The run continues this morning with plenty of fresh lines and soft snow to be found on both peaks at Stowe today. Uphill travel on the Mansfield side is now being offered on two routes, Nosedive and Chin Clip.  The Mansfield Ski Patrol has been aggressive on opening up some additional terrain like Midway, Nosedive and Lifline if you are running hot laps off the Forerunner Quad chair today.

Upper Spruce is still game to skin for one more day until the dirt lot by the Sensation Quad gets gated off for the season for Mt. Mansfield Ski Club members.  There was plenty of untracked to be had over there this morning as the majority of skinners and lift served skiers have been on the Mansfield side going after the bigger vertical and steeps. Although Spruce does lack the vertical and steepness, it is an oasis for getting away from crowds and enjoying a little solidarity on your skins. 

A little skin etiquette is needed to be talked about that I witnessed this morning at Spruce Peak.  If you are boot packing, please boot pack to either side of the set skin track.  Post holing in the skin track ruins the uphill route that someone took the time put in before you got there.  And if you are bringing a dog with you, don’t have your pet urinate or poop in the skin track. There is no such thing as bad dogs, just bad dog owners.  Just like any other place you take your dog, please bring a doggie bag to dispose of their waste. Lastly, always have a leash with you, especially if your dog in not a good around strangers.

We have had quite the week of natural snow and we have not seen early season conditions like these in quite some time.  There is chance of a rain snow mix coming tomorrow, so fingers crossed that it will stay all snow in the mountains.  Get out there and get some!

Picture: Dave Hatoff

Location: Spruce Peak