Snowboarding in the East when you're Used to back West

I discovered today that I am spoiled. I am from West of the Mississippi River, and when I say West, I don't mean I'm from the Plains States. I'm normally from a mountainous region, a region in fact that is blessed with not one, not two, but five reasonably mountains within a two hour drive.

Yes, I am a snowboarder. i've been snowboarding every season for about nine years now. It's crazy to think that I've been snowboarding that long, and if I could have, i wish I had started a good five years sooner, because as I am just south of thirty, as you tend to get a little older and with age, you don't take as many risks. I'm the kind of snowboarder that I really like to just ride, and I prefer going with other people when I do. I wish I was more dare devilish and would take more jumps, but a couple trips to the Emergency Room on account of my snowboarding hobby has caused me to be cautious in this sport.

Quite truthfully, I really can't afford to go to an emergency room because of a concussion due to a bad spill off of a big air jump. My boss would give me a good glare and a talking too. Besides, I don't get much out of that anymore. I'll jump the little mole hills and call it good.

Anyway, I've been to the mountain about six times already this season, which is actually pretty good for me, considering I average about three trips up a season.

So work brings me East of the Mississippi for the time being, and I researched and discovered that there are some mountains in the area. Awesome. I brought my snowboard so I could go carve some mountain when I could, since the season isn't over yet, right?

I'm not so far East to make the Appalachian Mountains, but mind you I am Rocky Mountain born and bred. Looking at this particular mountain, I noticed it shows five ski lifts. Five ski lifts means there's got to be some decent runs, right? I mean, the smallest of the mountains I'm used to has three lifts (and a tow rope, but who's counting). Not to mention that on top of five lifts, it too has a tow rope, and two little

Right?

Um, so I drive up to the nearest mountain, which is about an hour and a half away and sign in, get my ski pass, and strap myself in, notice it's crowded as all hell, and just get through the crowds and past the bunny slope.

Thirty seconds later, I'm at the base of the hill.

That's it? Seriously? Really, I thought the hill I was on WAS the bunny slope! I check it out on its map later after carving up the entire mountain, and discover the entire thing is a bunny slope. They have one area designated as a Black Diamond and I'm staring at it incredulously. No freakin' way. It's a Blue. Maybe. Everything that's listed as blue is green. The only thing this mountain has going for it is the fact that it has a pretty decent terrain park, a good enough one that the mountains back home would be proud of it. But that really is the only thing its got. It has a little ski race course, but I did it about four times and realized it's set for skiers, and I saw that I was the only snowboarder attempting it. I couldn't get fast enough to make the turns and found myself struggling for an extra two seconds to make bronze. I gave up after smacking onto the pole the fourth time and going down. Hey, I never said I was the best snowboarder out there.

Chances are, I'll hit this hill again. It's fairly close and a decent price considering there is NOTHING around here comparable. I guess I could make the trek to West Virginia, which probably has the closest decent mountain comparable to what i'm used to, but I better make sure it's worth the time and effort to go down there before I go. Otherwise, well, there's always next year.

Meanwhile, I just have one thing to say.

If you really like snowboarding, and you're used to the Mideastern states and what they have to offer, I highly recommend taking the trek back west one of these days and see what a real mountain is like. You'll never want to go back.