Skiing Pico Mountain (Day 30)

Skiing Pico Mountain

Friday, March 6th, 2026

Runs: 24

Distance: 20.88 miles

Elevation: 22,336 feet

Max Speed: 36.2 mph

Avg. Speed: 14.7 mph

Moving Time: 1 hour, 28 minutes, 7 seconds

Total Time: 5 hours, 26 minutes, 22 seconds

If there is one thing I've been excelling at this winter is skiing on weekdays! Linnea & Andrew are geting married tomorrow, so I took a personal day to head up a little early and get the festivities starte! The OFFICIAL plan was to ski at Pico on Sunday post-wedding, but I figured that we wouldn't explore too much of the mountain with a giant crew, so I bought a lift ticket for today (Friday), too! I mentioned it to Gen and she joined! She ended up Getting a hotel in Queeche yesterday night, but I wasn't going to join since I was going to have parent teacher conferences until 8pm, but then I was told that I wouldn't have to stay since I had no conferences and the weather was going to be bad, so I HAPPILY joined! Gen and I flirted with skiing McIntyre on the way up, but it was on/off raining and we didn't want wet gear for Pico, so we met at the Sierra and then Chilis in West Lebanon, NH for dinner before checking into the Align Inn (LOVELY!). We got a good night's rest and then had an easy (albeit slightly slushy) 45 minute drive to Pico Mountain the next morning! We made it to the lodge around 8:30am, slowly got booted up, and made our way out a little after 9:00am to start exploring!

Current Conditions

March 6th, 2026 - 06:04am

Good morning, Pico family,

It was another sunny and pleasant day on the mountain with great snow to shred. After a couple days off, it feels good to be back open and shredding here.

An inch of snow moved in last night along with sleet and freezing rain. There's another chance of snow early today, then mostly cloudy with highs around 29°F at the base and 33°F at the top, and a breezy southeast wind to keep things feelin glike midwinter.

Our grooming team went after the same plan with Knomes Knoll terrain added back into the mix, including The Draw, Ace of Clubs, and Triple Slope. Ace of Clubs should be skiing and riding strongs as well as Fools Gold after receiving fresh corduroy.

The Summit Express Quad, Golden Express Quad, Little Pico Triple, Knomes Knoll Triple, and Bonanza Carpet will all be spinning at 9:00am.

It's time to think about getting your Spring Pass for unlimited skiing and riding from March 13, 2026, through the very last day of the season. Plus, your Spring Pass is also valid at Killington until it closes for the season. 

Have a good Friday! - Evan

Runs 1-3

Run 1: Golden Express Quad - Expressway - Swinger

[0.87 mi; 3:23; 896 ft; 28.6 mph max; 13.9 mph avg]

Run 2: Golden Express Quad - Fool's Gold

[0.59 mi; 2:15; 519 ft; 30.2 mph max; 15.3 mph avg]

Run 3: Summit Express Quad - Forty Niner - Mid Pike - Lower Pike

[1.75 mi; 6:17; 1,969 ft; 35.0 mph max; 16.3 mph avg]

We were cautious with our snow quality expectations due to the rain last night and the refreeze, but we were delighted with our first run! We hopped onto the Golden Express Quad (which had a fun chair shape - the chairs were normal but the bracing around it were shaped like little houses) and followed Expressway to Swinger down. Expressway followed the lift line and had some nice, hard corduroy. Not the "vibrates my whole body" hard, but the kind that's fun to ski! Swinger mellowed out but was still lovely. This was a great start!

Run #2 was the Pico equivalent of Green Weaver at Saddleback, a busy transit route between the two main lifts down Fool's Gold. The difference between Fool's Gold and Green Weaver is definitely snow quality (it was GOOD on Fool's Gold), difficulty (Green Weaver isn't too difficult until the headwall before the Kennebago Lift), and width (Fool's Gold is a WIDE trail, which was great becuase there were folks of ALL abilities on it). 

Run #3 brought us up the Summit Express Quad, which had Hershey Kiss-shaped chair bracings, and we went down Forty Niner - the main blue groomer from the summit. The snow was similarly in fantastic shape - I was delighted! The run was overall just a favorite - a nice true intermediate run with a few steeper spots and a slight New England-style wind to it. We popped out on Mid Pike and skied right on past the Summit Express Quad to Lower Pike. 

Runs 4-5 

Run 4: Little Pico Triple - A Slope Cutoff - A Slope

[0.49 mi; 1:36; 673 ft; 32.3 mph max; 17.2 mph avg]

Run 5: Little Pico Triple - Bushwahcker - Swinger - Triple Slope

[0.95 mi; 3:20; 656 ft; 28.9 mph max; 17.0 mph avg]

We skied right along to the Little Pico Triple to do some exploring on the lower mountain. This was an adorable lift with a low-key vibe to it. Run #4 brought us down A Slope Cutoff, which started wide and then narrowed to a little steep chute before opening up again at the end for some nice, wide turns on A Slope proper. The upper part of A Slope was double-black rated with natural snow, and the natural snow was sounding FROZEN at this point in the day.

Run #5 brought us down the back side of Little Pico on Bushwhacker, which quickly became a favorite! It was just a mellow tree-lined run that was visually a delight. We followed that all the way to Swinger and ultimately Triple Slope to continue our exploration.

Runs 6-7

Run 6: Knomes Knoll Triple - Sundowner

[0.36 mi; 2:19; 390 ft; 24.4 mph max; 8.6 mph avg]

Run 7: Knomes Knoll Triple - Ace of Clubs

[0.35 mi; 1:23; 351 ft; 24.8 mph max; 14.9 mph avg]

Now we were at the Knomes Knoll Triple, another adorable, althought slightly less adorable triple near the Golden Express Quad. Run #6 was down Sundowner, which was ungroomed. I pointed that out to Gen and noted that there were some bumps, but she was down to explore! That was a mistake... With the snow, rain, and refreeze the snow on this run had about 3" of soft underneath about 3cm of hard crust, which made turning virtually impossible. At one point we were both down on the ground (I tried to come to stop but my downhill ski caught an edge and I went FLYING - landed smack on my butt which was a pain I hadn't felt before!). We recovered, got back on the triple, and solemly swore to hit a groomer next. We followed Ace of Clubs back to the Golden Express Quad.

Runs 8-10

Run 8: Golden Express Quad - Fool's Gold

[0.59 mi; 1:43; 522 ft; 36.2 mph max; 19.6 mph avg]

Run 9: Summit Express Quad - Forty Niner - Sunset 71 - Lower Sunset 71 - Forty Niner - Mid Pike - Lower Pike

[1.63 mi; 7:03; 1,969 ft; 30.1 mph max; 13.0 mph avg]

Run 10: Golden Express Quad - Gold Rush - Lower Pike

[1.01 mi; 4:11; 906 ft; 32.7 mph max; 14.3 mph avg]

Run #8 was another lap down Fool's Gold - my favorite part about this run was that it had a few fun rollers after the only steeper pitch - so fun!

We were back on the Summit Express Quad for Run #9. We were interested in the other blue from the top, Sunset 71. There was a headwall at the start of it listed as black, but it became a blue just after. We skied down Forty Niner to check it out. It was bumpy, but Gen was feeling down for the challenge again! It... sucked! Bulletproof! We scraped down, for better or for worse, and at the first bail out point Gen hopped back onto Forty Niner. I decided to keep my sense of adventure going, and suffered down the rest of the bumps. My legs were cooked by the end of the upper half, not becuase the bumps were big, but becuase I was constantly braced for impact. Lower Sunset 71 was groomed, but similarly bulletproof. It wasn't full Tokyo Drift (like how Goat gets at Jay in the afternoon), but it also wasn't pleasant. I was thrilled to get back onto Forty Niner, and Mid Pike and Lower Pike were both dreams! We also noticed a few groups with Vermont Adapative Sports helping skiers with physical and visual impairments navigate the mountain, which was really cool!

Run #10 was a much easier run with the only goal of skiing trail we hadn't yet. We took the Golden Express Quad to Gold Rush and Lower Pike, a lovely run! 

Runs 11-12

Run 11: Little Pico Triple - B Slope

[0.45 mi; 1:29; 636 ft; 28.3 mph max; 17.5 mph avg]

Run 12: Little Pico Triple - Bushwhacker - C Slope - Lower Pike

[0.79 mi; 3:46; 669 ft; 34.1 mph max; 11.6 mph avg]

Run #11 was back onto the Little Pico Triple and we followed B Slope, which was in pretty good shape! The snow was finally getting chopped up, providing some much welcomed grip. The slope was a fun pitch, too! Steep at first, then flattens out partway down, and then a nice wide pitch to end. Definitely a favorite!

Run #12 was back down Bushwahcker and onto C Slope, which was equally as delightful! Just a nice groomed woodsy cruise. We spat out onto Lower Pike and rode it back down to the lodge. We went in for a quick water/snack break after this one. We both agreed we didn't need to ski the full day until 4:00pm, but we did want to see how many different trails we could ski without getting too miserable.

Runs 13-15

Run 13: Golden Express Quad - Fool's Gold

[0.57 mi; 1:36; 509 ft; 32.5 mph max; 20.4 mph avg]

Run 14: Summit Express Quad - Forty Niner

[1.34 mi; 5:11; 1,696 ft; 30.6 mph max; 14.8 mph avg]

Run 15: Summit Express Quad - Forty Niner - Sunset Schuss - C Slope - Lower Pike

[1.81 mi; 7:55; 2,014 ft; 30.9 mph max; 13.2 mph avg]

After our break, we were back on the Golden Express Quad for a quick run down Fool's Gold and then onto the Summit Express Quad for a redemption run down Forty Niner! Forty Niner was nicely chopped up, likely because it was the only enjoyable run from the top. It was the kind of snow that you need to dig your edges in, but once you get them in you can really ride the turn nicely!

Run #15 was my favorite run of the day! We got back up the Summit Express and onto Forty Niner. Near the end of Forty Niner, we turned onto Sunset Schuss, which was a fun, relatively gentle narrow trail with occasional thin cover and a bump here and there. We followed Sunset Schuss to our beloved C Slope, which we followed back to Lower Pike to finish out a truly lovely fun!

Runs 16-19

Run 16: Golden Express Quad - Expressway - Outpost Run - The Draw - Swinger - Triple Slope

[0.95 mi; 3:53; 876 ft; 25.7 mph max; 14.1 mph avg]

Run 17: Knomes Knoll Triple - Triple Slope (Mid)

[0.31 mi; 1:09; 384 ft; 22.9 mph max; 14.9 mph avg]

Run 18: Knomes Knoll Triple - Triple Slope (R)

[0.29 mi; 1:02; 387 ft; 23.9 mph max; 17.1 mph avg]

Run 19: Knomes Knoll Triple - Ace of Clubs - The Draw - Swinger

[0.47 mi; 2:19; 390 ft; 28.0 mph max; 12.3 mph avg]

Our next batch of runs helped fill in our map some more. We took the Golden Express up for Run #16 and then down Expressway to Outpost Run, which was a weird mix of styrofoam/ice/concrete snow. It was neat and spooky to see the quiet Outpost Double, which I guess has been down for some mechanical issue. From there, we skated over to The Draw, Swinger, and then Triple Slope, landing back at the Knomes Knoll Triple.

Runs #17 and #18 were both down Triple Slope. Run #17 was down the middle of the three routes while #18 was down the right side - both were fun! Short, but fun! I flirted with the left side, but it was more of that ungodly awful natural snow that neither of us wanted to mess with.

Our final run over here was down the top of Ace of Clubs to The Draw and then Swinger, just to connect some dots we hadn't yet!

Runs 20-22

Run 20: Golden Express Quad - Fool's Gold

[0.55 mi; 1:51; 505 ft; 32.8 mph max; 17.8 mph avg]

Run 21: Summit Express Quad - Forty Niner - Easy Street - Birch Glades - Mid Pike 

[1.27 mi; 6:57, 1,640 ft; 26.0 mph max; 11.0 mph avg]

Run 22: Summit Express Quad - Forty Niner - Easy Street - Lower Giant Killer - Fool's Gold

[1.52 mi; 6:23; 1,640 ft; 28.0 mph max; 14.3 mph avg]

We noticed there were a few more blues on the map's right side off of the Summit Express/Easy Street, so that's where we were headed next! Run #20 was another lap down Fool's Gold, and #21 brought us down Forty Niner to Easy Street. We traversed the glacier that was Pike, and found ourselves at Birch Glades, which were a DREAM. Skier's left was medium-recently groomed while the middle and left-hand sides were like a tree lattice with bumps and a few woodsy spots. It reminded me of Kokomo at Jay if it had any pitch at all. I was being a little adventerous with my bumps, and unfortunately Gen followed and simply did not turn at one point and ended up smacking into two skinny trees and landing on the ground. Thankfully, it sounded a lot worse than it actually was. Yikes! This would become my new favorite trail of the day (favorite run is still the one with Sunset Schuss).

Run #22 was back up the Summit Express and back down Forty Niner to Easy Street. We went all the way over to Lower Giant Killer, which was delightfully mellow and scenic! Just another nice cruiser lined with trees - a delight! We ended up back at Fool's Gold and went over to the Summit Express again.

Runs 23-24

Run 23: Summit Express Quad - Forty Niner - Mid Pike - Lower Pike

[1.78 mi; 7:06; 1,959 ft; 30.0 mph max; 15.0 mph avg]

Run 24: Bonanza Carpet - GLM

[0.18 mi; 1:12; 66 ft; 18.6 mph max; 8.9 mph avg]

It was now around 2:00pm, Gen and I were feeling satisfied with what we were able to ski, and we were HUNGRY. We decided to call three more skip the last. I told her I wanted to get a zoomy run down Forty Niner, so I ZOOMED on down with super big, wide turns that were so much fun. I followed Mid and Lower Pike all the way down to the lodge, but we still had two more runs to skip the last! I wanted a minute or two for Gen to get down, and then we skated over to the Bonanza Carpet! The tube looked and felt very new, and it was long! Turns out two seasons ago it was a double chair that was replaced in partnership with Vermont Adaptive, which is awesome! We went up the carpet and down GLM back to the lodge for a little teehee run!

We debooted and changed our clothes before getting lunch and an apres drink upstairs at the Last Run Lounge, where they had a little bit of live music, too. I managed to run into an old coworker, which was crazy! We hit the gift shop, and then had a wonderfully short drive to the Mountain Top Inn and Resort, where I'd be spending the next two nights! We relaxed for a bit, found Emma, took a nap, and then had a nice time at the wedding's welcome party before calling it a night.

Map of Pico Mountain

Skiing Magic Mountain (Day 29/Indy Day 24)

Skiing Magic Mountain

Saturday, February 28th, 2026

Runs: 10

Distance: 14.15 miles

Elevation: 14,951 feet

Max Speed: 31.5 mph

Avg. Speed: 12.3 mph

Moving Time: 1 hour, 9 minutes, 58 seconds

Total Time: 4 hours, 24 minutes, 16 seconds

It's the weekend, and time to get back to THE Magic Mountain! Gen and I were planning on going and we extended the invite to our usual suspects, so Sarah would be meeting us there! I was a concert the night before and spent the night in a bed other than my own, so I was moving slowly on minimal sleep, but Gen and I met at the Lincoln MBTA stop to carpool just before 6:00am and slowly made our way to Londonderry. We stopped at the Leominster Cumberland Farms for breakfast, and then again at the Winchendon one for a bathroom break, where we ran into Sarah! How fun! The rest of our drive was slow and beautiful. We eventually made it to magic around 8:45am, and it was BUSY. Apparently there was a big race going on all day on Show Off, which clogged the parking lots and especially jammed the ticket line. Sarah and I got to reload our RFID's online - all we had to do was check-in at a kiosk. Poor Gen had to wait, and she didn't get an RFID - they apparently were running wildly low, so they were handing out wicket tickets! I was so jealous! We booted in a pop-up tent/lodge situation and eventually got onto snow! Sarah and I were ahead of Gen, so we did our first lap just the two of us, making it onto the chair around 9:40am (we were SLOW today!).

Snow Report

2/28 6:30am: Good morning and welcome to the weekend! It's going to be a fantastic springlike ski day today, with all 53 trails open and temps in the low 40's. Might it be time to get out the corn Horn? Come get some soft turns in and hang out on the deck or at the T-BAR for some great spring vibes, despite still being the last day of February. More snow and colder temps are on the way starting tomorrow, but today will be a ton of fun in the sun!

Hitting the many groomed trails early while the snow is still a bit firm, and switching up to some natural trails as the day warms up should be a great plan of attack for today. Trails like Black Line and Magician will be awesome once they have a few hours of sun to soften up. There is thin cover out there so be aware and use caution on the steeps.

There is a CISC race today on Show Off.

All 5 lifts will spin today from 8:30-4:00, with the Abracadabra Handle Tow continuing to operate for night laps from 4-7 with access to the terrain park.

The Vermont Speciality Foods Day will be taking place on the deck from 11-3. Stop on by and sample some of Vermont's finest products including Cabot Cheese, Chimera Meats, and Farmhouse Chocolates. Thanks to the Vermont Ski Area Association for sponsoring the event!

We've got a great lineup of evening entertainment as well, with Pati Mac singing apres music in the tavern from 3-6 and the Moon Hollow Band taking the main stage starting at 7.

Uphill travel opne 9am-3:30pm.

Runs 1-3

Run 1: Red Double - Upper Wizard - Lower Wizard

[1.79 mi; 8:11; 1,516 ft; 31.5 mph max; 13.1 mph avg]

Run 2: Black Quad - Enchanted Forest Woods - Upper Magic Carpet - Lower Magic Carpet

[1.52 mi; 7:02; 1,480 ft; 29.4 mph max; 13.0 mph avg]

Run 3: Black Quad - Upper Magic Carpet - Wand - Hocus Pocus

[1.44 mi; 6:16; 1,493 ft; 26.1 mph max; 13.8 mph avg]

It was going to be a wildly warm day today, so I didn't even wear a shell to start (by wildly warm, I mean temps in the mid-30s). Sarah and I got on the red chair, which wasn't open last time we were here, and started with Upper Wizard and Lower Wizard, which were marked with "expert only" signs, even though it's listed as a blue (with a small black section) on the trail map. We were both thrown off by the snow condition on the upper stretch (and the whole run, in fairness). It was like soft, semi wet snow on top of a harder crust beneath. It was weird to ski, especially since we've had such a strong winter. Every turn on Wizard had some ice and bumps, but nothing too treacherous. It's a really fun trail!

We scooped Gen up and all three of us got onto the Black Quad and followed the "easiest way down" - Upper Magic Carpet to Lower Magic Carpet, which was LOVELY! I also hit the woods between Upper Magic Carpet and Enchanted Forest, which were fine. I also also was starting to remember how to ski, which was more important!

Run #3 brought us back up the Black Quad, still following greens from Upper Magic Carpet to Wand (past the Sunshine Corner), all the way to Hocus Pocus, which was truly just a lovely run. The chairs at Magic are SLOW, but they do a great job at controlling the on-mountain crowds. 

Runs 4-6

Run 4: Red Double - White Out - Up Your Sleeve - Lower Magic Carpet - Vertigo - Lower Magic Carpet

[1.28 mi; 6:42; 1,509 ft; 31.3 mph max; 11.5 mph avg]

Run 5: Black Quad - White Out - Betwixt - Trick - Mystery - Lower Magic Carpet

[1.15 mi; 6:37; 11,486 ft; 25.6 mph max; 10.4 mph avg]

Run 6: Black Quad - Upper Wizard - Talisman - Lower Wizard

[1.44 mi; 6:53; 1,457 ft; 29.2 mph max; 12.5 mph avg]

The line for the Black Quad was getting pretty long, but there was hardly a line for the Red Double, so we skied over there for a run. We learend the Black does move just a little faster, but we'd all rather be sitting in a chair versus waiting in a line. Run #4 brought us down looker's left side of the mountain. White Out was a natural run with some fun bumps and a few scrapey spots. Up Your Sleeve was fun! Mellow bumps and natural snow that was softening up nicely in the sun. Lower Magic Carpet was status quo, and our favorite from this one was Vertigo. The bumps were medium large (and yellow? I'm guessing tea-stained snowmaking snow?) and delightfully soft. We giggled the whole way down, and Gen is starting to have fun on bumps! This brought us back to Lower Magic Carpet, which we rode to the T-BAR for a quick porta potty break, and then all the way back to the Black.

Run #5 was back to a steep run. We started on White Out again but took a little chute (labeled as green, but I think it was more challenging than most of White Out) called Betwixt. From there, we skied Trick, which is another Magic Mountain blue-black run. It had a nice pitch! That brought us to Mystery, which was a fun, medium steep bump run. Then we were back to Lower Magic Carpet, and we were back in line again.

All three of us were tired/groggy for most of the day today - I had my issue, Gen was a little sick, and Sarah was trapped in North Carolina until yesterday! Our lift rides were quieter than usual, but I was also grateful to have friends that I can comfortably sit in silence with. Run #6 brought us to the pod of black runs on the looker's right side of the mountain. Gen went to ski all of Wizard, and Sarah and I skied Talisman. It was FUN! Talisman was a steep groomer that had wonderfully soft snow with a fast run out at the bottom - we both loved it! Only problem was that the snow down low was starting to get comically sticky. We basically made it through all of last season without any sticky snow, so we were NOT ready for this!

Runs 7-8

Run 7: Red Double - Upper Magic Carpet - Medium - Wand - Kinderspiel - Lower Magic Carpet

[1.33 mi; 6:22; 1,519 ft; 25.6 mph max; 12.5 mph avg]

Run 8: Red Double - Upper Magic Carpet - Wand - Carumba - Lower Redline

[1.40 mi; 5:28; 1,512 ft; 26.6 mph max; 15.3 mph avg]

Sarah was ready for lunch, but Gen and I were basically full steam ahead (I was avoiding the post-lunch crash that I always get). Gen and I took the Red Double up and wanted to connect a few trails that we hadn't skied yet. We took Upper Magic Carpet to Medium, which was a nice cruiser, back to Wand and then to Kinderspiel, which skied nicely IF you dug your edges in! The snow was STICKYYYYYY. We got back on Lower Magic Carpet and right back on the Red.

Sarah texted us she got on the Black about a minute after we got on the Red - it was now a RACE. Ultimately, Sarah won by approximately 20 seconds - good game! Also good to know for the future (meaning: if there's a line for the Black, the Red is worth it). Run #8 was Upper Magic Carpet to Wand and then Carumba, which was another fun, easy one that went at what felt like 5mph the whole way. Making comical C-turns on the mellow pitch was the only way to really keep moving without stopping - the sticky snow was goofy! This ended up being Gen's last run, but Sarah was back and I was hellbent on hitting 10 runs. Back to the double!

Runs 9-10

Run 9: Red Double - Upper Wizard - Sorcerer - Lower Wizard

[1.58 mi; 9:20; 1,512 ft; 25.5 mph max; 10.1 mph avg]

Run 10: Red Double - Upper Wizard - Broomstick - Heart of Magician - Lower Magician - Lower Wizard

[1.22 mi; 7:06; 1,463 ft; 22.7 mph max; 10.3 mph avg]

Sarah and I decided we'd hit up the other two blacks on the looker's right side of the mountain. We decided we'd hit Sorcerer first, and immediately started singing "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" on "bum" - Sarah said "man, I hope there's bumps" - and there were! We were now singing "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" on "bump." The bumps in question were awesome! Only a few sketchy spots. Overall, it skied great with joyful, soft snow. There were patrollers practicing sleds near the bottom, which fully threw me off, but I bounced back and had a solid runout on the dreadfully sticky snow.

My last run of the day was back up the Red and we aimed for Heart of Magician. Magician proper was legally open, and there was a line on skier's left that was totally skiable, but it simply did not look pleasant. Instead, we turned onto Broomstick, which started off as a nice, narrow run, and soon became a gravel driveway with a frozen base... Our skis took a scraping on this one. Heart of Magician was actually a dream, though. Soft, natural snow the whole way down, and it felt long, too! We teehee'd all the way down - I think this might have been my favorite trail of the day! I was thinking about going for another, but then we hit the sticky snow and I confirmed that I was all set.

Sarah went back for a few more runs while I bought $30 worth of food from the cafeteria (mountain prices, amirite?). I had two scoops of mac and cheese, chicken tenders, a slice of pizza, and I had a cookie that I was saving for later. After my late lunch, Gen and I went out to sit on the deck and wait for Sarah. We cheered her on as she made her return, and then Gen and I started our voyage home.

It wasn't my finest day energy wise, or even skiing wise, but a day on the mountain is better than a day inside 100% of the time! My drive back was powered by caffeine and eating Frosted Flakes one flake at a time. This was also my 29th day of the season - almost at Day 30!

Map of Magic Mountain

Breeze, Tucker, and North Boyce Hills Loop (Blue Hills Reservation)

Breeze, Tucker, and North Boyce Hills Loop (Blue Hills Reservation)

Hike Type: -OO Loop

Distance: 2.91 miles

Elevation: 407 feet

Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Hiking Challenges: Blue Hills Winter Trace (2x)

The Hike 

We had just gotten 18ish inches of snow, again, and I was really avoiding going hiking becuase the temperatures immediately warmed up, which was going to make for some less-than-ideal snowshoeing. Nevertheless, I pushed myself down to the Blue Hills after work and decided to romp around the Tucker Hill area, hoping to connect some needed trails there. The drive down was delightfully painless, and it was a nice, 43 degree day with sun and some wind. I could hear the snow rapidly melting, and there was a LOT of it. I parked in the visitor parking for the State Police, got suited up at the car, and soon, I was off!

I walked a bit of Headquarters Path, which varied from slippery slush to dry ground to deep mud - nice! There was a tractor working on moving snowbanks for parking at the Bugbee/Skyline entrance, and the Bugbee Path was basically plowed up to the turn to Houghton's Pond. I put snowshoes on for the continuation of Bugbee Path, but I probably could have survived with bareboots. The snow was living up to my expectations - bad!

Once I turned onto the Tucker Hill Path I really had to start working. There were just one set of tracks and they were comically deep post holes. I tried to tramp them down, but found it to simply be easier to make my own fresh tracks instead. 

I turned onto the Skyline Trail and suffered up Tucker Hill, which was covered in slippery slush. The summit was ridiculously wet, and I had a tough time navigating the scrambles off the top in snowshoes (I should have taken them off, but instead I just kept flinging myself down the hill). There were some sled tracks, though, which looked fun!

After Tucker Hill, the Skyline Trail became a posthole nightmare. My relatively strong ankles were no match for these. I did my best to make super intentional steps, but that was only slightly effective. The top of North Boyce continued to be post hole city, and I was more than delighted to finally get off of the Skyline Trail.

I turned onto Doe Hollow Path, which only had one set of snowshoe tracks on it, and it was the best yet! Afterwards, I turned onto the Boyce Hill Trail, which was FULLY unbroken, and now I was back to WORKING. The snow was deep and heavy, and I was moving slowly. The trail remained unbroken on the Barre Trail and Quincy Path, too. The NEMBA bridge was a little sketchy with over a foot of snow on it.

I thought I was going to get relief once on Dark Hollow, but the only thing that had been on it recently was a singular deer! It wasn't until I got near the Skyline Trail again did human tracks begin to appear, and they were postholes by the sledders. I was having quite a rough time (the sled people also went way rogue into the woods, I hope they had fun!). 

Life slightly improved after the Skyline Junction, but then I saw my first flying insect of the season! This hike was TESTING me! Bugbee Path was well broken out with trenches and tire tracks, but I kept the shoes on, even though it was wildly unpleasant in the wet snow. I took the snowshoes off just before the pavement, which turned out to be a mistake. The suffering with them on was better than the suffering without them. 

I slowly worked my way down the Bugbee Path, slipping over four times on the last flat stretch, and exhaled a massive sigh of relief once back at the car. For a 2.9 mile hike, this one kicked my butt!

Step-by-Step

- Park at State Police Visitor Parking near Park HQ.

- Turn left onto Headquarters Path.

- At jct., turn left onto Skyline Trail/Bugbee Path.

- Before 2070, turn sharply left onto Tucker Hill Path.

- At 2072, turn right onto Ayer Trail.

- At jct., turn left onto Skyline Trail.

- At 2141, turn left onto Doe Hollow Path.

- At 2151, turn left onto Boyce Hill Trail.

- At 2130, turn right onto Barre Trail.

- At jct., turn left onto Quincy Path.

- At 2112, turn left onto Dark Hollow Path.

- At 2096, veer right onto Bugbee Path.

- Follow Bugbee Path back to Headquarts Path, and then the car.

Blue Hills Reservation Map

Photo Album

Skiing Tenney Mountain (Day 28/Indy Day 23)

Skiing Tenney Mountain

Tuesday, February 24th, 2026

Runs: 12

Distance: 14.90 miles

Elevation: 15,217 feet

Max Speed: 36.9 mph

Avg. Speed: 15.1 mph

Moving Time: 1 hour, 3 minutes, 39 seconds

Total Time: 4 hours, 11 minutes, 42 seconds

Surprise! February Break isn't over, apparently! We had a snowday for The Blizzard of '26, and another one today for storm cleanup. Thankfully, Boston was cleaned up enough where I could make it to Tenney Mountain no problem! Tenney was the only Indy in a 3 hour radius that I'd never been to, so I was happy to finally be making it happen! I was up at 6:00am and out the door soon after. I had a lovely stop at Hooksett for breakfast, and I was at Tenney just before 8:30am - fifth car in the parking lot!

I got in, redeemed my Indy Pass, and slowly got booted up upstairs, which was a huge, beautiful lodge with a cafeteria, bar, and couches! Bag storage would be downstairs, which was fine with me, especially becuase it freed up wall space for endless windows! Lifts spun at 9:00am, and I was one of the first on the Hornet Double to start the day!

Snow Report

HAPPY TUESDAY: We will be operating the Hornet Double, the Eclipse Triple and the Platter Pull today. The Rope Tow will also run beginning at noon. All trails and glades are open today, with the exception of Lynn's Left. We've got more snow expected in the forecast, with some smaller snowstorms on Wednesday and Friday this week. Coming up, we have the World Pro Ski Tour returning to Tenney Mountain from February 26-28. You don't want to miss this year's event!

2026/27 Season Passes are now available! Your pass to more powder days, glade runs, and park laps is just a few clicks away. Lock in next winter while prices are at their lowest of the year.

Trails: All trails and glades are ready to go. Please be aware that some of our terrain is not groomed and is considered 'experts only'. These trails include but are not limited to: Upper Racer, Lower Racer, Lower Hornet, Sweet William, Sunflower, & Black Sheep.

Runs 1-2

Run 1: Hornet Double - Morning Glory

[1.16 mi; 4:09; 1,365 ft; 31.2 mph max; 16.8 mph avg]

Run 2: Hornet Double - Upper Hornet - Morning Glory

[1.20 mi; 3:15; 1,421 ft; 36.9 mph max; 22.2 mph avg]

The snow report said they were 100% open, but there were some closures as crews got some interesting race course prepped. The chair was SLOW, but very peaceful. Skies were blue with only a slight breeze and cold air. Higher up, there was a spectacular view out and up to the Whites, with the Tripyramids, Flume, and Liberty standing strong and with Moosilauke and the rest of the Kinsmans and Franconias in the clouds. There were maybe five people ahead of me on the chair, so there was endless untouched corduroy. My first run was down all of Morning Glory, a wonderful blue run that could have been a green at some harder mountains. It was lovely!

Run #2 was a bit of the same, but instead I skied Upper Hornet. When it transitioned to Lower Hornet, I turned back onto Morning Glory. I tried to remember the line I skied to I could check my tracks from the lift, but per usual, no luck there. I think these are blues because there is one little steep pitch near the end of the run that picks up some speed. The snow was soft and wonderful - the day was going great!

Runs 3-5

Run 3: Hornet Double - Upper Racer - Morning Glory - Edelweiss - Last Chance - Morning Glory

[1.43 mi; 8:40; 1,411 ft; 27.0 mph max; 9.9 mph avg]

Run 4: Hornet Double - Shooting Star - Pitcher - Edelweiss

[1.31 mi; 4:26; 1,478 ft; 30.7 mph max; 17.8 mph avg]

Run 5: Hornet Double - Upper Hornet - Lower Hornet

[1.15 mi; 6:19; 1,378 ft; 35.9 mph max; 10.9 mph avg]

I got a little adventerous for Run #3. I found Upper Racer, which was ungroomed and had some comical snow drifts to navigate. The upper stretch was more of a traverse, but then I got steep and bumpy with just a few exposed rocks. It was fun! I was disappointed to see that Lower Racer was closed. I made my way back to Morning Glory and then did a little Wiggle down Edelweiss, Last Chance, and linked back up at the bottom of Morning Glory to finish things out. Edelweiss, while a green, had the worst snow of the day so far!

Run #4 was my first time turning right off of the lift. I wanted to follow Shooting Star all the way down, but the lower part was closed for whatever race prep was happening. I turned onto Pitcher, which crossed a bridge over a stream (lovely) and had a small uphill (not lovely), to Edelweiss, which brought me back to the lift.

Run #5 was my "advanced" run - all of Upper and Lower Hornet! Upper Hornet was a breeze, and Lower Hornet alternated bumps with groomed spots. The bumps were in shockingly wonderful shape. Good coverage and soft. The final pitch was a bit steep, but nothing too hard. I felt good and skied right to the lodge becuase I had to pee!

Runs 6-7

Run 6: Hornet Double - 10E Highway - Screaming Eagle Glades - Supernova Glades - Edelweiss - White Out - Pitcher - Cub's Corner - Trillium - Edelweiss

[1.40 mi; 6:23; 1,414 ft; 28.6 mph max; 13.1 mph avg]

Run 7: Hornet Double - 10E Highway - Fisher Cat (Groomed) - Sunflower - Trillium - Pitcher - Edelweiss

[1.42 mi; 4:51; 1,365 ft; 32.0 mph max; 17.6 mph avg]

After my potty break I hopped back on the Hornet. I was cold! I decided it was time to check out some trees, especially since the groomers were freezing me (It wasn't actually that cold out, but the air temp was in the teens and there was a slight breeze. That paired with a slow lift got to me!). I turned into the Screaming Eagle Glades and continued into the Supernova Glades - they were a TREAT! Great snow, not too steep, not too tight, just fun tree skiing! It allowed me to practice connecting turns without too much fear, which was needed, too. I dumped out onto Edelweiss and then I turned onto White Out, which was a bit steeper and narrower than the main blues. This brought me to Pitcher - I crossed the bridge and skied uphill, and I turned left onto Cub's Corner, which was just a ~30 foot connector trail to Trillium, which brought me back to Edelweiss to wrap this one one.

Continuing to work my way looker's right, Run #7 brought me onto 10E Highway to Fisher Cat. Fisher Cat had a groomed line (right side) and an ungroomed one (left side, also the power line). I followed the groomed side and continued onto Sunflower, which was also groomed. Fun! Cold! Same ending as before with Trillium, Pitcher, and Edelweiss.

Runs 8-10

Run 8: Hornet Double - 10E Highway - Fisher Cat (Ungroomed) - Sweet William - Trillium - Witch Hazel - Edelweiss

[1.46 mi; 6:30; 1,394 ft; 29.3 mph max; 13.4 mph avg]

Run 9: Hornet Double - 10E Highway - Sweet William - Kel's Kamikaze Glades - Trillium - Edelweiss

[1.60 mi; 7:51; 1,394 ft; 30.1 mph max; 12.3 mph avg]

Run 10: Hornet Double - 10E Highway - Ski's Chute Glades - Widow Maker - Trillium - Hall's Meadow

[1.44 mi; 6:38; 1,355 ft; 29.0 mph max; 13.0 mph avg]

I was back to being frigid, so I went inside for a hot chocolate break, which truly brought me back to life. After another bathroom break I hopped back onto the Hornet, took 10E to the ungroomed half of Fisher (immedaitely hit a rock) and then made it to my favorite trail du jour - Sweet William! Wide and full of soft bumps. Super fun and super manageable! Willy brought me to Trillium and I detoured onto Witch Hazel, which was similar to White Out but shorter, and then back to Edelweiss.

Sweet William was my favorite main trail, and next I'd discover my favorite glade! Run #9 was down 10E to Sweet William and then I skated over to Kel's Kamikaze Glades, which were marked with red diamonds. These glades were long, open, and fun! I did almost fall into a stream, but besides that coverage was great and the snow was a dream! I had a lot of fun in her, practicing linking faster turns since the pitch was not steep at all. I eventually emptied out onto Trillium and followed Edelweiss back to the Hornet.

My final run on the Hornet was the final pod of glades that I needed to hit off of 10E - Ski's Chute Glades and Widow Maker Glades (Widow was a double black). Ski's Chute was similar to Screamin' Eagle, and Widow Maker was wide open with soft snow, just steep! Nowhere near as difficult as other double black glades I'd skied (looking at you, Dixiland). I giggled throughout most of it, and then hit Trillium and followed it to Hall's Meadow, bringing me to the Eclipse Triple for the first time!

Runs 11-12

Run 11: Eclipse Triple - Jacob's Ladder - Eclipse

[0.60 mi; 2:06; 673 ft; 29.3 mph max; 17.3 mph avg]

Run 12: Eclipse Triple - Jacob's Ladder - Rachel's Run - Black Sheep - Rachel's Run - Zig Zag

[0.72 mi; 2:31; 666 ft; 28.4 mph max; 17.2 mph avg]

I had to pee from my hot cocolate, but planned to leave Tenney no later than 1:00pm, so I figured I'd get just a couple runs off the Eclipse before packing it in for the day. Run #11 brought me down the lift line - Jacob's Ladder to Eclipse. Snow was good, but firmer than the Hornet side. The bumps on the middle bit of Jacob's Ladder were fun! This is actually a great side of the mountain for newer skiers, and it's great that they have it!

My final run was back down Jacob's Ladder to Rachel's Run and then Black Sheep - the only black run on this side. It was narrow, steep, and a sheet of crunchy ice - yikes! It spat me out onto Rachel's Run, which I followed to Zig Zag, accidentally made it into the park where some folks were seriously park skiing, so I maneuvered around the perimeter until I was back at the lodge.

I did my pack-up chores, bought a sticker, and drove to the Common Man in Plymouth for a grab-n-go lunch. While there, I learned that two of my friends were also at Tenney! Funny we just missed each other. NOW, break was officially over, and I was feeling proud and satisfied. 

Map of Tenney Mountain

Skiing Burke Mountain (Day 27/Indy Day 22)

Skiing Burke Moutnain

Sunday, February 22nd, 2026

Runs: 13

Distance: 14.52 miles

Elevation: 14,301 feet

Max Speed: 36.7 mph

Avg. Speed: 14.0 mph

Moving Time: 1 hour, 6 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours, 26 minutes, 13 seconds

And now it was the final day of February break... Sad! Thankfully, we had plans to go to Burke Mountain for the day. It was going to be Emma, Sarah, Me, Emma's Dad, and Emma's Mom would be lodge mom for the moring. Emma's parents were planning on staying just a half day because another massive snow storm was coming to southern New England (the Snowology report said I was fine to take my time, thankfully). I was running ahead of the game, per usual. I got to the lodge and booted up quietly and slowly by myself and planned to lap the Sherburne Express until everyone else had landed. I ran into Sarah and Emma right as I was heading out for my first run du jour. It was a cold morning, but it was supposed to heat up througout the day to the upper 20s, and no wind (again!). 

Mountain Conditions

Sunday, February 22

Winter is still clearly winning the game up here! Yesterday's 6 inches of fresh snow gave the mountain a fun little refresh, and today we're cashing in on the leftovers. Expect packed powder groomers with pockets of the goods tucked away in the woods. Clouds will be on the increase but temps will hang out in the sweet spot around 30 degrees. It's a Sunday Funday in the Bear Den today - check out live music 2:30-5:30.

Runs 1-3

Run 1: Sherburne Express - Binney Lane

[0.75 mi; 2:18; 607 ft; 32.1 mph max; 19.7 mph avg]

Run 2: Sherburne Express - Bunker Hill

[0.79 mi; 2:49; 614 ft; 29.8 mph max; 16.9 mph avg]

Run 3: Sherburne Express - Midway - High Meadow Pass

[1.04 mi; 4:31; 607 ft; 23.6 mph max 13.8 mph avg]

Man, I just love this mountain! I hit the three non-park green runs during my solo jaunt. Binney Lane is more or less the lift line and had wonderfully soft corduroy. I tried to hug the looker's left side of the run so I could see my tracks (and how well I'm using my edges), but I did not succeed. Run #2 was down my favorite - Bunker Hill. It has a nice, steeper pitch towards the end! Run #3 was down Midway to High Meadow Pass, past many wonderful properties that I would personally love to own (and went over one bridge that's always super fun). After these runs, I went in to pee, and I saw the Emma, Sarah, and her Dad were all ready to go!

Runs 4-6

Run 4: Sherburne Express - Midway

[0.36 mi; 1:59; 154 ft; 24.5 mph max; 10.8 mph avg]

Run 5: Mid-Burke Express - Upper Willoughby - Lower Willoughby

[1.12 mi; 3:50; 1,683 ft; 36.7 mph max; 17.5 mph avg]

Run 6: Mid-Burke Express - East Bowl - Dipper Doodle

[2.15 mi; 9:38; 1,686 ft; 30.7 mph max; 13.4 mph avg]

It was fun to be all together - I hadn't skied with Emma's Dad since Jay's closing day last year (I'm better now, I swear!). Run #4 was down Midway and apparently you can scootch through a small tree island to get a little more speed on Midway.

Run #5 brought us to the top for pole and potato pictures, and then we skied down Upper and Lower Willoughby - such a fun trail. I'm getting better at carving on steeper slopes at higher speeds, but I'm nowhere near "there" yet. 

Emma suggested we hit East Bowl for Run #6 while our legs were still fresh - I was down! I had so much fun on East Bowl last time, I was more than excited to get back to it! We skated across the traverse, gawked at the partial view of the Whites, and then... skied? We were waiting for the bumps and drops and... they never came? The WHOLE run was groomed! It was a fun run, don't get me wrong, and would be categorized as a blue in my opinion, but where was the challenge! I will say, a groomed runout is nice. Maybe they were trying to preserve snowpack? We kept saying "it got Upper Milked!" At least I got a Strava PR! A whole 12 minutes faster than my last time!

Mountain Conditions

THE SHERBURNE EXPRESS IS ON HOLD. 

We will communicate any updates here.

Runs 7-10

Run 7: Mid-Burke Express - Upper Dipper - Wilderness - Dixiland - East Bowl - Deer Run - Big Dipper

[1.59 mi; 12:34; 1,680 ft; 31.9 mph max; 7.6 mph avg]

Run 8: Mid-Burke Express - Upper Dipper - Big Dipper

[1.32 mi; 4:47; 1,683 ft; 31.7 mph max; 16.5 mph avg]

Run 9: Mid-Burke Express - Upper Fox's Folly - Upper Bear Den - Ledges - Lower Bear Den - Graham Slam

[1.15 mi; 6:09; 1,670 ft; 35.2 mph max; 11.2 mph avg]

Run 10: Mid-Burke Express - Deer Run - Big Dipper

[2.16 mi; 9:06; 1,677 ft; 30.5 mph max; 14.3 mph avg]

Once we got back to the Mid-Burke Express we noticed that the Sherburne Express was down - bummer! We got back on the Mid-Burke. Lines were getting longer, but we never waited more than five minutes. Lines also go faster with friends! We skied Upper Dipper to Wilderness and then went into the trees at Dixiland - my first double black at Burke! The glade started off pretty steep, and then got steeper with a few reprives. The snow was low tide on the steeper spots and we all took turns hitting rocks. I felt validated becuase both Emma and Sarah said that this was a difficult run (Emma's Dad was flying). Sarah was my biggest cheerleader here - after one impressively steep spot she said "look - you did that!" which was very nice! We had a few small traverse sections, and eventually we came to a wonderful, mellower, open area where I could make some decent turns, and soon enough we were back on the East Bowl runout. Sarah and Emma led us onto Deer Run and Big Dipper, which has a short uphill stretch that nearly took us all out!

Run #8 was another cruiser - we took Upper Dipper to Big Dipper, and it was just lovely! Such a fun, wide, steep trail with a few reprives. It reminds me of Ullr's Dream at Jay, but bigger, mightier, and truly, better. 

Run #9 was down Upper Fox's Folly - the old lift line. It was fun! Felt like a spooky abandoned land. We then continued onto Upper Bear Den, which was scrapey between bumps. I will 20% blame my skis lack of tuning for my poor skiing on the scrapy stuff recently. We then hit Ledges, which split partway down. Sarah and Dad took the main ledges and Emma and I took a narrower chute that had better snow. Once back on the main Ledges trail, I hit a patch of ice, lost my edge, and slammed into the trail. Ouch! We wrapped this run up with Grahahm Slam (great name), which was a fantastic cruiser. Emma was also having some problems, but the opposite of mine. She was saying her skis were over tuned, or something, and the shop tuned her tips and tails so it's hard for her to get out of a turn. I have no idea what that means, but I support her!

Run #10 was Emma's Dad's two more skip the last, as we were meeting her Mom at The Bear Den for lunch before they headed back to Rhode Island. We decided to follow all of Deer Run, which let me just say is such a delight! It's a little tricky to follow at times, but we corrected any mistakes and successfull connected all the dots, finishing up on Big Dipper!

The Bear Den is a phenominal, cozy little dive at the Mid-Mountain lodge. There was one bartender (and she was STUNNING) who was preparing drinks and serving up either soup or chili, and in the main Mid-Mountain Lodge there was a hot dog stand that was equally as wonderful. We had a nice lunch, enjoyed a pendant-ski drink, and then said goodbye to the parents!

Runs 11-13

Run 11: Mid-Burke Express - Upper Willoughby - Lower Willoughby - High Meadow Pass

[1.93 mi; 7:15; 2,110 ft; 35.4 mph max; 15.9 mph avg]

Run 12: Carpet - Learning Area

Run 13: J-Bar - Carter Country

[0.17 mi; 1:04; 131 ft; 18.7 mph max; 9.8 mph avg]

We were also ready to put a bow on things for the day, so the three of us got back on the Mid-Burke Express and took Willoughby down to High Meadow Pass. I did eyeball the magic carpet and I proposed a baby run, and they reluctantly agreed (of course they had fun). Emma, pretending she didn't want to do this, then said "does that mean we also need to hit the J-Bar?" This was somehow also Sarah's first J-Bar! We rode up (Sarah got stuck after we got off... again), and hit the XS/S Park "Carter Country" to wrap things up, and this was truly my favorite run of the day. We held hands the whole time, went over the rollers going "whee" on each one, hit the banked turn, and attempted a sharp turn back to the lodge (we had to let go for that one). What a DREAM.

We all quickly wrapped up and I decided to blast off from there to get home before dark and the snow (they had talked about going to beloved Parker Pie). I did stop in Littleton to hunt for a new snow shovel (no luck), and made it home around 7:00pm - just in time to get another 18" of snow!

Map of Burke Mountain

Skiing Jay Peak (Day 26)

Skiing Jay Peak

Saturday, February 7th, 2026

Runs: 22

Distance: 18.34 miles

Elevation: 21,224 feet

Max Speed: 29.8 mph

Avg. Speed: 10.8 mph

Moving Time: 1 hour, 58 minutes, 40 seconds

Total Time: 7 hours, 33 minutes, 9 seconds

WE'RE BACK! I was really excited to get back to Jay Peak after my Maine trip. I was feeling way more confident in my skills (and areas for growth) and was, for the first time, feeling excited to hit the new trails instead of scared! I usually don't see Emma and Sarah that much on patrol days, but I was hoping to get at least one run in with them - we'll see how that goes! We were up nice and early for patrol O'Clock. Sarah was going to drive with her fancy new car (and new snow tires), and thank goodness she did! The snow was not well plowed at all, especially in the beginning of the drive. We did make it to the mountain with only one bad fishtail. Emma left her passes at home, so Sarah got to be my sugar daddy for the day (I am eternally grateful for the patrol passes and will be getting them both end-of-season gifts for letting me ski for free). I got my pass, went up to the Bullwheel/lodge, and slowly got suited up for the day. I was hoping to get on the Tram, but with the recent snowfall, I wasn't expecting any luck. 

Snow Report

SATURADY FEBRUARY 21 AT 7:20AM

All-Time Saturday Setup

We're planning to spin all 9 lifts on time this morning on weekend hours: lower mountain lifts 8:00a-4:00p an upper mountain lifts 8:30a-4:00p. If there's a mechanical, wind, or snow-related delay, you'll see updates here first.

5" to 6" of fresh snow fell overnight, snapping a 3-day streak of sunshine in the best possible way. It came down heavy early last evening, then kept at it through the night, stacking into a deep fresh blanket of medium-density February goodness. The kind that floats but still has a little backbone under your skis and powder planks. Fresh snow, calm winds, wall-to-wall coverage. This one has all-time weekend powder day written all over it.

That pushes the season total to 348", a pretty substantial number with more than two months still to go.

We're looking at a high around 26F at the base and 19F at the summit, with minimal wind and essentially 100 percent open terrain. It's still snowing lightly as of this report, but flakes should taper this morning, clouds should gradually thin, and we may even sneak in a little sunshine for good measure.

Tomorrow looks like another beauty. No new snow expected, but sunshine, a high near 31F, and plenty of leftover goodness will keep both groomers and glades feeling fresh and fun.

You can't ski and party if you don't ski and party, so our apres music scene turns up at the Bullwheel from 4-7 with the ripping guitar and wailing vocals of local favorites Seth Yacavone and his Blues Trio. On Tramside, catch Sneaky Pete Downing playing all the favorites at Tower Bar from 4-7. And Nate Michaud brings his solo guitar virtuosity to Sis Boom Burgers from 5-8.

Weekend warriors, this is your Saturday. Enjoy it.

Runs 1-4

Run 1: Taxi Quad - Queen's Highway

[0.70 mi; 2:21; 554 ft; 28.0 mph max; 17.9 mph avg]

Run 2: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Raccoon Run

[0.79 mi; 2:39; 571 ft; 27.9 mph max; 17.9 mph avg]

Run 3: Village Chair - Chalet Meadows

[0.21 mi; 1:20; 121 ft; 18.3 mph max; 9.4 mph avg]

Run 4: Taxi Quad - Kangaroo Trail

[0.46 mi; 1:41; 374 ft; 26.9 mph max; 16.6 mph avg]

My first run was a classic Taxi to Queen's Highway right after 8:00am. I gasped at how crowded Tramside base was! The line for the Tram was already backed up to Alice's and even The Flyer had a huge crowd. The Metro was delayed (apparently it was a patroller's fault HAHA), but thankfully at that hour the single's line was empty, so I scooted on there and it opened soon after.

Run #2 was down Perry Merril to Raccoon - I had to accept that I was unlikely to hit any PR's today due to the slower, fresh snow. I took the Village Chair to Chalet Meadows for Run #3, and then Taxi to Kangaroo to the Bonnie for Run #4. Even though there were people, it was a nice, calm start the morning!

Runs 5-9

Run 5: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Upper Milk Run - Taxi - Lower Milk Run - Paradise Meadows

[1.28 mi; 6:20; 1,480 ft; 26.9 mph max; 12.1 mph avg]

Run 6: Jet Triple - Haynes - Mont l'Entrepide

[0.75 mi; 4:49; 1,257 ft; 23.8 mph max; 9.3 mph avg]

Run 7: Jet Triple - The Jet - Heaven's Road - Sweetheart - Stateside Glade - Lower Jet

[0.86 mi; 5:48; 1,250 ft; 22.6 mph max; 8.9 mph avg]

Run 8: Jet Triple - Kitzbuehel - Heaven's Road - Sweetheart

[1.00 mi; 7:20; 1,257 ft; 23.1 mph max; 8.2 mph avg]

Run 9: Jet Triple - Montrealer - Catwalk - Northway - Taxi - Micky

[1.25 mi; 6:28; 1,217 ft; 27.6 mph max; 11.6 mph avg]

Now it was time to start getting adventerous. Run #5 brought me up the Bonnie and I was going to scope out something that I heard about... They started grooming Upper Milk Run and redesignated it as a blue! They only groomed the skier's right side, though, and did it before the snow fell, so skiing it was... confusing? I truly wasn't sure what was happening with my lower body. I think a combination of multiple snow surfaces, me not being used to 6" of fresh, heavy snow, and also just not being warmed up. Lower Milk was more of the same, but I skied it moderately better? From there, I followed Paradise Meadows over to The Jet to get some laps over there.

Turns out they moved the single's line from the outside to the inside - I didn't realize until it was way too late (even the lifty was complaining that it was moved). There was NOT a race, so I FINALLY got my full Haynes/Mont l'Entrepide run in! Haynes was spicy, Mont l'Entrepide was... confusing. I wasn't sure I actually knew how to ski at this point in the day.

Run #7 was down The Jet, which was... spicy and confusing. I turned onto Heaven's Road, since I needed the stretch between Stateside Glade and Sweetheart for my map, and then skied part of Sweetheart which was... nice! Okay, I was starting to remember how to ski. I bounced briefly into Stateside Glade just to get some turns in, and then popped out onto the Lower Jet to get back into the single's line. I was feeling... better than before?

Run #8 was a brave one! I took The Jet up and skied Kitzbuehel (the steep side, too!). At this point, I was BACK. I skied it shockingly well, doing basically everything right. I was trailing this couple that did not know what they were doing, calling this a double-black and basically making facts up about the mountain. I turned onto Heaven's Road and skied all of Sweetheart. I texted the patrollers and told them "I AM SO BACK."

Run #9 was up The Jet and down Montrealer, which was approaching spicy, but again, I was back! I noticed extreme new signage at both headwalls saying "STATESIDE BASE ONLY," which I wanted, but I was confused? I skied to Catwalk and then onto Northway (which was spicy). Apparently they're rerouting traffic from Vermonter/Montrealer to alleviate congestion at the Wiggle Fence... I don't think they made the best choice, but that's not my job! I followed Taxi to Micky and did a B- job, which is good for me!

Runs 10-13

Run 10: Bonaventure Quad - Can Am - Lower Can Am - Kangaroo Trail

[1.00 mi; 7:37; 1,440 ft; 28.0 mph max; 7.9 mph avg]

Run 11: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - 601 - Micky

[1.03 mi; 8:24; 1,417 ft; 26.9 mph max; 7.4 mph avg]

Run 12: Bonaventure Quad - Upper River Quai - Goat Run - Queen's Highway - Doe Woods - Chalet Meadows

[1.03 mi; 7:46; 1,476 ft; 23.1 mph max; 8.0 mph avg]

Run 13: Bonaventure Quad - Everglade - Alligator Alley - Green Mountain Boys - North Glade - Deer Run - Ullr's Dream

[1.42 mi; 12:55; 1,608 ft; 25.3 mph max; 6.6 mph avg]

Onto the Bonnie! Run #10 was truly the moment I'd been waiting for - my innaugural trip down Can Am. I wanted to do this one with friends, but they were still busy with patrol and I was riding the high of skiing Kitz well, so here we go! It was daunting at first, the view was stunning, and I did okay! The upper stretch had a few rocks to dodge (I also stayed FAR away from the lift!), the middle stretch was challenging in it's pitch, and the lower stretch was solid! The challenging thing for me with steeper bumps, I think, is that I try to make tight turns, which usually results in me skidding down into the nearest trough, slamming into it. As I get more comfortable linking turns, I'm starting to widen my turn radius on larger bumps, and when I turn like that it seems to go and feel better! Lower Can Am was just soft and fun, and I followed Kangaroo Trail back to the Bonnie.

Run #11 was for the next on my list - 601. 601 was a bit more challenging than Can Am due to the double fall line and having more exposed rocks. The trail was also more narrow, so if and when there were people around it got a little awkward. I wouldn't say I loved this trail, but it felt good to ski it! Similarly to my run down Can Am, when I allowed myself to take wider turns (and keep weight forward, shoulders down the fall line, blah blah blah), I felt much stronger and in better control. It was also satisfying to connect 601 to Micky and ski the full line!

Run #12 was the final trail I had on my list for the day, and it lined up so my favorite patrollers could join me! I got off the Bonnie and waited by the Vertigo sign for around five minutes as Emma and Sarah wrapped up their sit. They joined me, and we got to Upper River Quai! There's apparently two entrances and no sign for either - one that cuts to the Tram tower and one that skis down Can Am and cuts in on the left. I wanted the FULL experience, so Tram tower it was! This trail felt basically like a love child between Can Am and 601. Double fall line, big bumps, super steep, some rocks, etc. I think it was the most challenging of the three, too. I took one nice fall that landed me upside down - thankfully the snow was soft. I think I fell because of the tight turn issue mentioned before. Anyway, I got back up, and we finished it up - I was SUPER excited to color these in on my map! I wanted to connect to Lower River Quai and basically ski the rest of the Tram line, but Tramside was still a nightmare and team Patrol wanted to hit Doe Woods - so we wiggled over that way and had a wonderful time.

We had a quick intermission in the patrol room for a bathroom break and then back to the Bonnie! Emma and Sarah had been wanting to take me into North Glade for a while now, and I was still running the confidence high from Saddleback, so I was truly down for anything (sans the chutes up top). We skated over from the Bonnie to the entrance to Everglade, which was tight and steep but truly not an issue. We then skied along Alligator Alley to Green Mountain Boys (which was in BAD shape). The entrance to North Glade was on the left of Green Mountain Boys, and it was a DREAM. Similarly spaced trees as Stateside Glade, but a little bit steeper. The snow was an absolute dream, and we giggled the whole way down. This might be my new favorite glade, upstaging Stateside! We popped out onto the beloved Deer Run and finished out on Ullr's. We did a quick bathroom and caffeine stop at Tramside and then started a series of a few silly runs.

Runs 14-17

Run 14: Tramside Carpet - Interstate

Run 15: Metro Quad - Perry Merril Ave - Grammy Jay

[0.85 mi; 2:47; 502 ft; 29.8 mph max; 18.2 mph avg]

Run 16: Village Chair - Chalet Meadows

[0.21 mi; 1:00; 138 ft; 19.5 mph max; 12.6 mph avg]

Run 17: Stateside Carpet - Chalet Meadows

Emma and Sarah (and I, lets be real) always love to hit every lift for the bit, so our next few runs were aimed at that goal (realizing now that I forgot the Flyer existed. The Tram doesn't exit in my mind). Run #14 was up the Tramside Carpet with our caffeines and down Interstate. Run #15 was up the Metro and down Perry Merril and the Grammy Jay (Emma and I essentially went for the Chinese Downhill from Hot Dog... The Movie - she won). Run #16 was up the Village Chair and down Chalet Meadows, and Run #17 was up the Stateside Carpet (I learned to not have your poles on the carpet proper, becuase you can accidentally stop the carpet when you get off... oops!) and down Chalet Meadows to the lodge. Emma and Sarah needed to get a run in on the Taxi, but I did not need that again so I went inside to use the bathroom.

Runs 18-19

Run 18: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Canyonland - Taxi - Lower Can Am - Queen's Highway - Doe Woods - Chalet Meadows

[1.14 mi; 10:31; 1,414 ft; 22.3 mph max; 6.5 mph avg]

Run 19: Bonaventure Quad - Northway - Hell's Woods - Sweetheart - Stateside Glade - Sweetheart

[1.32 mi; 9:15; 1,440 ft; 21.0 mph max; 8.6 mph avg]

Once reunited, we got back in line for the Bonnie (I was equally grateful and proud of them for waiting in the peasant lines with me all afternoon). I had never skied Canyonland before, so that's where we were off to! Sarah mentioned this one area in the glade called the "Bowling Alley," so that was the goal. Northway was full of carnage, so we were happy to dip off onto 601 and then Canyonland. We traversed over for a while (she said people usually dip in further down off of Northway to get this line), until we made it. It was a fun natural mini-half pipe near Upper Milk Run (RIP). The rest of the woods were steep and fun - just a little busier than North Glade. Afterwards we made our way over to Doe Woods again.

Run #19 was our final run on the Bonnie, as they had to get ready for sweep. We skied all of Northway, which was either matte ice or bumps (unpleasant). We thought we'd continue to Hell's Crossing, but with the new funneling from Montrealer, this usually quiet area was BUSY (and the snow was even more unpleasant). We decided to dip into Hell's Woods instead, which was very pleasant! From there we skied Sweetheart (pleasant), cut into Stateside Glade (wonderful), and finished up on Sweetheart (a dream) to get in line for The Jet.

Run 20-22

Run 20: Jet Triple - Hotshot Derick - Willard - Mont l'Entrepide

[0.79 mi; 5:12; 1,243 ft; 28.9 mph max; 9.1 mph avg]

Run 21: Jet Triple - U.N.

[0.80 mi; 6:56; 1,250 ft; 26.7 mph max; 6.9 mph avg]

Run 22: Jet Triple - Montrealer - Catwalk - Northway - Taxi - Lower Can Am - Queen's Highway - Doe Woods - Chalet Meadows

[1.45 mi; 7:30; 1,207 ft; 21.5 mph max; 11.6 mph avg]

We rode The Jet up and team patrol went into the top shack to wait for their sweep. They noticed many skis outside the shack, including a set of rentals, and were displeased. Apparently a patroller had family/friends up for a birthday party? Emma and Sarah offered for me to join them on sweep, I decided I'd ski a bit more and then decide. Run #20 was a solo lap down Derick, which was... awful? I was surprised, but apparently they'd been grooming Derick this season, and I could tell. I would hit a bump, turn, and then skid 20 feet to the next bump. Unpleasant! The upper bit of Willard was no better, so I cut across to Mont l'Entrepide to finish out, which was much nicer.

Run #21 was down U.N. The snow was in significantly better shape with just a few hard patches. I also wanted to redeem myself after my last U.N. jaunt - which I mostly did minus one fall! I was thinking about sweeping with them, but then I rememebered how awful the groomers were and opted against it. 

My final run du jour was down Montrealer (unpleasant) to Catwalk and Northway (downright bad - folks were down on the sides missing equipment, some were hiking down, it was rough). Then I fought for my life to get down Taxi to Lower Can Am to Queen's Highway, finally ending in the wonderful Doe Woods. 

Back at the Bullwheel, the carnage continued. It was PACKED. Also there were kids scaling the cubbies? One kid was litterally on my pizza box. Crazy. I grabbed my stuff and scurried to the back stairs (cut off the band, sorry!) and did my chores downstairs in the cafeteria level. Thankfully I brought my own cider. 

I met Emma and Sarah around 4:40pm - they told me all about the crazy birthday party. We then drove over to the Belfry for dinner, which was just wonderful. Our waitress adored us (of course), and Patroller Kim joined us. Sarah and I did get a little silly, and Emma was kind enough to drive Sarah's car home. We didn't stay up too late afterwards, because we were going to Burke in the morning!

Map of Jay Peak (2025-2026 UPDATED Mid-Season)

Skiing Cochran's Ski Area (Day 25)

Skiing Cochran's Ski Area

Friday, February 20th, 2026

Runs: 5

Distance: 1.85 miles

Elevation: 1,942 feet

Max Speed: 32.3 mph

Avg. Speed: 12.7 mph

Moving Time: 9 minutes, 1 second

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes, 39 seconds

After a mandatory day of rest (not very restful, but I did not hike or ski!), I was back at it! I met Emma, Patrol Sarah, Snowboard Emma, and Elizabeth at our beloved Cochran's Ski Area for $5 Friday! We met up in the parking lot, and it was snowing! The plan was some silly skiing and then parking lot hot dogs. We booted up at the car and walked up to get started!

Runs 1-3

Run 1: T-Bar - Allison's Alley - The Elbow - Ginny's Way

[0.52 mi; 2:18; 410 ft; 24.4 mph max; 13.6 mph avg]

Run 2: T-Bar - Allison's Alley - The Face

[0.41 mi; 1:26; 407 ft; 28.2 mph max; 17.1 mph avg]

Run 3: T-Bar - I-89

[0.19 mi; 1:25; 410 ft; 30.2 mph max; 8.0 mph avg]

We lapped the T-Bar for four out of our five runs. Our first run was down Allison's Alley, The Elbow, and Ginny's Way - the widest way down. The trail was hard and fast with a inch of fresh snow on top. They had Ginny's Way lit this year, too! Last year it was pitch black. The hill was reasonably busy with never more than few minutes' wait. There was a higher half of Ginny's Way that was surprisingly bumpy - not with moguls, but the world's most aggressive mini-rollers.

Run #2 was down The Face, which was simply a delight with a little steep pitch near the middle. Run #3 was down I-89 (a name in which I adore), which was really fantastic with 2" of fresh snow (it was COMING DOWN). Snowboard Emma had never ridden a T-Bar before, so she was riding up solo, while the other four of us kept rotating who was with who. 

Runs 4-5

Run 4: T-Bar - The Race Trail

[0.38 mi; 1:24; 404 ft; 32.3 mph max; 16.3 mph avg]

Run 5: Rope Tow - The Race Trail

[0.35 mi; 2:28; 312 ft; 25.4 mph max; 8.6 mph avg]

Run #4 was up the T-Bar and then we turned left to hit The Race Trail. The Race Trail was in the best shape with the fresh snow and solid grade. Naturally, we HAD to run the Rope Tow for our final run. Team Snowboard skipped it this time (lame). I had my leather gloves on this year, and I was LAUNCHED up the hill - it's comically fast! We finished with another lap of The Race Trail, took a break at the porta potties, and then skied and walked back to the car for hot dogs. 

We did taste test of Oscar Meyer 100% Beef and Oscar Meyer 100% Tasty... the beef won, and unfortuantely they were double the price. The snow was absolutely dumping, which would have been fun to ski in, but it was definitely time to get home. The drive started as dicey and then got ridiculous - we were only guided by the rumble strip in the middle of the road (sometimes) and hopes/prayers. We did eventually make it home safely, and I picked up a pizza I had ordered on the drive. We chit chatted and had a drink before a relatively early bed time - back to Jay tomorrow!

Map of Cochran's Ski Area