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Who Will Be The King of Spring 2012

Who will be King?

  • Sunday River

    Votes: 9 13.2%
  • Sugarloaf

    Votes: 15 22.1%
  • Killington

    Votes: 8 11.8%
  • Loon

    Votes: 3 4.4%
  • Saddleback

    Votes: 4 5.9%
  • Stowe

    Votes: 2 2.9%
  • Sugarbush

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Jay Peak

    Votes: 27 39.7%

  • Total voters
    68

Nick

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Good info Madpat. Those are some great stats you have.

What's really sad is all the closing dates for the past six years that you posted are all in May.
 

snowmonster

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Madpatski, in 2009, didn't Sugarloaf spin on May 4 and close out the ski season? I ask because I was there on May 3 and remember that they spun the next day -- for the expressed purpose of beating Jay.
 

Cornhead

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I should be up both Saturday and Sunday. The drive will be a piece of cake compared to driving to Saddleback and skiing the same day. Left the house at 12:30 AM for that one. I'll be on my Tigersharks, red/black graphics on mirror finish, black pants, black/grey Marker jacket, black Smith Variant Brim helmet with AZ stickers.

Roger Hill is calling for snow Friday, let's hope he's right!
 

MadPatSki

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Madpatski, in 2009, didn't Sugarloaf spin on May 4 and close out the ski season? I ask because I was there on May 3 and remember that they spun the next day -- for the expressed purpose of beating Jay.

Very possible, this data isn't in a spreadsheet, it's just based on my Eastern Closing Thread that I would do mainly on FTO. They had done it a few times prior. It might have been mentioned in one of those posts, but I missed it when I was gathering info for this discussion and/or recopying from the original. It doesn't change much, as I mentioned above that I wasn't taking that into account. But I'll try to look into the original to see if the info is there at one point and correct it.

I've copied my writing over to my blog (easier to find and mostly for my TRs for some friends that don't read ski forums mentioned I should do. Currently busy redoing the Summer South America TRs and reposting....with the original day they were put online on FTO.
 

snowmonster

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I should be up both Saturday and Sunday. The drive will be a piece of cake compared to driving to Saddleback and skiing the same day. Left the house at 12:30 AM for that one. I'll be on my Tigersharks, red/black graphics on mirror finish, black pants, black/grey Marker jacket, black Smith Variant Brim helmet with AZ stickers.

Roger Hill is calling for snow Friday, let's hope he's right!

If you're staying overninght, I highly recommend the water park. Go surf (keep all your weight on your back foot) and do La Chute. I thought going down slides was for kids but this scared me. For dinner, check out the Foundry. I recommend the Duck Pockets for appetizers. Say hi to the monster - black helmet, blue jacket, black pants, green boots on Rossi B Squads (green and white). Praying for snow!

Very possible, this data isn't in a spreadsheet, it's just based on my Eastern Closing Thread that I would do mainly on FTO. They had done it a few times prior. It might have been mentioned in one of those posts, but I missed it when I was gathering info for this discussion and/or recopying from the original. It doesn't change much, as I mentioned above that I wasn't taking that into account. But I'll try to look into the original to see if the info is there at one point and correct it.
In 2008 and 2009, I went to Sugarloaf with other Sunday River regulars to close out the lift served season. If I'm remembering correctly, on both occasions, the Loaf went to the next day (Monday) just to pip whoever was still standing.

Like all good AZers, I have a ski calendar handy at my desk. In '08, I was in Sugarloaf on May 3 and 4 so it's possible that they closed on May 5. In '09, I was up on May 2 and 3 so they may have closed on May 4. I remember that in both years, the Loaf claimed King of Spring honors (with apologies, ski areas this side of the border pretend nothing exists to our north including MSS).

I've copied my writing over to my blog (easier to find and mostly for my TRs for some friends that don't read ski forums mentioned I should do. Currently busy redoing the Summer South America TRs and reposting....with the original day they were put online on FTO.

Looking forward to your TRs from America Sur. Let me know when you're planning to head to the Rockpile. I may be there by next week.
 

MadPatSki

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If you're staying overninght, I highly recommend the water park.
I wanted to drag out the family, but the youngest has music lesson on Saturday. I was going to ask my oldest's physio (she started last week - broken leg +op) is it was okay, but now it's a moot point. 1/3 that I might show up, still to many things on my plate.

In 2008 and 2009, I went to Sugarloaf with other Sunday River regulars to close out the lift served season. If I'm remembering correctly, on both occasions, the Loaf went to the next day (Monday) just to pip whoever was still standing.
Again, it might be lost in one of the old threads. I just grabbed the dates on my Summary of weekend opening threads.

Like all good AZers, I have a ski calendar handy at my desk. In '08, I was in Sugarloaf on May 3 and 4 so it's possible that they closed on May 5. In '09, I was up on May 2 and 3 so they may have closed on May 4. I remember that in both years, the Loaf claimed King of Spring honors (with apologies, ski areas this side of the border pretend nothing exists to our north including MSS).

Calendar? I've been keeping track of it since I've been 16. All my record Ski Days are on the blog. There are a few eye openers in some years. Sunday River on May 27, 1994, Killington on June 15, 1997 etc.

Looking forward to your TRs from America Sur. Let me know when you're planning to head to the Rockpile. I may be there by next week.

I've already posted all that I have written in 2007 (missing the Portillo and El Arpa part - still planning to write something about them). I got one up from 2008 and 2009. I've do a recap summary once there are up and pointing to the appropriate post. Hoping to finish in the next 2 weeks. Once I'm done getting these old TRs up and a few others that are calendar appropriate, I'll finally post the ones I've written last Summer, but never posted.

One easy way to find them (for me at elast), is to look at my Ski Days (and there is a link associated to the specific ski day) or look under Ski Post / Trip 2006-07 for all the TR for that given year.
 
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riverc0il

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I'm seriously debating it but i'm wondering about the bump situation. anyone want to venture a guess on that? I have zero experience with Jay, spring or otherwise.
From my experience, Jay will groom both Jet and Haynes.

Would the King of Spring groom their only remaining runs?
 

riverc0il

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FWIW the "King of Spring" and longest season titles have been synonymous for many years...with Sugarloaf indeed claiming that slogan and making an effort to have a solid spring skiing product that was the last, or one of the last, to close.
You are disagreeing AND hedging at the same time. According to your statement, Sugarloaf should only have taken the title if it was truly the last to close. It doesn't seem to happen much according to MadPat's numbers yet they took the claim (rightfully, I would say, whether they truly were last one open or not).
 

MadPatSki

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From my experience, Jay will groom both Jet and Haynes.

Would the King of Spring groom their only remaining runs?

Ha!!!

The problem is that the bumps wouldn't be soft...and the average age is not as young anymore.:lol:

You are young...well we were. As noted in my cheezy TR ending à la Pat...Benatar from two weekend ago.
 

riverc0il

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"King of Spring" can mean anything you want it to mean. That said, when discussed on here it is usually regarding last to close, and therefore defined as such for the purposes of those discussions.
When discussed on here? Has it ever been actively discussed on here? This is getting to the nature of my original comment... last to close is always discussed. This whole "King of Spring" title is much more subjective, IMO.
 

riverc0il

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Ha!!!

The problem is that the bumps wouldn't be soft...and the average age is not as young anymore.:lol:

You are young...well we were. As noted in my cheezy TR ending à la Pat...Benatar from two weekend ago.
I was commenting on my experience. I wasn't saying that they should or should not groom for this weekend. When it gets down to only Jet/Haynes, Jay grooms. That is my experience from the past half dozen years. Jay wants (more than ever, now with the waterpark) to offer terrain for everyone (or at least intermediate or above). I don't recall ever seeing Jet or Haynes left ungroomed in April/May even during good spring skiing bump weather. Jet often has bumps under the lift but those are of course gone now because that is mostly natural snow under the lift.
 

MadPatSki

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You are disagreeing AND hedging at the same time. According to your statement, Sugarloaf should only have taken the title if it was truly the last to close. It doesn't seem to happen much according to MadPat's numbers yet they took the claim (rightfully, I would say, whether they truly were last one open or not).

Without checking if the exact dates were included in the old closing threads, I would believe that Loaf might have closed one day later in the years mentioned by snowmonster. If that is the case, SL has closed last in the NE by one day later, on a Monday, than Jay (and others) for 3 seasons (2008-2010). Jay have beaten Loaf by over one weekend the last two season which would be more significant.

Again...KOS. It's a slogan. It's not like we are the last to close.
 

MadPatSki

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I was commenting on my experience. I wasn't saying that they should or should not groom for this weekend. When it gets down to only Jet/Haynes, Jay grooms. That is my experience from the past half dozen years. Jay wants (more than ever, now with the waterpark) to offer terrain for everyone (or at least intermediate or above). I don't recall ever seeing Jet or Haynes left ungroomed in April/May even during good spring skiing bump weather. Jet often has bumps under the lift but those are of course gone now because that is mostly natural snow under the lift.

I was just making a statement and not pointing any fingers. Agree on your post. I don't Jay not grooming since they been pushing late. You have to go back to the 1990s to see stuff left totally ungroomed in the end.
 

thetrailboss

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You are disagreeing AND hedging at the same time. According to your statement, Sugarloaf should only have taken the title if it was truly the last to close. It doesn't seem to happen much according to MadPat's numbers yet they took the claim (rightfully, I would say, whether they truly were last one open or not).

No, that is not what I said, Riv. I was responding to your comment as to why we have used the terms synonymously and offered Sugarloaf as an example. That's all.
 

Cornhead

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I was at Jay in early May last year, they left skier's right under the chair on Jet ungroomed. Of course, it wasn't long before everything was soft bumps. The bigger bumps were where they didn't groom, this is where Meathead Films, and other bump connoisseurs congregated.

Tim, enjoy your TV at the Snowshoe, here's what I got last year, I had to go to the bar at Jay to watch the NBA playoffs. All the TV's were on hockey downstairs, I didn't want to ruffle any feathers asking to put basketball on one of them. It is pretty close to Canada. For thirty bucks, I wasn't complaining. Do you think they have wifi at the Snowshoe?...bwaah hah hah. Maybe they do, I've been surprised before.
Jay%2520Peak%2520035.jpg
 

JimG.

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I was just making a statement and not pointing any fingers. Agree on your post. I don't Jay not grooming since they been pushing late. You have to go back to the 1990s to see stuff left totally ungroomed in the end.

And I think this is the crux of the argument and in that regard I agree with Steve.

The "King of Spring" tag may just be outdated.

To me, King of Spring conjures Superstar on Memorial day weekend with full coverage and nothing but bumps. They groomed only one small piece of SS for the June Slalom. And when the headwall burned out they spun the lift anyway and you skied dirt.
 

MadPatSki

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To me, King of Spring conjures Superstar on Memorial day weekend with full coverage and nothing but bumps. They groomed only one small piece of SS for the June Slalom. And when the headwall burned out they spun the lift anyway and you skied dirt.
And some year of those years, the June Slalom was pretty non-smooth. So they didn't really groom it to today's standards if at all on one or two years (1992-1997). :razz:

Anyway, here is my Eastern Closing Update. Talking about the weather and decided to compare this year to last year similar weekend (April 30-May 1). Of the 7 ski areas that made it to May last year, Killington was only off by 9 days. Jay and MSS are currently off by 2-3 weeks respectively which is similar to the others (Loaf, Bush, Saddle). Mt Miller is off by 6 weeks. Ouch!!!

Not giving up : Winter along with Jay & St-Sauveur – East Closing Thread 2012 – Part 8
http://madpatski.wordpress.com/2012...y-st-sauveur-east-closing-thread-2012-part-8/
 

JimG.

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And some year of those years, the June Slalom was pretty non-smooth. So they didn't really groom it to today's standards if at all on one or two years (1992-1997). :razz:

Yeah, wasn't it beautiful?

They used to salt it some years to make it faster.
 

MadPatSki

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Yeah, wasn't it beautiful?

They used to salt it some years to make it faster.

Who knew that we raced against each other? :p The only I didn't race was in 1992 and it was raining. GPetrics was there a few of those years also.

1992: too late to register.
1993: cold, rain, SS was cut in so many pieces with a long walk in the middle. Course was set past the bottom pitch.
1994
1995
1996
1997 - wife did it pregnant by a couple months.

One of those years, it was so foggy - it might have been 1996 (based on non-pics in my albums). You couldn't see nothing. I remember the starter saying to take it easy, don't go to fast (as it wasn't really groomed either).
 
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