Hey, friends! It's Abby with your super-late afternoon report because I simply could not tear myself away from the incredibly sweet slopes today. It was a combination of the bluebird skies, the perfectly groomed and soft terrain, and the great company that kept me going back for more. 😇 You wouldn't have known it rained yesterday; in fact, I mentioned that to a chairlift buddy and they had no idea and were shocked because the grooming team put things back together nicely. Because I'm spoiled, I typically ski for two to three hours and then mosey on home for lunch and a cuddle with Maple. However, I skied from the first chair to (almost) the last chair today and now March 3rd will be noted in my top-five favorite ski days. 🤘 If you care to hear how the wet weather affected the mountain, keep reading!
Again, because I'm spoiled, I somehow got the special treatment and managed to get on the lift before 9 a.m. this morning. Just kidding, I'm not special, it was just one of those days where they started loading guests earlier than expected, so it felt like I got a freebie run in before the crowds entered the group chat. I was pleasantly surprised on my first run down Vortex to Quantum Leap (I'm so predictable) because the snow was actually softly groomed and not hard or firm at all! 😱 I was sure it was going to be an incredibly firm and scratchy day, but it didn't start out that way at all, and as the day warmed up, the snow stayed soft almost everywhere.
My first chairlift buddy, Bob, an Unofficial Okemo subscriber said his go-to warm-up lap is Upper to Lower Limelight. If you've been here for a while, you'll know that Limelight is just a means to an end for me (to get back to the Quantum Six lift) but he noted you can often get first tracks because no one has skied over from the main base side yet, and most people get lured into the Hollywood line under the chairlift. Thanks for the tip, Bob! ✌️
I linked up with my cousin, Meg (one of many), and her boyfriend, Kyle. As we entered the Sunburst Six line, Kyle's pass was scanned and it let out a happy birthday tune! Did you know that if you ski on your birthday, your Epic Pass will set off the birthday music every time you go through the line? 🥳 Embarrassing or Epic? I'd say Epic because again, spoiled. 👑 Sadly, Noah and I will never get to experience this joy as May babies. Happy 30th birthday, Kyle!
Due to skiing all day long, I have so many trail recommendations for you, so here are my top favorites from today: Off the Rim, Blind Faith, Defiance, Moonshadow, Lower Tomahawk, Heaven's Gate, and Sidewinder. What all of these trails have in common is the surprising softness that remained intact throughout the day. A few trails that got skied off quickly were the high-traffic spots including Lower Limelight, Countdown, Sweet Solitude, and Lower World Cup. These few had more significant scratchy areas than others but they still skied well, and in general, everything held up quite well from the rain and warm temperatures. I only saw two brown spots and the expected ice wall on Sidewinder. My #1 trail pick of the day is Timberline to Cutter's Folly! It's a great-paced trail with lots of rollers to fly over, and a quick curvy woods cut through to finish it off.
A few other highlights of my day at rapid-fire:
Assisted with two-yard sales and felt good about myself.
Stopped in to say hi to Mark Stewart at the race hut and signed the book.
Ate a $12 bowl of chili but enjoyed it because I dined on the Summit Lodge deck.
Basked in the sun at SouthFace and enjoyed no lift lines.
Skied Nor'Easter for the first time this winter, I think... (can someone fact-check that?)
Après ski at the JG Courtyard with my peeps and kicked back with hot cocoa.
Pro Tip: If you park at Jackson Gore and don't feel like schlepping your stuff up the hill, wait for the shuttle bus! They roll around every 5-10 minutes and can take you directly to your car if you're nice :)
Today's Quick Facts:
🎿 Trail Count: 122/122
🚡 Lift Count: 13/20
🔫 Snowmaking: Nada.
Last but not least, let's talk about this SNOW STORM! ❄️ Our in-house weatherman, Noah Schmidt, who definitely went to meteorology school, is expecting 8 to 14 inches starting tonight and carrying through Saturday evening. At times, it could snow up to 1" per hour. There is a possibility for sleet and icing, so keep an eye on the Okemo Conditions Twitter for lift updates in the morning. Now, go be a good skier or rider and do your snow dance.
"I'm really tired." - Abby
"Yeah, it's because you skied all day!" - Noah
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Think snow,
Abby + Noah
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