Skiing Ragged Mountain
December 22nd, 2024
Runs: 8
Distance: 6.36 miles
Elevation: 6,854 feet
Max Speed: 26.8 mph
Avg. Speed: 14.3 mph
Moving Time: 26 minutes, 28 seconds
Total Time: 2 hours, 27 minutes, 35 seconds
Emma is also on the Indy Pass this year, so we wanted to hit another Indy mountain on the way down to Boston/RI. We wanted to hit Pats Peak, but didn't realize they had blackout dates, so Ragged it was! We had a beautiful early drive (I got ahead of her since she needed to clean out her car). There was an incredible ice crystal rainbow on I-89 after Montpelier, and then I had an interesting time trying to see through the dried salt on my windshield (it's always around this time of year when I remember I need to add the de-icer windshield washer fluid...).
The drive into Ragged Mountain was clear until it wasn't. I remember reading on Facebook that Google likes to mess people up, so in a panic I ignored most of the turns and just followed signs, which truly worked fine. There weren't too many cars when I landed just after opening, and it was a balmy 2 degrees out! I got my pass for the day and booted up in the nicely sized lodge.
Runs 1-3:
Run 1: Barnyard Triple - Barnyard
[0.30 mi; 1:13; 249 ft; 21.8 mph max; 14.7 mph avg]
Run 2: Barnyard Triple - Barnyard
[0.29 mi; 1:14; 226 ft; 20.5 mph max; 14.3 mph avg]
Run 3: Barnyard Triple - Barnyard
[0.36 mi; 2:23; 230 ft; 25.6 mph max; 9.1 mph avg]
I decided to head to the Barnyard area for a few runs while Emma finished up her drive. The Banyard Triple was nice and gentle and the Barnyard run itself was wide, groomed, and lovely! I only wished it was a little longer so I could have warmed up a bit more during these runs. It was a bluebird day, though, with minimal winds!
Runs 4-6:
Run 4: Summit Six - Blueberry Patch - Raggedy Andy - Main Street
[1.15 mi; 4:41; 1,250 ft; 23.2 mph max; 14.7 mph avg]
Run 5: Summit Six - Blueberry Patch - Raggedy Andy - Main Street
[1.13 mi; 4:07; 1,243 ft; 24.4 mph max; 16.5 mph avg]
Run 6: Summit Six - Upper Ridge - Headwall - Wild Side - Village Green - Main Street
[1.03 mi; 5:09; 1,211 ft; 26.8 mph max; 12.0 mph avg]
Once Emma arrived I met her to get her pass, and they comped her the RFID card becuase she's a patroller at Jay - yay! Lola, her dog, was snug as a bug in the car, which stayed remarkably warm. We fully booted and layered up in the lodge and got our first few runs in on the Summit Six. There were no lifties outside to man the detachable, but they were blasting "Defying Gravity" as we took off, which was objectively VERY fun. The view toward the Whites was stunning from the top, and the runs were fun! The third run in this set we hit the only open black - Headwall - which was no issue at all. After the three we were COLD. We headed inside for a bit and Emma went to check on Lola. I got us hot chocolate! Emma said that Lola was doing great but her car wasn't starting... oop!
Runs 7-8:
Run 7: Summit Six - Upper Ridge - Headwall - Raggedy Andy - Lower Chute - Main Street
[1.02 mi; 4:10; 1,227 ft; 24.1 mph max; 14.7 mph avg]
Run 8: Summit Six - Upper Ridge - Sunnyside - Blueberry Patch - Raggedy Andy - Main Street
[1.07 mi; 3:31; 1,220 ft; 25.3 mph max; 18.3 mph avg]
We got a couple more runs in after our hot chocolate break, but we were absolutely frigid and Emma was stressed about her car. We did successfully ski every open trail the mountain had (minus one that was partially closed for race training), and we had a great time! I am definitely excited to check it out again during the good part of the season. We packed up, got back to the cars, and Emma's car started! A Ragged Mountain miracle!
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