I like to hike in winter, I like to snowboard, I hate crowds, and I hate paying for lift tickets. So, I've decided to try and do some backcountry snowboarding in my local area.
Yes, I live in PA, and plan on venturing into PA and NJ to search for suitable terrain. It's not Tuckerman's Ravine, and it certainly is not Colorado or anything out West, but I certainly think it is possible. However, I think this year will prove difficult to get suitable snow and trail conditions necessary (many trees down from hurricanes and Oct. snow). The snowpack of the last 2 winters would have been more suitable.
Over the last few years, I've scouted some wide fire roads that could be capable of sustaining a downhill run, and I'm looking to find more. Since this is NJ/PA, many of the trails are very rocky, and even with a decent snowpack, it might be sketchy. So, I've looked at fire roads, since they are wide, well-graded, and mostly free of rocks.
I have some in mind, but I guess I need to scout them again, and check on the post-storm damage.
For my gear, I'll just be using my MSR snowshoes, and my Arbor snowboard strapped to a snowboard pack.
Dare I post my potential locations here, or do I keep my stashes a secret?
Also, once conditions permit, I plan on heading up to the Thunderbolt to give that a try.
