Ginx snewx Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 What an amazing day at Cannon Mountain Yesterday. 22" new last week and first warm day under sun made things special. 2 for 74$ tix, just find a single in the line and take advantage. 80 trails , great coverage. The lift to summit blacks was most relaxing sun drenched chair i can recall. Ski'd the whole damn mtn and Many others had same idea this Sunday The atmosphere @cannon is extremely inviting, just great natured friendly people everywhere. I have heard its a friendly crowd and no question the gorgeous day didn't hurt that aspect. nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 55-degrees and skiing the lower mountain glades in mid-April with nothing even close to a bare spot. Still sitting at 2.5-4 feet of snow at 2,000ft in the low mountain hardwoods. The creek beds are trying to start to open with the mild temps, it's caving in. But still awesome snowpack for 1800-2000ft in mid-April. Up at 3000ft and higher it's all 4-7 feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 How's that compared to normal PF? Probably better since it was a cold March into early April. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 How's that compared to normal PF? Probably better since it was a cold March into early April. http://www.uvm.edu/skivt-l/?Page=depths.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 http://www.uvm.edu/skivt-l/?Page=depths.php Well I mean more the lower spots...but yeah that's above despite their near avg winter I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 The snowpack distribution is ridiculous up there. I was at Bolton Valley...you go down below about 1500 feet and there is just some patches left in a few spots and piles...by the time you are down below 1000 feet, it's all gone except parking lot piles. There was more snow in N ORH county on my drive back than at 1000 feet up there. But up at like 2,000 feet the snow must have been 2 feet plus and it got well over 4 feet further up the mountain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 The snowpack distribution is ridiculous up there. I was at Bolton Valley...you go down below about 1500 feet and there is just some patches left in a few spots and piles...by the time you are down below 1000 feet, it's all gone except parking lot piles. There was more snow in N ORH county on my drive back than at 1000 feet up there. But up at like 2,000 feet the snow must have been 2 feet plus and it got well over 4 feet further up the mountain. Yeah, well Bolton Valley is on the west slope where snowpack preservation is not nearly as good in the lower elevations...its essentially the same issues BTV has down there at the base of their access road at 300ft elevation. You end up with a very sharp gradient where ever that melt level is. J.Spin's spot is sort of the boundary between the two different climates. Those Bolton Flats there on I-89 and RT 2 are horrific for snow preservation. I'm sure on your drive there was still decent snow south of Montpelier (basically outside the Winooski Valley between Montpelier and Bolton) on I-89. Meanwhile, at 750ft here, these photos were from this past weekend around my condo area along the Recreation Path. This is melting very rapidly, and now the pavement on the path is starting to show through, but over the weekend it looked like this. They are just two very different climates for snow preservation between west of the Spine and east of the Spine, as far as lower elevations go. Cause here on the east side, there's still 2 feet plus at 1,500ft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Well I mean more the lower spots...but yeah that's above despite their near avg winter I suppose. Its above average I think (but its so hard to tell), definitely for a 284" winter up high. The cold definitely preserved what fell...and March was cold so even the low elevations are hanging on. What's funny is that there's still snow in my yard (though disappearing by the hour) and I never got above a 24" depth this winter. Same with up here at 1,500ft at the office with 25" on the ground still, and max was like 40". The peak depths weren't that impressive, but its definitely stuck around this spring. I can never tell whats normal though, as we've now had two cold springs in a row with good snowpack preservation...but that was on the heels of a few Morches where the snow seemed to disappear or at least go patchy in early April down below 2,000ft. It seems to be so highly variable this time of year...and 1 warm week or 1 cold week makes a big difference in late March and early April for snow preservation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoastalWx Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Wow still got some good snow there. I always thought cloud cover is huge this time of year. You guys in the mtns always have some clouds...well at least very frequently compared to the CP. That will definitely encourage retention of snow..especially later in March. When it goes, it goes quick here...although protected areas as of yesterday still had some snow..even in some of the woods. Jeez, I can only imagine what April 2001 was like up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professional Lurker Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 At stowe with the kids today. Tons of snow. Ankle can't really handle the mashed potatoes though. It's blown up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Yeah, well Bolton Valley is on the west slope where snowpack preservation is not nearly as good in the lower elevations...its essentially the same issues BTV has down there at the base of their access road at 300ft elevation. You end up with a very sharp gradient where ever that melt level is. J.Spin's spot is sort of the boundary between the two different climates. Those Bolton Flats there on I-89 and RT 2 are horrific for snow preservation. I'm sure on your drive there was still decent snow south of Montpelier (basically outside the Winooski Valley between Montpelier and Bolton) on I-89. Meanwhile, at 750ft here, these photos were from this past weekend around my condo area along the Recreation Path. This is melting very rapidly, and now the pavement on the path is starting to show through, but over the weekend it looked like this. They are just two very different climates for snow preservation between west of the Spine and east of the Spine, as far as lower elevations go. Cause here on the east side, there's still 2 feet plus at 1,500ft. photo 1-2.JPG photo 2-2.JPG photo 3-1.JPG Yes, near MPV was still holding the snow decent...but I was surprised in even those areas to see how little they had at lower elevation compared to above like 1200-1500 feet. There was a lot more snow below 1000 feet down near Sunapee in Cheshire county then even in the mid-Greens near MPV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 At stowe with the kids today. Tons of snow. Ankle can't really handle the mashed potatoes though. It's blown up. Bummer about the ankle... this is tough snow. Its now 61F at our base area weather station. Hey I only know you through FB, but were you in the Octagon at the top of the FourRunner Quad around 9:30-10am?. I thought I saw someone who looked familiar from a picture on here or on FB....if you were, I may have been at the table right behind you and your kids, haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Yes, near MPV was still holding the snow decent...but I was surprised in even those areas to see how little they had at lower elevation compared to above like 1200-1500 feet. There was a lot more snow below 1000 feet down near Sunapee in Cheshire county then even in the mid-Greens near MPV. Yeah not too surprising... further you went SE, the more snow that fell this winter and higher snowpack. Like I was saying, I never had really more than 2 feet in my yard at any point this winter compared to Coastal's like 4-5 feet, lol. But down in NH, I always notice a quick increase in snow cover this time of year as you pass Whaleback ski area and between Whaleback and Sunapee. That whole stretch of I-89 is above 1,000ft...generally 1,200-1,500ft...from outside Lebanon to south of Sunapee...so there's some solid retention elevation in that area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Yeah not too surprising... further you went SE, the more snow that fell this winter and higher snowpack. Like I was saying, I never had really more than 2 feet in my yard at any point this winter compared to Coastal's like 4-5 feet, lol. But down in NH, I always notice a quick increase in snow cover this time of year as you pass Whaleback ski area and between Whaleback and Sunapee. That whole stretch of I-89 is above 1,000ft...generally 1,200-1,500ft...from outside Lebanon to south of Sunapee...so there's some solid retention elevation in that area. Yes, that's where the snow increased...it was surprisingly robust too though on Rt 202 south into N ORH county...that whole stretch had pretty solid snow and it goes below 1000 feet for plenty of stretches. Even though they weren't jackpotting, that area had a sneaky big winter...lots of 30"+ depths I had noticed during the year there which is probably why it had lasted so long. You're right about west of the spine though...what a wasteland for snow retention. Just endless miles of open ground that looked liked it hadn't snowed there in months, lol. I have been up there several times before, but this was the first time in probably 8 years (in winter anyway) when I skied twice up in that region in 2007. I forgot just how polarizing that climate is there depending on where you are and what elevation you are. It's not like when I go to Sunday River and the deep snowpack is pretty uniform across the whole area owing to the big CAD-induced retention they experience. It's pretty cool though to drive up into winter and then drive right back out of it within 2 miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Yes, that's where the snow increased...it was surprisingly robust too though on Rt 202 south into N ORH county...that whole stretch had pretty solid snow and it goes below 1000 feet for plenty of stretches. Even though they weren't jackpotting, that area had a sneaky big winter...lots of 30"+ depths I had noticed during the year there which is probably why it had lasted so long. You're right about west of the spine though...what a wasteland for snow retention. Just endless miles of open ground that looked liked it hadn't snowed there in months, lol. I have been up there several times before, but this was the first time in probably 8 years (in winter anyway) when I skied twice up in that region in 2007. I forgot just how polarizing that climate is there depending on where you are and what elevation you are. It's not like when I go to Sunday River and the deep snowpack is pretty uniform across the whole area owing to the big CAD-induced retention they experience. It's pretty cool though to drive up into winter and then drive right back out of it within 2 miles. Yeah, the Northeast Kingdom in VT is probably the closest spot to having that widespread uniform cover...but VT as a whole is a lot of mountains (oriented in ridges/spines) and valleys. And like you said, its all location and elevation. Eastern VT has better retention, but even then you get into the CT River Valley along the NH/VT border and its just like the CT Valley in SNE but with another 25" of annual snowfall due to latitude. But also a spot like near Sunday River, that whole CAD area SE of the Whites is often very uniform because they get very uniform snowfalls a lot of the time. Its almost all synoptic, and yes there are little meso-scale banding sometimes, but by and large, the region probably experiences pretty similar weather over a much larger area than we often see in VT. This area probably has a lot more nuanced topographic precipitation and snowfall patterns... so you go with the odd-ball nature of the snowpack retention (which can literally vary drastically even among one town), plus how localized snowstorms and precip events can be...and you get a much wider range of end results. Further east in New England its more uniform snowfall (not like one spot gets 70" and another gets 270" all in the same county), and more uniform retention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Wow still got some good snow there. I always thought cloud cover is huge this time of year. You guys in the mtns always have some clouds...well at least very frequently compared to the CP. That will definitely encourage retention of snow..especially later in March. When it goes, it goes quick here...although protected areas as of yesterday still had some snow..even in some of the woods. Jeez, I can only imagine what April 2001 was like up there. Yeah its going fast now, but those shots were from Saturday evening, which turned out to be a windy coldish (40-42F high) day. That's an interesting thought about cloud cover. Like Saturday when those pictures were taken and it was 40F and cloudy, while SE of here was like in the 50s and 60s and sunny. We are definitely one of the more cloudy areas in the NW flow orographics zone (like here over to N.NH)...however you guys will take the lead in that department soon once backdoor misery mist season takes over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professional Lurker Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Bummer about the ankle... this is tough snow. Its now 61F at our base area weather station. Hey I only know you through FB, but were you in the Octagon at the top of the FourRunner Quad around 9:30-10am?. I thought I saw someone who looked familiar from a picture on here or on FB....if you were, I may have been at the table right behind you and your kids, haha. Yup. That was me, the fat out of shape guy sitting by the window telling the kids about the lore of those picnic tables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Yup. That was me, the fat out of shape guy sitting by the window telling the kids about the lore of those picnic tables. Bummer I would've introduced myself. I was putting on the Stowe jacket right behind you guys at the next table. I thought you guys were going to Sugarbush so I wasn't going to ask if I know you haha. I did that to Cpick one time...he was randomly paired up on a chairlift with me and Tim Kelley, and I had to look a few times before I was like, CPick is that you? lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professional Lurker Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Yeah, that was a sweet coat. I have a berkshire east coat like that. Trade? Lol. I was going to do sugarbush but they closed tons of their terrain and have really only ungroomed stuff. Normally that would be fine, but I knew that it wasn't in the cards for me. Just stuck to the blue groomers today. I would have loved them midwinter, as they're the type that I could bomb down. When I realized that SB wasn't going to happen, I almost sent you a pm to introduce myself, but a) I didn't want to bother you at work and b, there was no way I could take a run with you as I ski like an old fat injured man this year. I need to fully heal and stop pushing myself. ...at least till golf season gets fully underway. That's it. Officially done with skiing this year. All 6 times. Sucks. skied in jeans and a t-shirt. Lost count of people in shorts. Saw 2 bikini tops ftw. Also sunburn ftw. Feels good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madroch Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Stowe Sunday was something... Everything that I could get to (no hiking or sidecountry) was in play and simply Devine. Kinda crowded too... Opened lookout for a while. Great day to be alive and outdoors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professional Lurker Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 http://www.uvm.edu/~empact/data/gendateplot.php3?table=SummitStation&title=Mount+Mansfield+Summit+Station&xskip=7&xparam=Date&yparam=Depth&year%5B%5D=2014&width=600&height=400&smooth=0 Ok, I've been looking at this chart for years and have a question. There seems to be two distinct peaks, or a drop off right at the peak, then another spike just before the decline. Always wondered why. ...then I see this year's data reporting a zero. Is this maintained by UVM? Is that innacuracy right at peak depth generated by spring break? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 http://www.uvm.edu/~empact/data/gendateplot.php3?table=SummitStation&title=Mount+Mansfield+Summit+Station&xskip=7&xparam=Date&yparam=Depth&year%5B%5D=2014&width=600&height=400&smooth=0 Ok, I've been looking at this chart for years and have a question. There seems to be two distinct peaks, or a drop off right at the peak, then another spike just before the decline. Always wondered why. ...then I see this year's data reporting a zero. Is this maintained by UVM? Is that innacuracy right at peak depth generated by spring break? Yeah in the long term mean, the snowpack hits its peak, starts to melt towards the end of March, but then there's usually another snowstorm or period of accumulating snows after the initial melt. The period of record is long enough that over time, in the means, it averages out to a "second" spring peak. Think about it in your yard but it probably happens a month earlier...snow depth maxes in like late February or very early March, then it starts to melt, then we get a mid-March snowstorm and your snowpack goes back up, before the real big melt occurs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Stowe Sunday was something... Everything that I could get to (no hiking or sidecountry) was in play and simply Devine. Kinda crowded too... Opened lookout for a while. Great day to be alive and outdoors. Yeah it got real crowded around 10am till 1pm. Enough that when the lift line started getting into the 10+ minute range, it was time to pop the Lookout. Amazing demand out there for a good spring day...as we haven't had really any prior to Sunday. Yesterday was almost idential weather, and even warmer, but 1/3rd of the people (being a Monday). That and the $49 ticket on Saturday, and even on Sunday, this spring's normal rate of $59 since April 6th (lower than Sugarbush's $67, and Jay's $72) has been enough to generate a lot of visits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professional Lurker Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Yeah it got real crowded around 10am till 1pm. Enough that when the lift line started getting into the 10+ minute range, it was time to pop the Lookout. Amazing demand out there for a good spring day...as we haven't had really any prior to Sunday. Yesterday was almost idential weather, and even warmer, but 1/3rd of the people (being a Monday). That and the $49 ticket on Saturday, and even on Sunday, this spring's normal rate of $59 since April 6th (lower than Sugarbush's $67, and Jay's $72) has been enough to generate a lot of visits. Bingo. That rate was the only reason why I was there. When my sugarbush lift tickets fell through, and I had already promised the kids a day off from school, I was looking into anything/any place to go. I even considered opening day at fenway until I discovered the stowe deal. ...still, haven't paid $64 (with the evo card) for a lift ticket since like, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoarfrostHubb Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Wachusett still teasing about the weekend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitman Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Yeah it got real crowded around 10am till 1pm. Enough that when the lift line started getting into the 10+ minute range, it was time to pop the Lookout. Amazing demand out there for a good spring day...as we haven't had really any prior to Sunday. Yesterday was almost idential weather, and even warmer, but 1/3rd of the people (being a Monday). That and the $49 ticket on Saturday, and even on Sunday, this spring's normal rate of $59 since April 6th (lower than Sugarbush's $67, and Jay's $72) has been enough to generate a lot of visits. fwiw- I was surprised by the crowds at sugarbush even on saturday. judging by the cars in the parking lots, there were a lot of people there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radarman Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 fwiw- I was surprised by the crowds at sugarbush even on saturday. judging by the cars in the parking lots, there were a lot of people there. Sunday was mobbed to the point that it became uncomfortable on the main thruways. I don't mind waiting in line on a warm sunny day, but I could pass on the myriad of near miss high speed collisions. Was skiing with my wife who is in fully in control and makes predictable turns, but we were nearly smashed into any number of times by folks who couldn't be inconvenienced to slow down on the cruisers. If I am going to get injured skiing I'd rather it be launching a cliff than being taken out by a half naked, the other half drunk moron thinking he is showing off on the rolling blue squares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Sunday was mobbed to the point that it became uncomfortable on the main thruways. I don't mind waiting in line on a warm sunny day, but I could pass on the myriad of near miss high speed collisions. Was skiing with my wife who is in fully in control and makes predictable turns, but we were nearly smashed into any number of times by folks who couldn't be inconvenienced to slow down on the cruisers. If I am going to get injured skiing I'd rather it be launching a cliff than being taken out by a half naked, the other half drunk moron thinking he is showing off on the rolling blue squares. why midweek is best 101 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professional Lurker Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 why midweek is best 101 Exactly. Same with boating, golf, hunting, snowmobiling, or any other outdoor activity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 why midweek is best 101 Yeah, but sometimes its not an option for some folks. I mentioned it in my other post how the weather between Sunday and Monday was pretty much identical, but there was a quarter to a third of the amount of skiers and riders...maybe even less. It was the difference between no lift line and empty chairs going up on Monday, and a 10+ minute line for a time on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.