Ginx snewx Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 As bad as 2012 was, it was epic enjoyment skiing in shorts and tees.By our 2nd week on the 26th snow making was back on. Me on the left with little Joe in the middle and the famous Tequila Barry on the right. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 That week will still be king from 2012... but this week definitely gave it a run for it’s money. But second class for sure. I always remember your spring trips Ginxy, good stuff. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 7 hours ago, Skivt2 said: A bad season in Vermontvis one where the glades and natural snow trails are not skiable at all during the season. We have seen that. In 15-16 Pico opened on 1/6 and closed on 3/14. We never got in the woods nor on our favorite natural snow trails. Never the less Killington skied superstar until Memorial Day. So a bad winter is low snowfall interspersed with rain events that wash away the snow every time it falls. That is what a ratter looks around here. Yeah 2011-12, 2015-16 especially, those are fails in the past decade. This was a long duration of off-piste skiing that a D/F winter won’t have. We literally never went in the woods in 15-16. Hard to describe, but this season just didn’t feel *that* bad from a “feel” standpoint. Anytime it doesn’t rain for 6+ weeks is a good stretch. This year had it's moment when you stack up snowfalls for weeks on end, even if they are light. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radarman Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 We skied Castlerock and hiked the long trail to Heavens Gate on 1/20/16 with 10-12" new and it was good, including some woods. But yeah I think that was the only day of the year. That's an F. This year was well above normal skiing at Berkshire East, fwiw. Solid B+. A at the peak. One big storm away from true epicosity. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongBeachSurfFreak Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 Hopefully we do not see another 2015/16 anytime soon. The worst part about that season was the incredibly warm early season which left only brief windows for snow making. So your entering prime season with very little base. That further complicates things anytime you have a warm up or cutter. 2008 early April was another incredible warm up and rapid melt out. 100% open with deep snow to almost closed in less then a week. High 70s at the summit of Killington. Got the worst sunburn of my life! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GCWarrior Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 17 minutes ago, radarman said: We skied Castlerock and hiked the long trail to Heavens Gate on 1/20/16 with 10-12" new and it was good, including some woods. But yeah I think that was the only day of the year. That's an F. This year was well above normal skiing at Berkshire East, fwiw. Solid B+. A at the peak. One big storm away from true epicosity. I agree somewhat when talking about Berkshire East. We get so little snowfall normally but to have the bulk of it in February without rain and warmups was very nice. I think if they can some how open next weekend I'll go with a solid B for the season. (i was there yesterday making turns and I'm not sure they can pull it off unless they blow some snow Monday night) They have put a ton of effort in improving the skiing experience this year. 2016 and 2012 were F's. 2011, 2015 were A's. Actually a lot of of B seasons over the last 10. 2017, 2018, 2014, 2013. 2019, was a C. 2020 was a D due to Covid and really lack of snowfall. Maybe it's time to start shifting my grading to reflect the lack of natural vs the power of the snowmaking system. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 Memory is deceiving! I had to go back and look at the '15-16 winter to remember how bad it was around here. My social media posts reference a horrible winter. I was up on Mount Washington in mid-April and my posts reference the snowpack looking like Memorial Day weekend in the ravine. I had a pass at WaWa that season and I must have done a lot of my skiing there - I think it was that next summer that they expanded their uphill pumping capacity by 50%. My memory is also skewed by a great Sunshine Village, Kicking Horse, Revelstoke, Fernie 'roadtrip' during my son's march break that season. 2012 was nuts - knowing it was all melting, I day tripped to Saddleback from metrowest Boston and literally watched 2-3' of snow melt away during the day. My son called me to come pick him up at school around dinner time and I remember telling him 'No can-do, I'm in Jay Maine!' I'd left the house at 4:30 that morning. I then drove to Stowe the following Saturday on the first cold day and skied while the mountain locked up and then drove to Loon and skied Sunday in a rain storm - I stopped buying pre-purchased tickets after that season. My niece's 10 year old son is coming up next weekend and is expecting to ski and I'm scrambling to figure out a coherent ski trip strategy - keep flipping back and forth between Stowe and Maine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamarack Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 13 hours ago, powderfreak said: I won’t lie, I still think we have one in the bank. It would be very hard to completely miss on a synoptic event from March 1 onward for the mountains. Maybe it comes April 15th on Tax Day (it has in the past), or even April 27-28th in 2010 when 5-24” (5” BTV, 24” at 3,000ft plot) fell across NNE. Led to May 1st snow cover in the mountains. CoCoRAHS early days back then. Across western NNE, as the cocorahs map shows. One final kick to the groin from my most frustrating winter anywhere. Even snowy Hartford (northerly of the 2 Maine sites shown) with average snowfall only 6-8" lower than CAR, got only cold RA. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhineasC Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 10 minutes ago, tamarack said: Across western NNE, as the cocorahs map shows. One final kick to the groin from my most frustrating winter anywhere. One more snow storm would be nice. This winter is really going out with a whimper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamarack Posted March 26, 2021 Share Posted March 26, 2021 14 minutes ago, PhineasC said: One more snow storm would be nice. This winter is really going out with a whimper. After only 0.6" in March 2010, we had 3.6" of morning paste on 4/17. Unless we get more than white rain Sunday night, this month will have half an inch less than 3/10, and I'm certainly not optimistic about getting April snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bch2014 Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 Skiing Hunter now.. they won’t make it beyond tomorrow. Can’t blame them given the weather. the amount of snow loss from Sunday to today is staggering. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 3 hours ago, bch2014 said: Skiing Hunter now.. they won’t make it beyond tomorrow. Can’t blame them given the weather. the amount of snow loss from Sunday to today is staggering. This was a high end melt.... up there with 2012 because it's not done yet. Tomorrow's rainer is going to be another bloodbath. 2012 went from 80" to like 20"... that's still top dog melt, ha. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongBeachSurfFreak Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 Decent day out there today given the circumstances. Early from mid mountain up was firm and fast. Below 2500 never locked up so spring conditions continued. By noon the whole mountain softened up to spring conditions which got a little moguled with a Saturday crowed. Planning on heading up to sugarloaf the weekend of the 11/12 as SVT may be finished relatively soon. Over all a decent winter for SVT. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bch2014 Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 Still some nice turns to be had nonetheless! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhineasC Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 Looking to get one more week at BW and then packing it in for the season. The main trails with man-made seem to still be good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 2 hours ago, powderfreak said: This was a high end melt.... up there with 2012 because it's not done yet. Tomorrow's rainer is going to be another bloodbath. 2012 went from 80" to like 20"... that's still top dog melt, ha. 20.inch mid April 2012 storm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoarfrostHubb Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 Wachusett closing tomorrow and hoping to reopen on Friday for the weekend. They took quite the hit in the last week. Looks pretty bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 just back from crotched. they made the perfect amount of snow! drove a bit less than 3 hour to ski a bit more than three hours! They would be pushing snow around to connect trails after tomorrow. Heard things - from a friend of a friend - are very bad at Wildcat...like can they remain open. I just looked at the webcam and seen it worse so I'm guessing some hyperbole but unfortunate. @LongBeachSurfFreaknext three weekends at Sugarloaf are Reggae. I'll need to figure out my ski strategy - given I am planning to ski Friday thru Monday this coming week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozz Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 I was at Bolton Valley today. A lot of the mountain is no longer open, but those areas that are open have nice spring conditions. Very soft and firm, easy to make turns. I have no idea what it will look like after tomorrow's rainer but today was a good day overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Ginx snewx said: 20.inch mid April 2012 storm? Yeah there was a monster upslope event with 2-3” QPF. Had like 26” of dense snowfall and I believe it was the day or two after Easter that year. We didn’t have enough snow to ski on for the Easter Sunrise service and then like two days later the snow was up near the top of the picnic tables that had been on bare ground prior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STILL N OF PIKE Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 2 hours ago, Ginx snewx said: 20.inch mid April 2012 storm? I recall that one. It Was forecast to dump 18” at K mart as well. Wild year . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhineasC Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Angus said: just back from crotched. they made the perfect amount of snow! drove a bit less than 3 hour to ski a bit more than three hours! They would be pushing snow around to connect trails after tomorrow. Heard things - from a friend of a friend - are very bad at Wildcat...like can they remain open. I just looked at the webcam and seen it worse so I'm guessing some hyperbole but unfortunate. @LongBeachSurfFreaknext three weekends at Sugarloaf are Reggae. I'll need to figure out my ski strategy - given I am planning to ski Friday thru Monday this coming week. My wife went by Wildcat today and said it appeared to be a disaster. Many open areas on the trails. They had bare spots in mid feb, so... not a big surprise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 1 hour ago, STILL N OF PIKE said: I recall that one. It Was forecast to dump 18” at K mart as well. Wild year . Did it go down that far south? I remember it as more of a NVT upslope event from a cut-off bomb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STILL N OF PIKE Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Just now, powderfreak said: Did it go down that far south? I remember it as more of a NVT upslope event from a cut-off bomb. I believe it had a more westerly flow component . I just recall a friends dad saying he had tickets for K mart and they were supposed to see 18”. I believe it hit central VT spine but not 100% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 1 hour ago, PhineasC said: My wife went by Wildcat today and said it appeared to be a disaster. Many open areas on the trails. They had bare spots in mid feb, so... not a big surprise. I heard some more of their struggles this year making snow revolved around power issues they’ve had. Guess they had to rent a bunch of monster diesel generators or something like that. Reading online it seems like they’ve had several power outages this season too (most recently on 3/20) and are working with Eversource to figure out more reliable power? No idea if that’s a new thing or if it’s something they’ve struggled with for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmtnwx Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 12 minutes ago, powderfreak said: I heard some more of their struggles this year making snow revolved around power issues they’ve had. Guess they had to rent a bunch of monster diesel generators or something like that. Reading online it seems like they’ve had several power outages this season too (most recently on 3/20) and are working with Eversource to figure out more reliable power? No idea if that’s a new thing or if it’s something they’ve struggled with for years. They have a major problem, it’s called Vail Resorts. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhineasC Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 17 minutes ago, powderfreak said: I heard some more of their struggles this year making snow revolved around power issues they’ve had. Guess they had to rent a bunch of monster diesel generators or something like that. Reading online it seems like they’ve had several power outages this season too (most recently on 3/20) and are working with Eversource to figure out more reliable power? No idea if that’s a new thing or if it’s something they’ve struggled with for years. Yeah, just never seemed to get going there this year. The lack of natural snow really hurt them, IMO. I don't think that fact can just be sugarcoated with some feel-good Northern Greens VT vibes this time. LOL They just plain didn't get enough snow to make up the delta. I watched it all season. They underperformed on the big synoptic events that gave Randolph a 30" base. In the mid-January event they were raining at the summit while I was heavy snow. Having spotty snowmaking would have really hurt this season given the above. I locked in my season passes there for next winter, so we are going to make Wildcat work either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Just now, PhineasC said: Yeah, just never seemed to get going there this year. The lack of natural snow really hurt them, IMO. I don't think that fact can just be sugarcoated with some feel-good Northern Greens VT vibes this time. LOL They just plain didn't get enough snow to make up the delta. I watched it all season. They underperformed on the big synoptic events that gave Randolph a 30" base. In the mid-January event they were raining at the summit while I was heavy snow. Having spotty snowmaking would have really hurt this season given the above. I locked in my season passes for next winter, so we are going to make Wildcat work either way. Wow you're right, just saw they only are reporting 96" on the season. That's nuts. Hard to cover that Granite State rocky terrain with 96" over 4 months. Over 100" less than we saw at 3,000ft... yeah that would've hurt quite a bit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 1 hour ago, STILL N OF PIKE said: I believe it had a more westerly flow component . I just recall a friends dad saying he had tickets for K mart and they were supposed to see 18”. I believe it hit central VT spine but not 100% Checked my files, found that event that caused the 2012 April snow depth spike. What a textbook upslope storm late in the season... high QPF and long duration during cut-off season. That one fit with all the studies showing best upslope occurs with a stacked low tracking through northern ME and FVE area into adjacent Canada. Several panels of 0.1-0.25" QPF in northern Vermont was the signal for huge storm. Looks like ~1.70" storm total liquid realized down in Stowe Village over the multi-day event... easy to see how the mountain saw 2-3" QPF total. BTV in the Champlain Valley was only 0.25" or so outside of the upslope zone. From bare ground to a fresh 2+ feet in April 2012 after the big melt out. Hopefully we still have one coming, even if it's a month from now. The Picnic Tables. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STILL N OF PIKE Posted March 28, 2021 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Thanks PF , what a beating for the N greens. K Mart...not so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now