Solitude Advice

I'm going out to Solitude next weekend. If its spring conditions ice in the
morning, slush in the afternoon, I'll want to have a plan to ski the stuff
that softens first and then move to the stuff that softens later last. My
experience with other mountains is that if you know the mountain you can do
this and get better conditions overall. I'm not familiar with Solitude so
I'd appreciate any tips on this point. The group that I will be skiing with
tends to ski a mix of blues and single blacks. Runs need not be groomed but
we tend to avoid mogul runs. Any thoughts here?

Also, Solitude appears to have a part called Honeycomb Canyon. Looking at
the trail map it looks like a pain to get to a second time. That is, the
lift out doesn't put you any where near where the top is and it looks like
it takes quite a few other runs and lifts to get back to the top of the
Canyon. Is that correct? Are the single diamond runs there worth the
effort? Any description/advice here would also be appreciated.

Thanks.

On 2006-03-12, DZN penned:

Also, Solitude appears to have a part called Honeycomb Canyon.
Looking at the trail map it looks like a pain to get to a second
time. That is, the lift out doesn't put you any where near where
the top is and it looks like it takes quite a few other runs and
lifts to get back to the top of the Canyon. Is that correct? Are
the single diamond runs there worth the effort? Any
description/advice here would also be appreciated.

I haven't been to Solitude in several years, but I seem to recall
being told that the runs from Honeycomb Canyon are ungroomed, steep,
and generally pretty tough as blacks go. If your group is used to
skiing blue/black, it might be more frustrating than fun.

--
monique
Longmont, CO

DZN wrote:
I'm going out to Solitude next weekend. If its spring conditions ice in the
morning, slush in the afternoon, I'll want to have a plan to ski the stuff
that softens first and then move to the stuff that softens later last. My
experience with other mountains is that if you know the mountain you can do
this and get better conditions overall. I'm not familiar with Solitude so
I'd appreciate any tips on this point. The group that I will be skiing with
tends to ski a mix of blues and single blacks. Runs need not be groomed but
we tend to avoid mogul runs. Any thoughts here?

Also, Solitude appears to have a part called Honeycomb Canyon. Looking at
the trail map it looks like a pain to get to a second time. That is, the
lift out doesn't put you any where near where the top is and it looks like
it takes quite a few other runs and lifts to get back to the top of the
Canyon. Is that correct? Are the single diamond runs there worth the
effort? Any description/advice here would also be appreciated.

Thanks.


I just got back and there's plenty to do at Solitude for all levels.
They just got 24 inches of new snow, just after I left, natch, but I
was there on a Saturday and we had about 8 inches. There was not one
lift line all day, on a Saturday. And, it was so not crowded, I stillf
ound some freshies in the afternoon.

Try out some of the blues and then work your way to the blacks. There's
no need to plot out ahead of time, just go where you're having the most
fun.

Now, there are no lift lines, true, but the lifts are really, super
slow, so take a magazine to read on the way up. : )

Martha