New skis for 2008

The temperature was hovering near zero but the gear was definitely hot at the end of January at Stratton Mountain Resort. The ski manufacturers showed off the gear you’ll find on the racks for next season.  

It was fun to get out and try all the stuff I’ll be able to afford when it shows up on clearance or ski-swap racks in a few years.

Some of the highlights:

• “Chip” skis from Head with a built-in computer chip that actively controls the skis' vibration pattern as conditions change.
• “Tigershark” skis from Volkl, with a switch that lets you choose stiffer flex for hard snow, softer flex for soft or inconsistent snow.
• “Exclusive Carve” women’s skis from Dynastar, with a combination of cap ski and straight sidewall construction to make it easier for women to get the ski on edge and carve turns.
• “Speedwave” and “Magfireskis” from Elan. This company was quiet for several years, but is now producing great boards across the line.
• “Nomad” skis from Atomic, that are light, lively and fun in a variety of snow conditions.

Some of this equipment is so new that it hasn’t shown up on the manufacturer websites yet. All of these will be available for you to demo at ski shops and demo days later this season or early next.

Powder morning

Until the Valentine's Day Blizzard of 2007, Mother Nature was a little stingy with natural snow over most of the northeast. But she was more than generous with cold weather. That allowed plenty of fresh,  man-made snow. Thanks to a three-foot dump on Feb. 14, things are looking pretty wonderful for the big late-February vacation weeks.

I had my first real taste of powder this season at the Balsams Wilderness. It’s a long drive north (especially in a pounding snowstorm), but worth it.

We awoke one Saturday morning to find boot-deep, light, fluffy powder covering the entire hill. The groomers were out packing the long, winding beginner trails. They left most of the steeper terrain untouched.

At most resorts, a powder morning is a call to competition: Each skier and rider tries to beat out every other for the best lines. The Balsams is a bit more civilized. Even though it’s open to the public, its isolation essentially makes it a private resort for hotel guests. This also makes it a wonderful place to ski on holiday weeks when other resorts are often crowded.

Even on weekends, the lifts don’t open until 9, so you have time to enjoy the wonderful breakfast included in your stay. (May I suggest the lobster omelet?)

I got in three runs on the fresh before I had to look to find a clean line. It was late morning before the powder had been reduced to chowder. If we’d had enough snow to get in the glades, I believe I could have found fresh lines all day.

Marilyn started her morning on the groomed trails. Then we got together to let her explore the delights of unpacked snow. Her recent clinic with Jeannie Thoren had really paid off. She actually enjoyed unpacked soft snow for the first time. Major leap forward!

The Balsams doesn’t have a huge mountain. But 1,000 vertical feet is perfect for a top-to-bottom high speed run without stopping, and there’s a good variety of trails.

Cold comfort

It has been cold lately: 22 below zero at Bretton Woods, 10 below at Stratton Mountain Resort, and 15 below at The Balsams one recent weekend. 

So what? If you dress properly for it, cold like this is no more than slightly inconvenient. And it makes for wonderful snow surfaces, both natural and man-made.

I’m writing this at the Mountain Top Inn  in Chittenden Vermont, looking out across Chittenden Reservoir as the sun rises. After breakfast, I’m going to ski Pico, which is one of my favorite “forgotten” mountains. And I don’t even want to know how cold it is. Doesn’t matter.  

(P.S. It was, indeed cold out today, but the snow was wonderful. Only about half the mountain was open, but the trails were empty and the liftlines non-existent. Great day!)