[lmyers]

So, I have heard the term "epic" tossed around a lot this season, and I don't think I have had but maybe 1 day so far that I would say qualifies.
I want to hear some opinions of what you guys would say qualifies as an "epic" day on the mountain.

For me it should be a base of 65"+ that has recieved over 20" in the last 24 hours for 2 days or more straight.?.

 

[COUNT]

Definitely different for everyone. I require at least 4 uncrowded top to bottom runs with more than knee-deep untracked pow.

 

[Snowhere]

Face shots every turn, all day until you have to quit because your legs are noodles.

There was a solid week in 95 that was epic. 1 to 2 feet a day for 7 days straight, I got 2' a day by skiing around Summit back then.

Also a 5 1/2 foot day at steamboat that was truly epic........

 

[iliketohike]

I read a book called Epic which combined a bunch of stories where everything seemed to go wrong for an expedition and all involved were placed in a struggle for life itself. So to me an epic day would involve some sort of failed mountaineering objective where the mission turned into a survival story:

Being swarmed by hornets at an anchor on a muilipitch climb would almost qualify, or dropping your rack high up on a remote wilderness cliff. Or skiing the wrong line and ending up with a huge mandatory drop would qualify as a epic line. Or just going huge!!! I mean Huge...

As far as powder days go I'm starting to loose track of epic days cause there are so many when you get after it in the backcountry.

But for some people an epic day might only be a foot of fresh powder and first chair, if you live in philly.

 

[milo]

......epic.....

....1st-put yourself on a REAL mtn.....2nd-get down and dirty with yourself(use your throttle)....3rd-don't rely on deep snow(most areas ski too slow with 20+).....4th-rely on gravity, get your ass into something steep(then you'll get face hits with minimum pow.......tomorrow will be epic even if we get 8" cauz we've got the goods.....MONARCH is flatter than a 3rd grader.....have fun with 20+ there!!!......CB mtn kicks corn hole period......throttlemaster420cb

 

[jmrolak]

Flat Monarch

Yes Definitely stay away from Monarch on a powder day. CB is just over the pass and offers way better skiing.

 

[1whitewattafoo]

Yes Definitely stay away from Monarch on a powder day. CB is just over the pass and offers way better skiing.

Really it's JUST over the pass. what do you mean by saying JUST OVER THE PASS?? if you are travelin from denver to CB then you would consider it just over the pass. if you are from Salida it seems from my non-college degree havin' ars standpoint that your trip would triple in length.

 

[Andy H.]

Looking up at a sky full of stars before going to bed and waking up to 4 ft new and still dumping. I remember that week in '95 that Snowhere is talking about - that was what I'd call Epic. The days in the Le Fornet trees when there were 2 - 3' new and we had to wait for enough people to get on the tram so the lift ops felt like it was worthwhile to crank it up (yes Hojo, the Alps DO rock).

Though it helps, I'd say powder's not a strict requirement - I'd also use "Epic" to describe the that spring day of the Pink Floyd concert; catching 20' of air off the Cornice Run at A-Basin and straightlining it through the bumps down to Dercum's Gulch, laughing maniacally all the way...

 

[mjpowhound]

Epic:

3/18/03: Winter Park - 15" reported at 5:00 AM, was upped to 24" by 9:00. Skied hard all day, mainly in the derailer area. This was the best day I have ever skied; face shots all day long. I caught one of the last chairs up Challenger, so I didn't get back to my car until about 4:30, to find it covered in about two feet of snow. By the time I got it cleaned off and left, Berthoud Pass had closed, stranding me in Winter Park. Which leads me to...
3/19/03: Winter Park - 42" new; 71" in 48 hours. Since I stayed the night, I was at the Summit E by 8:30. They had to do control work all over the Jane, then the lift broke, so I had to ski on the Park side all day. The snow was too deep to ski except on the steepest pitches, which are scarce on that side. The only way to ski it was to pick up speed on a tracked part of the run, then bomb into the pow until just before you got stuck, and duck back onto the packed. I got completely buried every time I did that, it was an unreal experience. They opened Outhouse late in the day, and I got two epic runs on that to finish it out. The Pass was still closed, so I had to go the long way: up to Kremmling, down to Silverhorne, over to Breck, into Fairplay, through Bailey and into Denver. Took about six hours through the worst driving conditions I have ever experienced.

 

[Matty]

Epic:

the best day I have ever skied

I think everyone's definition of epic is different, and should be. Powhound is right on for his and everyone's definition.

 

[lmyers]

....1st-put yourself on a REAL mtn.....2nd-get down and dirty with yourself(use your throttle)....3rd-don't rely on deep snow(most areas ski too slow with 20+).....4th-rely on gravity, get your ass into something steep(then you'll get face hits with minimum pow.......tomorrow will be epic even if we get 8" cauz we've got the goods.....MONARCH is flatter than a 3rd grader.....have fun with 20+ there!!!......CB mtn kicks corn hole period......throttlemaster420cb

CB is a great mountain, if you can get there on a powder day. I had one fantastic day there last season (early), but with the weather it took over 4 hours to get there just from Salida.
With 20"+ you won't find me inbounds at Monarch - more likely on Taco or Waterdog.
I don't think 8" makes an epic day anywhere - even CB.

 

[Jahve]

Bluebird... 20+" loaded, 40 deg slope +, my bro, sleds, and good stability....

Epic...

It is somewhere about half way between Monarch and Butte..

And I am leavin now - I will be there in about 45 min!!!

 

[jmrolak]

Really it's JUST over the pass. what do you mean by saying JUST OVER THE PASS?? if you are travelin from denver to CB then you would consider it just over the pass. if you are from Salida it seems from my non-college degree havin' ars standpoint that your trip would triple in length.

It's all relative, what's another hour+ when you are met with the terrain of CB? wink, wink. But seriously, those of us that are fortunate enough to live in this great state all have our version of epic, the ingredients usually consist of fresh powder, the beautful scenery, thin crowds, and friends that understand there are no friends on a powder day. Today looks like a nice one, do some turns for me!

 

[yetigonecrazy]

CB is another hour and a half from Monarch. Its 45-60 mins between M'narch and Gunny, and 30ish between Gunny and CB.

And I'm sorry, when CB has good snow, no ski area in this state except Silverton can touch it. Not a friggin chance. Dead End, upper 3rd, and Spellbound Cliffs can't be beat when theres 2 feet of snow out, not by anything or anyone in this state.



............and I was under the assumption "epic" meant "BOTTOMLESS THIGH DEEP" on Breckenridge's Chair 6........thats what I was told earlier this year.....

 

[Jahve]

Ok we need some pics from "epic" days... Also I am sittin here watin with the sleds loaded and need something to do while I wait...

This one in late Dec of this year was not bad..

This sunset as I was makin my way over the pass solo at dark was "epic"..

This set of trees was "epic" a couple of weeks ago..

 

[WhiteLightning]

Wolf Creek a couple of weeks ago when they got 45inches in 48 hours and weekeday skiing was pretty epic for me.

 

[brendodendo]

Wolf Creek Closing Day in 99. 7ft in 36 hours. They plowed cat tracks through the flats and you still had to bomb everything. Scary when you endo'd into the powder.

Highland Bowl the day after a storm. Preferably weekday, bluebird, a couple friends. Opens as you get off the lift. Hike is boot packed by patrol and they are just finishing up as you get to the top. The flag is flying "EPIC", and it truly is. (as a side, whenever highlands patrol fly's the flag on the peak, it is well deserved)

 

[Big Da]

EPIC - When I saw "every person in colorado" skiing at Vail on the last powder day.

 

[WhiteLightning]

Hahahaha, true.

I will say that epic can be first chair at Vail on a powder day as you move accross the bowls, everything to your east untracked as you make your way over, everything to your west gobbled up by front rangers who got there a little bit after you, and are nipping at your heels...

 

[DanOrion]

"Epic" came to mind on Friday the 13th while floating on 2% moisture snow at Monarch under blue skies...on my birthday.