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Thunder mountain

lobsterCT

Monkey
Jun 23, 2015
278
414
My wife and I rode at Thunder yesterday and had a great time. Lift lines were short, trails are awesome, for the size of the mountain, and staff was super friendly. We enjoyed talking to a couple of the bike patrol guys, who seem like great ambassadors for the sport. The older gal collecting money at the cafeteria is a gem.

Our next trip will be to Killington, but we will certainly ride Thunder again.
 
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Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
First a critique:
Is there any chance you can loosen up some of the trails to get a little more speed up? I like trillium but some of those switchbacks kill ALL of my speed. Seems to be a trend that most of the trails are switchbacks in the same tree sections rather than connecting between across slopes. With all that elevation, you don't need to highlandize your trails!

Second:
Anybody free on the 12th? Headed up again hopefully with @w00dy and @StiHacka
 

schwaaa31

Turbo Monkey
Jul 30, 2002
1,431
1,018
Clinton Massachusetts
Are you talking about Trillium, or Juggernaut? Juggernaut I can see. Too many switchbacks. Trillium on the bottom maybe?

Can't do the 12th unfortunately. Pretty much any Friday after that though. I might go this Friday afternoon.

P.S. The whole mountain is closed this weekend to non racers. Almost all of the trails are being used for the DH and trenduro.
 
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Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Are you talking about Trillium, or Juggernaut? Juggernaut I can see. Too many switchbacks. Trillium on the bottom maybe?

Can't do the 12th unfortunately. Pretty much any Friday after that though. I might go this Friday afternoon.

P.S. The whole mountain is closed this weekend to non racers. Almost all of the trails are being used for the DH and trenduro.
Trillium right in the middle. After the section where every trail on the mountain merges, you split off again onto trillium (that is the blue square, right?) and it's zigzagging back and forth down the mountain. There are some great sections, and some sections that flow really well even with the switchbacks, but there are some right in the middle that are really not my cup of tea. An uphill 30* right hand turn into a 180 degree tight left hand turn, followed by another 30* left hand turn really slows everything down. Maybe that's the point, that it's a nice trail for beginners, but it makes me miss Jiminy Peak, with all of its terrible trail maintenance, and the rocket fast sections through the woods that were primarily straight shots with some turns to keep you on your toes.
 

schwaaa31

Turbo Monkey
Jul 30, 2002
1,431
1,018
Clinton Massachusetts
Trillium right in the middle. After the section where every trail on the mountain merges, you split off again onto trillium (that is the blue square, right?) and it's zigzagging back and forth down the mountain. There are some great sections, and some sections that flow really well even with the switchbacks, but there are some right in the middle that are really not my cup of tea. An uphill 30* right hand turn into a 180 degree tight left hand turn, followed by another 30* left hand turn really slows everything down. Maybe that's the point, that it's a nice trail for beginners, but it makes me miss Jiminy Peak, with all of its terrible trail maintenance, and the rocket fast sections through the woods that were primarily straight shots with some turns to keep you on your toes.
I can't pinpoint where you're talking about. Trillium starts after the entrance to billy badger. Takes a right into the woods right before the step down. Natural pieces in between loooong radius high speed berms. I think every corner but one is bermed actually. Either way, let's do a Friday sometime after next week.
 

TrumbullHucker

trumbullruxer
Aug 29, 2005
2,284
719
shimzbury, ct
towards the end of trillium i remember my speed decreasing.. but everything up on trillium is pretty fast

@Sandwich ill let you know about the 12th

i've been itching for some jiminy... need to go there before the season ends
last weekend; citizens DH at windham was so.damn.fun
 

schwaaa31

Turbo Monkey
Jul 30, 2002
1,431
1,018
Clinton Massachusetts
Is Jiminy still spinning lifts for DH? I miss that place. It's a shame they didn't maintain the trails. At all. Windhams citizens course is a blast. Hoping to do a September weekend there.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
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Is Jiminy still spinning lifts for DH? I miss that place. It's a shame they didn't maintain the trails. At all. Windhams citizens course is a blast. Hoping to do a September weekend there.
looks like it is. I should plan a trip.

Trillium isn't a bad trail, don't get me wrong. It's just really zig-zaggy. A straighter trail would be even faster. It's OK on steep stuff because it keeps your speed in check, but I'd love to see some shallower, faster terrain. Billy badger is great, but even that one you're back and forth the whole time.

I'll try and post some helmet cam footage if I can stay up past 9pm.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
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the corner I'm talking about starts at 1:50. sorry for the heavy breathing and shitty quality. I shot at 720/60fps and I like burritos.
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!

the corner I'm talking about starts at 1:50. sorry for the heavy breathing and shitty quality. I shot at 720/60fps and I like burritos.
Woo hoo, I am in the first .1s, I am practically famous! :D The quality looks pretty good to me.

PS: Your other video, you called it Harold's blend but it looks like Billy Badger? :D
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
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borcester rhymes
Woo hoo, I am in the first .1s, I am practically famous! :D The quality looks pretty good to me.

PS: Your other video, you called it Harold's blend but it looks like Billy Badger? :D
so many names, i have no idea. plus i'm too concerned about not being able to ride bikes cause switchbacks
 

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,261
8,767
Crawlorado
Is Jiminy still spinning lifts for DH? I miss that place. It's a shame they didn't maintain the trails. At all. Windhams citizens course is a blast. Hoping to do a September weekend there.
Some of the trails they had riding down the left side (right side as you are looking at the mountain) that went straight down were terrifying. Not a corner or switchback in sight, just dragging brakes and picking up speed all through the trees.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
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borcester rhymes
Wait never mind, blow off your real friends and come hang out with some internet people who shout things about cheap dh forks from chairlifts
 
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Huck Banzai

Turbo Monkey
May 8, 2005
2,523
23
Transitory
looks like it is. I should plan a trip.

Trillium isn't a bad trail, don't get me wrong. It's just really zig-zaggy. A straighter trail would be even faster. It's OK on steep stuff because it keeps your speed in check, but I'd love to see some shallower, faster terrain. Billy badger is great, but even that one you're back and forth the whole time.

I'll try and post some helmet cam footage if I can stay up past 9pm.

I love the twisties, now that Ive finally developed a tolerance, nee liking, for berms. But I think I know exactly what you mean. A couple at the top and repeatedly lower down, there are these weird lines that murder your speed unless you completely let go then they just hamper it significantly.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
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borcester rhymes
Yeah, it's especially bad for someone your height! that's a lot of mass up high to rotate back and forth. I'm not trying to make a diatribe on bad trail building, just saying a little fast is a nice compliment to a little twisty.
 

lobsterCT

Monkey
Jun 23, 2015
278
414
My wife and I were there on Saturday and again, both had a lot of fun.

Waiting in the lift line, for first run of the day, a guy with a Jedi came over to talk to me and asked if he could share a chair with the two of us for the ride up. I figured he just wanted to talk about the Jedi, as I was also riding one. Turned out to be Lance Canfield. I got the chance to ask him about his rear shock settings, rampage competition, etc. It really made a nice touch on a fun day. Super nice guy, that confirmed my already very positive view of the Canfield operation.