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NNE Spring Thread


Allenson

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Morning observations from the mountain...

1,500ft... 36F with light mist/drizzle

3,000ft... 30F with flurries/light snow grains

This is my final early morning of the 2010-2011 winter season here at the ski resort. Its been fun being able to provide observations all winter long from Vermont's highest peak. I'll be back next year (because who would give up this job, right?) but I'm certainly not going to know what to do with myself come Monday morning when the lifts don't turn on for the first time since late November. Also, the camaraderie that you get at the mountain between employees and locals is something that's hard to describe. Spending everyday, all winter-long outside in the elements (whether its the -63F wind chills we saw, or two-foot dumps overnight) really seems to bring people together in a way I've never experienced anywhere else. You really learn to trust your co-workers when you're sitting in the passenger side of a snowcat tethered to the mountain by a winch cable on a 40 degree slope in a whiteout. Or if you are the first person up a chairlift in the morning on a line check and lift maintenance assures you that loud banging you heard was nothing to be concerned about.

Ahh the passing of winter is always quite the mix of emotions... you want to go back and do it all over again, but then again, just wait 6 months and the first snows will be dusting the mountains.

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Morning observations from the mountain...

1,500ft... 36F with light mist/drizzle

3,000ft... 30F with flurries/light snow grains

This is my final early morning of the 2010-2011 winter season here at the ski resort. Its been fun being able to provide observations all winter long from Vermont's highest peak. I'll be back next year (because who would give up this job, right?) but I'm certainly not going to know what to do with myself come Monday morning when the lifts don't turn on for the first time since late November. Also, the camaraderie that you get at the mountain between employees and locals is something that's hard to describe. Spending everyday, all winter-long outside in the elements (whether its the -63F wind chills we saw, or two-foot dumps overnight) really seems to bring people together in a way I've never experienced anywhere else. You really learn to trust your co-workers when you're sitting in the passenger side of a snowcat tethered to the mountain by a winch cable on a 40 degree slope in a whiteout. Or if you are the first person up a chairlift in the morning on a line check and lift maintenance assures you that loud banging you heard was nothing to be concerned about.

Ahh the passing of winter is always quite the mix of emotions... you want to go back and do it all over again, but then again, just wait 6 months and the first snows will be dusting the mountains.

I'm in mourning. I hate this time of year. Enjoyed all your pics and reports and look forward to next season which can't come soon enough. I'll be on the boards at least one more time for Tuckerman's but after AK everything is a let down. Bleh.

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I'm in mourning. I hate this time of year. Enjoyed all your pics and reports and look forward to next season which can't come soon enough. I'll be on the boards at least one more time for Tuckerman's but after AK everything is a let down. Bleh.

Yeah, going out west this time of year and coming back to mud, dirty snow piles, and ski areas that are starting to look like defunct ice skating rinks... that's a fun time to head out west but depressing to come home to. I'll still probably get another 15-20 days in between skinning Stowe and Mount Washington. I'll still be hitting MWN at the end of May when the Auto Road opens. I like to drag out the end of the season, because the summer seems a lot shorter when you are on snow after Memorial Day and then back on it before Halloween.

But quality powder and winter snow conditions are definitely done... last year we got 2 feet on April 29th but historically from here on out we may get another 6" at the summit or so but that's it. And given that we got 2 feet last year in the last days of April, the law of averages would say we don't see significant snow during that time period for a few more years.

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Amazing day of Spring skiing today at Stowe.

I finally had a chance to finish up my reports from Saturday and Sunday, so I added a couple of pictures below from each day to keep the snow images rolling in the thread. It was another stellar weekend on the slopes as the posts and pictures added in here from the past several days indicated. I'd say the only downside was that the corn hadn't fully cycled yet since last week's powder, so there were still some areas of mushy snow. We were definitely surprised to still find some winter-style snow out there on Saturday morning up at Bolton, and it actually would have been nice to head out earlier and catch some of that. This coming weekend doesn't seem quite as clear and blue, but there might be some nice windows to get out.

09APR11B.jpg

09APR11F.jpg

10APR11B.jpg

10APR11D.jpg

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Let's see, had 0.29" of rain yesterday--no big shakes. Might have seen a few mangled flakes mixed in for a short while as be bulbed down to 37 at the oneset of precip, but that was it for anything other than rain drops.

Still have snow in the yard but we're at that time where it becomes harder and harder to report an accurate snow depth. Sure, there's 10" at my stake, which I put in an open & level spot in the yard but this is by no means representative of even my immediate surroundings, let alone the region as a whole. In other words, the fields around us are basically bare now and yet I could probably find a couple feet of snow in some spots down in the deep dark woods below the house.

Also, the camaraderie that you get at the mountain between employees and locals is something that's hard to describe. Spending everyday, all winter-long outside in the elements (whether its the -63F wind chills we saw, or two-foot dumps overnight) really seems to bring people together in a way I've never experienced anywhere else.

I hear ya, man. I had the same expierence of camaraderie during my Sugarloaf days (I worked for the Competition Center on the course crew) and also in my tallship/sailing days. The end of season is always bittersweet. Rather different than cubicle camaraderie. :arrowhead:

I'm in mourning. I hate this time of year. Enjoyed all your pics and reports and look forward to next season which can't come soon enough. I'll be on the boards at least one more time for Tuckerman's but after AK everything is a let down. Bleh.

LOL--here too. Winter is the only season where I actually get the blues due to its passing!

Yeah, Tucks is calling. Didn't make it last year but I did a couple trips over there the year before. I think it's time again this year....

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I can report a trace of snow overnight. Certainly nothing worth noting anywhere else but on a weather board... because a trace of fresh white filling in the bump troughs and uneven surfaces of late season snowpack is so minor when you think about the 328 inches of snow that's fallen above 3,000ft.

But in early October, a dusting on the upper mountain would be note-worthy, haha.

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This is one of those days when living in the NW flow downslope regions pays off... we've been absolutely socked in with low clouds (2,500ft and above has been pea soup with rimed trees) and I can see sunshine every so often looking southeast, but no hints of sun here yet today.

NW upslope flow FTL haha... not many times I can say that.

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Ahh the passing of winter is always quite the mix of emotions... you want to go back and do it all over again, but then again, just wait 6 months and the first snows will be dusting the mountains.

Worse part is having to wait to see those pics you take PF.

I recommend a garden for any winter enthusiast- I used to be difficult to live with in May - but once i started growing our food I found the blues were quickly replaced with things to do.

Dusted off the bikes yesterday - commuting season starts Monday - riding home in thunderstorms and wind driven rain/hail is good chairlift training :)

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Worse part is having to wait to see those pics you take PF.

I recommend a garden for any winter enthusiast- I used to be difficult to live with in May - but once i started growing our food I found the blues were quickly replaced with things to do.

Dusted off the bikes yesterday - commuting season starts Monday - riding home in thunderstorms and wind driven rain/hail is good chairlift training :)

That's what golf is for.

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Yeah, going out west this time of year and coming back to mud, dirty snow piles, and ski areas that are starting to look like defunct ice skating rinks... that's a fun time to head out west but depressing to come home to. I'll still probably get another 15-20 days in between skinning Stowe and Mount Washington. I'll still be hitting MWN at the end of May when the Auto Road opens. I like to drag out the end of the season, because the summer seems a lot shorter when you are on snow after Memorial Day and then back on it before Halloween.

But quality powder and winter snow conditions are definitely done... last year we got 2 feet on April 29th but historically from here on out we may get another 6" at the summit or so but that's it. And given that we got 2 feet last year in the last days of April, the law of averages would say we don't see significant snow during that time period for a few more years.

Don't forget the Mother's Day storm last year.

Rare but it happens for sure.

PF- I have a suggestion- find some touring gear and head out. You know there is still a tremendous pack up high. Go eat some corn.

Also- the Dacks are packed with snow. I'm sure there are some lines there to be skied.

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Golf.

The worst excuse for beer drinking.

Just kidding, kind of.

I'm not going to lie, I do quite enjoy a round of golf with a few friends. Its just 4-hours of you against the course, hanging out with friends, throwing a few back, and absolutely no distractions, girlfriends, work stuff, etc.

I'm hoping to get out at the Stowe Country Club a lot this winter... and I think there are a few members of the mountain operations crew that enjoy golfing more than skiing (or maybe its just the slow pace of the off-season that they like, haha).

Clouds never came close to clearing today... still thick, dark ceilings, but you can tell its trying to dry out as I've been watching the cloud layer rise above the summit ridge-line. Hopefully the layer continues to dissipate for a good hard freeze tonight in the teens.

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I'm not going to lie, I do quite enjoy a round of golf with a few friends. Its just 4-hours of you against the course, hanging out with friends, throwing a few back, and absolutely no distractions, girlfriends, work stuff, etc.

I'm hoping to get out at the Stowe Country Club a lot this winter... and I think there are a few members of the mountain operations crew that enjoy golfing more than skiing (or maybe its just the slow pace of the off-season that they like, haha).

Clouds never came close to clearing today... still thick, dark ceilings, but you can tell its trying to dry out as I've been watching the cloud layer rise above the summit ridge-line. Hopefully the layer continues to dissipate for a good hard freeze tonight in the teens.

Amazing how many of us look for diversions from the women in our life.

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The snow at the stake is now 0". The cover that does remain on the lawn is quickly retreating to the piles that line the road and driveway. The pile at the entrance of the driveway is waist-high. Just a few weeks ago it was 9' tall and the kids were using it to slide down. Noticed some stirrings in the flower beds. These warm temps sure do kick-start the growing process.

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The snow at the stake is now 0". The cover that does remain on the lawn is quickly retreating to the piles that line the road and driveway. The pile at the entrance of the driveway is waist-high. Just a few weeks ago it was 9' tall and the kids were using it to slide down. Noticed some stirrings in the flower beds. These warm temps sure do kick-start the growing process.

My stake hit zero around March 30, but then we had the April1st event. There were piles and shaded areas that held on until April 9 and 10

Still some weenie piles in very shaded areas in my town and neighborhood, but my property is snowless even in the woods

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We still have one large patch a few inches deep on the yard, there are still lots of patches, out in the woods, that look deeper than a few inches. The pond is just starting to show a few breaks right along the shoreline. The best part is that the driveway has dried out, now time to smooth out for another season :).

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24 refreshing degrees this morning for a low. That felt nice--crisp & dry.

OK, a few shots....

Taken yesterday near our house. This pretty much sums up what it looks like around here right now:

5622007454_5e4cfb7811_z.jpg

Snowstake in the yard taken this morning. On the level, it read 9":

5621413421_255abef565_z.jpg

Heading up our driveway on the first frozen mud in many mornings:

5622007812_7e14291935_z.jpg

Can't wait for the mud to be totally gone. It's almost there actually. I might be even so bold as to say by tomorrow....!

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Winni*

I'm totally blown away by how fast the ice turned dark and slushy. It was solid and white when I saw it only four days ago.

LOL I know, but it looks weird leaving it with an "i".

Anyways I just looked at visible this morning, and was shocked at how it looked clear. It's not "ice-out" yet, is it??

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No, there is still ice in several of the bays. Lilly pond had ice out yesterday, and winnipesaukee typically goes out a week later.

I still have a snow bank and drift left here. My yard is already drying out thanks to the 14% RH, full sun day today.
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Rivers replaced creeks and roads today. Heres a feeder creek running north to the Missisquoi. VAST bridge barely hanging on.

I didn’t have time to post this back at the beginning of the week, but I’ve added a couple shots of our local VAST bridge from Monday. They actually just put in new boards in the fall, and they are still pretty light in color. Normally the bridge is 5 to 10 feet above the river, so that provides a sense of the rise of the water level due to the melting snow, and with the fields off to the south taken over by water (visible in the background) the Winooski was several times its normal width. A buddy of mine called me up later in the week and asked how things were going, because I guess one of the local news channels included the bridge in a piece.

11APR11A.jpg

11APR11B.jpg

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I didn’t have time to post this back at the beginning of the week, but I’ve added a couple shots of our local VAST bridge from Monday. They actually just put in new boards in the fall, and they are still pretty light in color. Normally the bridge is 5 to 10 feet above the river, so that provides a sense of the rise of the water level due to the melting snow, and with the fields off to the south taken over by water (visible in the background) the Winooski was several times its normal width. A buddy of mine called me up later in the week and asked how things were going, because I guess one of the local news channels included the bridge in a piece.

Wow. I'd say that you were conservative with your 5 to 10 foot estimate, I think that 10 - 15 feet is more like it, either way that river was up pretty high! I remember a few years ago when a large tree snagged on it. I know some of the guys that did the work on it this past year. They basically rebuilt it, new cables and all. That is supposedly the longest snowmobile suspension bridge in North America. :sled:

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