# Ski Sundown Tuesday 12/23/08



## severine (Dec 23, 2008)

*Date(s) Skied: *Tuesday, 12/23/08

*Resort or Ski Area: *Ski Sundown, New Hartford, CT

*Conditions: *25*, sunny, packed powder, powder, hardpack

*Trip Report: *Got out for a couple of hours of fun at Sundown today. Had a nice chat with Chris Sullivan (who assured me the snow conditions were fantastic ) and then got on the snow by 1PM. Chris was right! While there were some scraped off spots, for the most part, it was beautiful! Packed powder and churned up powder just about everywhere; the flats on Canyon Run to Exhibition had some nasty hardpack in the middle that was squirrely, but the edge on the right was very nice. Watch out for the jumps at the bottom of the top of Nor'Easter! I was advised by a gentleman who skied by me on Nor'Easter that the troughs on the bumps were icy, BTW. I was churning out lots of quick turns today and wore myself out fast. 

On the last ride up the lift I stopped wistfully watching Gunny and decided to go for it. This was only the 2nd day ever skiing Gunny for me, and the first time during daylight hours. Those who have shared a chair with me know that I am afraid of heights and the open view on Gunny has been a little nerve-wracking concept for me. The pitch, too, is a bit much during the day. Today was not bad, though. I actually checked out the view, took some pics, talked on the phone with Brian at one point... but did NOT psyche myself out!  I stopped when I had to on the first half (the bottom half was a piece of cake) and just took my time. FUN! If I hadn't been worn out by the time I got to the bottom, I would have skied it again. I would have preferred having the Joyriders on Gunny, but the Maries held their own just fine.

Headed home at 3PM. Satisfied with a couple of hours to tide me over the holidays. Have fun tonight, guys!

Pics are coming...


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## severine (Dec 23, 2008)

Bumps at Nor'Easter/Temptor merge:





That dude double ejected right after I took the photo.

Nor'Easter & bumps:





Lower Nor'Easter:





Lift





Someone(s) poached the lift line:


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## severine (Dec 23, 2008)

Exhibition (this part was skiing beautifully!):





Exhibition:





View from top of Gunny:





Base area:





Bottom of Gunny:


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## Grassi21 (Dec 23, 2008)

D'oh!  I was there from 1:30 to 3:45.

Fun 2 hrs.  Bumps were in great shape.  They do seem like they shrunk.  But the troughs are filled in nicely.  I few scratchy patches here and there but overall fun as hell.  

I saw a guy on Temptor.  He was ripping though the bumps.  I ended up on the next lift with him and started chatting.  Turns out he grew up skiing Sundown and was back in the NE for the holidays.  I ended up skiing 3 or 4 runs on Temptor with him.  He would lay some serious pipes down to the bumps and carry all of his speed into the bumps.  I was trying to keep up so I ended up doing the same (well maybe I checked most of my speed right before but I didn't give myself time to stand there and look).  Seemed like I was making some nice turns in there.  I start the day on the right side of both sets of bumps.  Once I tried the left side I got into a groove and stayed there for both sets of bumps for the rest of the day.  Wish I had more time.  I was a dumb ass and took my wife's keys this morning and she needed to go and pick up our son.  D'oh!


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## severine (Dec 23, 2008)

:lol: Figures, huh? That's alright, I don't ski the bumps (yet) so I guess I didn't miss out.


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## Grassi21 (Dec 23, 2008)

severine said:


> :lol: Figures, huh? That's alright, I don't ski the bumps (yet) so I guess I didn't miss out.



If I knew I would have taken a couple of runs with you.  Next time.  Hoping to get back up there this weekend with the wife.


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## davidhowland14 (Dec 23, 2008)

what about gunny makes it more difficult for you during the day?


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## severine (Dec 23, 2008)

davidhowland14 said:


> what about gunny makes it more difficult for you during the day?


The wide open view. I'm afraid of heights; steep pitches with wide open views freak me out a bit. The fact that it didn't get to me today is a good sign that I'm starting to get over some of my fears...starting.


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## davidhowland14 (Dec 23, 2008)

well right on for coming to grips with it. Being able to conquer things that previously scared the sh*t out of me is one of my favorite parts of skiing. Interesting that it's easier for you at night. I frequently have more trouble at night due to flat light, etc.


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## severine (Dec 23, 2008)

At night I can't see how high up I am.  Most of my skiing has been done at night, so I'm used to the light conditions. In fact, I've had a lot of adjusting to do this year to day skiing since I have so little experience with it.


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## powhunter (Dec 23, 2008)

Way to shred the gunnie gnar carrie!!!!!!


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## Trekchick (Dec 23, 2008)

severine said:


> The wide open view.* I'm afraid of heights; steep pitches with wide open views freak me out a bit.* The fact that it didn't get to me today is a good sign that I'm starting to get over some of my fears...starting.


Says the girl who took ABasin by storm!


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## severine (Dec 23, 2008)

Trekchick said:


> Says the girl who took ABasin by storm!


Yup, but remember I did much better on the day when it was snowing than the bluebird day. Part of the reason why I froze on that trail we all skied was the wide open view. :dunce: Katy helped me a lot when I skied with her in coping with that fear.


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## gmcunni (Dec 23, 2008)

severine said:


> *Date(s) Skied: *Tuesday, 12/23/08
> 
> *Resort or Ski Area: *Ski Sundown, New Hartford, CT
> 
> ...





Grassi21 said:


> D'oh!  I was there from 1:30 to 3:45.



  i had the 3 - 7 slot covered!!  was there with my son and daughter.   Great day at Sundown.  

We started out on Sensation for a few runs to get my daughter warmed up, it was her first day out this year.

We moved over to the main mountain and hit up TT then CR.  After that we "found" Nor'Easter   both my kids ended up loving Nor'Easter to Exhibition. we skied up on the sundeck several times too.  My daughter was eating up the moguls on Nor Easter.  We lapped that route pretty much the rest of the night.   My son tried out GB on his own and then my daughter and i joined him for a run there too.  

Had a wonderful time.


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## Greg (Dec 23, 2008)

davidhowland14 said:


> I frequently have more trouble at night due to flat light



I see this posted a lot and never understand it. I think of flat light being at the end of the day, especially around this time of year when the sun goes behind a ridge early and you lose sunlight which lights up the variability of the terrain. This is especially a difficult adjustment when you've been skiing in sunny conditions much of the day and then you suddenly lose it. I've found that lights while night skiing do a good job lighting up the snow once it's good and dark. I'll take bumps under the lights over late day flat light any day.



gmcunni said:


> i had the 3 - 7 slot covered!!



I guess it was up to Brian and me to close the day. Sundown was well represented by AZers today it seems. Got started almost at 7:30 and took a run. Got a call from Brian and met up with him. As usual we lapped the Nor'easter and Temptor bumps all night. We considered giving Gunny a run, but never did it. We did trade skis for a run though which was interesting. We both seemed happy to get back on our own boards. :lol:

Good session, but I was in a funk again at the outset. In fact, I've been in a major skiing funk much of this season. Gotta keep battling through. I started to get things dialed again the last hour. Bumps were okay. They're already getting skied off a bit. Lots of variable surface. Lines are kinda whacked, but I found a decent one towards the end of the night which only needed one major line correction. I worked on hand position and looking ahead more tonight and actually remembered to do some of it. I really need to work on trough hopping though. It's a skill that seems to be mandatory to avoid some of the classic CT icy backsides.

Anyway, thanks for the company Brian. Nice crash into the woods on the turn down into Temptor. :lol: The mountain will go into Christmas break with plenty of snow. Temptor seems to drop off 5 feet down towards the edges. Plenty of snow on it.


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## bvibert (Dec 24, 2008)

Nice night.  I had fun trying to figure out a decent line, and then stick to it.  My tumble into the woods was actually kinda fun, the snow was DEEP in there.   Can't really say that I was working on anything in particular, more just trying to get down with some sort of style. 

The only bummer to the night was getting home and realizing that my season pass had fallen off at some point...


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## MrMagic (Dec 24, 2008)

ill be out tomarrow, in the rain! hope the bumps will be nice and soft !!!


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## bvibert (Dec 24, 2008)

MrMagic said:


> ill be out tomarrow, in the rain! hope the bumps will be nice and soft !!!



Work em back into shape for us!


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## jarrodski (Dec 24, 2008)

Greg;367522
Good session said:
			
		

> gregers...   you stretching first, during and after?  helps a lot.  loosens up everything...
> you're still probably switching muscle control from riding gravel paths on your schwinn to skiing.
> 
> when's the first day of work?


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## Greg (Dec 24, 2008)

ishovelsnow said:


> gregers...   you stretching first, during and after?  helps a lot.  loosens up everything...
> you're still probably switching muscle control from riding gravel paths on your schwinn to skiing.
> 
> when's the first day of work?



Stretching is for wimps. :lol:

Seriously, that actually might be a good idea. I've found it takes me at least 5 runs to get going. Maybe stretching will at least cut that down a bit.

Gravel paths, eh? :lol:

I'll be over there Monday evening for the timing system test; probably work in an afternoon bump session.

And to those getting out in the NCP today, enjoy the mashed potato bumps! Jealous!


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## jarrodski (Dec 24, 2008)

Greg said:


> Stretching is for wimps. :lol:
> 
> Seriously, that actually might be a good idea. I've found it takes me at least 5 runs to get going. Maybe stretching will at least cut that down a bit.
> 
> ...



it doesn't take much,  touch the toes a few times, and do some ninja kicks.


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## gmcunni (Dec 24, 2008)

shot some video last night, mostly of my daughter snow plowing through the Nor'Easter bumps


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## Greg (Dec 24, 2008)

Cool kid stoke. I was thinking Abby might be the leader of the next generation of Sundown rippers, but it looks like you're daughter is well on her way. Sweet!  How old is she?


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## bvibert (Dec 24, 2008)

Did your son hit the bumps too Gary?  Looks like your daughter is going to be a future ripper for sure!


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## MR. evil (Dec 24, 2008)

ishovelsnow said:


> it doesn't take much,  touch the toes a few times, and do some ninja kicks.



There is actually a lot of debate over weather cold stretching before physical activity really does anything. Many athletes and trainers actually say it can increase your chances of pulling and tearing a muscle. The new trend is to stretch after a short warm up of physical activity. So for skiing I would do a couple of moderate runs to get the muscle, ligaments and tendons warmed up, and then stretch. It is also very important to stretch after your work out. This is something I need to start doing after I ski. I always stretch after the gym, Judo & mountain biking but I seem to forget about it after a ski session.

From my own personal experience in this matter, for the first 10 to 12 years I trained martial arts we would stretch for 10 minutes first thing when class started. I never really noticed any increase in my overall flexibility and at times stretching was painful. For the past couple of years I have been training at a different club that does a short 5 minute warm up (push up, jumping jacks, running in-place, ect…) and then stretches. Not only did my flexibility increase quite dramatically in short period of time, stretching was less painful as the muscles were loose, and I could stretch deeper and longer


http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/exercise/stretching.html


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## jarrodski (Dec 24, 2008)

its probably important to note then that i hike the mountain and shovel for a few hours every morning before putting on the boots....


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## gmcunni (Dec 24, 2008)

Greg said:


> Cool kid stoke. I was thinking Abby might be the leader of the next generation of Sundown rippers, but it looks like you're daughter is well on her way. Sweet!  How old is she?


Megan turned 10 last week.  



bvibert said:


> Did your son hit the bumps too Gary?  Looks like your daughter is going to be a future ripper for sure!


My stated last night that he isn't a fan of the bumps, perfers high speed cruising.  He also wants to start getting into the parks but hasn't really spent much time there yet.

I'm just thrilled they both like the sport, it is a lot of fun to ski with them!


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## bvibert (Dec 24, 2008)

gmcunni said:


> My stated last night that he isn't a fan of the bumps, perfers high speed cruising.  He also wants to start getting into the parks but hasn't really spent much time there yet.
> 
> I'm just thrilled they both like the sport, it is a lot of fun to ski with them!



Absolutely.  I hope my kids take to it as well as your kids.


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## bvibert (Dec 24, 2008)

ishovelsnow said:


> gregers...   you stretching first, during and after?  helps a lot.  loosens up everything...





Greg said:


> Stretching is for wimps. :lol:
> 
> Seriously, that actually might be a good idea. I've found it takes me at least 5 runs to get going. Maybe stretching will at least cut that down a bit.





ishovelsnow said:


> it doesn't take much,  touch the toes a few times, and do some ninja kicks.





MR. evil said:


> There is actually a lot of debate over weather cold stretching before physical activity really does anything. Many athletes and trainers actually say it can increase your chances of pulling and tearing a muscle. The new trend is to stretch after a short warm up of physical activity. So for skiing I would do a couple of moderate runs to get the muscle, ligaments and tendons warmed up, and then stretch. It is also very important to stretch after your work out. This is something I need to start doing after I ski. I always stretch after the gym, Judo & mountain biking but I seem to forget about it after a ski session.
> 
> From my own personal experience in this matter, for the first 10 to 12 years I trained martial arts we would stretch for 10 minutes first thing when class started. I never really noticed any increase in my overall flexibility and at times stretching was painful. For the past couple of years I have been training at a different club that does a short 5 minute warm up (push up, jumping jacks, running in-place, ect…) and then stretches. Not only did my flexibility increase quite dramatically in short period of time, stretching was less painful as the muscles were loose, and I could stretch deeper and longer
> 
> ...





ishovelsnow said:


> its probably important to note then that i hike the mountain and shovel for a few hours every morning before putting on the boots....



Stretching is definitely a good idea, but I never get around to it.  A lot of my skiing sessions are so short I'm not willing to spend the time to warm up and then stretch, especially when skiing with others.  I guess the least I could do is stretch at the car when I'm done.

A couple of years ago when I was MTBing by myself I'd stop for a short stretching session after warming up for a bit.  This past year I rode with other people so often that stopping to stretch wasn't practical.


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