I took my dog for a walk up the Stag Brook trail on Sunday and we came down Boreen. Where it merges with the end of the Wilmington trail there was a tractor and a bunch of old snowmaking pipe. I asked and was told the steep part right before the end was being regraded to make it more blue skier friendly. I’m not sure how that will work cause that section is pretty steep.

The Wilie is a work in progress.

That part's fine ... it's nice and wide to allow for a gradual descent if needed ... the part that needs work is the very narrow stretch along the cliff that starts just downhill of the entrance to Lookout Below ... that's where they need to try to fix things up ... that's REALLY narrow and gets super icy in the afternoon ... with the drop into the trees on the left, that section of the trail freaks everybody out. The other narrow section that starts just uphill of the entrance to Lookout Below is a little hairy too, but with a decent fence on skier's left, I think that part would be OK.

Leave the bottom alone!!!

Just my opinion.

Face4Me wrote:

That part's fine ... it's nice and wide to allow for a gradual descent if needed ... the part that needs work is the very narrow stretch along the cliff that starts just downhill of the entrance to Lookout Below ... that's where they need to try to fix things up ... that's REALLY narrow and gets super icy in the afternoon ... with the drop into the trees on the left, that section of the trail freaks everybody out. The other narrow section that starts just uphill of the entrance to Lookout Below is a little hairy too, but with a decent fence on skier's left, I think that part would be OK. Leave the bottom alone!!! Just my opinion. :)

Here, here on leave the bottom alone, but, other than being surprised that HPD even had a dog, I'd like to comment on how stupid I am on trail/mountain management let alone suggesting how to get it done.

So, in the interest of the non-mountain specialists everywhere, like myself, I'd like, for laughs, and giggles to hear from other boardies ( no, not just draggers ) how they'd construct these changes on Wilmie.

Don't hold back, Summer is always a good time to look stupid.

NPN wrote:

Here, here on leave the bottom alone, but, other than being surprised that HPD even had a dog, I'd like to comment on how stupid I am on trail/mountain management let alone suggesting how to get it done. So, in the interest of the non-mountain specialists everywhere, like myself, I'd like, for laughs, and giggles to hear from other boardies ( no, not just draggers ) how they'd construct these changes on Wilmie. Don't hold back, Summer is always a good time to look stupid.

How about instead of putting up netting to try and stop people from going over the edge on Hickcock Hill, move all those rocks below out of there and use it to ski into the SV Glads and also have a short connection to come back on the Wilie if there isn't enough snow in the glades.

haul some dirt in to fill in the narrows or build a platform/bridge to span it.? it maybe that a fence, please keep it low, will still be needed.

highpeaksdrifter wrote:

NPN wrote: Here, here on leave the bottom alone, but, other than being surprised that HPD even had a dog, I'd like to comment on how stupid I am on trail/mountain management let alone suggesting how to get it done. So, in the interest of the non-mountain specialists everywhere, like myself, I'd like, for laughs, and giggles to hear from other boardies ( no, not just draggers ) how they'd construct these changes on Wilmie. Don't hold back, Summer is always a good time to look stupid. How about instead of putting up netting to try and stop people from going over the edge on Hickcock Hill, move all those rocks below out of there and use it to ski into the SV Glads and also have a short connection to come back on the Wilie if there isn't enough snow in the glades.

Another point I'm stupid on; where, exactly are the entrance points into the new glades?

not sure they've been defined yet. maybe it's by that tree where HPD's dog left a lil dookie, ya know, as a cairn.

Dewie Pyle - turn left!

That's rediculous, if it's true.

The Wilmington Trail is just fine. Leave it alone. Make it more blue skier friendly? Pish!!!! Really, that last steep section is ideal to give blue skiers an opportunity to ski something steeper, while being wide enough to allow them to make use of the hill to control their descent. Yes, skiers do actually have to learn how to do that if they want to progress to greater ability levels. In fact, those are the very skills I have been teaching my kids on that very section. The first time I took my 7 year old down the Wilmington last year he was a bit scared at that section, but we worked it out. We made nice sweeping turns down the entire face, using the whole hill to control his speed. What's more blue skier friendly than being able to learn how to do that? So now my 7 year old (did I mention he's seven.......and at seven I'd say he's an emergent blue skier with developing skills) can ski that section with no problems, and no apprehension. Make that section any more blue skier friendly and Whiteface will be jumping on the bandwagon of developing terminal low intermediate skiers who never get any better......because they have no good blue terrain to ski on that allows them to hone their skills.

Please, the flattening, straightening and homogonizing of trails throughout the ski industry is a horrible thing, and we don't need it at Whiteface. Heck, why don't they just straighten out all those curves on Excelsior....after all, some blue skiers might find they make them have to make turns!

From a bitness stand point WF doesn't have enough true blue terrain.

highpeaksdrifter wrote:

From a bitness stand point WF doesn't have enough true blue terrain.

I get that to a certain extent, but I've gotta', from a strictly personal standpoint, side with DDS.

I take pride in the fact that Whiteface rates their trails on a Western format.

Whiteface has more than enough start up, and take the next step terrain, IMHO.

I get more people telling me that Whiteface's reputation as a more difficult mountain is why they love coming back than I ever get about poorly rated trails.

I guess someone needs to define true blue terrain. I think Whiteface has plenty of it, and I think the Wilmington trail fits that bill. It might have sections that fall at the more difficult end of the true blue continuum, but it is blue, no doubt. Hey, maybe I'm selling my kids short and they are skiing prodigies, but I think that if my 7 year old can ski it, then it's safe to call it a blue. A true blue.

SKIdds wrote:

I guess someone needs to define true blue terrain. I think Whiteface has plenty of it, and I think the Wilmington trail fits that bill. It might have sections that fall at the more difficult end of the true blue continuum, but it is blue, no doubt. Hey, maybe I'm selling my kids short and they are skiing prodigies, but I think that if my 7 year old can ski it, then it's safe to call it a blue. A true blue.

A tale from any given weekend:

"Honey, thanks for talking me into coming up Lookout Mt. it’s beautiful up here and the Wilmington Trail is a great long cruiser with lots of turns. I don’t know what I was afraid of."

Then we come to Hickcock Hill.

"Look how narrow that is. If I fall off the left edge I could really get hurt. Now that that’s over here’s another steep and narrow part. The snow has been scraped away from people skiing it all day. I can’t do it."

"Watch out for kids hucking those cliffs. "

"Yet another steep part? I hate you for bringing me up here you freaking Ahole. We should have just skied Boreen like I wanted to. You’re sleeping on the couch tonight. Jerk."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I love the Wilie just the way it is. I don't even like the A and B netting being up, but I get way it has to be. It's a blue square with a black diamond in it IMO. Just keepin it real.

There will be a new crayon coming out this fall in the crayola line-up........Whiteface Blue - a blue darker than royal blue, yet lighter than navy blue

highpeaksdrifter wrote:

SKIdds wrote: I guess someone needs to define true blue terrain. I think Whiteface has plenty of it, and I think the Wilmington trail fits that bill. It might have sections that fall at the more difficult end of the true blue continuum, but it is blue, no doubt. Hey, maybe I'm selling my kids short and they are skiing prodigies, but I think that if my 7 year old can ski it, then it's safe to call it a blue. A true blue. A tale from any given weekend: "Honey, thanks for talking me into coming up Lookout Mt. it’s beautiful up here and the Wilmington Trail is a great long cruiser with lots of turns. I don’t know what I was afraid of." Then we come to Hickcock Hill. "Look how narrow that is. If I fall off the left edge I could really get hurt. Now that that’s over here’s another steep and narrow part. The snow has been scraped away from people skiing it all day. I can’t do it." "Watch out for kids hucking those cliffs. " "Yet another steep part? I hate you for bringing me up here you freaking Ahole. We should have just skied Boreen like I wanted to. You’re sleeping on the couch tonight. Jerk." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I love the Wilie just the way it is. I don't even like the A and B netting being up, but I get way it has to be. It's a blue square with a black diamond in it IMO. Just keepin it real.

Way it has to be? No, the ahole's in your story should have stayed on Boreen, where they seem to know they belonged. Either that, or jerko in the story does deserve the couch because his snow bunny wasn't ready for a blue square and he shouldn't have brought her up there. But instead of being ok with those realities, all the terrain on the mountain should be dumbed down for the ignorant masses? Terrible solution, IMHO. Heck, I really don't care, personally. While I do like taking the far right (as you head down) side of the pitch in question, making nice short radias turns down a steep section of fall line, which I will miss, I'll be doing some of the hucking, so I'll still find my fun on the trail either way, but mountains do need to keep a variety of all color terrain that actually challenges each skier. It's the only way people get better. For those who don't want that challenge, there really is plenty of other terrain available. Really, anyone who fancies themselves a blue skier who can't handle the Wilmie the way it is doesn't deserve to fancy themselves a blue skier.

I disagree that Wilmie has any black diamond in it. If it does, than all of WF's black diamonds need to be reclassed to double black.