After my crash of last January 2013 on freshly made snow by a snow maker I am always a bit anxious skiing on a slope where snow making is in progress. That was true today since both major slopes at Greek Peak had snow makers spewing out fresh snow. For the most part we were able to avoid snow goggle icing, but one could never be sure how slippery the freshly made snow would be. After last year's tragedy I had vowed I would never ski on a slope with snow making in progress. So much for that vow today. Since there were no other alternative slopes I had no other choice but the beginner's slope.
So how did I justify breaking my vow? The answer was caution for every turn approaching the snow making area. Caution meant reading the snow surface, slowing down and raising my alert level to red! Thankfully I had no mishaps.
Early season skiing can be challenging and sometimes one wonders whether the risk is worth the reward. If you don't press the envelope too far you can have a good time without injury. The bright sunshine today also gave great visibility as a mitigating factor.
It is one thing to ride a lift to access marginal conditions but would anyone hike to do the same? Answer: My son Colin chose to hike Mad River Glen today to ski a sheet of ice. Ah yes the vigor of youth!
Caution is always a good idea for geezer skiers. Only a few geezers were on the slope today likely for that reason. Here is hoping for more snow and better conditions.