The Turn (or: A Year of Famous Internet Skiing)

By:  Greg
July 26, 2010


A lot of folks focus on the summer solstice as the turning point from summer to winter. They say: “the days are now getting shorter” or “we’ve made the turn away from the sun.” As any bona fide ski addict knows however, the solstice is hardly a turning point, since by all rights, you should still be skiing. Indeed, the depths of despair of the ski addict persists for at least a few more weeks as summer continues to grind on with hotter and hotter days, and sticky/buggy trails. The Turn doesn’t occur for skiers and riders until about today–the meteorological solstice. It is the day that we’ve finally hit (on average) the hottest day of the year; it is the day on which it is least likely to snow, it is the day the thermometer takes a turn and starts heading down again. As owners of this year’s Famous Internet Skiers calendar know, today is the day when it is now safe to sanely look forward to the turns you will make next season. For me, I think this is the perfect time to look back at the season that came before, and recount all the turns that are worthy of remembrance.
the turn

It all started for the Famous Internet Skiers on September 30th, 2009, when a freak upper elevation disturbance broke off the arctic oscillation and made the turn for New England. The storm came screaming out of Canada and brought a round of upslope snow to the Northern Green Mountains. We couldn’t resist heading up to the mountain that night to check out the snow, and maybe even get some September turns on the east coast. There was something whitish on the ground, boots were on our feet, and sparks we flying. We’ll go ahead and call these September turns:
september turns?

The next morning however we came upon quite a different site when an honest to goodness TWO INCHES had accumulated and kept our streak of October turns alive EARLY in October.
October begins

Needless to say, after this treat of winter the warm weather returned, and the snow disappeared immediately. With foliage turning though, about a week later, another early season round of snow treated us to a few more snowliage turns.
snowliage turns

A few weeks later, some real snow fell on Quebec, and we made a right turn at the corner of 55 and 20, for a fix of some Big Flake turns.
Big Flake Turns

Following our trip to Quebec, the weather turned, and November was by and large a warm unfriendly month to skiers. A few ski areas opened with a WROD (white ribbon of death) on which to make some turns, but for people who wanted to make turns, our luck turned after October.
luck had turned

We had to content ourselves with making turns on “the people’s McSnow” to get our fix.
the people's McSnow

Continue Reading: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Next »

Read about the author:   Greg

Related Stuff:

  1. TR: The Turn
  2. Famous Internet Skiing Slideshow
  3. Why Do the License Plates Turn Green?
  4. Famous Internet Cigar Guy
  5. Famous Internet Whiteout
  6. SPAM #10: Magic Powder Turn

14 Comments

  1. Bill
    wrote on July 26th, 2010 at 6:55 pm  
    1

    I was reading in suspense for the first appearance of Christian, great story

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  2. Sam
    wrote on July 26th, 2010 at 7:21 pm  
    2

    Awesome man! Believe it or not, I was beginning to get burned out, but that was invigorating.

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  3. Harvey44
    wrote on July 26th, 2010 at 9:15 pm  
    3

    TEO on Goat is still my favorite pic of the year.

    IMM, that TR was a “turning point.”

    My turns are long over, but I do consider myself an addict.

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
    • Sam
      wrote on July 26th, 2010 at 10:28 pm  
      4

      “IMM, that TR was a “turning point””

      How do you mean Harvey? A turning point for us as a group, for your way of thinking, what? I’m just curious; you’ve been one of our best supporters this year, and I’d like to know what you liked about that one TR so much (so that hopefully we can do it again).

  4. Harvey44
    wrote on July 27th, 2010 at 7:36 am  
    5

    The way I remember it, last November was a downer. After a promising October, the weather wasn’t cooperating. If you look through the Nov 09 Archives on Harvey Road, the whole month is about DREAMS. Long term weather stuff, etc. Then that storm came through. Many hills got NCP. But Mansfield magic delivered just enough for FIS skier/photogs to put up some incredible content. I was dying to post some actual skiing pics and to BE DONE with fantasy. I wanted TEO on Goat on Harvey Road in the worst way. I dropped Greg a note he was was cool with it.

    Up and down the east coast there was such a hunger for skiing. Hunger and curiosity generate search. Search delivers new visitors. I’d bet your numbers show that a LOT of new people found FIS.com that weekend. I saw that TR as a coming out party for FIS. Here we are, we will not be denied. Live your dreams. Sorry for the ramble.

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
    • Greg
      wrote on July 27th, 2010 at 9:21 am  
      6

      THANK YOU for the ramble. Love it. The numbers say this, I think that, you say another thing still… who knows what the real turning point was if there was one… All I know is that it’s really awesome regardless to see how this stoke fits in with people’s lives and search for the schuss…

    • Lionel Hutz
      wrote on July 27th, 2010 at 10:59 am  
      7

      Harvey,
      November was a downer. For sure. October was cold with a few early season snowfalls. However the climate changed in november as the system reloaded. I remember watching this unfold and thinking, just wait…just wait…just wait. The winter pattern simply wasn’t going to support a mild season. It was going to be a blockbuster. That’s why when the data started to come in two weeks before Thanksgiving that the AO and NAO would tank I knew the “turn” was approaching. I was sure of it. And really, from that point on, winter was here.
      Personally, I feel immense pride that I was slightly helpful in leading the FIS to some of this snow and thanksgiving was my first success. Most certainly a “turn” in the world of the Hutz.

    • powhounddd
      wrote on July 27th, 2010 at 11:11 am  
      8

      My turning point was pre-ordering a certain earn-your-turns DVD, which is the flavour for my entire next season…no pass for me. When it snows, go.

  5. K_C
    wrote on July 27th, 2010 at 11:25 am  
    9

    Wow G, nice writeup! Good to see some of the best photos of the season in one place. I forgot how much fun the season was, thanks for the reminder.

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  6. Porter Haney
    wrote on July 28th, 2010 at 2:50 pm  
    10

    64 days until October.

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  7. Harvey44
    wrote on July 29th, 2010 at 4:04 pm  
    11

    You gotta love a weatherguy who remembers his position on what the NOA was going to do – from nine months ago. FIS has a start of the (blogging) art weather setup. Lionel – you should meet our weather guy Jason sometime. He’s a really good skier, and a good ski forecaster. He did a killer job with his own call on Patti and Selma. I’ll never forget his the title post from Feb 19: Four Day Storm starting Tuesday … Maybe. Keep up the great work guys.

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  8. icelanticskier
    wrote on August 2nd, 2010 at 9:44 am  
    12

    yowza!

    quite an interesting season to say the least, always in a good way. it’s what truly sets skiing the east apart from anywhere else in the world. the east’s high snowy places aren’t a world destination sought after by the masses. it’s ours, all ours, and on the right days,(and there are MANY, SO MANY) inch for inch, foot for foot, it’s as good, or better :) than anywhere else on the planet. why? cuz it’s it is and it’s not supposed to be.

    here’s to another amazing season ahead, they always are in one way or another. east side epic year this year perhaps? cmon w/nw winds, cmon!

    i’m truly honored to have shared some fine moments up high with the FIS crew.

    more this year fer sure.

    roger

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  9. Butch Chamberlain
    wrote on July 27th, 2011 at 9:21 am  
    13

    Hi All, just reviewed this once again. Brings ones mind to what may be in store for the future season to come. I did notice one pic that was taken on Mt. Adams. I have hike Adams more times than I can count. It is not a particularly easy mountain to hike. The rock bouldering can be endless, or so it would seem. I can’t imagine it is much better in the winter. It can be a very evil mountain at times, not allowing one to enjoy the pleasures of sliding down it’s slopes(if that is what one would call them.). I did find some fair lines on Camels Hump last season. Not very long, but somewhat amusing little runs, that required short bursts of aggressiveness. Here’s hoping the new season, so close upon us, will delight us even more. Hope the summer for you guys has been terrific. :)

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  10. Butch Chamberlain
    wrote on July 23rd, 2012 at 9:05 am  
    14

    Again and again, you guys do it, WOW! IT has been awhile since I had looked into this site. I have been busy for trip up to the Alligash, Me. But seeing all those pics of the last season, renewed my interests to get out this coming season a maybe do a little more. I enjoyed every picture in the review. ( You guys got pretty knarly, with some of the areas you picked :) ).
    Ofcourse that is the whole idea. To push the edge. If you are not on the edge then, you are taking up too much space! Keep up this great stuff. You have proven that Vermont, too, has a lot more to offer than what meets the eye. We may not have ol’ George, but we do have some pretty interesting stuff to rumble on. Try it, these guys did. Have a great summer all!

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