# Black Mountain, NH  02/23/14



## dlague (Feb 24, 2014)

*Black Mountain, NH  02/22/14*

*Black Mountain, NH*

*Conditions:*  Loose granular, soft spring like snow

*Trip Report: *

We had not been to Black Mountain for about 2 years and this was our second time.  It was the RSNE day here and we decided to have fun with it.  We got there around 10 and lucky for us we did not experience the refreeze conditions when they first spun the lifts.  When we got out if was getting softer by the hour.  The Summit Chair had not lift line to speak of all day which was nice since some of the best runs are on that side.  The East Bowl Chair on the otherhand had a much longer line my guess is due to the easier terrain to skiers left - however this is also accessible from the Summit Chair - who knows!  The Summit Chair has two unloading areas (one to avoid the summit and the other to the Summit)

Rather than doing a play by play I will just say we skied everything labeled as advanced.  Sounds exciting, but it is really nothing to write home about.  We had some fun with it for sure, spring like small to medium bumps were found on trails like Upper Maple Slalom (short stretch) and Roller Coaster (got thin in spots).  Fun dips were on Big Dipper and Lostbo (double black only because of the drop in and then not really).  The rest were standard cruisers.  We did ski a few intermediate trails the skiers left from the East Bowl Chair.  The runs were true spring conditions with soft bumps forming on many trails towards the end of the day.  Luck for us we used a warmer temp wax to avoid the slow downs.    However, the last few runs, the surface firmed up a little and conditions got a little faster as colder winds came into the picture.  We did go in some of the glades which were a little weird due to the sinking feeling we experienced where it was untracked.  There is one area under the Summit Chair where you see barbed wire running along the tree line (is that their way of keeping people on the trails?).

We had a lot of fun with it just tooling around and not taking it too seriously.  I think this is a fun place to play but not a place for many on this forum who find Okemo or Bretton Woods boring.  I like more aggressive terrain, but do not mind a day like this one in the books!  BTW, for intermediates this might be an confidence booster since the trails rated as black can be skied here!

After a whole bunch of runs were joined the RSNE Apres Ski Party which was also a lot of fun.  On a final note:  On our way home while driving through Center Harbor we stopped and ate at a place called The Bob House and Reel Tavern - great food!

Roller Coaster


Getting a little thin on Roller Coaster


Mr. Rew


Part of Maple Slalom which my son used as a mini park


My son getting off the Snowcat - he took a couple of grooming runs


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## MadMadWorld (Feb 24, 2014)

Barbed wire? Wow that's not very smart. Someone might have a legal argument with that one!


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## xwhaler (Feb 24, 2014)

Nice report...had we not skied Wildcat on Sat Black would have been our pick. I figured the Southerly exposure would have softened things up quicker than everywhere else.
Don't sell Black's advanced offerings short though. They have some legit woods (albeit short) at the top with cliff bands and tight trees. Lostbo Glades is great and Upper Galloping Goose (upper summit liftline) is awesome when its open with a lot of snow.
Black is a real sleeper on a powder day.


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## St. Bear (Feb 24, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> Nice report...had we not skied Wildcat on Sat Black would have been our pick. I figured the Southerly exposure would have softened things up quicker than everywhere else.
> Don't sell Black's advanced offerings short though. They have some legit woods (albeit short) at the top with cliff bands and tight trees. Lostbo Glades is great and Upper Galloping Goose (upper summit liftline) is awesome when its open with a lot of snow.
> Black is a real sleeper on a powder day.



Pretty much this.

I was there on Sat. It's my go to place during the holidays when my vouchers are blacked out. They have some legit terrain, it's just really short.

As for Sat, it was warm spring bumps all day long. We took two runs in the woods, but it was too crusty to be enjoyable.


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## yeggous (Feb 24, 2014)

St. Bear said:


> Pretty much this.
> 
> I was there on Sat. It's my go to place during the holidays when my vouchers are blacked out. They have some legit terrain, it's just really short.
> 
> As for Sat, it was warm spring bumps all day long. We took two runs in the woods, but it was too crusty to be enjoyable.



Black is a good refuge from the crowds. I have never seen lines here, but as you discovered it is to be avoided without a deep natural base.

Voucher blackout dates... I call that the Vermont Curse. None of my New Hampshire or Maine vouchers are blacked out.




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## deadheadskier (Feb 24, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> Nice report...had we not skied Wildcat on Sat Black would have been our pick. I figured the Southerly exposure would have softened things up quicker than everywhere else.
> Don't sell Black's advanced offerings short though. They have some legit woods (albeit short) at the top with cliff bands and tight trees. Lostbo Glades is great and Upper Galloping Goose (upper summit liftline) is awesome when its open with a lot of snow.
> Black is a real sleeper on a powder day.



Yup, Carter Notch Glade also has some nice drops


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## bdfreetuna (Feb 24, 2014)

Looks nice but they need some snow or it's going to be a short season!


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## dlague (Feb 24, 2014)

Don't get me wrong we had fun!  Glades that were tracked were fine!  But where powder soften up that was untracked caused us to sink unpredictably and turning was not worth the work!  Losbo was good!

We were at Magic the weekend before so our POV was a little biased!

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## deadheadskier (Feb 24, 2014)

bdfreetuna said:


> Looks nice but they need some snow or it's going to be a short season!



Season at Black pretty much ends for all intents and purposes after this upcoming weekend.  Most years, the mountain closes by the third weekend in March.  Even if they closed in two weeks, it's not likely they'll piss off that many people.


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## dlague (Feb 25, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> Barbed wire? Wow that's not very smart. Someone might have a legal argument with that one!



Ya no kidding!  Looking into the woods while going up the Summit Chair about a third of the way up!


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## glennz (Feb 27, 2014)

There is wire fence inside the boundaries of the ski area, but it is well into woods that are mostly impassable due to brush/saplings, and as far as I have seen, it's old electric fences for keeping livestock and horses in.  Granted you wouldn't want to run into it on skis, but I go in the woods regularly there, and anywhere you can ski, you won't find it.  Only actual barbed wire I know of is out of bounds on far skier's left of the ski area and marking the property boundary.

Agree that most of the terrain is pretty benign, but there are some excellent short steep drops and glades that will challenge good skiers.  Awesome on a powder day, and you can ski right onto the lifts when there are 20 minute lines in the rest of the valley.

I believe they are scheduled to close this year on 23 March, but I might be wrong about that.  Groomed trails still have a ton of snow on them so I believe they could go longer if financially feasible.


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## JAM614 (Feb 28, 2014)

Well into the woods, yes, but I woundn't say unskiable lines.  I found some off from the lower trails to the skiers right of Mr. Rew glades (which was closed).  Also found sap lines.  Tread lightly!


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## xwhaler (Feb 28, 2014)

The other Black Mtn's (of ME) glades are much longer, flow better and don't have barbed wire to run into!


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## JAM614 (Feb 28, 2014)

xwhaler said:


> The other Black Mtn's (of ME) glades are much longer, flow better and don't have barbed wire to run into!


Here's another shot of what I believe is Black and Blue, a steep glade off to the skier's right of LostBo.  Pretty cool section of woods but in need of some glade upkeep (whippets) and certainly in need of fresh snow.






As a regular homer of BMOM and glade worker, I full agree Xwhaler. I skied Black (NH) on February 17th for the first time.  Great mountain for families.  No doubt Black in NH has some short steep drops but from the looks of the rocks, it takes a solid 3-4 foot base to ski some-what cleanly. I'm sure there are some interesting lines off the grid.  BMOM glades have just scratched the surface of the potential.  More coming for next season...


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## MadMadWorld (Feb 28, 2014)

Does it really cost that much to get rid of the barbed wire?


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## dmw (Feb 28, 2014)

They're just raising the bar on the whole "may contain unmarked obstacles" bit.


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## Cannonball (Feb 28, 2014)

I have nearly boarded into the barbed wire at Black.  It was few years ago so I can't remember the exact location, but I am positive that it was inbounds on a tree line between 2 trails. The picture that Jam614 posted is pretty much how I remember it, except it wasn't really as tucked away behind that wall.  Obviously, the amount of snow pack changes how high the wire is.  The time I experienced it, it was about boot height.  I was cruising through the trees pretty fast on a very skiable line. If I hadn't seen it at the very last second I can't even image how messed up I would have been.  It completely blows my mind that this exists.


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## Skikarl (Feb 17, 2015)

I agree with you that it's a mountain where most of the trails (with the exception of lostbo) are standard cruisers. However I believe you definitely sold the glades short. Black mountain has what I would consider the hardest glades in New Hampshire. Glades like lostbo glades, black and blue glade, and Carter notch glade. Have a rugged combination of steeps, rocks, and tight trees.


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## MadMadWorld (Feb 17, 2015)

Cannonball said:


> I have nearly boarded into the barbed wire at Black.  It was few years ago so I can't remember the exact location, but I am positive that it was inbounds on a tree line between 2 trails. The picture that Jam614 posted is pretty much how I remember it, except it wasn't really as tucked away behind that wall.  Obviously, the amount of snow pack changes how high the wire is.  The time I experienced it, it was about boot height.  I was cruising through the trees pretty fast on a very skiable line. If I hadn't seen it at the very last second I can't even image how messed up I would have been.  It completely blows my mind that this exists.



Pain is temporary. Dane M. Schulman would set you up nicely with what would be serious gross negligence of the owners. Seriously? How much money do you have to spend to rid your ski area of barbed wire?!?!


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## MadMadWorld (Feb 17, 2015)

Skikarl said:


> I agree with you that it's a mountain where most of the trails (with the exception of lostbo) are standard cruisers. However I believe you definitely sold the glades short. Black mountain has what I would consider the hardest glades in New Hampshire. Glades like lostbo glades, black and blue glade, and Carter notch glade. Have a rugged combination of steeps, rocks, and tight trees.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone



Have you skied Kinsman? Black glades are great but I don't think it can compare. If Wildcat put some of their stuff on map it would probably win that discussion


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## Skikarl (Feb 17, 2015)

JAM614 said:


> Here's another shot of what I believe is Black and Blue, a steep glade off to the skier's right of LostBo.  Pretty cool section of woods but in need of some glade upkeep (whippets) and certainly in need of fresh snow.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



As a long time lover of black there is only one trail I haven't skied, black and blue. I was wondering how you think it compares to Lostbo glades. I found Lostbo glades challenging but manageable. I am kind of neverous because it looks tight and un skiable. I am pretty sure though what I am looking at is not black and blue.


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## dlague (Feb 18, 2015)

Well I will be there this Saturday so I will let every one know how things are!  Looking at the trail map, I am sure that I have not skied Black and Blue.  Then again, it it is a tight glade - I probably have not for sure.  Do not think tight glades are much fun.  More of a tall pine/hardwoods glade skier.


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## Skikarl (Feb 18, 2015)

dlague said:


> Well I will be there this Saturday so I will let every one know how things are!  Looking at the trail map, I am sure that I have not skied Black and Blue.  Then again, it it is a tight glade - I probably have not for sure.  Do not think tight glades are much fun.  More of a tall pine/hardwoods glade skier.



Yea I agree that tight glades aren't as fun. I am not sure if it is open... When I skied black this Tuesday Lostbo glades were closed however I am not sure about black and blue. Hopefully we will get enough snow tonight for those glades to be opened.


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## Skikarl (Feb 21, 2015)

Today I went to black. First (after a warmup run) I went to the summit and skied upper galloping goose and was pleasantly surprised to find that it had a very solid snowpack and was even soft enough to hit a cliff. On the next run I went to ski Lostbo glades and was disappointed to find it was closed. However I spoke to the ski patrol and found out it was ready to be opened it just needed to be given a final run through by the ski patrol. I didn't want to wait so I went up to black and blue glade. Black and blue glade only had two tracks and was filled with great powder. For those of you who haven't skied it, it is harder or just as difficult as the  Lostbo  glades. I would only recommend it to people who are very proficient at skiing deep powder. Overall it is defiantly a glade worth noting and if you find yourself bored or not feeling challenged  you should defiantly give it a try. 

- Karl


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