spencer
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Well, I think I got the first ski tracks on the road up Cadillac for the year at least... keep reading to find out who beat me!
I sat in my office on Friday, dreaming of skiing as I watched it come down hard outside. While you dirtbags got up to 18" down south, we only got about 4" here. but I was determined to ski anyway. The problem was that we were slated to be in Boston at 5pm on Saturday and had dinner plans for Friday night, which didn't leave me much time for skiing.
Doing what any self-respecting snow junkie would do, I rolled out of bed at 5:00 Saturday morning and headed to Acadia. I knew the coast got more snow than we diid so I figured that was my best shot. As I headed down the familiar Rt. 1A I was treated to a spectacular sunrise, coming up over the MDI hills. It was only interrupted by me realizing I had forgotten my 3-pin boots. I had brought both touring and turning skis, but only the touring boots. Well, I'd make the best of it.
I arrived at the winter entrance to the Park Loop Rd. by Kebo and sized up the 8+ inches good stuff. There was one set of boot tracks and a buried VW. Figuring there probably wasn't enough snow to ski the snowfields much anyway, I put on my touring gear and headed in. I was confused by the boot tracks that only headed in. It was pretty early and there were no cars at the trailhead (save for the VW which clearly hadn't been moved since before the storm). As I turned left to head up the Cadillac Road I got some glimpses of the sun bouncing off of Eagle Lake. About 10 minutes of huffing up the road, still parallelling the boot tracks, a runner came toward me. This guy was running (and I don't mean jogging) through 8" of untracked snow without snowshoes. and he was on his way down from the summit. It was only about 7:15! Just out for his morning jog, I suppose. I was quite impressed, to say the least.
So, onward I went, not expecting to make it to the summit and back before I had to race home to pick up Joanna and head to Boston. I pushed my turn-around time back a couple of times, counting on the fact that I would be going much fast on the way back (down the road!). Just before the Blue Hill Overlook, the road was blown free of snow and I walked for about 25 yards. Past that exposed section, though, the road was more fresh snow to the summit parking area. I made the quick walk through deep drifts up to the summit proper, took a few photos of the beloved sights, ate some food and turned right around. I was pretty behind schedule, so I wanted to boogy.
Well it quickly became apparent that my skinny skis were no match for the powder and that I wasn't going anywhere fast on the way down. I settled for some little-kick-lots-of-glide and didn't stop much until I was at the bottom of the Cadillac Road. Shortly thereafter, some funwreckers on snowmobiles tore up the Park Loop Rd, trying hard to destroy evey inch of my tracks along the way. I don't usually have problems with sledders but apparently these sh_tbirds thought it would save them some fuel if their machines didn't have to work as hard breaking trail. I gave them the stinkeye and proceeded back to the car. it was my first time on skis for the season and I was quite refreshed.
It wasn't fast but it sure was a splendid ski. ...and did I mention I got first [ski] tracks on Cadillac for the year?
oh yeah, and I got to Boston at 5:45.
A few Pictures
spencer
I sat in my office on Friday, dreaming of skiing as I watched it come down hard outside. While you dirtbags got up to 18" down south, we only got about 4" here. but I was determined to ski anyway. The problem was that we were slated to be in Boston at 5pm on Saturday and had dinner plans for Friday night, which didn't leave me much time for skiing.
Doing what any self-respecting snow junkie would do, I rolled out of bed at 5:00 Saturday morning and headed to Acadia. I knew the coast got more snow than we diid so I figured that was my best shot. As I headed down the familiar Rt. 1A I was treated to a spectacular sunrise, coming up over the MDI hills. It was only interrupted by me realizing I had forgotten my 3-pin boots. I had brought both touring and turning skis, but only the touring boots. Well, I'd make the best of it.
I arrived at the winter entrance to the Park Loop Rd. by Kebo and sized up the 8+ inches good stuff. There was one set of boot tracks and a buried VW. Figuring there probably wasn't enough snow to ski the snowfields much anyway, I put on my touring gear and headed in. I was confused by the boot tracks that only headed in. It was pretty early and there were no cars at the trailhead (save for the VW which clearly hadn't been moved since before the storm). As I turned left to head up the Cadillac Road I got some glimpses of the sun bouncing off of Eagle Lake. About 10 minutes of huffing up the road, still parallelling the boot tracks, a runner came toward me. This guy was running (and I don't mean jogging) through 8" of untracked snow without snowshoes. and he was on his way down from the summit. It was only about 7:15! Just out for his morning jog, I suppose. I was quite impressed, to say the least.
So, onward I went, not expecting to make it to the summit and back before I had to race home to pick up Joanna and head to Boston. I pushed my turn-around time back a couple of times, counting on the fact that I would be going much fast on the way back (down the road!). Just before the Blue Hill Overlook, the road was blown free of snow and I walked for about 25 yards. Past that exposed section, though, the road was more fresh snow to the summit parking area. I made the quick walk through deep drifts up to the summit proper, took a few photos of the beloved sights, ate some food and turned right around. I was pretty behind schedule, so I wanted to boogy.
Well it quickly became apparent that my skinny skis were no match for the powder and that I wasn't going anywhere fast on the way down. I settled for some little-kick-lots-of-glide and didn't stop much until I was at the bottom of the Cadillac Road. Shortly thereafter, some funwreckers on snowmobiles tore up the Park Loop Rd, trying hard to destroy evey inch of my tracks along the way. I don't usually have problems with sledders but apparently these sh_tbirds thought it would save them some fuel if their machines didn't have to work as hard breaking trail. I gave them the stinkeye and proceeded back to the car. it was my first time on skis for the season and I was quite refreshed.
It wasn't fast but it sure was a splendid ski. ...and did I mention I got first [ski] tracks on Cadillac for the year?
oh yeah, and I got to Boston at 5:45.
A few Pictures
spencer
First tracks of the day are one thing, first tracks of the season - now you are talking! You da man!
