Fun filled weekend! Hate the storm didnt put as much down as we all hoped it would but either way the snow was very much welcomed.
Our group finally put plans together around 3pm on Thursday afternoon and a couple hours later we were all headed west to the home away from home in Echota.
Friday morning we woke early to get the Jeep warmed up and ease our way down from Echota, grab breakfast and catch the early chairs at Sugar Mountain.
Our usually breakfast spot, the Citgo in Fosco, was closed at 7:30 when we rolled though so we proceeded to McDonalds on corner of 105 and 184. To our surprise it was closed as well. (It was closed all weekend) So we headed over the Subway that has yet to let us down on powder day mornings... it kept its streak alive.
Sugar was already picking up at 8am on Friday morning. We were catching our first chair shortly after 8am. Lovely morning. (No pictures... too busy making tracks) Woopdedoo was in great shape. A bit slick at the top but worth it. Tom Terrific to Sugar Slalom and down still remains my favorite route on pow days. Sugar Slalom always seems to hold the snow. Gunther's was good, but by the end of the day I was spending more time dodging massive moguls and fallen bodies. That run was nothing but carnage.
Did anyone catch the blower atop Woopdedoo collapsing? Based on the number of staff members around, I am assuming I just missed it. I hope no one was injured.
Overall Sugar was solid, just wish they would have shut the blowers off and let us enjoy the snow fall...
Once we got home we decided that Clarks Creek and Echota Parkway had enough snow to ride them down. That was a fun experience. Started the ~2 mile hike back up and one of the neighbors gave us a ride back to the top. That was fun.
Saturday morning we decided to avoid the high priced lift tickets and presumably long lift lines so we headed to Roan Mountain to earn some turns. My buddy just bought a new touring setup that he was really wanting to try out so that had a huge influence on our decision to go that way. Roads were a bit sketchy but passable. Tennessee was doing a far better job on road clearing that NC was...
NC
TN
Roan Mountain (Carvers Gap) was a challenge. Temps in single digits. Winds gusting to 50mph. It was a challenge but it was fun. Ran into a few people that were camping on the summits... one father and son combo had been camping since Thursday afternoon!!!
Snow was very wind swept but we still made a couple runs down the grassy bald against the tree line. At some point during the first run I managed to lose my work phone. Ugh. I think it was when I took a tumble into a frozen rhododendron bush after loading up the nose of my snowboard. I went back up to the top and retraced my steps to find it... no luck. So if you happen to find a White iphone 5C with black case on it up there in the spring... let me know. As you can imagine, my boss is thrilled about this.
Back to the condo Saturday night for pork chops and Mac and Cheese. After enjoying a few rounds of drinking games, we called it night.
Sunday we cleaned up and headed home. Wish I have enjoyed the slopes today but really didnt want to pay the 50+ for the half day ticket and weekend crowds.
Overall great trip. Sorry, I dont have many pictures. Most of them are on my work phone somewhere on Roan...
EDIT: Pictures posted by Drew that I saved.
PitVipers!
Me and Tay - Carvers Gap -towards Grassy Ridge
Drew and his new touring set up.
Tays first time skiing in 15 years. She did rather well actually.
Me snowboarding down.
"Experiencing the world through second hand information isn't enough. If we want authenticity we have to initiate it. We will never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it." -Travis Rice
