Spring Jumps

On Saturday, Eric Gaines, Jeff Burga, and I met at Stowe to build a jump. At the beginning of the season we had to hike to the top to find enough snow. With the deep snowpack that we still have on Mansfield, and a few berms already pushed up, there was no need hike beyond the bottom of Standard to start digging.

A Blue Ribbon day

At the bottom

We started with one wedge. I started working on a step-up (out?), and Eric built a jump that cleared the jump I had built. It was all quite confusing.

Jeff

First wedge

Recycling day

Eric navigating the pandemonium

Transfer

Staletail

Jeff lost interest with our stunt park and started to build another jump. He likes to party.

Mizu and the jump

Jeff and his new jump

After a while we got tired of digging and walking and decided to call it a day. Jeff and I headed back up on Sunday, while Eric played guns in Shelburne.

TK joined us

TK method

Jeff



TK and Jeff

We were all pretty glad that we didnt go stand in line at Sugarbush. The only people we saw the entire time were two tele skiers on Sunday.

Oh, and JP and I went camping on the Reservoir. It was pretty nice.

- Austin

Port and Starboard

Last season, I enjoyed my 99th and 100th day on the snow at Stowe. This week of last year, I returned from a week and a half journey at sea JP. We were just in time for a last minute storm that dumped around two feet on an almost baron Mt. Mansfield. With four days of rain ahead of us this week, its hard not to dream...

JP and Matt. Stoked.

Matt and JP. Stoked.

Matt. No JP. STOKED.

Matt, changing to ride mode- and into a jacket that "pops"

Even with an erect jacket, you can't see Matt in this shot.

My turn

Looking back on an amazing season, and reveling in symbolism.

-Austin

The End is Near

Yesterday was supposed to be warm and sunny. It was warm. I intended on meeting up with Doug and hiking up to the Nose. He was running a bit behind, so I took off without him. When I arrived at the last (first) pitch of the switchbacks on Nosedive, I found a large mound of snow covering the entire trail. A shit load of snow had been moved to clear the Toll Road up to the top of the Quad.

Gotta love snow between the board and skin

Mound

Even though the weather never lived up to its prediction, the snow was great. A bit sticky at the top, it transitioned to corn past Cliff Trail. Classic spring turns.

Can't say enough about how well the Freebird rides.








-Austin

First Things Last

I spent a part of today going through my computer and cleaning it up. It was in need of some file management. I found a few cell phone pictures of an early season hike I did a month or so before Stowe opened. If I remember correctly, we had just received some new snow, but there was no real base, even on the trails that had recent snow making.

Light and fluffy
As I ventured further up Tollroad, the inches started piling up

Looking promising at the top of the Double

It had been pretty windy the night before, and the snow was pretty light, so I figured if I could probably find a nice pocket of "deep" snow somewhere. I decided to walk down into Starr to take a look. The rocks underneath the foot of snow provided excellent traction on the down climb.

A whole foot!

Having not seen anything worth riding on the way up, and out of sheer morbid curiosity, I decided to head down.

 

A bit manky looking back up at the top

There were fairly deep areas of snow punctuated by exposed bits of rock littering the top section of the run. By staying in the "deep" snow, and avoiding the rocks, I had a great time.

Thin, but fun

Now that the lifts have stopped turning, and with warm weather and rain on the way, this seems to be an appropriate post. I am sure that I will get a few more days in this season, but I doubt any will be like this.

Its time to welcome warm weather and not stress at the thought of rain.

- Austin

Sunny Spring Days at the Top

This April has been pretty damned sunny. The snow is great. Here are some pictures for your eyes.

Avoiding Ride Day

Mizu Plug

A confused gaggle of Ricky's

Sea Biscuit looking at Morgan and Evan looking at stuff

"Morgan gets a job"

About to get a Nose job

Waiting for my cohorts, mid-ill-conceived late day PBR fueled exploration

And skiers complain about snowboarders. A couple of sissies on the Nose

-Austin

April Tools

The first weekend of April was supposed to bring heavy snowfall to the area. It didn't. We saw a wet 3-6 inches. Anything in the woods that had already been hammered had a soft top with a cement base. The snow further out was much better. Saturday was cloudy and windy. Sunday was sunny as shit, but still a bit windy. All in all, we had a pretty damned good weekend.

"I don't need a splitboard"

Not a bad view

Matt hanging out



Shoddy video from Saturday

-Austin