Juggernaut

[Ragged#1]

When it's groomed or already skied on, it's really not too much pushing unless the snow is really slow that day.
But there are some awful parts on this trail.

Is solitude just as bad? I really can't remember.

[Ragged#1]

When it's groomed or already skied on, it's really not too much pushing unless the snow is really slow that day.
But there are some awful parts on this trail.

Is solitude just as bad? I really can't remember.

[Ragged#1]

When it's groomed or already skied on, it's really not too much pushing unless the snow is really slow that day.
But there are some awful parts on this trail.

Is solitude just as bad? I really can't remember.

[Ragged#1]

When it's groomed or already skied on, it's really not too much pushing unless the snow is really slow that day.
But there are some awful parts on this trail.

Is solitude just as bad? I really can't remember.

[biged]

IMO Carpenters is flatter than the Jug or Solitude. As mentioned above, some of the best Ambassadors to Killington are friendly locals or long time skiers.

[Coydog]

Skied off the backside on Tuesday from the standard entrance off Juggernaut. Not as many tracks back there as I was expecting, but came across a number of scrambled prints that indicated someone was having a bit of trouble. Wonder if was these fellows posted in another thread:

More lost skiers rescued at Killington


State police got a 911 call at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday from two skiers who had intentionally skied off the main trails and were now lost.

Trevor Smith and Christopher Feehan, both 21, of New Jersey, had become separated from each other, and Smith said he was not doing well. State police tracked them down with GPS, but during the process Smith began experiencing serious fatigue, became incoherent and passed out.

Killington ski patrol sent four people out and brought the two skiers out at around 10 p.m. Both were checked out medically and released.



The snowpack is pretty deep right now and even though many lines are self evident, I was happy to have my GPS loaded with waypoints because it looks so different with all that snow.

Off the backside.



A bit further down.



When you see this, you’ve come to the right place or are hopelessly lost.


The backside can be a fun adventure, but I view it more of a good workout than ripping terrific lines. I skied down only about a third of the way, then skinned back to the peak and arrived exhausted as I am old, out of shape (well, really never have been in shape) and beer is my primary energy drink. I made it to the top of Juggernaut at 4:00 pm just in time to dissuade a group of "enthusiastic" snowboarders bearing day tickets from ducking the rope.

[Marc Shepherd]

IMO Carpenters is flatter than the Jug or Solitude. As mentioned above, some of the best Ambassadors to Killington are friendly locals or long time skiers.

Yes, as I recall Carpenters has practically no pitch at all. Jug and Solitude are both downhill runs; they just take an awfully long time to get there. To my recollection Jug and Solitude/Sassafras are very similar.

[KBL Ed]

...the best ambassadors don't necessarily wear the colors
Pass it on...

[Grandmontes]

The obvious thing would be to make juggernaut a winter mountain bike trail. Would be one of the best experience a person could have at k. But that opens the door to changing k's brand to an adventure area. What next a ice climbing wall? Yeah right, k management still harbors dreams of a real estate Ponzi scheme. And that would draw the wrong vibe to k. So, it ain't going to happen. Then again, either is their real estate Ponzi scheme.

[iRock]

Turn Jugger into a paved road and build condos all around the south ridge-peak area:lol:

[Sgt Eddy Brewers]

Skied off the backside on Tuesday from the standard entrance off Juggernaut. Not as many tracks back there as I was expecting, but came across a number of scrambled prints that indicated someone was having a bit of trouble. Wonder if was these fellows posted in another thread:

More lost skiers rescued at Killington


State police got a 911 call at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday from two skiers who had intentionally skied off the main trails and were now lost.

Trevor Smith and Christopher Feehan, both 21, of New Jersey, had become separated from each other, and Smith said he was not doing well. State police tracked them down with GPS, but during the process Smith began experiencing serious fatigue, became incoherent and passed out.

Killington ski patrol sent four people out and brought the two skiers out at around 10 p.m. Both were checked out medically and released.



The snowpack is pretty deep right now and even though many lines are self evident, I was happy to have my GPS loaded with waypoints because it looks so different with all that snow.

Off the backside.



A bit further down.



When you see this, you’ve come to the right place or are hopelessly lost.


The backside can be a fun adventure, but I view it more of a good workout than ripping terrific lines. I skied down only about a third of the way, then skinned back to the peak and arrived exhausted as I am old, out of shape (well, really never have been in shape) and beer is my primary energy drink. I made it to the top of Juggernaut at 4:00 pm just in time to dissuade a group of "enthusiastic" snowboarders bearing day tickets from ducking the rope.

All the lost skiers off the backside are freaking me out. Don't know why the incidence has gone up so badly. Don't know whether to give out better advice so they wouldn't need rescue or whether just mentioning the backcountry is making more people try it.
Maybe it has just become the in thing to try a backcountry descent even if you are not sure of the path. "Hell this is just Vermont...how lost could we get?"

Seems likely that nothing said on this forum will have an impact on who decides to ski back there and whether they need rescue if they do. Does anyone think that any of the lost skiers actually read this forum and have been influenced by what they read?

Anyway just to stir the pot. If you see that sign (at least the one I know) you are close to a logging road along a brook. STAY on the logging road, even if it crosses the brook (3 times) and goes uphill for a long stretch(skiers right of the brook). DO NOT just follow the brook downhill.

Better yet DO NOT GO BACK THERE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO.

IRRESPONSIBLE choices may lead to this becoming forbidden to everyone. Does anyone have an idea on how to stop these goons?

[TheLurker]

IRRESPONSIBLE choices may lead to this becoming forbidden to everyone. Does anyone have an idea on how to stop these goons?

Let a few of them die back there? Or maybe actually charge them for the rescues. Doesn't sound like that's happening though.

There are plenty of mountains that don't have lifts. The back country skiers should earn their turns there instead of skiing of a lift. I think a big part of the issue is the tracks people see. They think they can just follow. Clearly, that's often not a wise decision.

I don't think the situation is going to improve based on all the comments I read on boards like this one of people who feel they should be able to access back country from the ski area. I think it just adds to the allure for others to try. That said, I certainly understand there are people who have invested the time to develop the skills and research the geography to do it. It doesn't help that they share their exploits with recaps and pictures on site like these.

[Stormchaser]

IRRESPONSIBLE choices may lead to this becoming forbidden to everyone. Does anyone have an idea on how to stop these goons?

Let a few of them die back there? Or maybe actually charge them for the rescues. Doesn't sound like that's happening though.

There are plenty of mountains that don't have lifts. The back country skiers should earn their turns there instead of skiing of a lift. I think a big part of the issue is the tracks people see. They think they can just follow. Clearly, that's often not a wise decision.

I don't think the situation is going to improve based on all the comments I read on boards like this one of people who feel they should be able to access back country from the ski area. I think it just adds to the allure for others to try. That said, I certainly understand there are people who have invested the time to develop the skills and research the geography to do it. It doesn't help that they share their exploits with recaps and pictures on site like these.

Backcountry gates. Check in with patrol and exit the resort through gates only.

[Coydog]

There are plenty of mountains that don't have lifts. The back country skiers should earn their turns there instead of skiing of a lift.

That would certainly disappoint a lot of skiers who use the lifts to access the backcountry at Jay, Bolton, Stowe, Sugarbush and Mad River. Some of these areas even promote this access.

I don't think the situation is going to improve based on all the comments I read on boards like this one of people who feel they should be able to access back country from the ski area. I think it just adds to the allure for others to try. That said, I certainly understand there are people who have invested the time to develop the skills and research the geography to do it. It doesn't help that they share their exploits with recaps and pictures on site like these.

Or in books like this:

[Sgt Eddy Brewers]

There are plenty of mountains that don't have lifts. The back country skiers should earn their turns there instead of skiing of a lift.

That would certainly disappoint a lot of skiers who use the lifts to access the backcountry at Jay, Bolton, Stowe, Sugarbush and Mad River. Some of these areas even promote this access.

I don't think the situation is going to improve based on all the comments I read on boards like this one of people who feel they should be able to access back country from the ski area. I think it just adds to the allure for others to try. That said, I certainly understand there are people who have invested the time to develop the skills and research the geography to do it. It doesn't help that they share their exploits with recaps and pictures on site like these.

Or in books like this:

Great point Coydog. There is so much backcountry skiing north of us and it is not all secret. Goodman's book is a great example. There is nothing lame about using a lift to access the backcountry...everyone does it out west.

So, Lurker, dropping off the back of K is not some sort of sin. It just ends up being more confusing than most folks expect and we probably have a higher percentage of "courageous" gapers than most resorts. Hence the lost skiers phenomenon. If you think the solution is to prevent all skiers from skiing off a lift and dropping the backside I don't like you.

I agree something probably needs to be done but I don't know what.