Hi: I have been riding green and made my first run on Limelight at Whitetail when my instructor told me I was ready and took me there. While I am glad I have made my first blue run, I’d prefer blue trails without a steep start - I was told it was black level. Are blue trails at Liberty mellowerer than Whitetail? If so, witch blue trails at Liberty would you recommend for someone new to blue? Thanks.
Yes. Whitetail has significantly more sustained steepness. The steepest section of the blues at liberty is at the top, and it is significantly shorter than steep parts at whitetail.
I would say that all the blues at liberty are similar difficulty except for the one that they will let mogul up, which should be listed on the snow report. I’d start with Whitney’s way, and then you can get a decent look at the others from the lift ride up.
Liberty has shorter runs and no high speed lift, so if you are just starting on blues it is probably better than whitetail as you will get a longer break between runs and use less energy.
Yes, the blues at Liberty are definitely easier than at Whitetail. A good way to start on the blues at Liberty if you are new there is to take Sidewinder (past the two lifts on the back side) around and across the hill all they way to the Whitney's Way on the far side of the back hill, that is probably the easiest way down. The only other way to get to the blue section from the top is via Upper Heavenly which can look a bit imtimidating to the someone transitioning from Green to Blue slopes, but as one poster said is fairly short in the steep section and does flatten out quickly. However, it really is not that bad as long as you make nice wide turns if you are new to blue slopes.
The blue slopes at WT can be intimidating when looking at them from the bottom and are a much longer, sustained steepness compared to Liberty. A good comparions I think for Upper Heavenly at Liberty is the small stretch going down Snowpark at Whitetail that turns into Stalker (which is rated as a blue trail) where the trail splits (Stalker is to the right follows the lift line while Snowpark goes to the left. It's a steeper little section (not too steep) that flattens out quickly.
mdr227 wrote:
A good way to start on the blues at Liberty if you are new there is to take Sidewinder (past the two lifts on the back side) around and across the hill all they way to the Whitney's Way on the far side of the back hill, that is probably the easiest way down. The only other way to get to the blue section from the top is via Upper Heavenly which can look a bit imtimidating to the someone transitioning from Green to Blue slopes, but as one poster said is fairly short in the steep section and does flatten out quickly. However, it really is not that bad as long as you make nice wide turns if you are new to blue slopes.
I agree with everyone, Liberty blues are a little easier. And, yes, follow these instructions to get onto them, because the most obvious way to access them is the steepest part unless you take this little cut-through
I'll throw in my concurrence too. I'll also add that if you're not as physically fit as you should be, Liberty's are easier to handle.
You have about half the vertical drop and half the distance of Whitetail's runs, plus slower lifts. So you'll get more of a break in between.
At least in my experience, Whitetail's been the most challenging mountain I've skied in the area, except for Blue Knob. Liberty and Roundtop have a few steep, but short runs, but Whitetail's got the length and consistency that the others don't.
As everyone's been commenting- Whitetail's "front 4" blues are all very sustained pitch, and longer, than Liberty's. Add in some hardpack or scraped dust, and they become not fun very quickly.
At Liberty, the real problem with the upper Heavenly entrance to the blues, other than a short little steep, is that it's a mixing bowl with 2 entrances and gets very churned up- with snow piles, their attendant hard spots between them, and human carnage. You need to pick your exit and entrance lines carefully, even as a more advanced skier (hint- stay far skier's left all the way thru to Whitney's. Avoid the right, which gets mashed up and has a 2nd little drop at the end).
Easiest route, though, is to start down green Dipsy Doodle and cut right onto Whitney's at the big left turn. I don't think it's marked w a sign but its there, and legal.
Are they steeper than the climbs in the Shenandoah 100? Congratulations on #20 in a row! You are a legend!!!
snapdragon wrote:
Are they steeper than the climbs in the Shenandoah 100? Congratulations on #20 in a row! You are a legend!!!
Ha! I will say that on every climb in the Shenandoah 100 I'm usually thinking about skiing (or surfing).
Angel Drop tended to stay nicer then Fanciful. Fanciful definitely got icy later in the night.
I thought Liberty got icy at night - especially on Whitney's as that was heavily run.
Thank you all for your suggestions! I took the Dipsy Doodle and then turned to Whitney’s Way at first. When I became more comfortable with blue trails in general, I picked a line at the entry of Upper Heavenly and did a toe turn to veer to the right of the trail, followed by a heel turn to the left. That has worked well! Thank you!
i have also made it to White Lightening and Upper Blue Streak, which were fun. I haven’t tried Upper Ulta because it just looked so much steeper and narrower than Bold Decision at Whitetail although they are both rated Double Black. Maybe next season. Thanks again for the valuable tips! :)
