Is this season worse than 2015--2016?

gregnye · Jan 29, 2018

Many remember 2015-2016 as the year there was no snow. While this year has certainly had a good December, the cold weather and refreeze on key days (christmas break, MLK Weekend) has certainly kept the crowds away.

So now the question is: Are the ski areas suffering as badly as 2015-16? Is it worse? Is it better? Discuss!:razz:

slatham · Jan 29, 2018

Winter is just about to re-start. Rumors of its demise are fake news.

Rowsdower · Jan 29, 2018

No.

2015-2016 was warmer. This year has at least had cold temps for snowmaking. I'll admit its been a bad year though, although here in PA we don't really notice because natural snow days are rare anyway.

That being said I keep looking at the snowpack depth up north to plan a trip and it doesn't look great. This year could have minimal natural snowfall which removes the point for me to travel up to Vermont or NH. If I want to cruise groomers I can do that here.

Maybe time to get out West finally.

KustyTheKlown · Jan 29, 2018

you're crazy to even compare the two. 2015-2016 was historically terrible. no snow at all. bare trails all season.

gnardawg · Jan 29, 2018

This season has 100% been better than 15-16. I remember at new years that year skiing wildcat which consisted of laps of Lynx. That's all Lynx. Only trail open top to bottom. My New Years Eve long weekend skiing at Sunday River this year alone was better than all the days I skied all of 15/16.

gregnye said:
Many remember 2015-2016 as the year there was no snow. While this year has certainly had a good December, the cold weather and refreeze on key days (christmas break, MLK Weekend) has certainly kept the crowds away.

So now the question is: Are the ski areas suffering as badly as 2015-16? Is it worse? Is it better? Discuss!:razz:

Edd · Jan 29, 2018

Revenues are absolutely down, due to Xmas and MLK having horrible timing with weather. Areas with severely limited capital are likely nervous.

Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

bdfreetuna · Jan 29, 2018

It snowed
It was cold and snow was made
It was then too cold to make snow
It rained a couple times
<-- You are here

Smellytele · Jan 29, 2018

I was only able to ski the woods once that year and it was at Stowe. Then the next day it poured buckets that was in late Feb. This year the woods were good until 2 weeks ago. This year has been a lot better. Plus I had a 15 inch powder day this year.

NYDB · Jan 29, 2018

Southern Vermont was 100% +/- open with most trees skiing well xmas week this year. It was a great year until that brutal rain refreeze.

I don't remember venturing off the groomer/ snowmaking trails during 15-16.

Skier visits are definitely higher than 15-16 but the brutal cold snap during xmas / new years and the crappy conditions during mlk have put a damper on things (revenue wise) for sure.

BenedictGomez · Jan 29, 2018

This year isn't remotely close to as bad. And a few weeks from now it's going to be pretty good again.

Jully · Jan 29, 2018

A better analog (though far from perfect) would be 14/15. Slower start (Nov opening) and a not bad December and a pretty terrible January.

I think 14/15 had less snow thus far though.

180 · Jan 29, 2018

not even close to 15

slatham · Jan 29, 2018

Interesting that 14/15 is mentioned. One of the long range forecast guys I follow (Bastardi) who has been very much on it this season, is comparing the current look of Feb/March to that of 2015. If you recall we had a stretch of 8 weeks or so with ZERO non-frozen precip (though the streak began a bit earlier that year - MLK Monday). Personally I could go for a nice long stretch where it only snows!

Harvey · Jan 29, 2018

slatham said:
Interesting that 14/15 is mentioned. One of the long range forecast guys I follow (Bastardi) who has been very much on it this season, is comparing the current look of Feb/March to that of 2015. If you recall we had a stretch of 8 weeks or so with ZERO non-frozen precip (though the streak began a bit earlier that year - MLK Monday). Personally I could go for a nice long stretch where it only snows!

That was a really good year with below average snow.

slatham · Jan 29, 2018

Harvey said:
That was a really good year with below average snow.

Yes it was below normal from a pure snowfall amount perspective. Shows you what a stretch of only snow can do. That's why out West is usually good even in low snow years, because all they get is SNOW!

ss20 · Jan 29, 2018

slatham said:
Interesting that 14/15 is mentioned. One of the long range forecast guys I follow (Bastardi) who has been very much on it this season, is comparing the current look of Feb/March to that of 2015. If you recall we had a stretch of 8 weeks or so with ZERO non-frozen precip (though the streak began a bit earlier that year - MLK Monday). Personally I could go for a nice long stretch where it only snows!

That was a beautiful year. I remember reading the Killington conditions report sometime in March, and they had written up that they were forecasted to have their first day above freezing for the first time in 2+ months. It snowed down south every weekend MLK through March or something crazy like that.

tnt1234 · Jan 29, 2018

My season is pretty much above average. But being a flat lander, my expectations are different.

Had two good early season days at Stowe - not much open, but really nice snow, a few trees even....two great days at SB and MRG over X-mas- shame it was too cold to ski the last day...solid days at Hunter and Snow, and a few trips to the poconos.

What's missing for me is the nice natural snow in the catskills to make the drive worth it and to elevate those day trips up from 'nice to be outside skiing on something' to 'this is darn right real deal skiing up here!'.

Outlook looks crummy right now, but we'll see...two months left...hope for change.

Dick Gazinya · Jan 29, 2018

Harvey said:
That was a really good year with below average snow.

That sounds like a ski off.

benski · Jan 29, 2018

In 2015 Mt Ellen was downloading with one trail off summit till after xmass. There were 4 trails at Lincoln peek, 1 of which was too icy to enjoy. Beginning of March Mt. Snow was still only half open. Mt snow already has 60 inches of snow. In 2015 killington and all the southern by resorts didn't reach that.

Smellytele · Jan 29, 2018

slatham said:
Yes it was below normal from a pure snowfall amount perspective. Shows you what a stretch of only snow can do. That's why out West is usually good even in low snow years, because all they get is SNOW!

Alta had rain the other night

Is this season worse than 2015--2016?

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