# Old/new rider on the East/West coast! Lol



## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

Sorry...missed the intro section. Posted straight in general. Apologies. ..

Anyway...I am coming back from a more than decade hiatus. I loved my first day back SO much I've been scolding myself for 6 days now for putting down my tools in the first place. 

I live on the East Coast - Sugarloaf was the home mountain growing up but I live in NYC now s I imagine winters will be a mix of Hunter, Wyndham and the occasional Mt. Snow/Killington trip. When I finally make it back to the Loaf for a weekend I will probably fall down weeping with joy.

Right now right now though I am in the Bay Area from Jan to April at the behest of my boss. Since long assigments away from home are miserably depressing I hit Northstar at Tahoe to cheer myself up. 3 runs in I reloaded my ticket for the next Sundays from my phone on the lift. Lol. 

If anyone rides Tahoe...lemme know if you need a riding partner. I always go alone in an attept to avoid my awful co-workers. I have gas, heated seats and a great attitude. Lets do this thing!


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## FireStarter451 (Feb 20, 2013)

I'm surprised no one has replied yet. Hello!

How long did you snowboard before your break?

And I'm really curious... is it like "riding a bike?" in the sense that you don't really forget?


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

I started riding for real in 1993 when I was 13. I played around on demos the season before that but was still on skiis for the most part. I started skiing when I was 9. 

In 10th grade I actually quit my HS ski team to become the "equipment manager" so I could bring my board to training (afterschool at Sugarloaf! ) and of course ride other mountains at meets. I just had to haul helmets and goggles up and down the hill. Lol

My last real season was 2003 but I did a couple tourist weekend trips the season after that. Then I seriously didn't touch a board until January.

It really was like riding a bike. The gear and the sport has changed a lot. My favorite ride used to be the first gen Rossi recycler 152. There was no park or half pipe on my home mountain until like 1997 or 98. My first day back I was on a soft 138 rocker. So blues were fine but turns on blacks kept slipping. Now I am on a real stiff 148 flat board and its all good. But basic riding took me like 10 linked turns to get back into.


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## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

How are you liking that Vinyl Rocker so far?


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

I'm realllllly digging it actually! Its stiff but still flexes. It has nice pop. I think its pretty fast. It was riding nice and fast in the AM Sunday but got kinda slow in the slush. I think that was just a wax issue. Its turns beautifully! Before the corn snow really came out it was holding really well on the ice spots/hard pack from overnight. Little bit of chatter though but no biggie. I only took a couple jumps with it. But like on green warm up runs its lightweight enough to pop all the way down the run for no other reason except its soooo hysterically light. Lol. I havent tried to butter it or ride switch with it. Just a couple flat spins and no edgies yet. For a getting back on a board after a decade its a hell of a board for $125.

I may take a lesson next weekend on some steeps. Maybe Kirkwood. There are some good deals out here in the spring it seems. I'll totally ride it next season. I'll see next year when 2014 gear goes on sale. I've been meaning to go GNU or LibTech for about 20 years. But the Rome brand has made an excellent impression and you really cant beat the value of that buy


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## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

Couldn't believe these weren't all scooped up when I bought it for a friend, you will find it will just impress you the more you ride it like my Mod Rocker. Seems to handle anything I want to throw at it with ease, just took me about half a day to get used to the quickrip sidecut coming from camber. Loving the Rome boards I have bought the last couple of years. Enjoy! Shouldn't have to upgrade too soon unless you are looking for a specific pow/park board, should do everything you throw at it.

Off for a late night ride to VT to hopefully find some nice lines left over after the the dump just received. Ride that thang!.


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

Yeah the side cut is great! If you are on a slicker faster blue it holds well turning. But if you are riding on the base on a green the edge somehow never ever catches! Its some kind of magic sorcery. I really like the flat/rocker shape. Super versitile. 

Dude enjoy VT. I was checking the On the Snow App (there are rumors of March/April storms out here in Tahoe) and I saw Sugarloaf got a foot and a half last night! The whole northeast really. So have fun and go wild!


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## bamfb2 (Mar 16, 2011)

EastCoastChris said:


> I live on the East Coast - Sugarloaf was the home mountain growing up but I live in NYC now s I imagine winters will be a mix of Hunter, Wyndham and the occasional Mt. Snow/Killington trip. When I finally make it back to the Loaf for a weekend I will probably fall down weeping with joy.


Isn't it some sort of requirement that all NYCers to go to Stratton? 

Speaking of the Loaf, I was up there for that good storm they had 3 weeks ago. My first time there, and have to say I quite liked it. I'd need more time to explore the mountain though. My buddy and I found a narrow, ungroomed, tucked away run that no one was hitting. We got it all day and it never tracked out. The powder just moved around in the 'chute'. One of my best days in New England.


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

[bamfb2;855666]Isn't it some sort of requirement that all NYCers to go to Stratton? 

Speaking of the Loaf, I was up there for that good storm they had 3 weeks ago. My first time there, and have to say I quite liked it. I'd need more time to explore the mountain though. My buddy and I found a narrow, ungroomed, tucked away run that no one was hitting. We got it all day and it never tracked out. The powder just moved around in the 'chute'. One of my best days in New England.[/QUOTE]

I can honestly say I've never been to Stratton but I've been to Mt. Snow and Okemo. More Mt. Snow because my brother lives in upstate NY just over the border. ..quick trip to Dover so that is where he rides most of the time. I'll have to check it out though!

There's a couple of reallllly fun ungroomed runs at the Loaf. Maybe you were on Double Bitter? Its off the Superquad and its an alternative route to the half pipe that NO ONE takes. Its so narrow. All the traffic turns off at Kings Landing. I LOVE that run. You get to jump from edge to edge its that narrow. Really gets your juices flowing. 

There's also some ungroomed steeps coming out of the snowfields. And theres one off the King Pine bowl (Ripsaw) thats a great run too. The lift over there isnt high speed and bit of a pain though. On a positive note...King Pine bowl is almost always empty. Though theres a glade open there now so maybe they'll upgrade it at some point.


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## FireStarter451 (Feb 20, 2013)

EastCoastChris said:


> King Pine bowl


what's a (snowboarding) bowl?


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

FireStarter451 said:


> what's a (snowboarding) bowl?


Just refers to the shape of the mountain (or section of mountain.) Its kinda scooped out like a bowl where all trails around the lip lead you the bottom of the bowl. 
They are great places to ride after a big snowfall!
Out west its like that section that is steep and rocky with few trees covering the terrain (though its not above treeline.) In the east we dont have that kind of terrain so its more the shape. Though I hear people in the east refer to not strictly bowl shaped terrain that is thinned/cut as a bowl even though its really a glade.

It could also be the thing you pack, light and smoke. But not so much for me anymore. Lol


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

FireStarter451 said:


> what's a (snowboarding) bowl?


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## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

bamfb2 said:


> Isn't it some sort of requirement that all NYCers to go to Stratton?
> 
> Speaking of the Loaf, I was up there for that good storm they had 3 weeks ago. My first time there, and have to say I quite liked it. I'd need more time to explore the mountain though. My buddy and I found a narrow, ungroomed, tucked away run that no one was hitting. We got it all day and it never tracked out. The powder just moved around in the 'chute'. One of my best days in New England.


LOL funny, that's where I headed up to, but my first time there and my friend was dying to check it out. Good acreage and some good tree runs, but definitely lacks some steep to it. After 17", though I missed much of the fresh goods, there were tons of soft liftline mogul runs, and some spots in the trees were untouched and up to my knees. Ended up going past one of the designated glade areas and discovering it when I almost nosedived into a creek. Ended up having to having to walk my way over snow covered rocks over that and a second creek and uphill a bit back into the inbounds territory. Good couple of days though.


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## bamfb2 (Mar 16, 2011)

Efilnikufesin said:


> Ended up going past one of the designated glade areas and discovering it when I almost nosedived into a creek. Ended up having to having to walk my way over snow covered rocks over that and a second creek and uphill a bit back into the inbounds territory. Good couple of days though.


At least you weren't this guy. Happened while I was there.

I got stuck in a glade at one point, looking for fresh lines. Found out there was a reason no lines were present in the area I chose. Had to paddle out surfboard style.


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## EastCoastChris (Feb 24, 2013)

Hahaha. Hiking out of there is a bitch. Theres nothing/no one out there. 
Do not get caught on the backside man. Oy.

Were the snowfields open? Those are the best steeps at sugarloaf...but maybe they arent open this late. Though after a dump they may be. 

Out best steeps are Bubblecuffer, White Nitro and the gondy line coming out of the snowfields. But its a pain to ride the lower sections if the snowfield section isnt open. For in bounds trails...they are actually pretty steep. Even by west coast standards. 

Straight line down HaulBack if you want some good speed. Its only a single diamond but shit thats fun. 

Oh I miss you Loafy loaf.


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## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

I meant Stratton. Sorry, got myself a bit toasted the last bit of the ride home before I got dropped off. Would have never made it home from the Loaf by now. Probably wouldn't have wanted to head back


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## bamfb2 (Mar 16, 2011)

EastCoastChris said:


> Were the snowfields open? Those are the best steeps at sugarloaf...but maybe they arent open this late. Though after a dump they may be.
> 
> Out best steeps are Bubblecuffer, White Nitro and the gondy line coming out of the snowfields. But its a pain to ride the lower sections if the snowfield section isnt open. For in bounds trails...they are actually pretty steep. Even by west coast standards.


Some of the Snowfields were open for only a brief period. The Timberline lift was running the entire time, but visibility was non existent at the summit. The price you pay for dumping I guess. 

A few of the fields opened up on the 2nd day, but they were tracked up pretty quick. It was super windy up there too, with thin cover, as the snow was blown off.

The goods were in the glades, and in our secret stash of course.


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