# Wachusett - 12/23/11



## hammer (Dec 23, 2011)

*Date(s) Skied: *Friday 12/23/11 9:30AM - 1:00 PM

*Resort or Ski Area: * Wachusett, MA

*Conditions: * Soft snow, some thin spots, cloudy, fog, lower 40s

*Trip Report: *

Got to Wachusett just about 9:30...looking at the base area things looked a bit thin.  Had a voucher and got a ticket for $31 for the DW, could not complain.

One way down from each lift...Challenger was closed.

Took a few runs down Ralph's which was in fog up top in the AM.  There were a number of thin spots but there was some decent snow on skier's left lower down.  Nice hero snow, soft but not mashed.

We then took a run down Conifer which was socked in to the second steeper section.  Nice snow, looked like coverage was mostly edge to edge with few thin spots.

After an early lunch we went back out and took some more runs down Conifer, which was getting some more push piles but the fog was limited to the narrower section up top before the first steep.  The steep started to look scraped but the hardpack was also soft.  Real nice.

We went over to the new lift and took one run down Indian Summer just to check it out.  The lift makes going over to that area much more tolerable.  Snow conditions on the trail were same as elsewhere, soft with most areas covered.

After one more run each on Conifer and Ralph's we called it an early day...crowds were starting to increase with kids getting out of school (early release day).

Really nice couple of hours and well worth taking the day off, even with the limited trail count.  It will be nuts next week though if that's all they have to work with.

No pictures but visibility was limited much of the time.


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## Nick (Dec 23, 2011)

Glad to hear the coverage is still good on Conifer / Ralphs. I thought with the rain last night they would be having issues possibly. 

On the plus side: cold temps tonight and tomorrow should be for a good 24 hr plus snowmaking coming up.


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## speden (Dec 23, 2011)

Sounds better than I expected.  I was thinking of hitting Wa today, but when I read Zand's report yesterday, and knowing they'd probably get more rain last night, I thought it would be a disaster.

I'm sure they'll crank the guns back up the instant it's cold enough.  They must be desperate to get more trails open for the holiday week.  I just wonder if they have enough pump capacity to blow more than a couple trails at a time.  With the holiday week here, it must be all hands on deck, man the guns!


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## hammer (Jan 2, 2012)

Better late than never...here's a short video the DW shot of me going down the two steeper sections of Conifer.


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## wa-loaf (Jan 2, 2012)

Plant your poles! ;-)


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## gmcunni (Jan 2, 2012)

very good chance i'll be making my first appearance at Wachusett this saturday.


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## hammer (Jan 3, 2012)

wa-loaf said:


> Plant your poles! ;-)


Yup...that was quite obvious to me when I finally saw the video.  I was working on other stuff so pole plants were being ignored...:roll:


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## wa-loaf (Jan 3, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> very good chance i'll be making my first appearance at Wachusett this saturday.



Good luck ... get there early.


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## gmcunni (Jan 3, 2012)

wa-loaf said:


> Good luck ... get there early.



really? parking or on-mountain crowds or both?  i'll be skiing solo so using the singles lines (if they exist), will it be horrible?


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## wa-loaf (Jan 3, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> really? parking or on-mountain crowds or both?  i'll be skiing solo so using the singles lines (if they exist), will it be horrible?



Well, normally a January Saturday is insane there, but things were kind of slow over vacation just because of the conditions. This Saturday is the NASTAR open so it should be crowded no matter what the weather. If you can wait til Sunday I'd do that.


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## gmcunni (Jan 3, 2012)

wa-loaf said:


> Well, normally a January Saturday is insane there, but things were kind of slow over vacation just because of the conditions. This Saturday is the NASTAR open so it should be crowded no matter what the weather. If you can wait til Sunday I'd do that.



oh, race days at local hills do suck.... can't switch days, my son has a school thing in Worcester so i'm driving him up and have to kill the day.  what about Ski Ward or Pine Ridge, decent places?


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## hammer (Jan 3, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> oh, race days at local hills do suck.... can't switch days, my son has a school thing in Worcester so i'm driving him up and have to kill the day.  what about Ski Ward or Pine Ridge, decent places?


Might still have weekend crowds but if you are willing to go to a small hill you might want to give Nashoba a try...

IMO Wachusett is great for what it is...and that's not a weekend ski destination.


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## wa-loaf (Jan 3, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> oh, race days at local hills do suck.... can't switch days, my son has a school thing in Worcester so i'm driving him up and have to kill the day.  what about Ski Ward or Pine Ridge, decent places?





hammer said:


> Might still have weekend crowds but if you are willing to go to a small hill you might want to give Nashoba a try...
> 
> IMO Wachusett is great for what it is...and that's not a weekend ski destination.



Ski Ward will keep you entertained for an hour ... Nashoba is just as short, but has more terrain and a bar. I'd stick with Wachusett. Really good snowmaking weather for a few days so all three runs should be open from the top. Most of the racers will be on Challenger. Parking and the base area might be packed, but the skiing should be alright from the top.


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## gmcunni (Jan 3, 2012)

from wa's snow report -


> Be sure to get your Park Pass, available online and in the Granite Room starting today at 3pm.



do they require a special pass to access the terrain park?


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## gmcunni (Jan 3, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> from wa's snow report -
> 
> 
> do they require a special pass to access the terrain park?



found my own answer.  apparently YES and it costs extra..
https://www.wachusett.com/EventsAct...rrainParkSafetyProgram/tabid/126/Default.aspx

i'm guessing charging for "extras" like a terrain park will become more widespread, i don't like it.


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## soulseller (Jan 3, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> found my own answer.  apparently YES and it costs extra..
> https://www.wachusett.com/EventsAct...rrainParkSafetyProgram/tabid/126/Default.aspx
> 
> i'm guessing charging for "extras" like a terrain park will become more widespread, i don't like it.



Yes they charge $5 and make you watch a safety video.


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## Nick (Jan 3, 2012)

I had this same question at the end of season last year. I wasn't a big fan either of added fees.


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## wa-loaf (Jan 3, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> found my own answer.  apparently YES and it costs extra..
> https://www.wachusett.com/EventsAct...rrainParkSafetyProgram/tabid/126/Default.aspx
> 
> i'm guessing charging for "extras" like a terrain park will become more widespread, i don't like it.





soulseller said:


> Yes they charge $5 and make you watch a safety video.





Nick said:


> I had this same question at the end of season last year. I wasn't a big fan either of added fees.



Meh. It's $5 and it's good for the season.


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## soulseller (Jan 3, 2012)

wa-loaf said:


> Meh. It's $5 and it's good for the season.



Right, doesn't bother me that much (except for the 10 minutes I have to waste getting the pass) because I'm there ~15 times a season. If I only planned on going to Wa once in a  season I would find it pretty irritating.


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## aaronbru (Jan 4, 2012)

I'll be there tonight (wednesday).  11 trails reported open (so 4 ways down the mountain between the two lifts).  

You can do the park stuff online.  I did that so i didn't have to waste my time watching the safety video.  The 'test' is pretty hard to answer anything wrong so I just filled that out.


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## HD333 (Jan 4, 2012)

Ward Hill should not be an option unless you have never been on skis or a board before. Nashoba is pretty far from Worcester and has limited trails.  WA WA is definitely your best bet. Saturdays are crowded but the singles line should help.


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## gmcunni (Jan 4, 2012)

HD333 said:


> Ward Hill should not be an option unless you have never been on skis or a board before. Nashoba is pretty far from Worcester and has limited trails.  WA WA is definitely your best bet. Saturdays are crowded but the singles line should help.



thanks. will keep the plan WA.


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## o3jeff (Jan 4, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> thanks. will keep the plan WA.



Did you see this? Can save some money if you know a racer or it might add to the crowds
http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?t=105835


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## wa-loaf (Jan 4, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> thanks. will keep the plan WA.



Maybe you should just sign up and race: http://www.nastar.com/articles/wachusett-mountain-to-host-open


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## gmcunni (Jan 4, 2012)

wa-loaf said:


> Maybe you should just sign up and race: http://www.nastar.com/articles/wachusett-mountain-to-host-open



i don't want to jeopardize my status as a professional by participating in an amateur's race.


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## wa-loaf (Jan 6, 2012)

Smith Walton was getting all the snowmaking love last night. Looked deep from the chair, so all three options from the summit should be good to go. 10th was wicked icy last night, but since it's supposed to be like 50 on Saturday I don't think that will be an issue.


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## gmcunni (Jan 6, 2012)

wa-loaf said:


> but since it's supposed to be like 50 on Saturday I don't think that will be an issue.



sweet more spring skiing in January!! woohoo, NOT!


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## speden (Jan 6, 2012)

wa-loaf said:


> Smith Walton was getting all the snowmaking love last night. Looked deep from the chair, so all three options from the summit should be good to go.



That figures.  I've been looking forward to hitting Smith, but I pulled a calf muscle last time out and now I'm sidelined for a while.


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## hammer (Jan 6, 2012)

speden said:


> That figures.  I've been looking forward to hitting Smith, but I pulled a calf muscle last time out and now I'm sidelined for a while.


Hope it wasn't too serious...had a calf pull that had me out for a few weeks.  Biggest challenge was preventing re-injury.


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## speden (Jan 6, 2012)

Yeah, with middle age I find it's a lot easier to pull muscles and they take longer to heal.  It's been five days and it's still sore, so I'm hoping in another week it will be better.  It's hard not to rush back out there, but I'm sure I'd reinjure it if I did.


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