With such an epic weekend, I couldn't let nasty family obligations stand in the way of getting a few turns. While I couldn't make it to NC or Va, the local hill still reported 10" of freshies, so first thing Saturday morning I hit the road and drove up to Ober for some powder slaying goodness.
Roads were fine, with weather hovering in the low to mid 30s on the way up. Got to the top lot, got rockstar parking, enjoyed watching the backhoe fill in for a snowplow.
All photos taken with my camcorder, so kinda cruddy quality, but it beat lugging a DSLR around all day.
Entrance:
A little snow piled up behind my ride:
The weather actually kept the crowds away for most of the morning. Bad news was due to the power going out Fri night he black lift wasn't working early on Sat.
Seeing Mogul Ridge sit there covered in powder was too much to resist, so I started setting the bootpack... just because the lift is closed doesn't mean the slope is, right? Well, ski patrol had a vastly different point of view about that, so I had to reverse course after just a short climb. Booooo.
When they did finally open up (it didn't take too long, I suppose), MR got tracked out pretty darn quick, thanks to Ski Patrol, myself, and several other locals.
Looking at the top bit of MR:
Looking down at the base from MR:
As you can see, there was no sun whatsoever all day, and the clouds & snow moved in around noon. I bolted around 4, as it was getting increasingly crowded after ski school started letting out (I absolutely detest dodging flailing newbs and their runaway rental equipment on MR. Call me a jaded local, see if I care.).
A couple of videos:
Later in afternoon, the crowd is starting to pick up:
Untitled from Patrick Lamb on Vimeo.
Early on, the lift ride up the Black lift:
Obergatlinburg 12.19.09 from Patrick Lamb on Vimeo.
A nice day; probably the best December day I can remember at the 'burg, well, ever.
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The messageboard is now in read-only mode and no new posts or topics can be created. We will leave the messageboard up for historical purposes, but you will not be able to make new posts or comment on existing ones.
We have started a Discord server and hope that you all will join us on there. Technology has changed over the years and maintaining the messageboard has become somewhat of a pain in the butt and Discord offers many features for users, the main one being a very polished mobile app.
We really hope you all will join us on Discord and think you will like the platform. Use the invite link below to join.
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"Pow"burg: Ober 12.19.09
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EastCoaster
- Expert
- Posts: 3155
- Joined: Sun Dec 31, 2006 1:42 pm
@jbc28 198685 wrote:Rad.
Werd. Every time I see a picture or video of the waterslide at the base area it flips me out. I feel like it needs to be poached.
Werd. Every time I see a picture or video of the waterslide at the base area it flips me out. I feel like it needs to be poached.
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snowboardwfaith
- Intermediate
- Posts: 804
- Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:52 pm
have they even attempted to set up any of the new boxes or rails?
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Zeus
- Expert
- Posts: 2535
- Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2006 10:45 am
Nope. Still sitting over behind the water slide.
Heard a nasty rumor that they were going to put them on Grizzly. I'm guessing that can't be the case due to the slope opening sequence, and the fact that they would be inaccessible at night.
Heard a nasty rumor that they were going to put them on Grizzly. I'm guessing that can't be the case due to the slope opening sequence, and the fact that they would be inaccessible at night.
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snowboardwfaith
- Intermediate
- Posts: 804
- Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2006 2:52 pm
Wow if they put them on Grizz they would be majorly stupid. Lower bear or alpine is the best place for them. But till then they should put them on the far slope right of Castle and rope it off so people from Cub can't slide into it.
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Zeus
- Expert
- Posts: 2535
- Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2006 10:45 am
@EastCoaster 198689 wrote:Werd. Every time I see a picture or video of the waterslide at the base area it flips me out. I feel like it needs to be poached.
Woahwoahwoah. Slow down there Turbo- this here is Tennessee and not the great winter snowsports mecca of DC! We would need a helluva lot more snow to make a fall from the pinnacle of the slide a lot less, erm, lethal.
Woahwoahwoah. Slow down there Turbo- this here is Tennessee and not the great winter snowsports mecca of DC! We would need a helluva lot more snow to make a fall from the pinnacle of the slide a lot less, erm, lethal.
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UABSkiBum
- Beginner
- Posts: 217
- Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:23 am
Zeus, have you ever seen Ober better looking than it did this weekend? The shot of Mogul Ridge is incredible. I have been up there when at the most 8 inches fell. But the 13" that they have reported is awesome for them. What do you think Ober will look like after Christmas. I know it will be crowed with tourists, but conditions wise, what do you think?
