Powder Day Strategy?

[St. Bear]

The purpose of this thread is 50% help me decide what to do this weekend, and 50% general question/curiosity.

I'm trying to decide what to do for Sat. I have vouchers at Jay Peak and Bretton Woods, so cost isn't an issue. Jay will get more snow, but it'll also get more people and competition. BW will have a larger % of people who won't go off trail, and I've been itching to try the new Stickney area. To complicate matter, the winds will be kicking up, and BW is famous for the lack of winds.

I think I'm leaning towards BW. I'm not the greatest powder/tree skier, so being able to take my time and work on my technique without a powder snob yelling at me for getting in his way is very appealing. On the other hand, I'd hate to get there and have only 3" fallen and most of the glades not open.

What does everyone think?

 

[Puck it]

BW is a lot closer. Get there early to get the goods.

 

[abc]

BW is a lot closer.

Not from New Jersey!

 

[drjeff]

Don't over think it too much, just go at it. And wherever you decide to go, make the most of it, and don't have the "what if I went to the other place?" thoughts!

 

[abc]

I'm trying to decide what to do for Sat. I have vouchers at Jay Peak and Bretton Woods, so cost isn't an issue. Jay will get more snow, but it'll also get more people and competition. BW will have a larger % of people who won't go off trail, and I've been itching to try the new Stickney area. To complicate matter, the winds will be kicking up, and BW is famous for the lack of winds.

I think I'm leaning towards BW. I'm not the greatest powder/tree skier, so being able to take my time and work on my technique without a powder snob yelling at me for getting in his way is very appealing. On the other hand, I'd hate to get there and have only 3" fallen and most of the glades not open.

As far as wind goes, BW definitely wins. But so far this year, Stickney had never opened. So unless the inches are up to the expectation, it may or may not happen.

There're a lot more trees in Jay so I personally don't feel it's all that crowded. And in the trees, everyone can take their own line so there's no such thing as "powder snob yelling at you for getting in his way". And even if you do get in his way, it's his problem to solve. You're just like another tree he needs to get around (albeit a slowly moving one) And if he takes it out on you, he's a jerk!

 

[billski]

I'm not convinced JP will get more snow. Go were the crowds are not. Usually the vacation-weeker are burned out by then.

 

[Riverskier]

Never skied either place, but based on the forecasts I have seen, wind will likely be a factor on Saturday. Bretton Woods is virtually unaffected by winds, so that would be my pick. Not so sure they will see less snow out of this than Jay either. The storm itself that is, hard to say what the Jay cloud might do after the storm passes. I have heard BW has great low angle glades too, so it might be a good place to work on powder/glade skiing skills.

 

[St. Bear]

Go were the crowds are not. Usually the vacation-weeker are burned out by then.

This is usually my mantra. I've had great days at Black Mt. (sloppy seconds 2 days after a storm). Even if the snowfall is less (for arguments sake), it can last a lot longer.

 

[billski]

Never skied either place, but based on the forecasts I have seen, wind will likely be a factor on Saturday. Bretton Woods is virtually unaffected by winds, so that would be my pick. Not so sure they will see less snow out of this than Jay either. The storm itself that is, hard to say what the Jay cloud might do after the storm passes. I have heard BW has great low angle glades too, so it might be a good place to work on powder/glade skiing skills.

14mph doesn't really badda me. Head for fixed grip and woods skiing if it stirs up.

@ Ludlow:

BW winds don't look much better. But it's still got an advantage in terms of what gifts Ullr leaves behind.

 

[abc]

I have heard BW has great low angle glades too, so it might be a good place to work on powder/glade skiing skills.

The whole BW mountain is low angle!

So yes, it's great for practicing easy trees. The only caveat is they hadn't open much of the tree all season. They don't get the same overall snow as Jay. So don't know if the tree stumps are covered up sufficiently to open.

Why not stay somewhere in between, like St Johnsbury and check condition in the morning? You can strike either Jay or BW from there.

 

[thetrailboss]

Don't over think it too much, just go at it. And wherever you decide to go, make the most of it, and don't have the "what if I went to the other place?" thoughts!

+1. If wind is forecast, Jay could be on windhold.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Can you swing Whiteface?

Whiteface got more snow than Jay overnight, is slated to get more snow than Jay through Saturday, it's a much shorter roundtrip drive for you from Washington, and Lake Placid trumps where you're likely staying in n.VT.

 

[St. Bear]

Can you swing Whiteface?

Whiteface got more snow than Jay overnight, is slated to get more snow than Jay through Saturday, it's a much shorter roundtrip drive for you from Washington, and Lake Placid trumps where you're likely staying in n.VT.

Eh, not really. Partly because I have vouchers to Jay and BW, and partly because my parents live in NH, so I wouldn't have to pay for hotel or food.

 

[legalskier]

This is usually my mantra. I've had great days at Black Mt. (sloppy seconds 2 days after a storm). Even if the snowfall is less (for arguments sake), it can last a lot longer.

Wherever you go, we want a TR!

 

[billski]

Wherever you go, we want a TR!

No TR's on a powder day

 

[billski]

Wonder where Rivercoil's going. He gets awful quiet when a dump is heading in.

 

[legalskier]

Jay's reporting 11" over the past 48 hours. http://www.jaypeakresort.com/#/skiing_riding/the_mountain/trail_maps/

Not that that should sway you one way or another.

 

[St. Bear]

Wherever you go, we want a TR!

Normally I don't do TR because they're awfully boring (skied this run, was good...went in the woods, did ok...blah, blah, blah) and I never bring a camera.

However, if I go solo, which is looking to be the case, I just may bring a camera this time.

 

[billski]

Time for radio silence, lest all the lurkers follow me...

 

[snowmonster]

I have heard BW has great low angle glades too, so it might be a good place to work on powder/glade skiing skills.

Never underestimate the fun potential of a powder-filled low angle glade.