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Crotched Mountain, NH 2011-12

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Chris Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Apr 19, 2001 Posts: 2720 Location:New Hampshire	Posted: Dec 29, 2011 - 7:59 PM GMT Edited: Dec 29, 2011 - 9:53 PM GMT Are you expecting lift lines? Lift lines don't occur very often at Crotched, mostly due to the design of the mountain and it's higher ratio of uphill capacity/terrain than most other ski areas. Crotched was built to handle a lot of people before lift lines occur ... designed to be a better experience? Yep. That's why Crotched does not normally have lift lines except when exceptionally busy. There are some days when the slopes can be a bit crowded yet lift lines are still minimal. Today was one of those days... CM has a tremendous ability to absorb a lot of skier traffic with it still being a good experience for all. __________ SnowJournal.com

ciscokid Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Oct 09, 2006 Posts: 2080 Location:west Mi.	Posted: Dec 29, 2011 - 10:52 PM GMT Quote: Ahh yes, today was wonderful. The snow as Josh has stated was fabulous. CM really does know how to lay it down right and take care of it. The lift lines were non existent as usual. Only had a few runs in but they were most enjoyable. p.s sorry cisco pics were on the agenda but quickly took a backseat to the great conditions Thanks for the acknowledgement, look forward to future pix and HNY btw. __________

joshua segal Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jul 12, 2004 Posts: 5964 Location:NH	Posted: Jan 03, 2012 - 5:12 PM GMT Jan. 1-3, 2012 - Sunday to Tuesday I've been out all these days. I was actually was planning to go to Mt. Snow today, but given the forecast of cold and windy, plus the fact that elcamino57 told me that they plowed out all their moguls, I opted to stay home. There may be another area with snow as good as ours, but no one with better. Sunday was spring condx, yesterday was frozen granular, today is a combination of groomed granular with a lot of fresh, soft and silky fan gun snow. The grand frustration: In the absense of snow in their yards and despite our spectacular snow here, the crowds appear to me to be way off same time last year - but I have no insider info to confirm or deny that. __________ Joshua Segal

abubob Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Oct 27, 2008 Posts: 760 Location:Bristol, NH	Posted: Jan 03, 2012 - 7:34 PM GMT Quote: The grand frustration: In the absense of snow in their yards and despite our spectacular snow here, the crowds appear to me to be way off same time last year - but I have no insider info to confirm or deny that. I think the NIMBY factor has a lot to do with the lack of skiers. When it doesn't look like winter its too hard to psych yourself to want to ski. Especially if the tennis courts and golf courses are still open. I also think even when folks understand that areas are making snow they are staying away because of past experience. They may feel that when the weather doesn't cooperate man-made conditions aren't going to be very good. Even now Ragged with its updated snow making capacity is having trouble grooming a smooth carpet of corduroy. Its hardpack and chunky with areas of bare ice and pools of heavy granular. How is Crotched doing with its grooming?

smelick Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Nov 14, 2003 Posts: 1102 Location:	Posted: Jan 03, 2012 - 9:00 PM GMT We'll be heading up next Friday. First time ever to ski Crotched. I'm really looking forward to it. -Scott

tedede Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Nov 15, 2004 Posts: 813 Location:Amherst, NH	Posted: Jan 03, 2012 - 10:36 PM GMT Quote: We'll be heading up next Friday. First time ever to ski Crotched. I'm really looking forward to it. -Scott Thanks for giving Crotched a try. I think you'll be quite pleasantly surprised. If you're going to sample the food at the mountain, check out the menu in the bar. The bar burger is a bigger that the cafeteria burger and made fresh to order. The french fries are excellent. Prices are very fair for a ski area. Watch the speed limits in the nearby towns. They are enforced stringently. Make a stop at the Francestown general store. The have hundreds of varieties of beer available. If you decide you just can't leave and want to ski another day, the Crotched Mountain Resort (not owned by the mountain) is a mile away and often has last minute room deals. The rooms are very nice. 603.588.2000

joshua segal Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jul 12, 2004 Posts: 5964 Location:NH	Posted: Jan 03, 2012 - 11:11 PM GMT abubob said: Quote: ... Even now Ragged with its updated snow making capacity is having trouble grooming a smooth carpet of corduroy. Its hardpack and chunky with areas of bare ice and pools of heavy granular. How is Crotched doing with its grooming? With 100% coverage with fan guns, I have no such problems to report here. Perhaps some of the other CM regulars can chime in with affirmations that I'm not just making this up! To CM's management's credit, they did a lot of work resurfacing established open trails (Plutos, Meteor, Velocity, Zero-G, etc.) rather than building the trail count by opening runs with marginal conditions __________ Joshua Segal

JR Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Apr 27, 2002 Posts: 94 Location:Athol, MA	Posted: Jan 03, 2012 - 11:51 PM GMT "Perhaps some of the other CM regulars can chime in with affirmations that I'm not just making this up!" +1. Conditions should be fine with the cold. CM recovers really fast from warm ups. I have been a pass holder since March 1 of the first season and the conditions have always been better than one can expect given short or long term weather patterns.

jack97 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 24, 2005 Posts: 85 Location:	Posted: Jan 04, 2012 - 12:24 AM GMT Edited: Jan 04, 2012 - 12:38 AM GMT Quote: I've been out all these days. I was actually was planning to go to Mt. Snow today, but given the forecast of cold and windy, plus the fact that elcamino57 told me that they plowed out all their moguls, I opted to stay home. There may be another area with snow as good as ours, but no one with better. Sunday was spring condx, yesterday was frozen granular, today is a combination of groomed granular with a lot of fresh, soft and silky fan gun snow. The grand frustration: In the absense of snow in their yards and despite our spectacular snow here, the crowds appear to me to be way off same time last year - but I have no insider info to confirm or deny that. I was there last week, a couple of days after xmas. Conditions were great, CM just open pluto plunge and I lapped it all day. But thats all she rode given no moguls and no glades. I was tempted to go this morning but opted out. There's a chance another place might seed some moguls this week so I wanted to save my vacation days for that. IMO, CM should consider seeding a mogul field, it would make the place bigger than it is. It would certainly provide more variety for the double plankers given the drought we are experiencing. Edit, btw I'm not a regular but I have been going to the place once or twice a season ever since they reopen. Mainly for two reasons, after a non crystaline percipitation event, they can quickly recover and more recently based on reading reports that they let sections bump up and allow glade skiing.

tedede Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Nov 15, 2004 Posts: 813 Location:Amherst, NH	Posted: Jan 04, 2012 - 10:56 AM GMT Quote: CM should consider seeding a mogul field, it would make the place bigger than it is. It would certainly provide more variety for the double plankers given the drought we are experiencing. I'd put money on CM building the terrain park before seeding a mogul field, but if all of you that want moguls ask nicely I'd bet they'd be willing to let UFO/Equinox bump up when they open it later this week.

tedede Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Nov 15, 2004 Posts: 813 Location:Amherst, NH	Posted: Jan 04, 2012 - 11:02 AM GMT Edited: Jan 04, 2012 - 12:59 PM GMT BTW, Josh is not making this up. I'm there almost every weekend. They've got almost 100 fan guns, have had them since opening, and Tim Smith, the Outdoor Operations Manager, has a good team and knows how to use them. They've got two new groomers (which Tim "treats like Ferraris because they cost as much" ) which make make for wonderful conditions every morning.

joshua segal Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jul 12, 2004 Posts: 5964 Location:NH	Posted: Jan 04, 2012 - 11:17 AM GMT jack97 is absolutely right. If you want moguls and glades, you probably want to stay home! (I have been told however, that less than 10% of the skiing .public want moguls and glades!) No moguls yet. CM's mogul runs are the west 2/3 of UFO and Pluto's, East of the chairlift. As tedede said, UFO should be opening in a few days. CM's inbound skiing is a vey high quality product. Last year, CM opened UFO early and the troughs of the moguls broke through, so they plowed them out and added snow. This year, a little more conservative approach is being taken. If there is an area within 100 mi. of me with moguls, I suspect I'd be there too! Likewise, if the only thing you want is glades - as best as I know, there isn't a real glade open in the entire northeast. Until someone figures out how to make snow in the woods, we'll have to wait for mother nature's finest! However, if skiing is what you want with good cover and good snow; and you live in Eastern MA, RI, Eastern CT or Southern NH, CM has the product. __________ Joshua Segal

Chris Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Apr 19, 2001 Posts: 2720 Location:New Hampshire	Posted: Jan 04, 2012 - 1:36 PM GMT The 80's called and they want their moguls back. Dude said something too about wanting a hot dog? I dunno... __________ SnowJournal.com

jack97 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 24, 2005 Posts: 85 Location:	Posted: Jan 04, 2012 - 11:58 PM GMT Edited: Jan 04, 2012 - 11:59 PM GMT Quote: (I have been told however, that less than 10% of the skiing .public want moguls and glades!) Go to mnt snow on a w/e when they have seeded bumps on exibition and rollercoaster(?), the place has young and old lined up at the top waiting for the guy ahead to get enuf space. Same is said for Sunapee, they have three seeded areas, two areas where they don't groom. Both these place will seed on a lower angle trail, this allow every one to try it out, from noobs to ski intructors.... the runs can get really crowded.

jack97 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 24, 2005 Posts: 85 Location:	Posted: Jan 05, 2012 - 12:01 AM GMT Quote: The 80's called and they want their moguls back. Dude said something too about wanting a hot dog? I dunno... yeah... i like that, can make it a retro day. blast 80's music and i can wear some neon. hmm... need some time to grow my hair longer tho

Bill29 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Dec 19, 2002 Posts: 2414 Location:	Posted: Jan 05, 2012 - 2:16 PM GMT Quote: "yeah... i like that, can make it a retro day. blast 80's music and i can wear some neon. hmm... need some time to grow my hair longer tho" Please, NO! Don't do that, I'm beggin' ya.

rogerjack Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 918 Location:	Posted: Jan 05, 2012 - 3:19 PM GMT Sitting here in bed with a cold, I must say I'ld love to ski Crotched this season. The cold snap hit me hard, mainly because I have been spending 6 months a year in Florida for the last three years. That doesn't mean that you can't get sick in Florida, and I have. Whatever, I have fond memories of visiting Crotched back when a teenager and am sure the modern mountain is much better.

joshua segal Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jul 12, 2004 Posts: 5964 Location:NH	Posted: Jan 06, 2012 - 1:11 AM GMT Jan. 4-5, 2012 - Wednesday to Thursday Weds. - cold; Thurs. - comfortable Perfect corduroy both days through a combination of grooming and fresh machine made snow. The snow making ponds look mighty empty to me, so I don't know how long snowmaking can continue. Equinox opened Wednesday, UFO opened on Thursday. It is planned that UFO will be allowed to mogul up, so we well might have a bump run in a few days. Can't do much about the glades until Mothe Nature cooperates __________ Joshua Segal

elcamino57 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Nov 09, 2003 Posts: 854 Location:Wilmington VT	Posted: Jan 06, 2012 - 5:26 AM GMT Quote: Jan. 4-5, 2012 - Wednesday to Thursday Weds. - cold; Thurs. - comfortable Perfect corduroy both days through a combination of grooming and fresh machine made snow. The snow making ponds look mighty empty to me, so I don't know how long snowmaking can continue. Equinox opened Wednesday, UFO opened on Thursday. It is planned that UFO will be allowed to mogul up, so we well might have a bump run in a few days. Can't do much about the glades until Mothe Nature cooperates Our there ponds spring fed or from stream?

joshua segal Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Jul 12, 2004 Posts: 5964 Location:NH	Posted: Jan 06, 2012 - 12:39 PM GMT Quote: Our there ponds spring fed or from stream? I am assuming the question you are asking is, "Are their (viz. CM's) ponds spring-fed or from streams?" The answer: Underground aquifers and surface run-off. My understanding is that they recharge about one foot per day if not being drawn on. __________ Joshua Segal

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