Blazer's Bluff

[ajl50]

Conditions page indicates that Blazer's Bluff is expected to open. the Prance report isn't loading. If this is true somebody has to report on it...
oh and the slides? Any chance or too much avy danger?

[AdironRider]

There are some serious obstacles to cover in there, and yesterday while I was on the lifts the headwall looked money but the bottom right turn still had some rocks, etc showing. Given that they got 17" more last night, Id say once this all consolidates a bit it should open up.

Besides, Empire was AMAZING yesterday. Great coverage. I mustve lapped it 6 times or so, dipping into the glades every once in a while.

[Adirondackskier]

Just called the mountain about prance and it is currently experiencing super heavy volume and the server is having issues. They are working on it.
Here is the report:
Lifts: Mixing Bowl Bear Facelift and Freeway
Powder
When it was all said and done 37" of fresh pow
winds

[AdironRider]

Yeah windhold on everything thats worth it besides Parkway, and Ive heard that alot of people couldnt even get there today. Should be mighty fine tomorrow. Expect some wind blown firm spots in the usual areas I would think (there wasnt a problem yesterday as it was snowing so much, but I can see it becoming a problem quite quickly) but the usual powder spots should be amazingly deep. With the winds yesterday I was hitting knee deep consistently, thigh deep at least a couple times every run, and in a couple stashs of mine it was waist deep drifts. Work the mountain and it should be damn good tomorrow. I bet they groom it down though tomorrow night on the majority of the easy stuff, but hell who cares about the greens on days like these.

[highpeaksdrifter]

Take it to the slopes and I decided to take one more run up top around 3:15 Sunday afternoon. On the way up we saw someone go in from the right side. When the chair got closer we could see that there was a legal opening in the temporary orange fencing and a thin cover sign.

So we skied down to it and in we went. The top steep part was a sheet of wind blow extremely hard pack, but not ice. We traversed across that, hit the snow and started turning. I have to admit that after looking down that trail from chair 6 numerous times and seeing all those big rocks and boulders, I half expected to bottom out or have my tips sink in the deep snow and hit a rock and send me flying down the hill at any turn, but it never happened.

I didn’t think we’d get enough snow to fill that all in this season and I’m glad I was wrong. At one point Slopes put his pole in to see how deep the snow was. After his whole pole was in and he was up to his elbow he still had not touched bottom.

On the run out we followed a single track with a steep and jarring 3 to 4 foot up hill, but we both made it through.

All in all Blazer’s was a blast. It is steep, short, but very sweet.

Here’s some pics. Sorry about the quality, but the light was bad there that time of the agternoon.


Slopes rockin it hard
http://forums.skiadk.com/albums/album03/bluff_roger.jpg

Look above the skier on top, he's just below the slab of hard pack
http://forums.skiadk.com/albums/album03/Bluff_roger_2.jpg

Beginning of the run out
http://forums.skiadk.com/albums/album03/Bluff_runout.jpg

[ajl50]

Nice...is there an uphill at the end of the trail where it connects back in?
Was it worth it?

[AdironRider]

Nice, hopefully I can check it out tomorrow. That headwall looks gnarly from the chair.

[highpeaksdrifter]

Nice...is there an uphill at the end of the trail where it connects back in?
Was it worth it?

The up hill comes before the reconnect to the trail. We skied right up it and out.

I enjoyed it, so it was well worth it to me.

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Nice shots, thanks for sharing.

Trails usually look quite a bit flatter on photos than in real life, so it's pretty clear that the drop is VERY steep! Good stuff.

Given the strict mileage limit on Whiteface terrain imposed by the NYS constitution, I'm still not convinced that Blazer's Bluff was the best idea (short steep drop won't hold snow well, long flat worthless run out). Then again, it looks pretty intense and gives the mountain some additional character, so why not?

[NPN]

Given the strict mileage limit on Whiteface terrain imposed by the NYS constitution,

Would you explain this a little more?

[AdironRider]

Headwall didnt look very good at all today so I let her pass by. Had a nice sheen even in flat light so I decided against it.

[Jack the Ripper]

Nice...is there an uphill at the end of the trail where it connects back in?
Was it worth it?

The up hill comes before the reconnect to the trail. We skied right up it and out.

I enjoyed it, so it was well worth it to me.

All about being at the right place at the right time. :twisted:

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

Given the strict mileage limit on Whiteface terrain imposed by the NYS constitution,

Would you explain this a little more?


The NYS constitution limits the miles of terrain at Whiteface to 25 miles, which limit will be reached with the proposed expansion. My understanding is that the state constitution would have to be amended to allow more terrain at Whiteface beyond the 25 mile limit. I don't know what it takes to do such an amendment, but if it's anything like amending the U.S. Constitution, it won't be easy.

Therefore, my initial reaction was that cutting Blazer's Bluff was a bit wasteful. I'll know better when I ski it!

[Tsavolion]

Given the strict mileage limit on Whiteface terrain imposed by the NYS constitution,

Would you explain this a little more?


The NYS constitution limits the miles of terrain at Whiteface to 25 miles, which limit will be reached with the proposed expansion. My understanding is that the state constitution would have to be amended to allow more terrain at Whiteface beyond the 25 mile limit. I don't know what it takes to do such an amendment, but if it's anything like amending the U.S. Constitution, it won't be easy.

Therefore, my initial reaction was that cutting Blazer's Bluff was a bit wasteful. I'll know better when I ski it!

i believe it takes two legislative sessions in order to ammend

[freeheelwilly]

Given the strict mileage limit on Whiteface terrain imposed by the NYS constitution,

Would you explain this a little more?


The NYS constitution limits the miles of terrain at Whiteface to 25 miles, which limit will be reached with the proposed expansion. My understanding is that the state constitution would have to be amended to allow more terrain at Whiteface beyond the 25 mile limit. I don't know what it takes to do such an amendment, but if it's anything like amending the U.S. Constitution, it won't be easy.

Therefore, my initial reaction was that cutting Blazer's Bluff was a bit wasteful. I'll know better when I ski it!

i believe it takes two legislative sessions in order to ammend

I think it's gotta go out to the voters as a referendum too. Just sayin'.

[SKIdds]

Therefore, my initial reaction was that cutting Blazer's Bluff was a bit wasteful.
Ask a dozen different people and you'll probably get a dozen different answers as to which quarter mile on the mountain would be best put toward the 25 mile limit. I'm ok with management's decision on Blazers Bluff. Not only is it an attractive trail for experts (nice drop/headwall, relatively narrow, natural ungroomed snow), the fact that it looks like the natural lay of the land allowed it to be cut with less effort than other trails would require is a factor I'm sure was considered.

Hey, opening a real trail like Blazer's Bluff is a heck of a lot better than making another 100 foot cut through from trail A to trail B, slapping a name on it, and pretending it's a trail, ala Killington et. al. Not that Whiteface is completely immune to such trail count games, but I'd rather have them add something like Blazer's Bluff than another switchback or crossover.

[Denison]

I think it's gotta go out to the voters as a referendum too. Just sayin'.

i wonder what % of New yorkers care about Whiteface and 25 mile limit...

[tjf67]

Given the strict mileage limit on Whiteface terrain imposed by the NYS constitution,

Would you explain this a little more?


The NYS constitution limits the miles of terrain at Whiteface to 25 miles, which limit will be reached with the proposed expansion. My understanding is that the state constitution would have to be amended to allow more terrain at Whiteface beyond the 25 mile limit. I don't know what it takes to do such an amendment, but if it's anything like amending the U.S. Constitution, it won't be easy.

Therefore, my initial reaction was that cutting Blazer's Bluff was a bit wasteful. I'll know better when I ski it!

i believe it takes two legislative sessions in order to ammend

I think it's gotta go out to the voters as a referendum too. Just sayin'.

I think it does to. How crazy is that. Could you imagine people out on LI getting this question in the booth. The whole thing needs to change. Whiteface should be taken out of the park and be its own entity with its own rules.

[Denison]

i have a solution :!:

lower the milage count by making Upper Skyward and U. Cloudspin as one trail. Cut the trees and cal it Upper SkySpin :twisted:

[freeheelwilly]

i have a solution :!:

lower the milage count by making Upper Skyward and U. Cloudspin as one trail. Cut the trees and cal it Upper SkySpin :twisted:

:shock: :shock: :shock: WIE! (Worst Idea Ever!)

[AdironRider]

Not if they just thin all the trees between the two and make it one long gladed run between the two.

[sleestak]

i have a solution :!:

lower the milage count by making Upper Skyward and U. Cloudspin as one trail. Cut the trees and cal it Upper SkySpin :twisted:

:shock: :shock: :shock: WIE! (Worst Idea Ever!)

UR :twisted:

[highpeaksdrifter]

Was it worth it?

It wasn't today. I skied it once. The slab of hard pack on the head wall has doubled in size. The snow has fallen away further down. Once you hit the snow it's a few turns and then runout.

If the headwall gets soft with moderating temps it will be a blast to ski again.

[AdironRider]

I got in there today as well and the headwall sure was gnarly, but I still really liked the trail. Definately the most challenging 100 yards of skiing on the hill.

[NPN]

I got in there today as well and the headwall sure was gnarly, but I still really liked the trail. Definately the most challenging 100 yards of skiing on the hill.

100 yards?

[AdironRider]

Yeah the headwall and immediate runout, everything else is no more difficult than a flat empire.

[Phineas]

Definately the most challenging 100 yards of skiing on the hill.

carry a little speed leap the "headwall" two or three turns and striaght line the flat. it's a nice little additon but certainly not the most challenging "100 yards on the hill" Hopefully the pop fence comes down in the spring and we'll be able to huck for Jesus... that would add to the appeal and make a very excitting photo op...

8)

[highpeaksdrifter]

I heard ski patrol named the boulder in the middle of the trail at the start of the run out the Blarney Stone, cause sooner or later someone is going to kiss it. I hope not, but it is a good name.

I never would have thought that Blazer's Bluff would be open more days then Empire.

[AdironRider]

What part of Whiteface is more gnarly than that headwall? Maybe skywards if its a sheet of ice? I can never see patrol dropping that rope completely though. To much risk of someone eating it on lower sky and then plumeting off the headwall flying to their impending death in a tree. I sure would love to huck the hell out of it though, sure would be tough to check your speed before the rocks and bumps of the runout.

[Jack the Ripper]

I heard ski patrol named the boulder in the middle of the trail at the start of the run out the Blarney Stone, cause sooner or later someone is going to kiss it. I hope not, but it is a good name.

I never would have thought that Blazer's Bluff would be open more days then Empire.

They do it to mock me.

[whitefaceman]

i was there during the week,
the headwall is pure hardpack/ ice, but the runout has about 3 feet of pow (i bailed the landing off the rock doww low, and couldnt get up anymore)8-(

[tjf67]

I dropped into it yesterday just to see what it was about. That first drop was harry but after that there were some decent turns to be had. When you get around the corner for the first time there are a few options. All I kept thinking was to keep up speed so I did not have to climb out.
You dont have to carry that much speed so dont kill yourself around the bend. It was a bumped up mess.
I would give it a b. It is not long and you pop right back onto the trail not far from where you went in. Good diversion from the norm.

[highpeaksdrifter]

Looks like the fence is down, that will make things interesting. They could have taken it down just for this shot though. I'll see tomorrow.

http://forums.skiadk.com/albums/album03/blazer_sbluff2.jpg

[oldskibum]

HPD, they had the fence down all day yesterday, as they had a gun going on skyward, aimed down the bluff, but not a lot was getting down there, going into the trees above it instead. Don't know what they did today. Should be a great day tomorrow, I will not make it, as Iwore myself out yesterday on skyward and cloudspin!

[highpeaksdrifter]

HPD, they had the fence down all day yesterday, as they had a gun going on skyward, aimed down the bluff, but not a lot was getting down there, going into the trees above it instead. Don't know what they did today. Should be a great day tomorrow, I will not make it, as Iwore myself out yesterday on skyward and cloudspin!

We missed you this weekend oldskibum, especially your grandson. :wink:

It was down, no more getting in from the ladies tee?

I like this little addition more and more. Just about everytime up chair 6 you see a group of people rimming it trying to figure out if and where to drop in. Everybody in the chair is checking the action below. Fun stuff. :D

[mattchuck2]

I don't know, man, I skied it on once Saturday morning and then I didn't bother for the rest of the weekend. It's more of a novelty than it is a "trail". It was okay the first time, but once you get past the headwall, it's kind of boring and stupid. It would have been cooler if they extended it further down and put some twists and turns in the lower part.

It's true, you do see a lot of people hanging out on the rim . . . I even saw one tool on a snowboard have his buddy take a picture of him halfway down the headwall in the "extreme" freeze frame pose . . . totally lame. Besides, kids jumping off those logs skier's left of lower cloud was more entertaining to watch from the lift than some douche sideslipping the blazer's headwall.

[AdironRider]

Some patroller yelled at me today for dropping those logs today actually. Threatened to take my pass away but he was up on Lower Cloud after I had hit it. I just rode off, theres so much snow in there it shouldnt be a big deal.

[Face4Me]

Did Blazer's from the "Ladies Tee" Saturday afternoon ... wasn't too impressed ... for me, Empire was a far better choice this weekend ... it was in the best shape I've ever seen it. Cloudsplitter Glades also had some great snow ... Awesome weekend overall!!!

[AdironRider]

Yeah, the headwall itself is kinda funky as there a nasty little lip halfway down from all the folks traversing over from the ladies tee entrance. I rode it out, but it took my buddy out hard yesterday.

[highpeaksdrifter]

I was at the bottom watching the finish of the bordercross on Sunday and a guy in front of me had a baseball cap on with Blazer’s Bluff embroidered on the back. I meant to look to see if the front was about Blazer’s Bluff, but I forgot about it after the race.

Anyways that little trail is getting a lot of run.

BTW men’s final was very good, in the women’s Lindsey was much the best. She seems to really dominate her sport.

[sleestak]

I was at the bottom watching the finish of the bordercross on Sunday and a guy in front of me had a baseball cap on with Blazer’s Bluff embroidered on the back. I meant to look to see if the front was about Blazer’s Bluff, but I forgot about it after the race.

Anyways that little trail is getting a lot of run.

BTW men’s final was very good, in the women’s Lindsey was much the best. She seems to really dominate her sport.

ted blazer has a whiteface hat that says blazers bluff on the back--i would imagine you saw him.