New England Gathering, March 23rd to 26th

[Read Blinn]

My feminine companion element (wife) will be there - she usually skies 75% blacks, 20% double black, 5% blues.

And a fine skier she is, too!

Historically, gatherings have been for everyone, no matter the level. At a larger gathering, groups will break out. Two years ago, there were only four of us skiing (on just two models of ski), so there was only one group — a group that ran me ragged, until I managed to turn uphill behind a mogul on Liftline and slide on my back headfirst to the bottom. Good for a few laughs.

The more attendees, the merrier.

 

[newboots]

If I manage to persuade my SO to come, he will join the black diamond crowd. I keep reminding him: you started skiing at 4; I started at 63. No, I don't want to ski Mousetrap. Or Superstar. Or Panic Button. (Killington) I try to send him off to ski on his own some of the time, or we have to argue about what trail we will take. For some reason, he's not that fond of the green trails.

 

[mdf]

Don't be shy! I had never met Read before that NE Gathering, but we had a great time that weekend and as a result he is now a friend. (He has been skiing a LOT since then, and I am eager to see where he is at now. No pressure!)

I am more than glad to ski a few runs with anyone at their own level. And I am sure most of us are. Plus, I will drink with anyone.

 

[newboots]

I am more than glad to ski a few runs with anyone at their own level. And I am sure most of us are. Plus, I will drink with anyone.

I'll drink to that!

 

[Pumba]

I’m in, unless Taos suddenly gets snow. Tentatively rescheduled my ski week for the week of the ne gathering...

I also need a ride. Anyone up for a carpool?

Oh, I’m also a girl.

 

[KevinF]

Tentatively rescheduled my ski week for the week of the ne gathering...

You what???

Oh, I’m also a girl.

You are? I haven't noticed...

 

[KevinF]

As others have said, gatherings are for everyone. These are more about the people then they are about the skiing. So long as you are capable of skiing a blue groomer without endangering those around you, you are welcome to attend. As @Read Blinn mentioned above, a willingness to try (and laugh at said "try") some easier ungroomed terrain can help. You will never be pressured into skiing something you don't want to do.

Terrain skied depends on snow conditions. Past gatherings have featured full-on powder days where we couldn't have found a groomer if we wanted one. They've also featured frozen-up / rock-hard moguls where skiing anything ungroomed would have rattled a few teeth loose. (And now that I think about it, those two scenarios have occurred on consecutive days...). This is New England -- there is always a way around if you don't want to tackle the bumps / trees / etc. run that others are doing. My legs can't take four straight days of bumps and trees anyway without some easy cruising thrown in. Anybody who skis with me quickly learns that I'm almost never the first one down (ok, the only times I'm the first one down is when I'm the first one to crash...).

 

[Josh Matta]

Probably going to make Monday, with Diane. Maybe I ll make sunday as well, but weekend are a tricky time to get off sometimes.

 

[LKLA]

I’m in, unless Taos suddenly gets snow. Tentatively rescheduled my ski week for the week of the ne gathering...

I also need a ride. Anyone up for a carpool?

Oh, I’m also a girl.

Unfortunately we can not fit anyone / anything more in the car when we go on ski trips as we put 2/3 of the rear seat down.

 

[KevinF]

I've created a roll-call thread here: https://forum.pugski.com/threads/new-england-gathering-roll-call.8197/.

Please update once you know you will be attending, etc. so I know who to look for on which days.

 

[MarkP]

White Horse Inn is a decent place to stay. Breakfasts were mighty fine. Stayed there a couple yrs ago. 2 guys had just bought it. Rooms are motelish but might have changed. Good location, nice afternoon snacks, nice common area with fireplace.

Hyde Away Inn we stayed at last year. On the road up to Mad River, before cutoff to Sugarbush/ Mt Ellen (Aka Sugarbush North) The cheap rooms over the bar share a bath. You can almost talk to the people in the bar... So if you choose that option, which two can share, though tiny, bring a white noise generator. You also get a very good breakfst- cooked for you with a choice.
There's other rooms too that are more conventional. If you must wax skis and it's not too cold for you outside... There's a plug out by the fountain.

The former Hostel has just turned into a bar afaik.

Hostel Tevere?
Still does rooms. I was there Dec. 26 and 27. Inexpensive for a solo at $40/night. Convenient, less than 1/4 mile from Sugarbush Access Rd at Rt 100. Clean, but not the greatest layout; two of the upstairs rooms are "pass-throughs" in that people sleeping in room 1 have to put up with people in rooms 2 and 3 passing through, etc. Room 3 is directly over the bar. Bar is not open every night (Thursday-Saturday, I think). No food unless the bar is open.

 

[Tricia]

I made this thread and the roll call thread a sticky. Wish I could make it, because I had a ton of fun skiing Stowe and MRG last April.

 

[Wendy]

Thinking about this....it’s a long drive from PA , and I’d have to take a few days off without pay....but I’ve had a hell of a year and another ski gathering might be good for the soul.

I can’t commit to anything until Mid March, though.

 

[Read Blinn]

Thinking about this....it’s a long drive from PA , and I’d have to take a few days off without pay....but I’ve had a hell of a year and another ski gathering might be good for the soul.

I can’t commit to anything until Mid March, though.

The soul deserves it. Hope to see you there.

 

[LKLA]

Thinking about this....it’s a long drive from PA , and I’d have to take a few days off without pay....but I’ve had a hell of a year and another ski gathering might be good for the soul.

I can’t commit to anything until Mid March, though.

There is another thread where there is a running list of folks planning to attend and the basic details.

 

[Read Blinn]

Which is here: https://www.pugski.com/threads/new-england-gathering-roll-call.8197/page-2

 

[KevinF]

After this week's melt down, we're going to need to break out the serious snow dances. The Gathering is still a long ways off though and New England conditions can change in a big hurry.

@vanhoskier , hope you can make it!

 

[LKLA]

This season has made it clear that conditions in the northeast change on an almost daily basis - one good day followed by two bad days followed by three good days and then one bad day proceeded by four good days ahead of three bad days.

No time to recover, make snow...make travel plans...

Record high temps set to hit most of the northeast this week - some areas seeing temps well into the 60s (Killlington set to see 62 degrees on Wednesday).

 

[KevinF]

I would also like to point out that there's a long history of Gatherings producing snowstorms. I've seen Mt. Mansfield (Stowe) conjure up some serious snowstorms in every month, December through April. Late March is not too late to get some outrageously good skiing in. Just need to start praying to Ullr.

 

[newboots]

Can someone teach me the snow dance?