Last Day of 2012

Where do you ski on the last day of the year? Quite a few years we rang in the New Year with skiing till The ball dropped .Since then the Ski area has eliminated this fun night because of under age drinking . We knew ,early day skiing ,would be chaotic and lodge would be overcrowded, so instead we headed out to Prompton dam, where earlier in the year we picked out some good ski lines along their hiking trail system. We skinned in and made 3 full runs down a gentle pitched run that ended with some quick planning at the end to avoid tight trees and some natural obstacles. Great fun and lots of exercise we had on this last day of 2012.

Remembering those old Ktells

Ski Big Bear opened yesterday for the season and we were there. With today's snow and Holiday crowds at BigB we decided to try something else besides the normal ski. Way back in 1979 My mom bought me a pair of cheap skis , they were bright red and they slapped on the bottom of your shoes. I skied them across the road from my house that Winter and had a blast. In following years I went to buy other skis and eventually ended at ski hills , but you never forget your first. Today's ski was dedicated to those first plastic skis. We skied the same short pasture I skied so long ago.

Ski Belleayre

Belleayre Mt is on a ridge in the Catskills. State owned and run it is clearly our least favorite mt still operating in the Catskills region. We frequent all four of the areas ski centers every ski season , we decided on Belleayre this weekend since Big Bear wasn't open yet. There were three ways down from the top , alttle more than Local hills of Elk and Camelback were offering. We arrived early and lapped the short funs off the Lift 7 triple. Conditions were't bad considering the major rain event earlier in the week. Sno was rock hard but well placed snowgun droppings kept it maneurable. A long cold spell will help this mountain out this week. We have begun to out grow this mountain as my family evolves a skiers but will still like its aspects of it catering to the newbies with its lower mountain set aside for newest snowsport participants. New management will hopefully bring facilities in to the new millenium while still keeping skiing affortable for families.

Finally a ski day in PA Elk Mt

Thought Nov-Dec 2011 was tough on skiing , Well 2012 is way worse, Ski BigB ca't open till after Christmas, Camelback is closed on the Sat before the Holidays. Weather channel is getting worn out the house. Been driving by Elk mt all week and its been calling

Hit it up for just a few runs on my way home for the Holiday. What I found was a ski area working as hard as it could ( given the recent rain) to provide some skiing for its loyal base. Snowed the whole time I was there Maybe there is hope.

First Day of the New Season

First time out for the season Been a few seasons since we got out in November. Fun day up at Windham in the Catskills, took 12 runs top to bottom. Conditions were well early season so not a lot to expand on but still fun out there with Caleb.

Early season trail conditions can be rough , The Wall trail had a 3foot plus ditch at the bottom. We watched a unknowing skier yardsale it early. Caleb and I bet he couldn't cross it. He cleared it but his bindings released.

Fall is in the air.

Getting colder at night days are getting shorter, Ski gear time is here. Little D got an awesome new setup Line Super Heroes and Marker bindings .Stoked up can't wait for some Snow.

Lost Ski areas

Today the Boys and I went for a ride and visited two Ny lost ski areas. One area near Hunter Mt called Cortina and another one near Andes called Bobcat

Hunter mt stilled had some snow in various spots on the mt having been closed since the end of March

Cortina and Bobcat are small ski areas lost in the past and will not likely ever see action again. Oh to be able to jump back to a time where these small areas were turning the lifts and putting smiles on the small family crowds that graced the slopes. We starred up at the widest slope at Bobcat and for a few moments it was covered in snow and skiers were carving their way down.

On the ride home we talked about Bobcat having lights,snow making and a terrain park and then some day awaken again and providing night time skiing in the Catskills.

The Best of 2011-12

The Winter of 2011-12 was really not a Winter at all, but thanks to modern tech I stilled skied 38 days. Only Four of these days included any type of powder. Every time it snowed rain soon followed. This years season in Nepa was four weeks shorter than last season ,15 wks this year. My personal goal of 40 days was not reached,neither was our goal of two backcountry outings. We visited the now closed ski area of Tanglewood where it all started but never got to ski down it due to the lack of Winter. Exen without the presence of Winter the 10 ski areas I visited this year produced a descent product and plenty of family time. The real reason I guess I ski is to spend time with my sons and daughter, If I had to ski it alone ,like so many others I see and read about, I just would do something else. So good bye to Skiing and R

iding until next season may 2012-2013 bring us tons of SNOW

St Platties day Moguls and last Ride Camelback Sunday March 18th 2012

Last chance to ski the 2011-12 season .After two great days last weekend at Elk mt and Camelback resort we ventured back a little north to our favorite mountain Plattinsured Caleb that with a little love ekill. We arrived early and the morning on the mountain started very quietly. Caleb signed up for the mogel comp and we headed up. When seeing the mogul setup Caleb was very worried his runs would be a disaster. We met up with a local Tele man and he convinced Caleb that with a little love the moguls would come around. We spent the next three hours hiking in lapping the mogul trail and kicking some moguls out and down.

The comp started a little late which gave Caleb some more practice laps. His second to last practice run confidence and steeze filled him up.He was ready to perform

Caleb threw up massive airs and styled well good enough for 1st place inthe 13 to 18 age group. He also scored an awesome new pair of twin tips with 2nd overall in all categories.

Sunday morning after early Church service Little D and I headed to Camelback for one last ride. By the time we got there the car temp said 73

Derek and I spent the next 3 hrs skiing small bumps and slush and I got a little more goggle tan

At about #45 D and I rode up the chair one last time and called out LAST RIDE

As we were pulling out we took one last look at the snow and just at that time the song of our season came on the radio ,good life onerepublic, what away to go out!

Playing Hookey at The Catskills finest Plattekill

Storm hit us and the Cats this week. Ice and snow in NEPA, Snow in the Cats,so I decided to play sick and head to the Western Cats. Snow was there untouched, when we arrived ,and looked great. Skiers were rippin it hard, Caleb included, however the ungroomed was a little tougher for the less skilled like myself and countless others. Derek and I however got our share of pow , just didn't look as pretty.

Alternate routes down ,Bike trails,log trails were good after alittle traffic worked them in. Plattekill delivered another fullfilling ski day for us NEPA skiers caught this year in a vicious cycle of RainSnow.

Plattekill is the place to be after a storm

Look at these Pump prices at the station were always hit for food on our way home. Getting harder and harder to go on these ski adventures!