Easier Intermediate Trails?

[Son of Drifter]

According to HPD you need an beacon and avi gear to ski it.

Yeah, I guess you're right. Telling a beginner to put on a helmet, go to the summit and "Go for it" is the responsible thing to do.

I always thought base jumping looked like fun. I think I'll get some sort of papachute. hike up Chapel Pond trail, put on a helmet and jump off the cliff. you know, "Go for it."

You can't beat the views.

i feel sorry for son of drifter, i suppose he couldnt eat a half hour before swimming or make a face because it would freeze that way

HAHAHAHA LOL Now we are getting some where.

P.S. This string of posts is way off topic. Where's the mod to intervine? Oh yeah, he's stoking the flame war. LOL

[SKIdds]

How's about this guys........just like Son Of could go in the water right after eating so long as he had his floaties on , so shall a relative beginner be able to challenge themselves on Paron's and Follies so long as they have their own assistance with them in the form of an expert who can scout the terrain before hand and help them down the run.

The key is knowing the terrain and assessing the conditions and crowds. If it is icy and crowded there is no way a beginner belongs up there, even with assistance of their own. However, with good conditions and no crowds a run like Paron's is a cake walk for any brave beginner with a solid snowplow. That being said, I don't believe any beginners should venture up there alone....you just never know what you will find and the trail can be a bear under certain conditions.

Trust me, I'm sensitive to the 'thou shall not ski where thou does not belongeth' arguments. Recalling one particularly bad day at Hunter years ago, skiing Westway in the am after a warmup when someone who clearly didn't belong on the steep and icy terrain fell above and slid into my brother, knocking him into a fence, which broke his ski when it went through the slats (hey, argument against fences at Gore ), will never let me forget. Also, now that I have the kids skiing I get precious few runs to myself, and having to exit my zipper line to retrieve some idiots gear in the middle of a mogul field when I don't get to ski that many mogul fields really sucks. So I know what a drag it can be when people are out of place........but that doesn't mean it is never acceptable for people to challenge themselves and expand their horizons if done responsibly.

No doubt if we make it up to Whiteface this spring and the conditions are good I'll bring my beginner daughter up to ski Paron's. While she is only a solid beginner with an unshakeable wedge, she has skied comparable intermediate runs elsewhere. Sure as !@#$ she uses the whole trail, but she's entitled and as long as those who are skiing from above her know and respect the code there shouldn't be a problem. There is plenty of room on the moutain for all of us if we exercise some personal responsibility.

[ski_newbie]

I was just at WF for the first time and would say I'm a solid intermediate. I agree with most of the postings so far. While I think WF's ratings are accurate (a blue is a blue, black is black) you have to remember that a lot of other mountains won't rate quite the same. Many of the blues I rode over the past few days would have been blacks at other places... not saying that's right, just how it is. So start off slow and if you're enjoying a trail then progress to something harder.

I'd suggest you take the Facelift Quad for your first few runs. Upper Valley and Broadway are both good starts. I preferred Broadway because there's more space (generally less people and no lift poles to crash into). If you do that you can shoot back over to Lower Gap and Lower Valley to finish off. Many of the greens (Easy Street, and Boreen especially if its normal) are a good beginning too. Just make sure you stay to the right so you don't end up in the kiddie camp.

If that's going well take the Gondola up and try Excelsior. The first section can be crowded but after that its a nice a run and there are plenty of places to get off to the side for a break if you (or your legs) need it. Once you get back to the middle finish up down Lower Gap and Valley (which you now know).

And if that's going well take the Summit up to the top. If conditions are good and you've enjoyed the previous runs, Follies and Parons are both manageable and have AMAZING views. Which one you take depends on your preference... Follies is skinnier at first but Parons is steeper. Usually I like a nice wide trail but I personally preferred Follies most of the time (later in the day it can get a little icey). You can take the Follies down from the top and take the first or second connector over to Parons to avoid most of the steepness at the top. Again, I think Parons is rated correctly as blue - that being said, it would be a black at some mountains.

In general - the snow on all trails is better the earlier in the day you hit it. WF is better than other mountains with their postings too... you won't end up in an area with only black trails if you're paying attention. And the people are friendly and informative so ask if you're unsure. Oh and take a lesson... I'd recommend Ed Hale if you can get him. Have fun!

[mfi]

We where up there Sunday for the first time. We can ski anything but where with a beginner. As a last run we picked the Freeway chair because we though they had a blue up there. The exit of that chair has to be the steepest thing I have ever seen. Poor guy fell down it but survived. Once we saw the run, upper throughway we new he was going to have trouble. i decided to teach him to side slip. I feel this is a must in case you get in trouble. It got him down the run. Before that he was having trouble controlling his speed. Also taught him the quick turn. Snowplowing wasn't working too good for him that day. This is a tough mountain and beginners and intermediates should be careful on it. I had a tough time on lower skyward, it was much icier than upper which was great.

[AdironRider]

Dude, Upper Northway is a black diamond for sure. I wouldnt take a shoddy skier on that at all. The pitch at the end is imposing for those not used to the steeps and those who cant control speed.

[skigolfhunt]

Paron's is totally an intermediate run!

Not totally. Many days the summit is designated expert only. Usually during snowmaking &/or high winds when its bullet proof.

If you are going to go the the mountain for an extended period of time I would recommend taking a family lesson. It sounds like it would help and the instructor would be happy to show you around the mountain if you ask. He would also be a good judge of what slopes you would be able to ski. If you don't want to spend the money try tracking down a Mountatin Host.
Have fun and be safe.