lincoln Gap to Appalachian Gap. It was just days earlier that I did my first-ever hike in the mountains, but Gap2Gap was unlike anything I’ve ever done before. It also didn’t help the fact that it had rained the night before and was very windy. Rocks were very slippery, summits were brisk since I was soaked from the water blowing onto my sweatshirt, and views were limited. The time it took for the hike was about 8 hours. So on September 26, I set out to do Gap2Gap once again, this being the one section of the Long Trail that I had done in previous years that I had yet to do this season. Shortly before 7, my ride took me from the top of App Gap to Lincoln Gap.

At 7:30AM I departed from Lincoln Gap heading towards Appalachian Gap. Climbing the Long Trail, the hike so far was better than back in ‘07. Views were intermittent and there was no wind-blown rain. However as I was rising up to the top of Mt Abraham, I was back in the clouds and would remain there until Mt Ellen.

LEFT: In the clouds & fog at top of Mt Abraham
RIGHT: Same, but this time at top of Lincoln Peak

By the time I reached the Orvis Lookout just past the Jeruselem Trail, the view had really opened up. And unlike when I did the hike in ‘07, the Single Chair at Mad River Glen was up and running, and now with it being a nice day, many folks were riding the chair and checking out the leaves, a few of them hiking. (Back in ‘07, the single chair was being rebuilt, and at the top station there were nothing but forms waiting to be poured with concrete).

BEAUTIFUL FALL COLORS!
LEFT: Orvis Lookout, view to the west
RIGHT: View from Theron Dean Shelter towards the northeast

Descending on a steep trail, I finally discovered Theron Dean Shelter, arriving there around 12:30PM, and the location of its adjoining cave, which I did not discover back in ‘07. The view from the shelter was spectacular with the trees in a near-peak state. Jumping down into the cave and passing through, then coming out on the other side, less than 100’ from where I diverge above, I really don’t know how I missed it all last time.

The final half mile or so of the hike seemed to go on forever, but after cresting one last little ridge and passing a few hikers going the other way (wondering if it gets any steeper going up to the top of the single chair --- HA!), I saw the highway. It was 1:27PM when I arrived at Appalachian Gap and my waiting truck.

LEFT: Emerging from the woods arriving at App Gap
RIGHT: VT 17 and points west from the top of the gap

It had taken me 6 hours to hike the 11.6 miles from Lincoln Gap to Appalachian Gap. Thinking back to 2007, I remember starting around 8AM and finishing around 4:45PM. Obviously the 100 miles of hiking I’ve done this season has paid off as I’m able to cover greater distances at a faster pace. It was a great day and with this hike completed, I now have all sections of the Long Trail I’ve ever hiked brought up to date.

Summer Hiking Series #11: Up and Around Camel’s Hump

2010-09-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

On September 20, I decided to hike Camel’s Hump for the second time this season. The weather was perfect though it would be quite chilly and windy by the time I reached the summit.

At 10AM, I left the Couching Lion parking lot in Duxbury and by 11:35, I had arrived at the Hut Clearing just below the summit… 3.1 miles in just over 90 minutes. Considering the vertical climb, I’d say that was pretty good. 10 minutes later I had reached the summit, 4083’…

It was very windy and chilly at the top so I didn’t stay at the summit for long. To return back to my starting point, I headed south on the Long Trail, descending the steep south face of the hump. Passing down some steep terrain and through some rocks, I reached Wind Gap, continued south for another half mile or so, and took the Allis Trail back to Wind Gap. This short little diversion offered some nice views of the hump on a relatively easy section of trail – it was also my first time on this trail.

Arriving back at Wind Gap, I turned right onto the Dean Trail, paused at the beaver pond for a scenic view, before returning back to the Monroe Trail to complete the loop.

All throughout the hike I passed numerous hikers, but only one passed me (a runner on the Monroe Trail just after starting). Many were hiking up to the hump from the south, and a couple was amazed that I had hiked nearly 100 miles so far for the season. They were also wondering if it got steeper up towards the summit. Camel’s Hump seems to attract quite a few novice hikers, even though the hike up the last half mile is quite strenuous no matter which way you go.

It was 2PM when I returned to the Duxbury parking lot. Total mileage for this hike clocked in at 8.1 miles in 4 hours. That’s a pace of about 2 mph. I seem to be getting faster and faster on these hikes… and I still have a month or so of hiking to go.

See you on the trail!

Conway Scenic Railroad Railfan Weekend Excursion “Day White Mountains” Trip Report - September 18, 2010

2010-09-19T17:53:00.001-07:00

I haven’t been on a train ride since late April of this year, and for me, that’s a long time. It’s been almost 2 years since I’ve been on the Conway Scenic Railroad so I had the desire to head over for their Railfan Weekend. I was able to get the day off from work, gassed up the truck, and on Saturday September 18 at 5:20AM I departed Warren VT for North Conway NH. The route I chose was via US 2 into St Johnsbury then I-93 to Littleton and US 302 from there down to North Conway. I arrived shortly before 8am, went to Walmart, and was at the Depot Street parking lot by 8:45AM, the departure point for the Day White Mountains excursion. It was a beautiful day – not a cloud in the sky, and the chilly temperatures from the overnight were starting to warm.

Around 9:25AM, the train pulled into the “station” (nothing more than a concrete platform and a dirt parking lot – the main station is about 2 blocks west and 2 blocks north). F-7 #4266 was the power on the south end with GP-38 #252 on the north end. We departed at 10AM, backed down to Redstone, then north to Intervale. At Mountain Junction, #4266 was uncoupled, and #252 would be in charge of our train for most of the rest of the trip.

Our consist for the rest of the trip:
GP-38 #252 (2010 debut)
Dining Car “Hattie Evans” (2010 debut)
First class car “Carrol P. Reed” (where I sat for most of the trip)
First class dome car “Dorothy Mae”
Coach “Mount Bemis”
Coach “Mount Willard”
Open Air Car “Silver Cascade”

Our photo runby in Bartlett was cancelled and as we climbed through the Notch, we also learned that we would not be stopping at Crawfords. At Fabyans, our engine ran around the train and a few lucky folks got the chance to get some fresh air (myself included – nabbing a shot of #252 passing by)…

After leaving Fabyans, #252 pushed us further west, passing through Twin Mountain, across US 3, and to the end of Conway Scenic-controlled track at Hazens in Whitefield. After a moment, we began returning east back towards North Conway, stopping for a photo runby in Twin Mountain and again in Intervale.

LEFT: Photo runby at Twin Mtn
RIGHT: Photo runby at Intervale
LINKS TO THE PHOTO RUNBY VIDEOS ARE HERE

Around 4:40PM, we arrived at the main station and yard in North Conway, where we had about an hour layover before the train returned to Depot Street just across 16/302. GP-7 #573 coupled onto our train to pull it north to clear the main track for the Valley Train from Conway, powered by 0-6-0 #7470. Adjacent to the main track was GP-35 #216 (both the #216 and the #252 are new acquisitions to Conway Scenic, arriving this past spring from Pan-Am Railways). Other equipment was displayed throughout the yard.

At 5:45PM, we departed for the short trip back to Depot Street, where I rode in the upper dome. After disembarking and beginning the trip back home to Vermont, the train was returning back north to Mountain Junction to return to the North Conway yard. I bid the train a fond farewell and thank Conway Scenic Railroad for a great trip!

THE COMPLETE PHOTO GALLERY FROM THIS RAILFAN EXCURSION IS AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING
RIGHT HERE

Summer Hiking Series #10: Long Trail, Middlebury Gap north to Granville

2010-09-04T19:38:00.001-07:00

I apologize for not getting to this trip report earlier, as Hike #10 took place a week ago. This week has been busy for me and I’ve had a lot on my plate: work, rearranging my condo, battling stereo receivers, and truck repairs forthcoming. At the present, things seem to have settled a bit but I know that can change quickly, so during the moment I have, I’ll report on #10….

The hike started at Middlebury Gap, as Margo dropped me off at the Route 125 crossing of the Long Trail. The hike started pretty steep, but a half mile in, I set off on a 1-mile roundtrip diversion to Silent Cliff. The brief downhill on the spur to an overlook of Route 125 far below felt good, as I knew most of today’s Long Trail mileage would be uphill.

It was soon back on the Long Trail to head north. It really was a beautiful day, but a warm one. A couple shots of the western vista from the higher peaks on the trail, the second one being from Battell Mountain. Just moments before I took this pic, I passed someone on the spur trail who shouted out “nude hiker”.

Soon after Battell Mountain, I took a break at the Emily Proctor Shelter, at a spot where the LT takes a sharp turn right. After the break, I was less than a mile or so from the intersection of the Clark Brook Trail, from where it would be 3 miles of downhill hiking down to my truck in Granville. At one point, I thought I passed the turn and almost turned around, but pressed on. Just moments later, I spotted the turn…

The lower I got in elevation on the 3-mile Clark Brook Trail, the warmer it got. The waters of the Clark Brook looked nice and refreshing but I was getting tired after some 13 miles of hiking and decided to go directly home. The parking lot came into view, and Hike #10 came to an end. It was 5 minutes before 2:00pm.

And thus concludes Hike #10 of my Summer Hiking Series.

CLICK HERE

to view the rest of the pics from this hike

More Adventures In The Mountains

2010-08-20T21:33:00.001-07:00

Two days ago, I stopped by Lincoln Peak for lunch and ended up purchasing a blue Sugarbush jersey. Then I ran across Hazen from the bike shop who sold me a chest protector/suit for $60 – a great deal since it has pads for the chest, spine, shoulders, and elbows built in. Determined to use all my new gear at least once before the summer season ended, I decided to hit up the trails the next day, Friday August 20.

I only took one run on Friday, but it was one that I’ll remember for a while. I took the “easier way down” and ended up getting way too much speed on Lower Jester. Just before reaching Header, I flew off a waterbar, launched over my handlebars and flew through the air, landing pretty hard alongside the work road. I got right back up and on the bike, realizing that all my protective gear prevented me from having any serious injuries. Without the helmet, I would’ve sustained some head damage. I managed to ride down to the base, had some lunch, and called it a day. I cannot stress enough: If you go downhill mountain biking… wear your helmet and pads!

Within the week, I hope to get down to Killington to try their mountain biking trails which I hear from numerous sources that they have more terrain variety there (ie – terrain for beginners). Regardless of how easy the terrain is, you can be sure I’ll be in full protective gear and will take it easy over those waterbars!!!

Summer Hiking Series #9: Long Trail from Lincoln Gap south to Clark Brook/Granville

2010-08-19T07:43:00.001-07:00

On Sunday August 15, I began tackling the first of 3 hikes to extend my Long Trail coverage south of Lincoln Gap to Brandon Gap. The first hike I chose for this was from Lincoln Gap south to the intersection of the Long Trail with the Clark Brook Trail (8.7 miles), then 3 miles on the Clark Brook Trail to USFS 55 in Granville. After dropping off my truck, I got a ride from a co-worker to Lincoln Gap, starting on the trail at 7:30AM.

The first major highlight of the hike was Sunset Ledge, 1.1 miles in, and reached at 7:55am. After briefly reading the trail register at Lincoln Gap, I learned that many just hike to this scenic spot overlooking Lake Champlain, the Adirondacks, and the west. It really must be a nice place to watch the sun set!

After Sunset Ledge, the Long Trail got a little more challenging to follow in spots due to limited blazing and cutting. Also the trail stayed up on top of the ridge for a good portion of the hike. I summited Mt Grant, then down into Cooley Glen and the Cooley Glen shelter. 4.7 miles into the hike and its 10AM.

So I had 4 miles left to go before reaching the Long Trail. The trail just seems to go on and on and on at times, climbing up and down wooded peaks, up and around switchbacks, and seeing a blaze once every 20-30 minutes or so. After a few more miles, I reached Killington View, with an overlook from the ledge to the south and east, and just past it, Mt Roosevelt:

By checking my guide book once again, the Clark Brook Trail intersection was a half mile away. Then it was 3 miles, all downhill (steep and quick at times), to the parking lot.

At 1:20pm, I reached USFS 55 and my truck at the Clark Brook trailhead. I had done the 11.7 mile hike in just under 6 hours, with an average speed of 2 mph. I thought that was pretty good, and it gave me a good idea of what to expect on my next hike. I have 2 more hikes to go to get my coverage in down to Brandon Gap. Here’s to continued nice weather and good friends to bring me to my starting point (thanks again, Margo!)

For the full photo gallery of this hike, CLICK HERE!

Summer Hiking Series #8: Long Trail from Bolton Notch to Nebraska Notch/Lk Mansfield

2010-08-09T10:25:00.001-07:00

I have an addiction this summer…. HIKING. I take every possible opportunity and take advantage of it by spending a few hours or the good part of a day in the woods and mountains of Vermont. Its good exercise and a great way to spend the day.

LEFT: The hike starts on Bolton Notch Road
RIGHT: View of Bolton Valley from Harrington’s View

So on Sunday August 8, after my morning duties at the Amtrak station in Waterbury, I drove to the Long Trail on Bolton Notch Road to begin the hike. It was 9:57AM when I began the 9.9 mile walk on the Long Trail. The first few miles of the hike were quite a workout – climbing uphill, from my starting elevation at Bolton Notch Road of 1120’ to the top of Bolton Mountain at 3725’. Along the way, the highlight was the view from Harrington’s View, overlooking Bolton Valley and the ski area. The summit of Bolton Mtn is wooded and when I reached it at 1:00pm, 3 hours for 6 miles.

Arrived at the summit of Bolton Mountain

After Bolton Mountain, I descended to Puffer Shelter, then climbed up to reach Mt Mayo and Mt Clark. Both of these summits are unmarked, so I had to guess where I was. According to my Long Trail guidebook, I would see Lake Mansfield far down below Mt Clark, so when I saw the lake, I knew I was close, and had 1 mile to go on the Long Trail. I descended quite quickly on some steep rocks and used a ladder at one point. Reaching a beaver pond, I skirted along the side of it and crossed it on a bridge built on the beaver dam. A few more rocks to climb on the north side of the pond, a little descent, and I reached the start of the Lake Mansfield Trail at Nebraska Notch. Turning onto the side trail, I descended, passing many day hikers, and ran down portions of the trail until I reached the parking lot of the Lake Mansfield Trout Club, arriving there at 4:22pm.

LEFT: Beaver pond
RIGHT: Jct of the Long Trail and Lake Mansfield Trail

My hike had reached 11.5 miles, and seeing as I had 2 hours to kill before my ride was scheduled to arrive, I spent some time relaxing by the parking lot, then hiked another half mile to a mile down Nebraska Notch Road. At around 6:30, my ride showed up and transported me back to my truck at Bolton Notch… thanks Josh!

LEFT: Arriving at the Lake Mansfield Trout Club parking lot
RIGHT: Walking down Nebraska Notch Road

So there it was – another 10 miles of the Long Trail has been checked off my list. I have a lot more planned, perhaps another 10 miles next week. Until then, see the pictures from this hike HERE and we’ll see you on the trail again next time!

Summer Hiking Series #7: Long Trail from Bolton Notch, south to Jonesville

2010-08-07T11:21:00.001-07:00

With sunny skies and a few hours in the morning to kill before work, I decided to take a quick 5-mile hike on the Long Trail in uncharted territory: north of the Winooski River. This is the first of several hikes I have planned on the section I am calling “Long Trail North”. In the next few weeks, I hope to have the trail covered north to Smuggler’s Notch, breaking the 23-mile (or so) hike down into 3 manageable sections.

On Friday August 6, I arrived at the trailhead on Bolton Notch Road at 8:20 and began hiking at 8:30AM. A good portion of this hike was on relatively level ground, with a little bit of uphill and some moderate downhill pitches. I did pass by two scenic beaver ponds, over a ledge with an overlook of Camel’s Hump, and about 1/2 mile or so of walking in the powerline right of way, before hitting Stage Road, passing underneath Interstate 89, and arriving at US 2 at the Jonesville Bridge. I checked the time at the end – it was 10:20am. This means I did the 5-mile hike in less than 2 hours!

Here are the picture highlights – click them for the full size view:

LEFT: A beaver pond
RIGHT: View towards the southeast from an overlook

LEFT: Passing down through the powerline right of way
RIGHT: Arriving at Jonesville Bridge, US 2 & Cochran Road

And for the entire album from today’s hike, CLICK HERE

Summer Hiking Series #6: Mt Hunger

2010-08-03T13:32:00.001-07:00

On Monday August 2, not having to work until 4pm, I set off to Waterbury Center to do a hike I’ve been meaning to do for several years now: Mt Hunger. When I lived in Waterbury from 2006-2009, it was on my list, but just never got around to it.

I got to the parking lot off Sweet Road (northwest of Waterbury Center) at 10:20 and began the 2 mile hike up the “Waterbury Trail To Mt Hunger”. First thing I noticed right off was how rocky the trail was, and the extensive rock steps that have been built on the trail. Sections got pretty steep and required scrambling up rock faces. The trail seemed to go on forever, until finally I saw a sign saying the summit was 0.2 miles away. I then knew what came next – that 0.2 mile section was a scramble up open rock right to the summit, similar to other high summits I’ve done (Mt Abraham, Camel’s Hump). But when I broke free of the treeline, the views were extensive.

The summit elevation of 3539’ meant that I had climbed 2290’ of vertical over the course of the 2.2 mile (each way) hike.

After a little while on the summit, I turned around and returned back to my truck. I made it back to the parking lot around 1pm, and still had 3 hours left before I had to go to work. It was a great day for a 4.4 mile hike.

Be sure to check out the full photo gallery here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt/2010HikingSeriesVIAugust2201002#

Postscript: 8/3/2010:
I just learned a few hours ago that a 47-year old man died on the very same trail I took to Mt Hunger, also on August 2, of health problems. It is always sad to hear of a hiker passing away on a trail, and my heart goes out to his family and friends.

It’s New Helmet Day!!!

2010-07-31T09:34:00.001-07:00

After several weeks of it being on order, the right size helmet (XL)was finally in the right box when I opened it at the Adventure Gear Shop at Lincoln Peak on Thursday July 29. And while I was making the purchase, I decided to get the elbow and knee pads. Now I’ve got full protection for when I go mountain biking and don’t need to rent anything!

My next mountain biking day is most likely going to occur at Killington, where I am told they have more trails suitable for beginner riders. My visit there will most likely occur within the next week or so.

Summer Hiking Series #5: Sugarbush-Lincoln Peak to Castlerock

2010-07-31T09:30:00.001-07:00

Anyone in the Northeast will know that July has been an extremely hot month. And while we never reached the triple digits here in the Mad River Valley, we did have several days in the 90s and several days with very humid conditions. My days off this month were spent not on the mountain hiking, but in area swimming holes cooling off (though I did get out to do downhill mountain biking twice this month). With the passing of a cold front, temps dropped significantly to below-normal levels and on July 30, with some 3 hours or so to spare, I headed up Super Bravo at Lincoln Peak.

Beginning the hike up Jester from Allyn’s Lodge, I noticed a large group of kids also hiking up. The first group I passed on the trail, another group turned around, and the final group was heading down as I came around the last switchback. Subtracting 5-10 minutes for these groups to pass, I made it up to the summit of Lincoln Peak in about 20 minutes.

It was a beautiful morning at the top of Lincoln Peak, looking north along the ridgeline of the Green Mountains. Here I passed a few hikers who were doing a few days of backpacking from Brandon Gap to Appalachian Gap. After a brief stop on the summit, I headed north on the Long Trail to Castlerock Peak. Then I descended down the work road via Castlerock Run, Hi & Lo Road, Troll Road, and finally Lower Lift Line, to the base of the Castlerock chair.

From there, it was a nice walk down “The Runout” to the base area. When I arrived at the base of Super Bravo, I checked the clock – 2 hours is all it took for this 4.5 mile hike. A great way to spend the morning, and I had time for lunch at Castlerock Pub before I headed off to work.

For the rest of the pictures from this hike, check out:
http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt/2010HikingSeriesVJuly302010#

I have lots of hikes scheduled through August, September, and into October. I will be covering more of the Long Trail and other hikes in the area. So keep checking back for the stories right here!

July 23-26 – Weekend in Connecticut

2010-07-28T07:33:00.001-07:00

For the first time since April, I made the trek down to Connecticut during the weekend of July 23-26. I had my family reunion on July 24 at my uncle’s house in Killingworth and on July 25, we had a surprise 85th birthday party for my grandmother (and boy, was she surprised). However, the biggest surprise for all of us that day was the fact that we had lost power at 2am Sunday morning and didn’t get it back until the party was almost over, around 8 that night. But the Hogan Family is a group of die-hards and we didn’t let a little thing like the lack of electricity stop the party. The beer stay cold, the food stayed hot (and what needed to be warmed up was put on the grill), and candles and flashlights were used so that the bathroom was still usable (and fully flushable, thanks to city water). And despite the occasional downpours and the excessive heat and humidity, we all had a good time – all 60 of us, give or take. A rush of cleaning while we still had daylight, and the work was done – and the lights came back on.

It was good seeing all my family, some who I haven’t seen in a while. But it was anything but a vacation for me, as there’s always work to be done for these parties. I did manage to get in some swimming, however, which felt real nice on Saturday, especially with the dewpoint in the 70s.

The drive to and from went relatively easy, and on the way back, I traversed through the 40-mile sign replacement area on Interstate 89 from Royalton to Middlesex VT. You can see all the sign photos on my Picasa page here… http://http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt/I89SignReplacementSummer2010#

As with any trip down to Connecticut, the best part was on the way back, crossing the Massachusetts-Vermont border and breathing a sigh of relief. My next trip down to Connecticut most likely will not happen till November (at the earliest). Until then, there’s plenty of hiking and mountain biking I have planned (along with work) to keep me busy.

I hope to get some hiking in this weekend, so check back around August 3 for another entry!

Mountain Biking – Day 2 – Monday July 12

2010-07-17T10:32:00.001-07:00

Monday July 12 I spent hanging at Lincoln Peak for a good portion of the day. After acquiring my rental helmets and pads, I headed up Super Bravo, solo, with my bike behind me. It was my second day of downhill biking and since I had the entire day off, there was no rush – just get some runs in, then have some lunch and enjoy the mountain.

First run was down Valley House Traverse –> Reverse Traverse –> Heaven’s Gate Traverse –> Lower Downspout –> Castlerock Runout –> base. With the dry trail conditions, I felt a lot more comfortable and zoomed down the first two traverses in no time. Instead of ducking into the woods past Domino on HG Traverse, I continued to Lower Downspout, where I found lots of loose rocks, stones, and gravel and lots of waterbars. I slid out a couple times but made it down to Castlerock Connection to the Runout. Once I got past the Castlerock chair, the runout was quite enjoyable, a trail I’ve hiked several times. I got down to the base and was pretty amped up from the run.

After a break for some water, I headed back up, had Joshman take some pics of me, then headed down again. This time, instead of taking Heaven’s Gate Traverse, I remained on Lower Jester, which proved to be pretty challenging with even more loose rocks and gravel. I took a couple of falls, sending me flying off the bike – nothing major but enough to shake me up a little bit. Later, my friend told me not to go so slow and to just “bomb it”. After reaching the last switchback on Lower Jester with Lower Organgrinder, the run was nice again, and I headed down Header to the C’Rock Runout to the base. I was going to try the “junior” jump line in the park, but figured I’d save it for next time.

Afterwards, I returned my helmet and pads, ordered up some lunch at Castlerock Pub, and then ordered my own helmet (since there was no XL in stock). It should be in soon, and then I’ll get my own pads and be ready to ride anytime, anywhere. But I am quickly discovering this is more of a workout than I thought, more challenging, but still a freakin’ blast. After lunch, I headed back up Super Bravo (leaving my bike at the bottom) to retrieve my camera. After dropping my bike off back at home, I spent the afternoon with a friend swimming in the Mad River and having a few brews. Another great day at Lincoln Peak and in the Mad River Valley!

Summer Hiking Series #4 – Sugarbush – Lincoln Peak and The Long Trail

2010-07-03T20:47:00.001-07:00

Finally, a beautiful almost cloudless day after a dreary week. I got out of work at noon, called up my co-worker Trevor, and a few minutes later, we were loading the Super Bravo Express at Lincoln Peak for a hike up to the summit and on the Long Trail with Trevor’s brother Ian.

Getting off Super Bravo, we began the climb up Allyn’s Traverse and Jester. The 3/4 mile hike is up a work road with numerous switchbacks. I’ve done this hike several times and its a lot easier to reach the summit when you just have to hike the last 3/4 mile. With this summer’s new lift operation plan, the Super Bravo will spin 7 days a week, making this a relatively easy hike.

Heading Up Jester to the summit – click the pic for full-size

We arrived at the top of Heaven’s Gate just below the summit of Lincoln Peak, then descended down Paradise for a little to a spur to reach the Long Trail. After stopping for a break and photos at The Church, we continued north on the Long Trail, past Castlerock Peak, to Mt Ellen. We then u-turned and returned to Lincoln Peak, stopping at the observation platform on the actual summit (above Heaven’s Gate).

LEFT: View from the Church, back on the trails at Lincoln Peak
RIGHT: View from Mt Ellen looking north along the Long Trail and the ridge

The descent down Jester was relatively easy, but the more flat Valley House Traverse felt better on the legs and the knees. After a walk down Snowball, we decided to hit up Moonshine for a walk through the ferns. While steep and, at times, questionable (you had no idea what you were walking on or approaching), the ferns felt good and the ground softer than the work roads. The base area came into view, and after seeing fellow co-workers at the base of Super Bravo, we said goodbye and headed on our way.

LEFT: Descending through the ferns on Moonshine
RIGHT: Almost there! Final stretch down Spring Fling

Thanks Trevor and Ian for joining me for the 4th installment of my 2010 Summer Hiking Series. It was the perfect weather for a 10-mile afternoon hike on the Long Trail and on the trails of Sugarbush. It has also been quite the week for me in terms of outdoor activities (14 mile hike on Sunday, bike to/from work Wednesday, downhill mountain biking Thursday, and this hike on Friday). I think I’ll try to lay low and take it easy for the 4th of July holiday weekend, to rest up, and be ready to hit the trails (on foot and on the bike) next week.

For the rest of the pics from this trip, check out:
http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt/2010HikingSeriesIVJuly22010#

The Downhill Adventure Begins… 7/1/2010

2010-07-03T18:10:00.001-07:00

The night of June 30, 2010 was pretty crazy, filled with a lot of alcohol and debouchery. Would I be up to the next day, my first day of doing downhill mountain biking?

Despite us staying up till 3am, Marius and I met up at the base of Super Bravo. I rented some pads and a full face helmet, and we headed up the lift. As we got about halfway up, the rain began to come down at a much steadier pace and at the top, it was pouring. But hell with it – I was ready to ride…..

We started down the incline from top of Super Bravo to Allyn’s Lodge, lowered my seat down, and began the cruise down Valley House Traverse. I was getting up some speed, then slowed down when it got kinda sketchy. It was still raining and I was not wearing any gloves, so I was having some difficulty maintaining my grip on the handlebars. Coming down to the corner at the Valley House chair’s terminal, we turned onto Reverse Traverse to Lower Jester to Heaven’s Gate Traverse.

Just past Domino on HG Traverse, we dove into Big Birch, a new woods run. Now I had just wanted to take the traverse down to the work road to the base… never did I think I’d be in the woods on my first day. Marius has been riding downhill for quite a while and is also on the summer lift and trail crew in addition to one of my co-workers on the winter lift ops staff. So if he said that I could survive, I figured I could.

I took it slow, easing my way around corners and between trees and over the rocks. It was slippery, a little muddy in spots, and in a few of the steeper areas, I found it more comfortable to push my way through. We took a few breaks on the way down and gradually made my way down, when Marius tagged me in action…

The last portion of the trail was a little more sketchy, with a bridge and a couple steep and narrow sections, but when we popped out onto Lower Jester, I breathed quite the sigh of relief. From there, it was all downhill on work roads. It was a pretty quick run and a non-stop run for me down Lower Jester to Coffee Run (while Marius turned onto Header and into the park). He had taught me the proper way to go over the waterbars with the least impact and I cruised it. Arriving back at the base of Super Bravo, the rain was still pouring, I was covered in mud and dirt, and had an awesome smile on my face. I had survived my first day of downhill mountain biking. I definitely need to get me some riding gloves and get my own pads and a helmet. After just one run, I’m hooked and already itching to get out and ride again!

Summer Hiking Series #3 – Long Trail from Appalachian Gap, north to Camel’s Hump

2010-06-27T21:19:00.001-07:00

After taking a weekend off last weekend (on a high from getting a mountain bike), I set off on the trails on foot once again. On Sunday June 28, I embarked on what I am calling the “super hike”, a 14 mile blast covering the Long Trail, plus the Dean and Monroe trails. I was armed with the Long Trail Guide, aka the Bible, and referenced it at various times to find out where I was, what I was seeing, and when I would reach my destination.

The hike began at 7:30am at Appalachian Gap, heading north on the Long Trail. It was a steady climb out of the gap up to Molly Stark Balcony, but from there it was easy going for several miles. In fact, I did the first 4.7 miles in just under 2 hours. Once departing Cowle’s Cove Shelter, however, the going got rougher. The climb up Burnt Rock Mountain was more rock climbing than hiking, but I was rewarded with some great views, despite the gray skies.

From Burnt Rock Mountain, I descended quite quickly on some very slick rocks (it had rained the night before… surprise!) and then down a ladder into Ladder Ravine. From there, however, I wasn’t sure where I was on the journey. After taking another break, I resumed, passing around and underneath downed trees, across and up along stream beds, and scrambling up and down rocks, until I came across a view and a sign indicating I was on the summit of Mt Ethan Allen – North Slope. Checking the guide book once again, I was excited to know that I had just over a mile to go on the Long Trail, before diverging onto the trails to the Crouching Lion Parking Lot in Duxbury. And even better, on this peak I checked my phone and was able to get a hold of a friend to give me a ride back to my truck at AppGap.

So it was 95% downhill from there… and a quick downhill on more slippery rocks. After passing the southern end of the Allis Trail, I came across yet another shelter (this time a log cabin), and then arrived at Wind Gap. It is here where the Long Trail turns left to head for Camel’s Hump (the Long Trail north of here to River Road in Duxbury I have already covered in previous hikes). The Allis Trail enters from the right, and the Dean Trail heads straight ahead 1 mile to the Monroe Trail.

With an hour and change left before my ride would arrive, I had to hustle down the Dean and Monroe Trails… 1 mile to the Dean Trail and 1.4 miles down the Monroe Trail to the parking lot. It was on this final leg where I ran into a good amount of people hiking (I did see a couple of hikers in Hour 1 of the hike). I quickly descended and arrived at the Crouching Lion Parking Lot in Duxbury just minutes before 4pm. The final 0.3 miles was downhill on the gravel road from the rough seasonal road to the 4-season town maintained hard packed dirt road. Since I was covered with mud and dirt, I quickly rinsed off in the adjacent river, and waited for my ride, which arrived about 30 minutes after I had arrived. Thanks again, Pete!

For full pictures from this hike, click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt/20100627LongTrailAppGapToHumpBase#

I Got A Bike!

2010-06-20T17:46:00.001-07:00

On May 25, my grand prize for winning the Taco Showdown at the Hyde Away was a Pabst Blue Ribbon Beach Cruiser bike. Seeing as it has no brakes and only one gear, it’s not meant for the mountains in Vermont. So a couple of weeks ago I started the search for a reasonably- priced mountain bike. A couple on Craigs List looked interesting but I never got any call backs. Stark Mountain Bikes didn’t have anything used, and their new bikes were WAY WAY out of my price range. Onion River Sports had a couple that looked good. But then I went to Green Mountain Bikes in Rochester. Right from the moment I got there, I had a feeling I’d be walking away owning a bike. The staff there was great… one of the employees was picking out bikes, finding the right size, and letting me give them a test ride around their property. I tried one that was brand new and out of my price range. So I asked about used bikes, and they pulled out a Kona Shred for $500. Just to be certain, I tried a bike that was a little smaller to give more “crotch room” but it felt too small under me. So I tried the Kona again… a hard tail in really good shape. And best part about it, they said they would give me a trade for the PBR Beach Cruiser that I won at the Hyde Away’s Taco Showdown back in May. I put a down payment, and today (Sunday 6/20) went back down to pick it up and pay off the rest. They gave me ~ $100 for the cruiser, which knocked my price down to $400. SWEET!!!

So I’m going to ride it around this week, around the base area of Lincoln Peak and to/from work. And next week, I’m going to try downhill riding off the Super Bravo lift. My next goal is to get a helmet and some pads for protection. I’m pretty excited about my latest acquisition and am looking forward to adventures on the roads and downhill at Sugarbush.

For more information on mountain biking at Sugarbush, visit www.sugarbush.com (open daily, June 25 through Sept 6)

Looking for a bike? Check out Green Mountain Bikes in Rochester
www.greenmountainbikes.com

The Mid June Report

2010-06-17T07:35:00.001-07:00

Greetings from the Mad River Valley and the slopes of Sugarbush Resort here in Vermont. It’s the middle of June and perfect time for the mid June report. Here’s an update on a couple of things I have going on for this summer….

Hiking
If you’ve been reading this blog lately, then you’ll know I have begun my summer hiking series. Destined to be my most ambitious hiking season to date, I have already covered 17 miles of trails this season on 2 separate hikes. My goal is to get out once a week (usually Sunday or Monday) on the trails. Included will be additional mileage on the Long Trail, the trails at Sugarbush, and other area hikes. After each trip, I post a trip report and photos right here.

Biking
After I won a PBR Beach Cruiser bike at the infamous Taco Showdown last month, I have had an urge to get out and start biking. However a Beach Cruiser is not the bike to be going up and down the mountain roads and trails of Vermont, so I am in the process of selling it and locating a mountain bike. I’m wrestling with the various options of this acquisition and its kind of getting to me. I want to start riding a bike to/from work to get good exercise and save on gas. And I want to give the lift serviced mountain biking at Sugarbush a try. Hopefully in the weeks to come (sooner than later), I will be reporting a better update on this.

Trips Down South
I will most likely be going to Connecticut for at least one weekend this summer, but haven’t decided when. It seems my family is throwing a party just about every weekend in the summer and with me being in Vermont AND working at a golf course, that makes things complicated. However I think that when I do head down south, it will be on board Amtrak’s Vermonter, going down on a Friday and returning Sunday. I’ll see how this pans out down the road.

Summer Hiking Series #2 – Camel’s Hump & Long Trail North

2010-06-15T09:29:00.001-07:00

After the success of last week’s hike around Sugarbush, I decided to set my eyes upon my next hiking adventure. Having Mondays off, again after a less-than-steller weather weekend, I picked my adventure and at 8:30am I was starting up the Monroe Trail from the top of Camel’s Hump Road in Duxbury……

The Monroe Trail climbs up for the first 1.4 miles to the junction with the Dean Trail. Both trails access the Long Trail, the Dean takes it south of Camel’s Hump, while the Monroe goes to 0.2 miles past the Hump to the north. When I usually do a “just the Hump” hike, I head up the Monroe, go south on the Long Trail, then return via the Dean. As usual, I headed up the Monroe. Another mile or so up the trail, I turned left to follow the Alpine Trail. This trail bypasses the summit and rejoins the Long Trail. It is also on this trail where the remains of the plane crash from World War II are visible. If you didn’t know there was a plane crash, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell what you were looking at. The remains are just a long big chunk of metal. Just past it, heading south, is the Long Trail. I turned right, to approach the hump from the south on the very rocky and exposed south and west faces.

It was a scramble up 0.2 miles on the rocks but when I got to the summit, I was rewarded with a 360 degree panorama. It wasn’t the crystal clear view I’ve had on other hikes up here, but it was still descent. And best part about it…. I was the only one on the summit! Temps were in the 60s and the wind was light.

I arrived around 10:20, so it took me just under 2 hours to reach the summit, and that was going the longer way via the Alpine Trail (as opposed to sticking with the Monroe Trail right up to the LT). But the “long way” was still to come as I had to descend some nearly 4000’' of vertical to reach my endpoint on River Road in Duxbury. I would be doing this alternate way down only to get some additional 6 miles of Long Trail mileage in. I knew that since I’d have to descend so much vertical that there wouldn’t be too much uphill. But after the first mile of the descent, my legs were wanting some uphill. They found it, but only for some brief knolls, some of which offered nice views back to the south of the Hump…

So I continued to press on, descending on some slippery ass rocks down the trail. A couple spots were serpentine paths around sheer rock ledges and others were short climbs between the ledges. With my Long Trail Map in my pack, I would check it periodically to see where I was in relation to my ending. When I arrived at “Duxbury Window” I had 1.5 miles left to go, and after crossing a bridge, I had 0.6 miles left. Then I saw the River Road parking lot and knew I had reached my destination successfully, at 2:20pm.

Upon arriving at the parking lot, I called my friend in Bolton to transport me back to the parking lot at the top of Camel’s Hump Road. The adventure was over… for week 2!

Week 2 Stats:
Starting Elevation:   1438’
Highest Elevation Reached: 4083’ – Camel’s Hump
Lowest Elevation:   400’
Max. Vertical Descent: 3683’
Total Distance:   10 miles

To see the pictures from this, and all hikes in 2010, visit http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt

Hogan’s Summer Hiking Series Kicks Off!

2010-06-15T09:12:00.001-07:00

On Monday June 7, desperate to get out of the house after a rainy weekend, I kicked off my 2010 hiking series. The goal was to reach the top of North Lynx Peak at Sugarbush.

The sky was partly to mostly cloudy and temps in the 60s-70s… nice day for a hike. I began by hiking up Village Run in my backyard. I had last hiked this portion of it around 1992. For the first half of the trail, it is a straight up hike on a wide high-grass trail. But when it makes the left turn at the top of Upper Village Road, it becomes a work road of sorts, flattens out, and becomes more wooded. This is the part that during the winter gives skiers (and especially snowboarders) a workout because its relatively flat.

It didn’t take long before I reached the plateau… where Village Run meets the Slide Brook, Gate House, and North Lynx lifts. After a little break, I headed past the North Lynx lift to descend up Birch Run. Now you really don’t realize how steep some of these trails are until there’s no snow on the ground AND you’re hiking up them. The hike up Birch Run took about an hour, partially because of a duck-in-the-woods during a brief but moderate rain shower. After that, I ran up to the summit.

After a little while at the top of North Lynx (elev. 3300’), I decided to head down to the base area. The hike down Birch Run took 15 minutes (more like a run down it), then swung left onto Castlerock Connection to Castlerock Runout for a nice walk through the woods, again on lightly pitched terrain.

It didn’t take long before I arrived at the base area, and after talking with my friend Jess, I headed back up to my condo, passing the base area construction, then heading up Out to Lunch.

It was a successful hike with good weather. All told, this 7-mile hike was a good warmup for the hikes I have in store for this year.

For the rest of the pictures from this hike, check out:
http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt

A New Record… 27!!!

2010-05-28T21:27:00.001-07:00

(from the Hyde Away Inn web site at www.hydeawayinn.com)

Taco Showdown Crowns New King

In a grueling showdown, Jay Hogan took home the title of Hyde Away Taco Eating Champ with an impressive 27 tacos. Mr. Hogan and Shawn paced themselves early on, while Nick raced ahead. In the end, sheer determination won the day. See it as it happened!

Back to shadyjay.com original….

For those that don’t know, the Hyde Away Inn in Fayston, VT has a weekly tradition called “Taco Tuesday”. I had been attending this event pretty much every week since January. It started as a great way to relax, eat, and drink with co-workers after a day at the mountain. Then in late March, I broke the long-standing record by eating 21 tacos in less than 2 hours. This started a 9-week competition that would culminate on May 25. So on that fateful day, I was up against 4 other competitors (out of those 9 weeks, I won 4 of them, and my 4 competitors were the other weekly winners). We sat down and shortly after 6pm, began eating tacos. It was a very warm and humid night and one that was full of laughs and good times. First, Jay Holsizer bowed out, then Nick (who was in the lead for a little while), then Shawn (at 25), then Ross (at 14). I decided to keep on going and rose the bar to a new level… 27… beating my personal best of 21, and beating Shawn’s old record of 22. Since I won, I got choice of my prize, which I chose the PBR “Beach Cruiser” bike (other prizes included a PBR tent and an Adirondack chair). PBR also gave us a bunch of prizes including a t-shirt and Jagermeister was also there with free “shwag”. I had quite the crew of people there cheering me on and there for the post-party. Thanks to the following for coming: JP, Mississippi, Marius, Jess, Nathan (who travelled up from Mass. for the event). E-stills & co., Paulie, RJ, and everyone else I didn’t mention. THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT AND THE GOOD TIMES!!!

Click the link in the first half of this post to see the pics!

5/14/2010 UPDATE

2010-05-14T12:28:00.001-07:00

Greetings from the green slopes of Sugarbush… where just a few days ago, they were white! That’s right – Mother’s Day 2010 was greeted with a few inches of new snow. The mountain was covered and the snows extended about 3/4 way down the access road. I went out and took some pictures, as this was my first time ever seeing snow in May (that wasn’t confined to the highest of mountain elevations). Click the pics for the full size versions:

(see more pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt)

On Tuesday May 4, I started my job at the Sugarbush Golf Course, where I am a cart attendant. I even got to enjoy a beverage at “Hogan’s Pub” at the end of my shift, my first time there. It’s been a little slow so far at the course, due to the weather and only being half open, but this weekend, we are forecasted to have all 18 holes open and with nicer days ahead, things should be picking up.

Over at the base area of Lincoln Peak, work on the Phase II redevelopment is in full swing, with the footprint for the new children’s program building in. The “44 stairs of doom” are history and all temporary buildings formerly in the “interim village” are either relocated for other use, returned to their owners, or scrapped. It’s going to look 100000x better when its all said and done come this fall. Until then, you can follow the action on http://www.sugarbush.com by viewing the “Construction Diaries” video.

In between work at the golf course and fighting ongoing issues with my truck (which I hope to have fully resolved next week), I have spent a lot of time cleaning and repairing the condo. The highlight of this was re-installing the trim work around one of the doors and two windows, the trim not being installed from when the windows were replaced in 2005. The work involved some searching to find the missing pieces, then having to use the saw blade on my Leatherman to cut the pieces to fit. A little more reconfiguring and cleaning and its a noticeable difference that I’m proud to say I did 100% on my own, that itself is a big accomplishment.

On Tuesday May 11, my almost two month reign of being the taco eating champion at the Hyde Away Inn came to a close as Shawn Fuschetto upped the ante and ate 22 tacos – one more than I did back in March. On May 25, the “Battle Royale” competition will decide who gets the big prizes and true bragging rights. Also after that day, I have decided I will retire from “competitive eating”. Details of the contest are at http://www.hydeawayinn.com.

So that’s where things stand at the present time. I’ve also got another project that is “in the works”, though I cannot yet disclose the details of that just yet. One thing at a time, you know. Until the next update, thanks for reading and have a great day!

April 29, 2010 – Back in Vermont

2010-04-30T18:44:00.001-07:00

Well after just about 2 weeks in Connecticut, I had had enough and was longing for the peace and solitude of my trailside condo at Sugarbush. While I contemplated staying through the weekend of May 1-2 so that I could ride the Essex Steam Train’s Goodspeed Local, I decided I needed a few days to relax before I started work again (around May 4). So my dad and I finished the work to my truck to make it run right (and put on some additional lights and re-wired a few switches), loaded my dresser and bookcase and a lot of other stuff, and headed off. I left around noon on Thursday and it was a very windy drive north along I-91 and I-89 back up to the Mad River Valley. It took me a good hour or so of making trips up and down the stairs, and some help from my boss with the big stuff, but I got it all done. I spent most of Friday rewiring the stereo system and odds-n-ends. Once again, the condo is in tip-top shape with everything hooked up, working, and unpacked and put away.

Now I can relax, as I sit on the deck with a PBR and listen to the quietness of the mountain.

NYC Trip: April 23-25, 2010

2010-04-30T18:40:00.001-07:00

Since I was so busy in Connecticut, I decided to take a “vacation from my vacation”, so I made plans to get away to New York City to see my brother & his wife for a few days. And in order to make it an “economy” trip, I booked myself on Amtrak #175 from Old Saybrook to Penn Station. Why? Because I had enough Amtrak Guest Rewards points to make it a free ride, and its a lot more comfortable than the commuter rail I would’ve taken.

I left Old Saybrook on #175 at around 5:35pm (the train was about 15 minutes late arriving) and found a seat in an Amfleet car and sped down the Shore Line towards New York. The trip was pretty uneventful, though we did have a couple of stops waiting for trains to clear the track we were on (before Bridgeport and after “Shell” in New Rochelle). I arrived into New York-Penn Station at around 7:45, about 5-10 minutes or so late. I took the subway to Joe’s apartment in the East Village.

We went out and bar-hopped, first going to Otto’s Shrunken Head on 14th St, then down to Three Of Cups. There I met up with my friend Todd from Brooklyn and we ended up going to The Library (for a lot of Jager and a drunkin’ good time) and then Motor City, then I had my first White Castle burger experience, at around 4 or 5 am…. damn they were good!

Saturday morning, woke up and we took the subway back to Manhattan, stopping again at the Library for a few beers shortly after noon. That night I went to the Delancey Bar & Lounge to see my brother’s band Stark play. They didn’t go on until around 1:45, after the most horrible band I’ve ever heard… Beatallica. After they played, we went to Motor City again, but I only stayed for a beer, before returning to the apartment in the rain with a bag of McDonalds in hand.

I decided to head back to Connecticut on Sunday and woke up, took the subway up to Grand Central, bought my ticket, and hung around the terminal for about an hour or so awaiting traintime. I got into New Haven, made my connection to Shore Line East, and was back in Old Saybrook shortly before 7.

It was a good trip, shorter than my other trips recently down to the city, but funds were an issue this time. I was happy to have spent just under $100, including two nights of drinking and transportation to, during, and back, plus meals. Not bad!

On Vacation.... Sort Of

2010-04-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

We're in between seasons at Sugarbush Resort, so after the employee party on April 15, I packed up and headed down to Connecticut to spend a couple of weeks with my family and friends; kind of like a mini vacation, but as I would soon discover, anything but.

Almost from the second I got back to Connecticut, I've been put to work. From cleaning my dad's house, to helping my Grandmother bag items from her flooded basement, to doing yard work, its almost been non-stop tasks. And to make things even better, my truck had some major issues that we think we solved but are not sure - a little more driving should hopefully yield no more problems. We were able to install my new off-road lights and rewire the switches going to my backup lights. And based on a suggestion from my cousin's wife Jenn, I went out and purchased an IPod Touch to replace my Nano - its well worth the coin!

On Friday April 23, I'm off to New York City for an "economy" trip to see my brother and his wife, coming back on April 26. I'm taking Amtrak down using my Guest Rewards points (that means a free trip) and taking Metro-North back. Outside of some drinking, I don't expect to spend much down there - I found out I'm not getting unemployment but will be back to work in 2 weeks.

So that's the view from down here in Connecticut. Its nice seeing my family and friends but at the same time I cannot wait to get back up to the mountains and start my summer job. Plus I can't wait to do some hiking, camping, swimming, etc this summer in the Mad River Valley!

The 2009/2010 Season In Review

2010-04-11T15:22:00.001-07:00

This time of year is always a depressing time for me, as I watch the snow melt off the mountain and as I put my winter gear away, knowing I won’t be riding again for at least another 6 months. But it does give me hope in what’s to come… hiking, working at the golf course, and watching the progress of Phase II of Lincoln Peak Village.

My 2009/2010 snowboarding season started on December 6 and concluded on April 8. During that time, I had 96 days of snowboarding, a new record for me (last year I made it to 60 days). Now granted, some of those days I only got 1 run in (to my lift and back down at the end of the day). But on other work days, sometimes I would get 5, 6, 7, 8 runs in, and on my days off, 15-20+ runs. So it all balances out. What helped me get more days in this season was my slopeside residence - when you have the mountain in your backyard, there's no question of what to do on your days off. All of those days were spent at Sugarbush, primarily at Lincoln Peak, though I did get a chance to ride Mount Ellen 6 times. And not only was I able to ride all the trails I rode last year, I added new trails to my list of accomplishments…. Lower Lift Line, Reverse Traverse, First Time, Exterminator, Lower Exterminator, and Way Back. There are still 3 trails at Lincoln Peak that I have never ridden (Lift Line, Rumble, Steins), and at Mt Ellen, FIS, Black Diamond, and Bravo will have to wait for another season. Still, I am damn proud of my accomplishments this season.

A major highlight of this season was the crew I got to work with. I spent most of my time working at Heaven’s Gate, usually 4 out of 5 days a week. But area-wide, the entire crew did a good job, and we were commended each and every week. A lot of people who I worked with last year returned, so there was experience right there. And the new staff that came on with us all worked together and pulled it off. All told, there were about 45 of us this season who made it happen. I was happy to work with all of them, made some new friends, and hope that a lot of this same crew returns for next season.

It is my opinion that we were busier than last year (though the numbers may tell a different story overall). We had less rain events during the heart of the season. Our holiday periods were extremely busy. Our events were well-patronized. Our trail count remained at 100% (give or take a trail or two) from late December until late March. And best of all… construction on Phase II of Lincoln Peak Village has begun.

So as the gear is put away in my closet, I am looking forward to the next chapter of my Sugarbush employment as I migrate over to the golf course for the summer. But come November, I hope to be at it again, whether I’m at Super Bravo, Heaven’s Gate, or whatever lift I’m assigned, I'll be ready. There’s no other job I’d rather have right now, and no other place I’d rather be… except right here in the Mad River Valley!

Thanks for a great 09/10 and we’ll see you for 10/11!

-Hogan

Black Ops – April 9, 2010

2010-04-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

Upon arriving at mountain operations on Thursday April 8, I was told I would have 1 more day of work left, on Friday, as part of the “Black Ops” team. Throughout the season, our bosses have developed the “black ops” to work on special projects throughout the resort… from shoveling to assisting other departments to wherever extra hands were needed on a particular day. Today, our mission would be to clean the riverbanks.

We worked along the Clay Brook and Hotel Brook banks and the parking lots, cleaning them of trash that had collected throughout the winter season. While there wasn’t “a lot” of trash, there was enough to keep us busy for a few hours, and to make quite the difference.

When that task was completed, we were reassigned to help with the deconstruction efforts at the interim village. It was my first and last time inside the “sprung structure” which housed the children’s programs for the past several years. While the crews were removing wooden partitions, we brought the wood outside and disposed of it in the dumpster, while also moving “keeper” items into storage. It is truly amazing how much work has taken place and how much has changed in the 4 days since work began on this project. While the rental shop still has a lot of gear to categorize and load up, the “sprung” structure is nearly ready to come down, and the other buildings have already gone.

The finished product will be two new lodges to house children’s programs, adult programs, rentals and repairs, and ticketing. A new entrance plaza will be created, and some regrading will all eliminate the infamous “42 wooden stairs”. It will be a grand entrance into the resort and will look a lot better than temporary buildings, trailers, and a big “tent”. It was in 1995 when temporary buildings first came onto the scene at Sugarbush, then located in front of the old Gate House Lodge. Come Fall of 2010, with the completion of Phase II of Lincoln Peak Village, a more permanent look will grace the resort and give our guests a great first impression.

Watch here throughout the summer and fall for updates on this project.

“Let The Words And The Pictures Tell The Story Of Today”

2010-04-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

That line was the one used by the video snow reports on sugarbush.com all season long. And it also best explains what you’ll see and read in the blog entries I’ve been posting here all season long. My season at Sugarbush was cut several weeks short due to unseasonable warmth, heavy rain and thunderstorms, and a lack of snowfall in March.

Easter weekend featured some extraordinary warm temperatures and blue skies. Readings soared into the 70s at the mountain and in the 80s in the valleys. The lack of any substantial snowfall since late February was taking its toll on the trails as well – bare spots were showing up as trail counts began to slowly drop. The handwriting was on the wall – several weeks earlier than normal.

On Monday April 5, we reduced our operations to only running the Super Bravo and Heaven’s Gate chairs. Construction crews began to dismantle the “interim village” adjacent to Clay Brook. On Tuesday and again on Wednesday, thunderstorms hit the mountain, bringing with them heavy rain and wind. When I showed up for work on Thursday and began my descent down Downspout to reach Heaven’s Gate, I had noticed the width of the trail reduced significantly, as I was surrounded by rocks and mud and dirt on all sides… good thing I decided to rock out my old board. Throughout the day on Thursday April 8, skies remained cloudy and drizzle fell. Heavy fog reduced visibilities. How much longer would we last? Then I called 7669… the snow report line, and got the news that this would be the last day of the season for Heaven’s Gate. I had started the season at the ‘Gate on December 6, 2009 and would end it right there as well, 4 months later, on April 8, 2010.

In an average season, we start running the lifts in late November and continue until late April. Last year, even though I wasn’t present for the last few weeks, Gate House ran until mid April, with Heaven’s Gate succumbing at the end of April, and a final weekend for Stein’s in early May. This season, however, we opened in early December, and had 95% of the mountain closed before the calendar hit mid April. But there were many plusses to the season: we had an excellent lift operations staff this winter, a fact that was recognized by Win Smith. We had really good snow conditions for each of the major holiday periods (Christmas/New Year’s, MLK weekend, and February vacation). And we had that one heck of a snowstorm at the end of February which delivered us some 40-50-60” of snow. Without that, we would have been down for the count a lot earlier. And finally, we had several weekends of superb spring skiing and riding – almost to the point of summer conditions. Everyone had fun and we enjoyed bringing that fun to one and all.

So it was with sadness that at 16:05 on Thursday April 8, I shut down Heaven’s Gate for the last time. We had a lot of laughs and good times this season, and I can’t wait to do it all again come November. See you then!

Was It Really That Warm This Weekend? YES!

2010-04-04T19:32:00.001-07:00

It has been an interesting spring here at Sugarbush. Last week, we had some rain, and then the forecast hinted at temps in the 70s to near 80… in April?

Coverage on many trails, especially the natural ones, had been getting thin for a couple of weeks now, thanks to the unseasonably warm temperatures, liquid precipitation, and lack of any substantial snowfall. Some rain during the week of March 28 fell, but the real damage occured starting Thursday April 1.. no foolin’. Temps began to warm under the bluebird skies. On Friday, warmer still, and on Saturday…. HOLY COW! Unofficially, we topped our temps well into the 70s (with our thermometers in the sun and the shade, it was tough to get an accurate reading). Regardless of whatever temperature it was, it felt like summer, and everyone knew it. I was at Heaven’s Gate on both Friday and Saturday and so was 95% of the rest of the skiers and riders. We showed up each morning to find our ramps gone, down to the bare wood. After an intensive shoveling mission, enough had been built up to permit us to open, but maintaining ramps was a day-long task. As skiers and riders came up to get on the chair, the smell of sunscreen was in the air, and any winter clothing was locked away in closets as most were in short sleeves, and in some cases, no sleeves. Everyone was in quite the festive mood – it felt like a day at the beach, and some even brought up towels and picnic lunches to enjoy on the summit.

While the warm weather brought out the crowds to enjoy the soft snow, it was doing a number on our trails and our base depths. Bare spots, crevases, rivers & waterfalls, and sinkholes appeared throughout the day. The end result is a season that is rapidly melting away earlier than it normally does. Coverage is still very good on trails like Spring Fling and Stein’s, but the warm temps and lack of snowfall has claimed such trails as Paradise, Domino, Twist, Moonshine, and others. Castlerock officially closed for the season on April 2, after a few days of not opening at all due to mechanical reasons, and at 3:45pm on Saturday April 3, the towel was thrown in on North Lynx.

On Easter Sunday (today), April 4, at 4:15pm, I closed up the top shack of Gate House for the last time of the 09/10 season and did my final descent, as starting April 5 we go to only running Super Bravo and Heaven’s Gate chairs. The plus side to all this? Phase II construction at Lincoln Peak Village is a GO and will be starting soon. What does that mean? Goodbye temporary trailers and buildings…. Goodbye to the dreaded “stairs of doom”. For the 10/11 season, visitors will be greeted with a brand new entrance plaza, new buildings, and a lot more.

For those still skiing and riding, there is still some great spring conditions out there on the mountain… it ain’t over yet!

Castlerock one more time: 3/17/2010

2010-03-18T22:21:00.000-07:00

For the second time this season and only the 4th time in my history of skiing/riding at Sugarbush, I paid a visit to Castlerock. While the conditions were much different than my last visit in February, it was still a lot of fun.

After visiting with the bottom operator at the ‘Rock, and watching a few folks do the “walk of shame”, I headed up. Conditions on Lift Line were thinning, very similar to the “connection”. When I got to the top, I talked with Chloe, the usual Castlerock operator, before diving into Castlerock Run. The bumps… oh yeah, they were there and quite substantial, but with the soft snow they were totally doable on a snowboard.

I took my time, carving my way down and occasionally discovering a small patch of barren ground here or there. I diverged onto the Hi & Lo Road for a bump break, before htting Lower Castlerock Run, and finally, Bailout. Unlike my last ride on Bailout 2 years ago, this one was met with enough speed the whole way, eliminating any “flat outs”. When I saw the Heaven’s Gate liftline, I breathed a sigh of relief that I had survived Castlerock yet another day.

WANT TO SEE MORE PICS? CLICK THE "09/10 SNOWBOARDING PICS" LINK ABOVE LEFT, BELOW THE FACEBOOK BADGE

Spring Riding is here!

2010-03-16T14:55:00.001-07:00

Just like last March, the most recent weather pattern has gripped Vermont in a nice string of warm bluebird days. With temps at night dipping below freezing, and with daytime highs reaching the 40s to around 50 degrees, its the perfect recipe for great spring skiing & riding conditions.

Talk about private parking!

This past weekend, we escaped the brunt of the major Northeast storm that hit areas hard down south. While Saturday remained dry, Sunday had 2” of wet snow, then some rain in the afternoon. High winds shut down most of the upper mountain lifts all weekend, so I got out to get some runs on Saturday afternoon, where I found the “Bravo” side was quite firm, but the “Gate House” side had softened up quite nicely. On Sunday as I was checking tickets at the base of Bravo, I heard nothing but positive comments about the conditions – very nice soft snow, though visibility was limited and it was a wet chairlift ride.

As we move into another beautiful stretch of great spring conditions, I want to remind everyone that there is still A TON OF SNOW up on the mountain. The woods are still skiable. Most trails still have 100% perfect coverage (though there are a few thin / bare spots to watch out for on the more exposed natural trails and on southerly exposure trails such as North Lynx). Have fun out there and enjoy these great conditions while we have them. You never know – we could get another winter storm any time now!

Mount Ellen closes for the season on March 28, but the Lincoln Limo is available for all-day private mountain charters in April. Visit the Lincoln Limo page at sugarbush.com for all the details!

2 days of riding with my ‘bro

2010-03-05T19:13:00.001-08:00

My brother Joe finally came up to visit me this past Monday and stayed until Thursday. I’m always nervous when I have friends or family come up to ride because I want them to have the perfect conditions, the perfect weather, and walk away happy, without just saying “at least I didn’t have to pay full price for a ticket”. Well, my brother was more than happy after his two days of riding, and thanks to some schedule changing, I was able to be his guide and finally spend some time enjoying the perfect snow conditions that had set up after the storm……

We began on Tuesday March 2, hitting up various trails on the Gate House side at Lincoln Peak. I used the opportunity to hit up Morning Star for the first time this season on North Lynx. It was bumped up, but with soft bumps. Birch Run was next and we both hit it up a couple times, with Joe doing it when I was on the ‘Star.

Next we moved over to Super Bravo and did several runs off Heaven’s Gate, sticking with Jester, but also hitting up Lower Jester, Lower Organgrinder, Downspout, Birdland, Snowball, and Spring Fling. On each run we discovered the perfect conditions… perfect packed powder and not one trace of ice, even as the day winded down.

On Wednesday March 3, we began our day at Mount Ellen, hitting up my favorites such as Panorama, Rim Run, Elbow, Joe’s Cruiser (see pic), and Which Way. After several laps on each, we hit up the terrain park where I got some air, and headed back to Lincoln Peak. There, we hit up Birdland, Lower Organgrinder, Lower Jester, and a beautifully half-groomed Murphy’s Glade, before blasting a couple quick runs down Sleeper, which was the definition of perfection… the perfect conditions on a great run to end Joe’s 2-day Sugarbush visit.

With temps in the 30s and bright sunny skies (especially on Tuesday), not to mention great snow conditions and no lift lines, we both had a great couple of days on the slopes of Sugarbush.

The Storm Summary: 56 Inches!!!

2010-03-01T19:01:00.000-08:00

It was on Tuesday February 23 when the snow started falling, and by the time it was all said and done on Friday February 26, between 34 and 56 inches of new snow had fallen on the slopes of Sugarbush, with the drier the snow at the higher elevations. It was truly an epic event, one which changed our conditions rapidly… for the better, from the trails to the woods. The snow was DEEP! And when Heaven’s Gate opened on Saturday February 27, just about everyone was there, getting some of that 56 inches that had not been touched at all, since high winds shut down the ‘Gate during the entire storm.

While I didn’t get to play in the freshies as much as I wanted to, due to a nasty cold which caused me to lose my voice, then get it back just in time to do the video snow report on 2/24 (thanks, Mark & Sawyer), then to feel just downright crummy for the remainder of the week. So I spent most of my Thursday & Friday that week watching the snow (and the non-crystalized precip) fall and blanket my condo’s deck in a lot of snow….

When we finally opened Heaven’s Gate on Saturday 2/27, we were greeted to a lift line which was most likely the busiest of the season, and full chairs from 9am to 3:30pm… 3 to a chair… every chair… and no usual lunchtime lull. The untouched 56” by the end of the day had been shaped into moguls on trails such as Ripcord, Spills, and Organgrinder. Sunday was a tad bit slower, but not by much.

So we were proud to finally get one big storm that dumped on us with copious amounts of “white gold”…. just what we needed to keep us going into the spring!

Sugarbush on Channel 3

2010-02-15T18:22:00.001-08:00

Our local CBS affiliate WCAX-TV 3 was at the mountain today doing a story on how skier visits are holding steady in this year of a continued rough economy and limited snowfall. See the video of the broadcast here from the 6pm newscast on Monday February 15, 2009…

http://www.wcax.com/global/video.asp?clipId=4546187&autostart=true

The Calm Before The Storm

2010-02-12T16:01:00.001-08:00

LEFT: Going up Summit Quad to Mt Ellen’s summit.
RIGHT: View north from top of Summit Quad.
Click the pictures for the full size versions

Today was my 52nd day on the slopes for the 2009/2010 season. And yes, granted some of those 52 days I only get one run in (to get to my lift, then down to the base), some of those days I get multiple runs in. Today being one of my 2 days off a week, I took advantage of sunny skies and the last day before the start of Holiday Week to ride over at Mount Ellen.

There were 7 busses in the parking lot, but about 2 rows of general public as I arrived at the mountain shortly before 10. While heading up GMX, I discovered that it was quite windy and chilly on this side, and that lift rides today would be COLD, especially the ride up North Ridge Express (left). Nevertheless, I stuck it out and slashed down some of my favorite trails including Panorama, Rim Run, Elbow, Lookin’ Good, Joe’s Cruiser, and Which Way. I even headed onto Northway and sampled Walt’s Trail and Northridge Expressway. What I found for conditions throughout the MEllen was fast and hard packed, with a little bit of windblown. I scrapped plans to do some black diamond runs (Hammerhead, Encore, and Lower FIS are still on my list to hit up but they really need a good dumping of fresh snow before I tackle those again).

At around 11:45, I managed to get on a bus with 20 other people and head back to Lincoln Peak. After visiting with fellow co-workers, I headed up with a couple fellow lifties and we did a few very nice runs down Sleeper, Hot Shot, and Waterfall. Shortly before 1, I headed over to Bravo and tested my legs on the burner known as The Mall (photo at left – click for full size), based on a post by Sugarbush president Win Smith on how good it was just a day or so prior. It was good, with small moguls and minimal ice, but a little scraped in spots – guess I should’ve taken Win’s suggestion and stayed skier’s left. I headed back up again and did a very nice cruise on Snowball-Racer’s Edge and my final run of the day, Snowball->Spring Fling.

It was sometime around 2pm when I decided to drop my gear off in the locker room and call it a day. Today was the infamous Calm Before The Storm, as tomorrow (Saturday 2/13) starts the very busy President’s Week holiday. We’re ready for 10 very busy days. The weather forecast is looking sunny and temps in the 20s – should be good, but we’re still waiting for that BIG STORM to come and dump 2-3 feet+ of snow on us. I’m still holding out hope for late February and March. We’re ready, Ma’ Nature!

Until then, we continue to ski & ride on some pretty good conditions. If you’re out during the holiday week, be careful and watch for thin and bare spots possible on natural snow terrain. Have a great week!

Good Weekend – 2/6-2/7/2010

2010-02-07T19:50:00.001-08:00

Roxy the Raccoon takes a ride up Gate House… Sunday 2/7

After about 11” or so of summit snow accumulation during the week, we were treated to very nice bluebird skies on Saturday and on Sunday, it stayed mostly cloudy with snow showers, though the sun did make a few attempts at an appearance. Attendance was pretty steady throughout the weekend, Saturday being the busier of the two days as usual. I got out for a few runs on Sunday on Gate House side and found some nice snow on favorites such as Hot Shot and Sleeper. Riding during the weekends is a different world than during the week, as you have to be mindful of a lot more people on the slopes who may not always be as predictable as yourself. Still, it was a lot of fun as always.

My friend Scott came up from Connecticut on Friday and we were treated to powder conditions as we assaulted the mountain, from Lower Snowball all the way over to Birch Run… covering most major areas except Castlerock (which I did the day before). I even did a couple of runs Friday for the first time this season, including the isolated Cat’s Meow and the somewhat-technical Domino (due to its icy beginning and in between the bumps). Of course, our pick run of Friday was Upper Jester, which we hit several times in a row, enjoying some great turns. Sleeper was just as good!

Looking at my trail stats, I still have 3 trails to ride this year that I did last year (Out to Lunch, Morning Star, and Lower Birdland, plus a few others I haven’t done since the 07/08 season, including The Mall (LP), plus about a half dozen or so at Mt Ellen. I hope to get a good portion of the Mount Ellen runs that I desire in on either 2/11 or 2/12… then we have President’s Week starting 2/13 and continuing until 2/21. Busy times are ahead… now we just need some of that 40” of snow that the Washington DC suburb got this weekend.

2/4/2010: Return to Castlerock!!!

2010-02-04T16:05:00.001-08:00

My first visit to Castlerock was in March of 2008… nearly 2 years ago. On that eventful day, my friends and I did Middle Earth. Several weeks later, I returned to the ‘Rock and hit up Castlerock Run, Cotillion, and others. During the 08/09 season, I thought for sure I would have a chance to experience Castlerock, but I was never assigned on that side, and the days I had off didn’t have the best conditions for experiencing the au’natural of that side of Lincoln Peak.

Flash forward to the 09/10 season… Thursday 2/4 to be exact, where I returned to the ‘Rock for about 5 excellent runs, covering Castlerock Run, Hi & Lo Road, Cotillion, Troll Road, Middle Earth, and even Lower Lift Line. Conditions were great, thanks to some 6” or so of fresh powder. I got a couple runs in with Cloe, one of the regular Castlerock lift operators. There she showed me the shack that they call home, all hooked up with satellite radio, quite the speaker system inside and out, and other amenities that I could only dream about at the other lift shacks.

Yes, there were some scratchy and exposed surfaces, but what do you expect from a mountain peak where there is no snowmaking. Considering the lack of snowfall we’ve had this season so far, the trails actually rode very nice, and the 6” of new snow helped immensely. On Middle Earth and Castlerock Run and Troll Road, which had been groomed “secretly” a couple of weeks ago, the bumps were almost non-existent, but Lower Castlerock Run and Cotillion really worked the legs.

While I didn’t spend my whole day at the ‘Rock, I had a great time spending the time there that I did… a couple of hours I’d guess. And best part about it was that even at noon, there was still some untracked runs to be had. I hope to get back to Castlerock soon, but that all depends on Mother Nature… LET IT SNOW!!!

Easier updating with Windows Live Writer

2010-01-31T19:11:00.001-08:00

I have just discovered a new way to update this blog with a free program that you can download with Windows 7…. Windows Live Writer. Previously, I had to log in to my Google Blogger account, then use an interface that wasn’t exactly user friendly, especially when adding pictures. With Live Writer, I am able to type my blog entry in a format very similar to Microsoft Word and use Windows buttons to add pictures. I can even wrap the text around the picture and use other cool picture frame effects. When I’m done, I click PUBLISH and the program automatically uploads my content directly to my blog… VERY SIMPLE! And now to view the full size picture, you can simply click the image.. for all posts after 1/31/2010

With the easier ability to add pictures within posts, expect more updates in the future. Keep checking back with shadyjay.com to find out about the conditions on the slopes, and we’ll see you at the mountain!

COLD weekend!

2010-01-31T19:03:00.001-08:00

Well, it wasn’t much of a shock, but we had quite a bit of rain last Monday, January 25. While it did melt away some of our snow, the base on the snowmaking trails remained strong and we were back up to 111 trails the day after the event, though some of them had “firm” surfaces (and some do). Snowmaking was fired up again by Wednesday at both Lincoln Peak and Mount Ellen, and the guns are hard at work on Stein’s Run, the only trail at LP which didn’t get the gun’s attention yet, and needs the love of the guns, since that is the run that goes into early May.

By Friday, the memories of the 50 degree record high temps and “funk” from Monday were gone, as the mercury stayed in the teens below zero, and combined with a wind gusting in the 40-50 mph range meant wind chills were in the dangerous category. Saturday 1/30 was much calmer, but still cold, and Sunday was a little warmer still, with temps reaching in the 10-15 degree range.

We continue to wait for a substantial snow event that would put us in really good shape. However, while January may be done, we are starting a new month and are hoping that Mother Nature will provide us with snow to be measured in feet… AND SOON! Until then, the groomers are still riding pretty good, but use caution when venturing onto “au natural” terrain.

Bluebird Stretch Ends With A Warmup

2010-01-24T20:37:00.000-08:00

Conditions for the past 3 days at Sugarbush have been nothing short of perfect, if you like blue skies and comfortable temperatures. In fact, the bluebird conditions started last Thursday (1/21) and continued until the morning of Sunday 1/24. While the weekend was nothing like MLK weekend in terms of crowds, we were busier than many of us thought on Saturday, especially at Heaven's Gate.

The main draw at Heaven's Gate on Saturday was the unbelievable views from the summit. All the peaks in the Adirondacks could clearly be seen, along with a blue Lake Champlain, and off to the east, Mount Washington was visible. With fresh snow still on the trees, the ridgeline to the north glistened in the sunshine. From the top of Heaven's Gate, many people were hiking up the last hill to get to the former gondola terminal and the observation deck, with cameras in hand. And with temps in the upper 20s, it was really comfortable. Oh yeah - and there was some good snow out there, too!

On Sunday, we had a little bit of blue sky in the morning (plus several moose sightings), then the clouds rolled in and by closing time, a little mist had begun to fall as the summit became soaked in the clouds and fog. We have some r@!# moving in for Monday, but a quick return to winter. Start doing those snow dances and hopefully we can recover quickly from this January thaw.

Mt Ellen Blows Lincoln Peak Away on 1/19

2010-01-19T18:29:00.000-08:00

Conditions were snowing lightly when I arrived at the base of Lincoln Peak on Tuesday January 19. We had our busiest day of the season thus far on the 17th, with the 16th a close second. Would there be any decent snow left after the weekend?

As soon as I pulled into the parking lot, my friend Donnie called me up.... he was on his way to meet me at the 'Bush! He showed up a little after 10 and we started hitting up some runs on the Gate House side. Pushover and Hot Shot runs were really good, with a couple inches of new fluff on top. Sleeper and Birch Run, however, were a lot more crunchy, with soft snow on top but a layer of thick but crunchy snow underneath. So then it was off to Super Bravo to see if conditions were any different up there. We scrapped our plans for going up Heaven's Gate for a Jester run and instead traversed over to Snowball into Racer's Edge... same crunchy snow. So I made the call that we should go to Mount Ellen. When we reached the base, I checked in with dispatch to make sure all lifts were spinning there, and off we went.

We spent most of our time at Mount Ellen on the upper half, lapping the Summit Quad and doing quick runs down Rim Run, Elbow, and Lookin' Good. What we found was tons of untracked terrain with about 4" of powder on top, and no crunchy snow! Conditions couldn't have been any better and we just had a blast hitting up those runs. We also headed down to North Ridge a few times, taking advantage of Cruiser, Which Way, and Northstar. After a few hours of hitting the upper mountain, we sampled the terrain off of Sunny D, including the terrain parks on Riemergasse and Graduation, and a nice quick cruise down Sugar Run.

The new snow coupled with only about 30 or so people on the mountain made for a truly excellent afternoon. We left around 3pm, as I had to hit up a couple places in Waitsfield and then return to Lincoln Peak to drop my gear off. It was an excellent day of midweek riding at Sugarbush, and Mount Ellen did not disappoint on my second visit there of the season.

Midweek Fun at Lincoln Peak

2010-01-13T17:46:00.000-08:00

Today, Wednesday 1/13, I spent the day riding my new gear... my new snowboard, bindings, and boots. And it was a great day on the hill!

I started at around 9:30 and did several runs on the Gate House side, to get the feel of my new board and boots. First run down Pushover gave me a chance to see what the new gear could do, and how it would react against what I threw at it. Second run down Pushover to Lower Hot Shot was FAST! Wow... new gear rocks! I continued with Hot Shot->Waterfall, then the next run was down a freshly groomed (for the first time this season) Sleeper Chutes and Sleeper. The snow was beautiful and I was able to carve my way even down the chutes. North Lynx was next, though the snow was a lot more firm up top.

By this time, I took a break in the cafe for a hot chocolate and got a call from my fellow lifty Nathan who would be riding my old board. After he got his gear together, we headed back up Gate House for some runs, including Pushover, Hot Shot/Waterfall, and Sleeper. We then headed over to Bravo and cruised down Downspout to Heaven's Gate, then down Jester to Murphy's. We decided to take lunch around noon, then headed back out back to Gate House for some runs with Jess, the Gate House lift op. Also by this time, Nathan's friend joined us, and we did a couple more runs on Gate House, then up North Lynx for a t2b run.

It was around 1:30 by this point and we decided to take a break in the lodge, after which I decided I'd call it a day. My new equipment performed great, making me very happy and pleased with the day's runs. I had plans to hit up Mt Ellen today as well, but figured I'd stay close to home base just in case my board gave me issues. Luckily, it didn't, and we were even treated to a little bit of snow falling. Had it been a little warmer and the sun out, I definitely would have hit up Mt Ellen, but that can wait for next week.

Back to work on Thursday, through next Wednesday the 20th. I'll see what the 21st or 22nd brings, but right now I'm planning a Mt Ellen visit.

Post-Holidays = A Great Time To Ride

2010-01-06T17:02:00.000-08:00

We survived Holiday Week 09/10 at Sugarbush... for the most part, conditions were great and the guests seemed quite happy with what we had to offer. Yes, we did get some "funk" on Sunday 12/27, but after that, it was smooth sailing with on and off snow and 100% of our terrain open after 12/30. I spent the week divided between Heaven's Gate and North Lynx. There were even a few "are you shady jay?" guests who came through the line. If you were one of them, introduce yourself next time if you're from the skimrv.com boards. I also got videotaped by Mark the snow reporter, but alas I didn't make the final cut... but my footage may appear on sugarbush.com one of these days. We had a very busy New Year's Day, and the day after was even busier.

A big storm was predicted for 1/2 and 1/3. Predictions with storms are difficult, but the storm did sock Burlington with 33" of snow, but the eastern slopes of the 'Greens got very little in comparison... I think our final tallies were 8-10" of windblown.

On Monday January 4, we were greeted to some rays of sunshine at North Lynx, making the 14 degree temperature seem a lot warmer. Those who were fortunate to get up to the Lynx before Gate House went down were treated to 3 private slopes, and after 1pm, there were just a handful of diehards out there lapping the trails and enjoying the sun and the snow. I got a few runs in myself, and had a few great cruises on both Birch Run and Sunrise.

Tuesday January 5 was the inaugural day of a groomed Ripcord. My sources tell me this trail will be regularly groomed this year, allowing Organgrinder to bump up. If you haven't been down a groomed steep run like Ripcord, I highly suggest it, especially on a weekday. Organgrinder was groomed on Tuesday as well, plus Jester, giving those who like the corduroy plenty of options.

Today, Wednesday, Heaven's Gate never opened due to strong gusty winds up top. However, that's not to say there wasn't plenty of great terrain to be had. After being relieved of my duties after 11, I hit up Gate House and had several great runs down Birch Run, Hot Shot, Waterfall, Slowpoke, and such. Sleeper, from what I heard, remains "bumped up and icy" so I'm holding off that run until more snow or a snowmaking assault.

The midweek period is a great time to come out and ski or ride at Sugarbush. BE BETTER HERE and join us on the mountain for great conditions!

Get Here NOW!

2009-12-29T20:15:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a good holiday... with the hustle and bustle of Christmas finally behind us, its time to get out there and ski or ride. I returned to work after a few days off for Christmas on 12/27 to some warmth and r@!n but that was replaced in short order with snow on the 28th and bitter cold on the 29th. The new snow, combined with the efforts of the Sugarbush snowmaking team, is enabling us to open 100% of our terrain as of Wednesday 12/30... great job everyone! Conditions out there are awesome and only going to get better (more on that in a bit). We have had to deal with some wind holds which have affected lift operations at Mt Ellen and on Heaven's Gate at Lincoln Peak, but when those winds die down, the conditions are SWEET! Some surfaces have windblown conditions and you're bound to find powder tracks on the sides of the trails.

So now about the "conditions getting better"... weather forecasters are predicting one heck of a snowstorm/blizzard to hit northern New England later this week, looking like around Friday. I've heard predictions that this storm COULD rival the Valentine's Day storm of a few years ago. So my advice to you is to get to Sugarbush before New Year's Day and spend a few days with us... you'll be glad you did. The entire team is working hard to give our guests the best experience possible.

I have visited almost every ski resort in Vermont and have never had the customer service experience anywhere close to what Sugarbush provides. And I'm not just saying that because I work there... I have been a skier/rider since 1993 and a customer of Vermont resorts since then. The job that Sugarbush does, from parking lot to top of the liftline is not matched anywhere else. So come on up and "Be Better Here" with us.... visit sugarbush.com for all the details.

See you on the hill... and THINK SNOW!

Weekend Overview

2009-12-20T18:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, its official... with 105 of 111 trails open, Sugarbush has the largest percentage of its terrain open in the entire state of Vermont. In fact, Mt Ellen is now 100% open and Lincoln Peak is almost 100%, only missing North Lynx and Sleeper.

Snowmaking continued this weekend on Northstar at Mt Ellen and on Middle Jester, Lower Organgrinder, and Gondolier at Lincoln Peak, and even Downspout got a "resurfacing" on Saturday. Natural snow trails continue to hold up, and I heard good things from those who did trails the likes of Spillsville and Paradise on Saturday. Snowmakers will next move over to Inverness at Mt Ellen and to Snowball/Spring Fling at Lincoln Peak. Whether or not we can open North Lynx and Sleeper by holiday week remains to be seen... do your snow dances!

This morning I got a call from my dad in Connecticut saying that 18" of snow fell last night from the "Blizzard of '09" (the Megalopolis Blizzard... the I-95 Blizzard... etc) and by the time it was said and done, 23" had fallen within a couple of miles from Long Island Sound on the shoreline. While I wish some of that snow had made it up to Sugarbush, I am really excited to be having a White Christmas this year... and just for the record, if there's snow on the ground, that qualifies as a White Christmas in my book!

I continue my reign at Heaven's Gate, and it was a chilly and breezy afternoon there on Sunday 12/20. We did have a few diehards out skiing and riding, but our ramp was quite scoured from the wind blowing the powdery snow off by mid afternoon. I got a few runs in down Jester over the weekend, and we had a little hiccup with Super Bravo on Saturday which stressed a lot of us out, but by 11am or so, things were running quite smoothly.

It was a busy Saturday and a quiet Sunday... the "calm before the storm" as Holiday Week starts on the day after Christmas. Get Ready!!!

Kicking Off Mt Ellen with a Bluebird Day!

2009-12-19T16:28:00.000-08:00

On Friday December 18, Mt Ellen was opened to the public for the 09/10 ski & ride season. The mountain was covered in white and just about every trail was open, or would be open by day's end. Yes, it was a cold day, but the bluebird skies made it seem warmer.

I got to Mt Ellen around 10:45 and headed up the GMX, saying hi to my Mt Ellen counterparts on the way. First run was a groomed Cruiser. After heading up the North Ridge Express, I took in the likes of some of my favorite runs: Rim Run, Elbow, and Lookin' Good, all of which were in excellent shape. On one run, I took Elbow down to Which Way, which wasn't groomed but had nice soft snow on the sides. Since I'd be meeting a fellow employee from Lincoln Peak, I headed back up the North Ridge Express and bombed Rim Run, then ducked into the mid-mountain Glen House for a warmup.

I met up with Dan and we hit up the Summit Quad for a warmup, taking Rim Run to Lookin' Good. Next run was a first-time ever for me... Rim Run to Exterminator! Despite this run being a double diamond, it wasn't that steep. It had some bumps but they were nice and soft from natural snow. In fact, Northstar (a green trail) was more challenging this day, since it had not been groomed and its snow was a lot more chunky. We headed back up and did Exterminator again, cutting over via Way Back to Cruiser... a nice run, though I caught an edge on the relatively flat Way Back. We headed down to the base through a sketchy "Straight Shot" (narrow due to snowmaking and no grooming yet), then back up GMX. Next on the agenda was The Cliffs, which also had some great snow and no bumps. Hitting up North Ridge again, we did Elbow to (former Spread Eagle), past the Glen House, and onto Tumbler. Did I mention the snow was awesome today? Well it was, and it was like slicing through the snow and the natural snow for the most part covered the trails well, though on the steeper sections of Tumbler, there was some thin cover, but perfectly manageable. At the bottom, we decided to call it a day, so while Dan headed down Straight Shot, I took the easier "Crackerjack" to the base, though had to walk part of the way due to the flats.

I took the bus back to Lincoln Peak and did a couple of runs over on the Gate House side, mainly Pushover/Lower Pushover and Pushover/Slowpoke. Gate House also opened for the season today, giving Lincoln Peak some "green circle" terrain for the upcoming weekend. I got about 11 runs in today, and after changing in the boot room, headed for Castlerock Pub for some brews with the gang.

My second Friday riding day and it was great... I hope to make it over to Mt Ellen more this season than last year and hope my Friday riding days continue to go this well.

Epic Powder Day on 12/11

2009-12-13T18:45:00.001-08:00

It was hard to believe that this time last week, the only trail on the mountain with coverage was Jester->Allyn's->Downspout, but thanks to a storm which gave us 10" or so of new snow with a little base-building crisp, and another foot+ the next day, the ropes were dropped. On Friday morning, 12/11, I awoke to a foot of fluff. There was no doubt in my mind what I'd be doing this day... so I descended Village Road and booted up at the locker room, and headed up Super Bravo. I checked the reports the night before, and not only were we top-to-bottom, but all trails off Heaven's Gate were open, plus almost everything on Bravo to the right of Murphy's Glade.

First run of the day (after Downspout) was Organgrinder. Next, a nice cruise down Jester to Murphy's Glade which was pure powder! Awesome conditions and not a spec of ice to be found.... probably my best run down Murphy's EVER! The run to the base was a little challenging, as Coffee Run had yet to be groomed. Back up at top of Bravo, I heard the news that the entire Valley House side (left of Bravo) had been opened and my boss reported great conditions on Spring Fling, so it was there I headed off to. The traverse to Snowball was in great shape and Snowball was a paradise of powder. On Spring Fling, it was almost up to my waist in spots, though conditions 3/4 of the way down turned more heavy, but still good. Back up to sample Birdland over to Heaven's Gate Traverse. The dream runs were still to come, however, as going up Heaven's Gate, I noticed Spillsville looked excellent and with noone on it. I went down Organgrinder, took the hard left, and down Spills to Lower Ripcord. Beautiful! Next, back up HG to Organgrinder, to Spillsville, but I cut over to Ripcord into Lower Paradise. I met up with a Sugarbush newbie and we hit up the same run again, then back up to give Paradise a shot. Some rocks were poking up but completly avoidable. Lower Paradise was a powder lover's dream! Finally, I headed back up to do Jester again, and after a little warmup at Allyn's Lodge, I hit the traverse again over to Snowball, then down Moonshine, which only had a handful of tracks. Here I discovered more unbelievable powder. At this point, however, my legs were pretty beat and decided against another run in favor of a couple of beers at Castlerock to give my legs a break. There will be more powder days to come and I'll save runs down Twist and The Mall for those days.

There were nothing but smiles all around after this day... noone was disappointed. And turns out, the weekend had very good crowds to enjoy the snow. Castlerock made its season debut on Saturday 12/12 with epic conditions reported there, though the handful of runs I got in over the weekend were on Heaven's Gate, sticking to the groomed Jester or Organgrinder.

What a difference a week makes... from 3 trails (1 run) open, to nearly 50 trails open, most of which opened with au natural conditions. We've got some great snowmaking temps forecasted for this week and are looking to get the Gate House and Village Chair side open by Friday 12/18. Couple this with some more natural snow and we'll be looking really good as we head into the holiday period.

For the latest on trail conditions, call 802-583-SNOW or visit www.sugarbush.com. As always, THINK SNOW, and we'll see you out on the slopes soon!

Early Season Operations

2009-12-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

Since the season started, I have spent each day working at the Heaven's Gate chair, which is the busiest chair on the mountain right now. However, getting to the chair and the process at the end of the day is quite interesting for early season operations. First, because of recent snowmaking, no grooming has been done yet, leaving some large bumps on Downspout, the trail you take to get to Heaven's Gate. And since there is no route open yet to the bottom, general public must take Heaven's Gate up to Jester, then download on Super Bravo. Bottom operators, however, have to wait until a ride is arranged in the 'Ranger' to get down. Even though Heaven's Gate closes to the public at 3:15, it isn't until well after 4pm that we are back at the base. With the days continuing to get shorter, its almost dark as we're reaching the bottom.

Regardless of snow conditions, and regardless of the procedures, it is still an awesome job and I work with so many great people, many I worked with last season and most I haven't seen since April. We've been all catching up on the past several months and are all glad to be back. And now that it looks and feels more like winter, the morale is up and we're happy to pass on our good will to the public.

So come on out and ski or ride... conditions are only going to get better! Come see for yourself, and "Be Better Here"!

And We're Off! 09/10 season kicks off at Sugarbush

2009-12-06T19:42:00.000-08:00

After a few days of getting settled up here in Vermont, I started work at Sugarbush on Saturday December 5. We were not open to the public, but there was much to be done to get us ready to go, and this involved moving snow from mid mountain to the base in 5 gallon buckets... 50 of them in fact, over the course of 5 trips. Lift ops was assisted first thing in the morning by ski patrol in a massive effort to rob the last pile of snow in the base area and move it over to Bravo's ramp. By the end of the day, we had a nice ramp and corral all set up, as the flakes fell from the sky and the temps continued to cool.

Opening day kicked off today (12/6) with one run, from the top of Lincoln Peak to the base of Heaven's Gate. I spent the day "bumping chairs" down at Heaven's Gate, during the course of a day which could not have gone more smoothly. Everyone for the most part knew how to get on and off the chair, the liftline moved pretty quick, and there were smiles all around. Our first guests, Win and Adam, got us off to a roaring start... not to mention the roar of the snowgun just across from the lift terminal!

I was able to get one complete run in today, going down Downspout in the morning, then after close, heading up Heaven's Gate to go down Jester to get to the Super Bravo for downloading. Conditions were "technical" as no grooming has taken place yet and the snowguns continue to blast. With cold temps in the forecast for the forseeable future, plus some natural snow, we should be looking pretty good. I think the next goal for terrain expansion is "top to bottom". Hopefully we'll be doing this very soon.

Until then... THINK SNOW!

Going Back to Vermont!

2009-11-28T13:26:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, I got the call I've been waiting for... the call to go back to work in Vermont! On Wednesday December 2 I am heading up to move into my winter home, a condo on the slopes of Sugarbush Resort, and will be starting work there for the 09/10 season on (hopefully) Saturday December 5 in lift operations, same as I did last season.

The start to the 09/10 season has been delayed by 2 weeks due to unseasonably warm weather in November and a complete lack of cooperation in the snowmaking front. Most of November in Connecticut featured temperatures ranging from 55-60 degrees, and Vermont wasn't much colder. While snowmaking did start earlier in the month, the warmth returned and so did some heavy rains. But a major pattern shift is here and hopefully will remain cold from now, through March.

Here's to a great season, and the next reporting I do will be from my condo up on the mountain. GET READY TO RIDE!!!

Cape Cod Railfan Excursion - Trip Report 11/21

2009-11-28T13:07:00.000-08:00

On Saturday November 21, I left Ivoryton CT early in the morning for the trip out to Cape Cod for a railfan excursion put on by the Cape Cod Central and Mass Coastal Railroads. I arrived in West Barnstable with an hour to spare, and took some pics of the historic station there. The "energy" train arrived and parked on the siding, then after 11am, the passenger train arrived with the following consist:

MC diesel #2008

Coach "Sandwich" - former LIRR - rode here for 80% of the trip

Dining Car - rode here on night trip from Middleboro to Buzzards Bay

Dining Car

Kitchen

Dining Car

Lounge car - rode here on night trip from Buzzards Bay to West Barnstable

MC diesel #2007

We left on time and travelled west towards the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge, stopping there and waiting for the bridge to lower. We then proceeded across it, and waited just west of Buzzards Bay, before returning to that station and picking up more passengers.

After leaving Buzzards Bay, we entered some really nice track, welded rail and 30mph speed, though if our engines were appropriate, we could've gone 60 mph. We arrived at the "T" station in Middleboro/Lakeville to board the dinner train guests, then returned back to Buzzards Bay, over the Canal bridge, then down the Falmouth Branch, reaching speeds of 30 mph. We were the first passenger train over the branch in over 10 years, and received a souvenir railroad spike in honor of the occasion. Returning north to the canal, we were treated with a beautiful sunset over Buzzards Bay. This was the highlight of the trip for many... myself included!

We stopped at BB to discharge passengers, then returned to Middleboro to drop off our dinner train guests. On the way back through Rochester, we dropped the #2007 at the SEMASS plant, then returned to the Cape. Once we were on the Cape, all remaining passengers were moved up to the lounge car, which had heat and was more comfortable than 3-2 commuter seating. We arrived back at West Barnstable at around 8:15 and I made the long trek back to Connecticut, arriving just after 11pm.

It was a great trip and the railroad did a great job. The only downside of the trip was my sweatshirt getting red wine spilled on it when the bartender walked past (it came out thankfully) and the limited food options available. While this was addressed prior to the trip saying only snacks and beverages would be available, those who were in charge of this only came through the car once, while all attention was paid to those who were in the dining cars, the South Shore Chamber of Commerce members. Despite this, it was a great trip on a great day. I hope to return to the Cape next summer and get the remaining mileage of the Cape Cod Central Railroad by riding east of West Barnstable to Hyannis.

For full pics of this trip, see my Picasa page at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt

For more information on the Cape Cod Central Railroad, visit

http://www.capetrain.com

Saturday 11/21: Cape Cod Rail Excursion

2009-11-20T08:42:00.000-08:00

As I type this, its 60 degrees outside... very un-Novemberlike weather. I thought that I'd have a pretty good idea by now when I'd be returning to Vermont for the winter for work. But, well, sometimes you get thrown a curveball. So last week, when I learned of a rare mileage excursion on the Cape Cod Central Railroad, I decided to "go for it" and order tickets.

This will be my first ever trip to the Cape Cod Central, and my first trip to Cape Cod itself, though my parents told me once I had been when I was 1 or 2 years old. The train leaves from West Barnstable and travels east to Buzzards Bay, then to Middleboro/Lakeville, then south to North Falmouth, back to Middleboro, then back to West Barnstable. The weather is looking good so I am hoping that this will be a very successful trip.

I'll be leaving CT early Saturday morning for the trip. Pics will be posted on my Picasaweb page, and will be linked here, along with a trip report, later in the weekend.

And once this trip is out of the way, I'm ready for winter!

Conn. Eastern RR Museum -11/7/2009

2009-11-07T16:50:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday November 3, the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum of Willimantic, CT was vandalized. Initial estimates could put the cost of repairs to $100,000. Despite the fact that the museum grounds were closed for the season at the end of October, the museum held an open house during the weekend of November 7 and 8. I was there on Saturday November 7, my first visit ever to the museum. I gave a donation and checked out the facility, which has a sort of "Sturbridge Village" feel to it. Some railroad museums are located in a large rail yard adjacent to a station, but this museum has recreated a whole railroad village from the ground up.

The site is tucked away 1/2 mile down a dirt road, adjacent to the New England Central Railroad mainline. You parallel a rusty old track along that dirt road. After parking, you notice the equipment which is tucked away in the wooded site, along with various buildings rescued from a variety of locations. The highlight of the museum is the rebuilt Columbia Junction roundhouse and adjacent Armstrong turntable. The roundhouse took the brunt of the damage, as vandals smashed several windows, most which were custom-built especially for the structure. Adjacent track and work vehicles outside also received damage, including smashed windshields.

If you want to help the museum out, they could use it. Contact information and more information regarding the museum is available on their web site: www.cteastrrmuseum.org. The museum is a small group of volunteers working with limited resources/funds to preserve and maintain a piece of railroad history. A setback like this incident will not be easy to recover from, but from the looks of the crowds as I left Saturday morning, the wheels are in motion and there's definetly interest.

To see pics of my morning at the museum, visit http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt

Celebrating Halloween at Sugarbush

2009-11-04T11:44:00.000-08:00

real original costume, i know... this was my getup for my uncle's party... not the VT party

With my days in Connecticut numbered, I had the opportunity again to make a quick weekend trip to my winter home at Sugarbush. My cousin Amanda and her husband Seth invited me up to a Halloween party just off the Access Road. While I didn't know the people having the party, I did run into about a dozen or so of my mountain coworkers, so it was kind of like a reunion of sorts. "Hogan, how have you been? Coming back?" was a phrase I heard a few times that night. Standing out by the bonfire, watching the sky clear out from earlier rains and the clouds racing by the moon while sipping a Long Trail...I felt like I was home again.

The next morning, 11/1, we proceeded to continue cleaning the condo. Amanda and Seth took back quite a bit of stuff with them, and I brought more stuff in. "Make the place your own" they said. And I have been doing that little by little over the past month, as this was my 3rd visit since mid September. My bedroom is all set and the upstairs living room and kitchen is taking shape. One more day of cleaning and I should be able to sit back and relax and enjoy my on-mountain winter residence.

Now I sit at home in Connecticut, waiting for the call for the return to work, which hopefully will be right around Thanksgiving. The mountain is scheduled to open the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and snowmaking has started. Until the magic hour, I continue to work out and spend time with my family and friends. But I am anxiously looking forward to the upcoming winter season and a return to the 'Bush.

See you on the mountain later this month!

The new ride: Dodge Ram 1500

2009-11-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

In August, I was able to sell my 1988 Toyota Land Cruiser, aka the Mountain Ryder, and thanks to my dad, I got the truck I wanted.... a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500. He got it at the auction and it needed just a little bit of work to get it on the road. But by September, she was on the road and ready to go. I put a new radio in it, which allows my Ipod to charge and be controlled by the head unit, which is awesome, especially for long drives. My uncle installed my custom horn in it, and we got a set of 4 new tires. It came with a toolbox, too, so all my tools are in the box and not clogging up the extended cab.

She runs great... I missed having cruise control and power windows! The 4WD also works great, as I was able to test it during a little off road adventure during our first snowfall in Connecticut in October. I still need to figure out why the front speakers don't work, and to get some new fog lights, but outside of that, it's an awesome truck and I'm happy.

This winter, the truck will remain at my on-mountain condo most of the time since I'll be able to walk to work. This should save me quite a bit of $$$ on gas, not having to drive everyday.

Train Rides, Walkway over the Hudson, highlight latest NYC trip

2009-10-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

My latest New York City trip took place October 16-19. It was highlighted by several train rides, a night at Otto's for some beers and live music, and experiencing the Hudson River from new heights.

The trip started with a commuter train ride from Old Saybrook, Ct to Grand Central Terminal, changing trains in New Haven. I was able to get an earlier train to GCT and got to the city an hour ahead of schedule. I headed straight for my brother's apartment and stayed in that Friday night, seeing as how I had to get up really early the next morning.

Saturday morning, I got up before 6am, got to Penn Station around 6:10, and awaited my Amtrak train to Philadelphia. Everything was on time and boarding for the Conrail Historical Society's special excursion started at 9am. I was seated in the first car on the train and had to ride in a backwards facing seat, but at least it was an Amtrak coach. We proceeded out of Philly, down the corridor to Perryville, MD, then up the "Port Road", a freight only line to Enola Yard near Harrisburgh. At Harrisburgh, we were able to get off the train and take a break before boarding and returning to Philadelphia. This was all new rail mileage for me, and got some pretty good pics, despite the rain. Arriving back at Philly on time, I shot the locomotives on our train, a pair of restored ex-Pennsylvania RR E units. And since we got back on time, I was able to save myself a 2 hour layover and paid $11 to upgrade my return Amtrak ticket to NYP to a train departing at 6:20, vs 8:20. I got back to the city and chilled at the apartment before going out with my brother to Otto's. His band "Stark" played around 11. It was a LONG night, finally returning home at around 5am, since bars are open till 4.

Sunday we spent lounging around the apartment. On Monday, I decided to head back to Connecticut, but first wanted to go up to Poughkeepsie to check out the Walkway Over The Hudson. The Walkway just opened earlier in the month and is the former Poughkeepsie RR Bridge, converted to a pedestrian walkway. Not a cloud in the sky and fall foliage down below made for some great shots. I highly suggest a visit to the walkway if you are in the Poughkeepsie - Highland NY area. Quite a few folks up there too enjoying the bridge. I returned to the 'city and caught my return Metro North train to New Haven, then my Shore Line East train back to Old Saybrook, where my dad gave me a ride home.

Unlike prior NYC trips, I only went out drinking once, a testament to a full slate of activities I had planned, and my desire to drink less. The rail trips were great, and the Walkway over the Hudson was awesome.

Check out the trip pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/shadyjayvt.