Bogsports Launches
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Add comment November 28th, 2007
Meathead Films Trailer: Wanderland
Add comment November 10th, 2007
Great pics
Stowe got some early season snow, for those who don’t mind working for it. Check em out: http://stowe.com/mountain/pod.php
Add comment November 9th, 2007
‘07-’08
Halloween Day. That means we’re on the last day of the last month without the possibility of a resort opening. As is always the case, I can’t wait to get out there.
Add comment October 31st, 2007
Tenney Will Not Open This Year.
I must admit that I’m fairly surprised with shi decision, especially since I spent some time at the Boston Ski Show talking to the nice folks at the Tenney booth.
Here is the official statement, from their site:
Plymouth, NH – With and eye toward the future, the ownership of Tenney Mountain Ski Resort has decided not to open the ski operation this winter instead opting to focus on future planning for the entire resort including some exciting outdoor activities this winter with the schools of Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS). The decision came as the resort management and staff was in the midst of preparing for 2006-2007 ski season.
“Ownership believes the best way forward is to concentrate fully on the future planning for the ski resort and associated real estate, without the encumbrance of the daily ski resort operation” said Joel Bourassa, spokesman for Tenney Mountain. “Here at the mountain, we are indeed very disappointed but, at the same time, excited to be working on some exciting development plans and working with our new friends at EMS.”
Tenney was purchased in January 2006 by a New York company which saw a great investment and development opportunity at Tenney. The vision is still very much alive and, hopefully, by next ski season, skiers and riders will start to see the results of this winter’s planning.
Season pass holders at Tenney will receive a prompt refund on their purchase and school programs, events, races and other activities will be redirected to other nearby ski resorts. Passholders will also be offered various season pass incentives at Loon, Waterville Valley, Cranmore and Ragged Mountain.
As for the programs with EMS, Tenney expects a relationship to begin this winter with some scheduled on-mountain activities with the EMS Winter Sports Schools including introduction to alpine touring, guided backcountry tours, introduction to telemark skiing and much more. These programs will be based out of the Tenney Mountain Base Lodge and held on Tenney property.
For more information please call Tenney Mountain at 603-536-4125, ext. 304.
Add comment January 3rd, 2007
Making The Most Out of What You’ve Got
This seems to be the theme all across the east this year. Mother Nature has put a spin on what most consider a pivotal time of year. In speaking with ski area GMs, the rule of thumb is that Christmas vacation week can account for a third of a smaller ski area’s revenue for the entire year and when families don’t see the white stuff in their backyard – or worse, they feel 50 degree temps at home – they tend to stay away from the mountains. How often has this sight given you goosebumps? If you’re like me, often, and that’s because the folks who work on the hill haven’t had all that much time to do it.
This isn’t new to eastern skiing at all. Yes, this year’s warm temps are out of the norm and discouraging to many skiers and riders, but resorts around the country and Europe have had their fare share of early and mid-season droughts. Hence, the advent of the very thing that may well save the season for most – snowmaking. The problem is – along with the lack of snowfall, there have been warmer than usual temps at night, meaning limited snowmaking and furthermore, limited terrain at even the largest ski resorts.
So all this said, how do we deal with what Mother Nature has dealt us for cards? Perhaps we can go on our local chat room or resort board and post bulletin after bulletin about global warming? (Hint: This isn’t global warming at work. Has it contributed? Of course, but the numbers don’t add up to that conclusion. It’s flat out abnormal weather.) Even better, we can post more bulletins about how bad the conditions are and blame mountain ops for not having more terrain open… (Hmm. I’m sensing my own sarcasm.) The cold hard fact is that no matter how much people complain about how many trails are open, or whether the surface is groomed or wet-packed, we can’t change this. We can, however, deal with it. That’s exactly what ski areas and their hard-working staff are doing all over the east. The snowmakers are on standby day and night waiting for that magic number to appear and let loose the guns, cannons, and fans. Groomers are biting their nails, waiting for the water to seep down through the manmade surface so they can do their part. What can we do, as skiers and riders? We can get out their and just enjoy the fact we’re in the outdoors. Savor every last run we make. Wave to a snowmaker as he or she is walking up or down one of the trails, ‘cause without these people, we don’t have any of it – not one single strip of white gold to make those sweet turns on.
And when the big storms hit – and they will – don’t forget who got you from salivating at the prospect of getting on your new boards you picked up at the ski expo, to carving long GS turns deep into March. The folks that hiked around the mountain hooking up tower guns and risking their lives in the pitch-black nights may well be remembered as the heroes of the 2006-2007 ski season. I, for one, hope they get some rest and Colorado shares the wealth, but until that time, my skis are loving every turn on the manmade snow and I am enjoying every second I get to spend doing what it is I love to do.
Happy skiing and Happy New Year!
By: Jerry Graffam
Add comment December 28th, 2006
Where to find the most runs
The temperatures have been warm, the snowfall low, so who has the most trails?
Killington – 42 trails
Okemo, Sunday River – 34
Stratton – 22
Mount Snow – 18
Sugarloaf – 17
Bretton Woods – 13
4 out of the top 5 are in Vermont, so it looks like that’s your best bet in New England.
Add comment December 21st, 2006
Opening Day
by Drew McKenna
Normally, your first ski day of the year is filled with ice patches, scraping your edges on rock, and an afternoon in the tavern after having enough ice skating. Last Friday before I made the long trek north, I didn’t hold too high expectations for weekend. However, as we began to move up through New Hampshire and into Vermont, I noticed that there was snow on ground pretty much everywhere. And as we pulled into the parking lot outside our condo at Bolton Valley I discovered there was even more. It wasn’t until the following morning that I realized the implications of this: we were going to have good conditions!
On a day that saw the mid 20s, BV was blowing snow all day onto a lower mountain classic – Beach Seal, I had the best ski conditions for my first day since I was a sophomore in high school and an injury prevented me from skiing until February. With each run I expected the snow to give way to ice, and the ice to rock, but it never happened. All four trails we skied on were well covered. The top of the mountain wasn’t open, so we had some short runs, but we also had about 30 of them.
In the past I’ve always had the conversation “at least we’re out here skiing”, talking myself into the idea that just because there’s no trails, and no snow its still good to be out there. This year, snow was not an issue. After last year’s snow-starved winter, I can only hope that the pattern set on opening day will be one continued through closing day.
Add comment December 12th, 2006
Winds of Change at Sunday River and Sugarloaf
It takes a lot for Sunday River to impress me. I spent four years as a seasons’ pass holder there, have skied every trail, and have at times been a critic of the mountain. They always brag about the number of lifts and mountains, I find that a deterrent as you are constantly skiing to a lift as opposed to skiing the trail you want to ski. But this, from the latest Snowtalk Newsletter, is truly amazing: Sunday River (and Sugarloaf/USA) are going to be 100% wind powered this year. Everything: base lodges, offices, ski lifts, energy-intensive snowmaking operations and three Grand Resort Hotel and Conference Centers is going to be wind powered. That’s quite amazing. Read more here.
Add comment November 16th, 2006
CALLING ALL JIVE TURKEYS FOR LOON MOUNTAIN’S THANKSJIBBING ON NOVMEBER 25
LINCOLN, NH – Loon Mountain is calling out all snowboarders to dust off their equipment and kick-off the 2006 – 07 season with an under-the-lights rail jam on Saturday, November 25. The second annual Thanksjibbing contest is open to men and women of all ages and ability levels with cash prizes awarded to the top male and female riders. In addition to the contest, Loon will premiere EPI Films “It Ain’t Easy” which features local riders such as Scotty Lago, Chris Grenier, Scott Stevens, Brian Biederman and Chris Carr.
Registration for the contest will be from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. in the Octagon Lodge with a $10 entry fee per competitor; all competitors must fill out a liability release, anyone under 18 must have parent or adult signature. The rail jam will begin at 5 p.m. with an array of rails and boxes set up for contestants to session in an open jam format. This contest is not for chickens and if you call yourself a jive turkey…show what you’ve got.
“It Ain’t Easy”, awards, food, drinks and a Threedom Pass raffle follow the last jib.
As an official SPT Park, Loon Mountain is a part of Snow Park Technologies, a recognized leader in terrain park development and course/terrain designers for the ESPN Winter X Games and US Open of Snowboarding. Loon’s six terrain parks boast cutting edge terrain features and events to satisfy the entry level park rider to expert.
For more information about Thanksjibbing or other park events, visit terrainparks.loonmtn.com.
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Loon Mountain is located just two hours north of Boston, along New Hampshire’s scenic Kancamagus Highway. Rated as the most accessible resort in New Hampshire by the readers of SKI Magazine and the #1 Resort in the east by the readers of Transworld Snowboarding, Loon Mountain is part of the Booth Creek family of resorts that include: Cranmore, Waterville Valley, Northstar-at-Tahoe, Sierra-at-Tahoe and the Summit-at-Snoqualmie.
Add comment November 14th, 2006
