Skiing Cannon Mountain
Sunday, April 13th, 2025
Runs: 12
Distance: 7.53 miles
Elevation: 7,598 feet
Max Speed: 27.7 mph
Avg. Speed: 9.5 mph
Moving Time: 48 minutes, 32 seconds
Total Time: 3 hours, 21 minutes, 19 seconds
After a super fun day at Jay yesterday, I was definitely feeling tired, but wanted to make it to Cannon for closing day. My energy was definitely low, but the winter is fading, and I wanted to make the most of the time I have left! Sarah and I woke up both just before 7:00am, said goodbye to Emma and [REDACTED], and then we went our seperate ways (she had a birthday party to get to). My drive was nice and easy, but I did realize that I accidentally stole Emma's house key when I was just a little too far away to turn around... Sorry!
To my surprise, I parked across the street, booted up at the car, and made my way to the Peabody!
Conditions
It was the immortal Jeremy Bentham who once penned, "Though this season's final descents of Cannon are now upon us, let us not despair - for with each passing susnet, we edge closer to next season. The greatest happiness lies not just in your runs, but in the promise of fresh powder yet to fall."
Today marks the final day to ski and ride Cannon for the 24/25 season, and what a season it has been. Huge than kyou to Mountain Ops, Ski Patrol, The Snowmakers, The Groomer, The Tuning Shop, Rentals, Snowsports, and everyone else I've failed to mention who help keep this place going day to day. We wouldn't be able to have our fun here without you.
On a more personal note: It has been a real privilege this season to get the opportunity to spend some time (no matter how much) and get to know some of you. I am so grateful I have been able to witness, capture, and share your powder runs, your success on the racecourse, your stomping of a new trick, the smile on your toddler's face skiing Tuckerbrook for the first time, your new costume you wore to the summit, your DJ's laps, your onesie on 80's day, singing your faces off in the pub, and everything in between. It's been moving to see people from all ages, abilities, and walks of life travel from near and far to slide down a hill (some more gracefully than others) smile, laugh, (fall) and do it again. You are the characters in the story that is Cannon Mountain and your chapers are what make Cannon legendary. Don't stop being you. Keep your stoke levels high and take care of one another. I hope you have all found the morning reports informative and mildly entertaining. Thanks for a wonderful winter. Until next season... "catch ya latter Bill and Ted!"
- John M.
Run 1
Run 1: Peabody Express Quad - Easy Link - Middle Ravine - Lower Ravine - Brookside
[1.40 mi; 6:18; 1,506 ft; 22.3 mph max; 13.4 mph avg]
The cloud ceiling was LOW. Hovering around 1,000 feet kind of low. It was also in the low 30s and there was ice on the chairs - what a wild closing day! I rode up into the clouds and attempted to make my way down... yikes. Finding Middle Ravine from Easy Link was like aimlessly wandering through a cloud. Visibility was maybe 20 feet max - I couldn't even find the Cannonball Quad! Definitely spooky. Middle Ravine had two options for surface conditions: death cookies or ice rink. It was a ROUGH descent. Lower Ravine was better, but by no means in good shape. This was a BAD time. Type-3 fun. It likely would have been better if I had any edges on my skis, but still! Once at the base lodge, I continued to descend on Brookside, which was LOVELY. Soft, spring snow. I would spend the bulk of my ski sesh' down here in the Tuckerbrook area, which was just barely out of the clouds.
Runs 2-8
Run 2: Tuckerbrook Quad - Rabbit Path
[0.35 mi; 1:27; 289 ft; 25.0 mph max; 14.6 mph avg]
Run 3: Tuckerbrook Quad - Turkey Trot
[0.32 mi; 1:08; 295 ft; 22.9 mph max; 16.9 mph avg]
Run 4: Tuckerbrook Quad - Moose Alley
[0.30 mi; 1:23; 292 ft; 26.8 mph max; 13.0 mph avg]
Run 5: Tuckerbrook Quad - Deer Run
[0.32 mi; 1:33; 289 ft; 25.5 mph max; 12.5 mph avg]
Run 6: Tuckerbrook Quad - Bear Paw
[0.42 mi; 1:34; 289 ft; 24.0 mph max; 16.1 mph avg]
Run 7: Tuckerbrook Quad - Fox Tail
[0.42 mi; 1:24; 279 ft; 25.6 mph max; 17.8 mph avg]
Run 8: Tuckerbrook Quad - Raven Ridge - Huckerbrook
[0.35 mi; 1:41; 151 ft; 24.8 mph max; 12.6 mph avg]
Allow this to be my highest endorsement for the Tuckerbrook Area. The top was still icy, but the bottom was lovely. It was quiet, out of the clouds, and I was still able to have some fun! I worked my way looker's right to left, hitting all the open trails. Rabbit Path was thin-covered, dirty, and icy. Turkey Trot was my favorite - wide and slightly edge-able. Moose Alley, the lift line, was rough. Deer Run was getting better! Bear Paw and Fox Tail were narrower, softer, and lovelier. My last run was a skate across Raven Ridge and down Huckerbrook, which was mostly melted at this part. This session in Tuckerbrook really saved the day! I also decided I'd likely wrap up early here and do the Artist Bluff/Bald Mountain loop to salvage the day. I had a great view of Bald Mountain from the top of Tuckerbrook, so it felt approrpriate!
Run 9
Run 9: Peabody Express Quad - Middle Cannon - Rock Garden - Lower Cannon
[1.04 mi; 5:23; 1,332 ft; 21.8 mph max; 11.6 mph avg]
I did head back to the Peabody to see if things had improved at all. Either surface conditions or visibility - both would have been good! Apparently the answer was neither, though. Middle Cannon actually skied really well, but I nearly launched myself into oblivion at the Rock Garden/Extension junction, since I couldn't see it! I was flirting with trying one of the fronts, but after skidding almost into the trail sign, I decided I'd put a bow on the day here. Rock Garden had patches of skiable cords and more patches of ice. I was able to pick and choose where I turned, thankfully, but I almost went down at least a dozen times. That pattern continued onto Lower Cannon until I was finally low enough to be out of the clouds and onto softer snow. Oy!
From here, I popped off my skis, walked to my car, and changed into hiking gear to save the day!
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