Superb skiing at Okemo on March 30

We had a late March snow squall and, in exchange for the driveway being impassable, got some great late season skiing at Okemo on the last weekend of the month. J. and I got accidentally separated but we still got in a good amount of vertical. I don't think I've ever skied more vertical feet in a shorter period of a time - I hit the Northstar lift 7 times in about an hour and half. This meant skiing fast, no stopping at all, and going quickly through the singles line. It was almost like skiing in the Rockies - fresh soft new snow, bright clear blue skies, and warm temperatures in the 30's. And because of the late season, no crowds at all. There was a big difference in the feel of the snow underfoot between the southern oriented runs and northern/shady runs. I stayed on the right sides of the trails which tended to be drier.

It was great skiing, perhaps the last of the season for us. Much different than a few years ago.

Sunny Skiing in California

We just got back from a trip to California where we visited family, and squeezed in a few days skiing at Northstar, a forested bowl on the North Lake. To the left is the mid mountain lodge, which had a handy taco shack for quick lunches. A trio of 3 lifts fan out from this area.

This is J. after finishing a nice run on the sunny side of the bowl. Northstar is well protected from the wind, and this pocket is particularly sunny. That can mean the snow gets soft by the end of the day, making the skiing slow, but it was very easy to turn on.

Here is a picture from the top of the mountain facing down the sunnier West ridge. There is a particularly good long classic intermediate trail here from the top of the mountain, winding first on the top of the ridge all the way down to a notch in the side, where it broadens out to a tree lined gully back to the main lift areas. At the very top, when you first start, you can catch a glimpse of the vast alpine Lake Tahoe.

The next day I went to ski the backside, which was steeper and had longer runs. I thought the snow was harder on this side, although the runs were more challenging than I remembered from the last time here, although that was in better mid-winter conditions. For Tahoe, there is a lot of vertical to do in one lift here, 1800 vertical feet, without any crosswalks to interrupt it.

While we were visiting family in LA, J's parents threw us a nice cocktail party, where (among other things) J. made a baked brie en croute, with slices of crisp apples and pears to dig the gooey cheese out. (You can kind see the cheese oozing out of as it lost its form over time) Like most parties, there was tons of leftover food that was sent home with family friends, Justin and Randall.

We also had lunch by the seashore, in Newport Beach, where I had yet more of that particularly Californian invention, fish tacos. It's a scenic drive to there, worth the trouble. I can see why its a popular place for vacationers and residents.

After wanting to visit for many years, the stars and schedules finally lined up to view the Ronald Reagan Presidential library in Simi Valley. It's an unusually beautiful hilly site, with surrounding views for perhaps 50 miles. On the clear sunny day we spent there it was remarkable in its serenity and --although we did not bring one -- a perfect spot for a picnic. The museum takes 2-3 hours to explore and covers the various stages of Ron and Nancy's life well, although Jane Wyman (Reagan's first wife) seemed conspicuous by her ommission.

Upon our return to Sacramento, my mother gathered a large group of friends and hosted a lovely brunch at a local Punjabi restaurant where we had a buffet, followed by a splash of young Coutet. It was great seeing local friends again, especially those who had not been able to join us in New York last year. The food was good, but nothing to make us forget our fiery hot and greasy Jackson Heights Diner in Queens.

A few links

Sometimes ski areas slowly go under, like Pico or Haystack. This is an article about someone who tracks them down, trying to save the memories.

We just got back from Stowe, to celebrate our first anniversary, and oddly enough this link makes it sound like we're not the only ones who thought it was a good place for couples.

And lastly, we are looking at visiting Northstar in Tahoe, which has this recent writeup in the Miami Herald of all places. I would not have thought folks would have trekked that far to visit it. You can see where it is located to the left.

A great few days at Stowe

Last weekend, we took the extra time to drive up to Stowe, in Northern Vermont, for a little getaway celebration. There was quite a bit of snow the night before we left, but after a little bit of shoveling, we were able to get the car on the road. After an easy, isolated drive we pulled into the Stoweflake resort in the early afternoon. After getting our stuff squared away we went off to explore the charming village, and pick up a few forgotten items. Dinner was at a surprisingly decent Thai restaurant, Red Basil, on the mountain road.

The next day we took the shuttle up to the mountain and started by skiing the newly expanded and improved Spruce Peak area. This area has most of the novice/intermediate terrain , as well as a more modern base area. The snow conditions here were terrific and the crowds were much less than at the main area. J and I got our ski legs here and she tried an intermediate run to test her ability in softer snow. After she got confidence in skiing this area, I left to ski the gondola on the main mountain and she enjoyed the Spruce area. After a nice day of skiing we headed back for a sauna/hot tub soak. Later on we enjoyed a great dinner at the Swisspot restaurant in the village.

The next day J went for the full day of spa treatment while I attacked the main mountain. By now, most of the weekend crowds had gone and it felt like I had the whole mountain to myself. In general the runs on the main mountain are a bit steeper and more challenging than other Vermont ski areas, as well as the Gondola and Spruce areas. These are classic, old fashioned runs with rolling terrain well protected by trees. I had a blast working my way around the mountain. In a concession to my creaky knees, I didn't dare attempt the icy Liftline run under the Quadrunner chair. I am mystified about how I was able to handle that in my 20's. Later I went over to the Gondola and enjoyed those big wide open trails. I felt the quality of snow was better than that in Southern Vermont, but the extra 2.5 hours drive was not something I could routinely tolerate. After a nice day of that, I grabbed a bus back to the resort and headed to the sauna to sweat out some toxins. That night we went back down to the village and had a nice supper at The Whip, which apparently has been in business since 1830. The next day we headed home, tired but happy.