radarman Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Had the great pleasure of skiing with MidlothianWx today at the B'east in VTah quality fluff. Reminded me of the Feb '12 upslope blitz in NNE day, albeit with much less snow and colder. But similar blue sky conditions and feathery goodness. Last time he was up this way was for last Feb's blizzard... I think the Boston crew might consider chipping in for a plane ticket for him next time they're jonesing for a whopper snowstorm On the whole the Beast probably got 7.5" (?) but with the drifting there were pockets of shin deep to blast through. These conditions are known to bring out aggressive snowsnakes... Ptex took a few bites, and one sent me for quite a chilly tumble lol. But hey we're in their environment, lucky to be enjoying it no doubt. All in all another stellar day in what's turning into quite a season, good skiing and good people. The board comes through again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidlothianWX Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Eric has already written all that needs to be said. So, here are a few more pictures from today... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Glad you and Eric got together, what did you think of Beast? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidlothianWX Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Glad you and Eric got together, what did you think of Beast? Thought it was amazing. Perhaps it wouldn't be as appealing with less natural snow but there was something about the old-school vibe that won me over almost instantly. I certainly won't overlook it if I'm skiing in the region again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Thought it was amazing. Perhaps it wouldn't be as appealing with less natural snow but there was something about the old-school vibe that won me over almost instantly. I certainly won't overlook it if I'm skiing in the region again.yes a great old school place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Even with well below normal snowfall in December (less than 66% of normal), the mountain is holding its own. The glades aren't quite there, but the snow has still be pretty darn good. Looks like winter at least... and I guess I should say that well below normal snowfall is still just under four feet for the month, lol. I was hoping for a December like 2007 when 120" fell, but I we are making due with 45" this month This place has really spoiled me over the past 6 years. Here are pics from the past three days. At least it looks nice out there... can't wait for a good synoptic storm though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUNNAWAYICEBERG Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 nice shots! I'm trying to get the wife up there for a little getaway but she's not feeling sub zero skiing temps lol. maybe when it warms down here, NNE will get in on synoptic snows with friendly ski temps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Dr. Seuss land... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N. OF PIKE Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Great caption for that pic PF Coastal seems (reading tea leaves) that you will get into a pretty active pattern second half and do a normal second half. It is funny and slightly disturbing how much perception effects opinions wrt how we spoiled with any amount of natural snowfall. I mean unlike sne where we practically need a above normal winter with less thaws to really "enjoy" a more consistent snowpack, it would be a shame if you let (your below ave snowfall get u somewhat down on the season) . I get it, but really you are in a special place, dont get bogged down with playing head games with "relative to normal perspectives" there, i mean i dont think your overly concerned lol, but just i i know personally how it is when i moved from sfl , i would cherish even 5 annual inches of snow first year back, and then the "snow greed" kicks in after a few years, but i mean you have the luxury of knowin there will be flakes in the air and snow on the ground xyz days regardless so ....... and enjoy the snow you got and get wether it takes u to "normal" or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whineminster Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Dr. Seuss land... Haha that's exactly what my buddy called it this weekend at cannon, makes for some interesting turns. There were a few 6" lowder stashes left on the sides but nothing great. They have about 18" of snow OTG but not enough for any tree skiing...pretty meh overall. All the snowmobile trails are open though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N. OF PIKE Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I wonder how Attitash will handle the coming (mild-up/torch, 11-15'th. (w mild rainstorm) . They have been slacking on snow making all year, and i would like nothing more for them to be caught with their pants down, when other resorts w a better man made base shake it off, and they struggle. It would serve them right and perhaps get management thinking of snow making as torch insurance instead of just money that can otherwise just be pocketed. Rant off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarloaf1989 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Reports of alot of snow loss at Killington with heavy rain and temps between 40 - 50F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 this looks like a ton of fun http://www.sundayriver.com/events-and-activities/events-calendar/frozen-rush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ono Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Jay Peak reported mixing at the base and snow up top around 6 AM this morning. No mention of rain in their text forecast now. Could they have hit the jackpot in this dreadful setup? How about they put in a few cameras along with their new luxury Village and the tram terminal up top? I believe the technology likely exists for these "webcams." That would alleviate some concerns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I've completely given up any faith in one N VT resort's snow reporting. A certain resort reported rain mixing at base while everyone around them was at 40F and raining with completely warmed air column. Now, no mention of rain in their snow report- just wind holds. For some reason, it really irks me that they think the public, by and large, will buy into their reporting. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth- not worth the extra drive for that "amazing" snow they seem to always have while everyone else makes an honest go at reporting. How about they put in a few webcams along with their new luxury Village? Just say it. Jay Peak is a joke. We were laughing at them at work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Ski areas will be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarloaf1989 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Ski areas will be fine. The Killington region lost a foot of cover as per local reports on killingtonezone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 The Killington region lost a foot of cover as per local reports on killingtonezone. But it gets cold, they'll get lake effect and can make snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clinch Leatherwood Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Ski areas will be fine. Sunday River already lost 28 trails in the last day. Fine technically but they're taking a beating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ono Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 The Killington region lost a foot of cover as per local reports on killingtonezone. They may have lost a foot of fluff that fell a few days ago ( loss of a foot may be a bit of an overestimation... now its wait and see), but the base should be ok. My guess is the mountains in northern VT won't lose a whole lot of snowpack (it was all rock hard, anyway), but there will be water bars and stream crossing that will take time to cover up/rebuild snow bridges. Dropping trail counts doesn't mean the snow is gone- it may mean they've closed the trail to preserve the snow, or that the trail is, given its current state (iced over/too soft), not safe for passage of most skiers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clinch Leatherwood Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 They may have lost a foot of fluff that fell a few days ago ( loss of a foot may be a bit of an overestimation... now its wait and see), but the base should be ok. My guess is the mountains in northern VT won't lose a whole lot of snowpack (it was all rock hard, anyway), but there will be water bars and stream crossing that will take time to cover up/rebuild snow bridges. Dropping trail counts doesn't mean the snow is gone- it may mean they've closed the trail to preserve the snow, or that the trail is, given its current state (iced over/too soft), not safe for passage of most skiers. Agreed but it's all the same...30% less trails to ski on then before the torch. They really need a good synoptic 1-2 footer up there to cover up the entire resorts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarloaf1989 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 But it gets cold, they'll get lake effect and can make snow. Yes of course they can recover, but it's still a hit nontheless. Next weekend is looking scetchy right now with a warmup and possible snow to rain type weather on saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 What ono said. People will still go despite some trails closing. It's winter and they all have to face rain at some point...they always do. They'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clinch Leatherwood Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Yes of course they can recover, but it's still a hit nontheless. Next weekend is looking scetchy right now with a warmup and possible snow to rain type weather on saturday. You got it, if there isn't any surprises in the next week on the positive side we'll skip MLK weekend and the crowds for the first time in 5 or 6 years I think. I wasn't impressed with the Xmas week skiing post the meltdown. It took a foot of real new snow to get things back in order and that ain't happening, Leon ain't walking through that door in time for next weekend. What ono said. People will still go despite some trails closing. It's winter and they all have to face rain at some point...they always do. They'll be fine. It has a much greater impact than you think, ask PF. People that already booked mostly won't cancel, but the last minute/week or so bookings will be down. Bad deal all around. I wouldn't rush to ski on the terrain that I skied on after Xmas. Despite the glowing reports I thought it was maybe a 5 or 6 out of 10. It skis off so much faster and what is underneath is a horror show. It looks like the ice you see coming out of the rocks on the side of the roads up north. Sharp edges FTW. They need real snow stat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 You got it, if there isn't any surprises in the next week on the positive side we'll skip MLK weekend and the crowds for the first time in 5 or 6 years I think. I wasn't impressed with the Xmas week skiing post the meltdown. It took a foot of real new snow to get things back in order and that ain't happening, Leon ain't walking through that door in time for next weekend. It has a much greater impact than you think, ask PF. People that already booked mostly won't cancel, but the last minute/week or so bookings will be down. Bad deal all around. I wouldn't rush to ski on the terrain that I skied on after Xmas. Despite the glowing reports I thought it was maybe a 5 or 6 out of 10. It skis off so much faster and what is underneath is a horror show. It looks like the ice you see coming out of the rocks on the side of the roads up north. Sharp edges FTW. They need real snow stat. The 2009-2010 winter was as bad as you can get there, and 2005-2006. This is nothing..they will be fine. The lakes region and points northeast have an 18-24" base so I can't imagine the NH and ME resorts getting hurt bv this. VT relies on upslope fluff so a little more precarious there, but I don't see this as a big deal like some are making it out to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 The 2009-2010 winter was as bad as you can get there, and 2005-2006. This is nothing..they will be fine. The lakes region and points northeast have an 18-24" base so I can't imagine the NH and ME resorts getting hurt bv this. VT relies on upslope fluff so a little more precarious there, but I don't see this as a big deal like some are making it out to be. Heh...how about January 2007 before the pattern flipped? That was a horror show. And yeah, 2005-2006 there was disgusting. This is a bump in the road compared to those. They'll be fine with the cold this week and then it looks like a good pattern coming up after mid-month. They've dealt with magnitudes worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radarman Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Personally I'm on skiing hiatus for 2 or 3 weeks. Not ideal in the heart of the season, but the skating has been and should continue to be superb, and the woods aren't ready. But as 95% don't venture into the woods anyway, I'm really not sure why you think the upcoming warm period will be bad skiing. Sure not a ton of trails will be open but assuming many resorts are above freezing during the day by 11 the snowmaking trails will be nice and soft in the sun and you won't have to bundle up. Isn't that what most prefer anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clinch Leatherwood Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Personally I'm on skiing hiatus for 2 or 3 weeks. Not ideal in the heart of the season, but the skating has been and should continue to be superb, and the woods aren't ready. But as 95% don't venture into the woods anyway, I'm really not sure why you think the upcoming warm period will be bad skiing. Sure not a ton of trails will be open but assuming many resorts are above freezing during the day by 11 the snowmaking trails will be nice and soft in the sun and you won't have to bundle up. Isn't that what most prefer anyway? Normally by now MLK rooms are hard to come by, just checked, SR has 22-23 different types of rooms available for MLK weekend still. Condos, inns, hotels, whatever. That "is" unusual a little more than a week or so out. They had a great start but this will hurt. Snow making is saving a lot of places but they need real snow too. I put in I think 5 days a week or so ago and every single day it was icy as a mother by 10 aside of the day after a good snow. Personally I'll wait until they get a few good dumps and if by Feb that hasn't happened we'll give a whirl having seen just how much everything improved Sunday with a half a foot and Monday with a foot on the slopes. In the meantime day trips to Sunapee etc. What I think some of your are forgetting is the thick layer of freezing rain and sleet that is now a block of ice that isn't far under the surface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clinch Leatherwood Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 BTW whoever redesigned SR's website should be slapped. Most of the old links are dead including those in the search engines... tough to find anything including bookings. Not sure what they were thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarloaf1989 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 There's still 4 + months of ski season left with the best skiing yet to come IMO. I'll wait for the woods and natural snow trails to get good cover closer to home here in Southern/Central Vermont. Skiing groomers is not my cup of tea, especially not paying $75.00 + to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.