How do I get to Mittersill, Ill be at Cannon SAT

[NtrentT]

I hear everyone talk about Mittersill.

I will be skiing Cannon this SAT ALONE, the wife will be relaxing in the lodge.

Id like to check out Mittersill. But the only problem is I dont know how to get to it.

ANY INPUT would be AWSOME.

[RR]

Originally Posted by NtrentT

I hear everyone talk about Mittersill.

I will be skiing Cannon this SAT ALONE, the wife will be relaxing in the lodge.

Id like to check out Mittersill. But the only problem is I dont know how to get to it.

ANY INPUT would be AWSOME.

Summit lift, far skier's left is Taft Trail. Follow that. Stay on the same line as the runout when you get to the far end of a flatish section after the first pitch. Regular trails diverge to your right from the flat section. Ignore them.

At the end of the flat section there will be a narrow but very obvious trail straight along and tending uphill. TommyT reported Taft Trail in rough shape so holding speed may be an issue....you'll have to boot some of the uphill anyway so don't rack yourself up trying to hold speed where the rocks and such might get you tangled.

Once at the high point, there is a narrow trail more or less straight ahead. Stay on that until you get to a clearing with an old lift top-station at left. The next right is Barron's, kinda fun but I haven't been this year so I have no idea about it's condition. If you have binocs you can check out Barron's a little from the lower chairs. If you go past Barron's Run any tracks headed to skier's right are headed back to Cannon. Go for pretty obvious trails to avoid mandatory air in dense thickets or craggy trees. Better yet, persuade TommyT to show you around.

[Tommy T]

Originally Posted by NtrentT

I hear everyone talk about Mittersill.

I will be skiing Cannon this SAT ALONE, the wife will be relaxing in the lodge.

Id like to check out Mittersill. But the only problem is I dont know how to get to it.

ANY INPUT would be AWSOME.

From the summit of Cannon Ski Area, go down the Taft Trail. At the end continue straight ahead uphill, past signs that say you are leaving the ski area. You will climb up hill, probably about 100 feet vertical. Continue straight ahead. The trail starts down a narrow bobsled run about the width of a single auto lane. Tucker Brook trail diverges through a narrow opening in the trees on the left -- it comes out on the West side of Cannon about 3.5 miles from the Peabody Lodge. You may see some tracks going into the woods to the right. Those trees are tight but can be skied or riden all the way back to the Peabody. Continue straight ahead. You will come out into the open at the top of the old Mittersill lift. Take every right that you can and you will have a downhill ride back to Cannon with no up hill or flats. Go straight down the lift line and you'll come out in the middle of the Mittersil condo/timeshare project, about .5 miles from the Cannon parking lots. Routes in between have the chance of connecting back to Cannon parking lots via a skiable foot through the woods.

For better or for worse, Mittersil currently has all natural, ungroomed but regularly skied snow. Get to it early after a big dump and its a chance to do backcountry style powder with very little extra effort. Get to it late, about a week after the last good snow and it will be moguls all the way. Get to it early or late in the season and its bushes, ledges and ice.

Whatever, I usually make the trip at least once each visit.

Tommy T.

P.S. There is a lot of confusion about the Taft name. The original Taft racing trail was cut by the CCC in the 1930's and was once the scene of the U.S. Downhill Championship. It basically traced the line I have just described, uphill section and all. Today, the part left at Cannon is called the Taft Slalom and over on Mittersil the bottom of the trail is called the Taft Meadows.

P.P.S. Leaving the Cannon Ski Area in this manner is officially condoned and if the Taft Slalom is closed, the patrol will allow you to duck the rope for the purpose of reaching Mittersil. There was a time when the Forest Service tried to outlaw skiing on the Tucker Brook and even confiscated the ski gear of those who were caught, but those days are long over.

[Skilasnow]

If TommyT isn't around hook up with Bladegirl, she knows it well. You can contact her through this board.

BG: help this guy out if Mittersill is workable, maybe even a T-brook run is possible

[Skilasnow]

Originally Posted by Tommy T

P.P.S. Leaving the Cannon Ski Area in this manner is officially condoned and if the Taft Slalom is closed, the patrol will allow you to duck the rope for the purpose of reaching Mittersil. There was a time when the Forest Service tried to outlaw skiing on the Tucker Brook and even confiscated the ski gear of those who were caught, but those days are long over.

2 questions:

Officially condoned? really? (ok 3 questions)

Isn't Tuckerbrook maintained by a private ski club? so how could your gear be confiscated for using it? (ok, 4 questions)

[BladeGirl]

I'd LOVE a Mittersill run, but I may be teaching Saturday morning and will not know until 9:30 lineup. I'll have a radio on 9-14 if I am available. If I am in class it will be switched off, but Bladeguy will be there, on channel, and I bet he would love a Mittersill run or two. So give us a hollar.

-BG

[Tommy T]

Originally Posted by Skilasnow

2 questions:

Officially condoned? really? (ok 3 questions)

Isn't Tuckerbrook maintained by a private ski club? so how could your gear be confiscated for using it? (ok, 4 questions)

Yes, it's "officially condoned." The State (which runs Cannon) now has the rights to operate Mittersill as well. I don't know if it is owned by the State or leased, but there are plans to operate Mittersill as part of the Cannon Ski Area. I understand that environmental permitting for snow making is the big issue keeping Mittersill shut down for now. In anticipation of operating Mittersill, Cannon occassionally runs a groomer across the major connector at the bottom. Cannon Ski Patrol will readily discuss access and conditions with anyone that asks.

Tucker Brook Trail is on national forest land. At present, there is a concession with the cross country operator to maintain and use it the lower part of it as part of a larger cross country system. Between that operator and a few fans of the trail, the upper part is being maintained as well. Tucker Brook Trail is classified by the forest service as a multi-use trail that is open to cross country and downhill traffic and to snowshoers.

The forest service has not always been so accomodating. For a few years around 1980 (give or take a few as allowance for my aging memory), skiing the Tucker was banned (for "safety" reasons) and when a mere sign at the edge of Cannon didn't do the trick, rangers began writing tickets and, at least in a few cases, confiscating gear.

Tommy T.

[NtrentT]

Originally Posted by BladeGirl

I'd LOVE a Mittersill run, but I may be teaching Saturday morning and will not know until 9:30 lineup. I'll have a radio on 9-14 if I am available. If I am in class it will be switched off, but Bladeguy will be there, on channel, and I bet he would love a Mittersill run or two. So give us a hollar.

-BG

Ill be there sat Early, Ill have my radio on all day set to 9-14 TUCKS

So Ill give you a buz, Id love to ski it with some one whos been there before.

I was told that if i was not carefull I could have a long walk back to cannon

Yikes