# Mt Greylock Thunderbolt Trail 1/10/2010



## skidmarks (Jan 12, 2010)

We started from Gould's Farm and took the Bellows Pipe Trail to the Summit of Mt Greylock.
Skied down the Thunderbolt Trail and cut through Greylock Glen on the way out.
Great conditions!! The snow was perfect! I find it amazing that we can have such a long run in Mass.
I'm not sure if we got every last bit of the trail but they talk of vertical drop of 2100FT!!
Thank You to The Thunderbolt Ski Runners who did an awesome job on maintaining the run.
It was a much better ski than it was 7 years ago. I'm very tempted to go again this Friday.


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## JD (Jan 12, 2010)

Nice TR. Looks  like a good base is down.


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## billski (Jan 12, 2010)

Skid,
That is SO GOOD!  I've never seen such an excellent video of the trail.  You're absolutely right, the trail maintenance, along with excellent coverage is going to make for a helluva a race!  You did a great job narrating it and making a story about it.    Can't wait for the race now for sure.   - Serious stoke for all racers and fans!


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## Jisch (Jan 12, 2010)

*Excellent*

I am going to try and get up there this weekend, we'll see. 

John


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## TheBEast (Jan 12, 2010)

Awesome.....I gotta get up there.


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## wa-loaf (Jan 12, 2010)

Nice. Practice run for the race?


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## mlctvt (Jan 12, 2010)

Looks great. 
There's a great article in the latest AMC outdoors magazine all about the Thunderbolt trail and the races they had there in the mid 1930s. They had over 7000 spectators show up for these races. After WWII the races declined as skiers migrated to lift serviced ski areas.


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## Greg (Jan 12, 2010)

Very cool!


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## billski (Jan 12, 2010)

*Links*



mlctvt said:


> Looks great.
> There's a great article in the latest AMC outdoors magazine all about the Thunderbolt trail and the races they had there in the mid 1930s. They had over 7000 spectators show up for these races. After WWII the races declined as skiers migrated to lift serviced ski areas.



AMC Outdoors

The Race

The History


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## skidmarks (Jan 12, 2010)

wa-loaf said:


> Nice. Practice run for the race?



More of a checking things out. I haven't skied the Thunderbolt in 7 years and then only once!
I may try to get back up there and take some practice runs.


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## Johnskiismore (Jan 12, 2010)

That was pretty cool!


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## o3jeff (Jan 12, 2010)

Makes me _almost_ wish that I should of got the BC set up.


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## riverc0il (Jan 12, 2010)

Nice, dude. I need to put the race on my calendar. Not necessarily to do the race, but the TBolt has been on my BC to do list for a while now and that would be as good a time as any. Quite an event for the NE BC Community.


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## LiftlineRedcoat (Jan 12, 2010)

Great report and video!  I've gotta try that one of these days...


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## Newpylong (Jan 12, 2010)

Wow they really did a great job maintaining that. It wasn't even skiable when I was younger...


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## skidmarks (Jan 13, 2010)

o3jeff said:


> Makes me _almost_ wish that I should of got the BC set up.



Yes you missed the boat on that one; but as they say "it's never too late".


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## halifax (Jan 13, 2010)

Thanks for the great video, and outstanding dance track!


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## skidmarks (Jan 13, 2010)

*The Route*

From google earth Vert drop looks to be around 1867. 2144 back to Gould Farm


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## billski (Jan 13, 2010)

*stats*

The original course was 
Vertical Drop: 1,760 ft.

The "new" course is:
Vertical Drop: 2,050 ft.

Some facts on the new course:
Length: 1.6 miles (racing), 2.0 miles (total)
Average Grade: 16 degrees
Steepest Grade: 35 degrees
Narrowest Point: 15 feet at Needle's Eye

You're usually going pretty fast when you hit the Needle.  No netting or other safety stuff .

Course Record: 2 min. 8 sec., set by Per Klippgen in 
the 1948 Eastern Downhill Championship Race.The course record will be an interesting number to watch.

Tele, DH and Boarder categories.


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## billski (Jan 13, 2010)

I just found out the start line is at the shelter, which means the race course crosses the road.  That makes things interesting!


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## Andrew Caffrey (Jan 13, 2010)

that was a relevation. I would not have guessed there is that much snow there now.


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## catsup948 (Jan 13, 2010)

I was up there Sunday as well. Trail is in great shape!


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## riverc0il (Jan 13, 2010)

I have always wondered.... is that straight line that is cleared out skiable? Looks like it would be steeper than the TBolt.


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## skidmarks (Jan 13, 2010)

*Powerline*

I've heard it's skiable but I'm not sure.


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## billski (Jan 13, 2010)

riverc0il said:


> I have always wondered.... is that straight line that is cleared out skiable? Looks like it would be steeper than the TBolt.



What line?


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## riverc0il (Jan 13, 2010)

billski said:


> What line?


Look at the map posted above.... there is a straight cut where a power line runs up to the summit. On the map, just left of the TBolt.


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## billski (Jan 13, 2010)

riverc0il said:


> Look at the map posted above.... there is a straight cut where a power line runs up to the summit. On the map, just left of the TBolt.



I understand.   What makes the trail so challenging is not just pitch.  Thetrail  direction, pitch and yaw often change simultaneously.  Combine that with variable condition and sudden trail configuration changes, and you have "an intermediate trail with expert conditions". Nobody designs trails like this any more.


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## riverc0il (Jan 13, 2010)

billski said:


> I understand.   What makes the trail so challenging is not just pitch.  Thetrail  direction, pitch and yaw often change simultaneously.  Combine that with variable condition and sudden trail configuration changes, and you have "an intermediate trail with expert conditions". Nobody designs trails like this any more.


You are preaching to the choir, my man! I am a guy that considers the Taft Race Course to be one of Cannon's best trails! No one makes them like that any more, indeed! But it would be nice to have steeper second option for a 2-in-1 combo.


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## Newpylong (Jan 13, 2010)

I have heard of people skiing the Powerlines, I personally don't think its possible. If someone did, there would be plenty of places that aren't skiiable.


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## skidmarks (Jan 14, 2010)

billski said:


> The original course was
> Vertical Drop: 1,760 ft.
> 
> The "new" course is:
> ...



I'm going for a nice non-stop ride down!
I don't see myself letting it rip. I wonder how long it will take? Should be a leg burner.


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## o3jeff (Jan 14, 2010)

skidmarks said:


> Yes you missed the boat on that one; but as they say "it's never too late".



I see your shop does $30 rentals, I'll have to rent a BC set up next time you go!:razz:


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## skidmarks (Jan 14, 2010)

o3jeff said:


> I see your shop does $30 rentals, I'll have to rent a BC set up next time you go!:razz:



My Friend Mike got new Dalbelo Virus boots and his Garmont G-rides are your size!


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## Marc (Jan 15, 2010)

Huh.  I think I'll be there this Sunday.  With the warmer temps and what looks like packed snow, could be pretty good sliding.  Hope it doesn't stick to the skins too much.


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## skidmarks (Jan 15, 2010)

You can wax your skins (glob stop) to prevent that!


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## billski (Jan 16, 2010)

riverc0il said:


> I have always wondered.... is that straight line that is cleared out skiable? Looks like it would be steeper than the TBolt.



River, here's your line: THE CHIEF


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