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Storm skiing..... Chasing the snow vs knowing the mountain???

drjeff

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Just curious what everyone's thoughts are???

Do you prefer to chase where the predicted snow fall is likely to be the greatest, even if you don't know that mountain and how to ski it on a storm day/where the off the map stuff is? Or would you rather go to a mountain that you know very well, but might not get the "jackpot" amounts but allow you to go places that the masses may not know of??

Just curious what everyone's 2 cents on this is??
 

Vaughn

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Just curious what everyone's thoughts are???

Do you prefer to chase where the predicted snow fall is likely to be the greatest, even if you don't know that mountain and how to ski it on a storm day/where the off the map stuff is? Or would you rather go to a mountain that you know very well, but might not get the "jackpot" amounts but allow you to go places that the masses may not know of??

Just curious what everyone's 2 cents on this is??

This is exactly what I am trying to decide today. I took tomorrow off to go skiing last week but now it's a real crap shoot as to where to go. Good chance of wind holds everywhere so is it better to deal with a longer drive home through more snow and wind to go to S VT or just go with the easier to get to NH areas where I have discount passes I need to burn off anyways?
 

tnt1234

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Not really an issue of 'knowing the mountain' for me. If there is a ton of snow, what is there really to know?

More of an issue of size of the mountain. ie: Do you ski 20" at Belleayre vs. 10" at Mt. Snow....which is kind of what I am wrestling with right now.

Already bailed on the best east coast terrain - Stowe - this weekend in favor of skiing a storm at a smaller, less interesting mountain. Now just a question of small and tons of snow vs. medium and less.

To be fair, the drive times involved for me in this instance had something to do with it. Choice was to drive 6-1/2 hours to a great mountain that might get a little of this storm, or drive 3 to the catskills that will get walloped. S. Vt. coming late into the equation because we still haven/t secured lodging yet and forecast improving for S.Vt.
 

Jully

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Just curious what everyone's thoughts are???

Do you prefer to chase where the predicted snow fall is likely to be the greatest, even if you don't know that mountain and how to ski it on a storm day/where the off the map stuff is? Or would you rather go to a mountain that you know very well, but might not get the "jackpot" amounts but allow you to go places that the masses may not know of??

Just curious what everyone's 2 cents on this is??

I would add in a less crowded mountain too. For this upcoming storm, I'm likely to skip out on the best of it for 3 reason: I don't know the So. VT mountains well (they're not even the jackpot too haha); the drive there from Boston is a lot tougher in less than stellar conditions; it will be more crowded than my other options so I likely won't get much of the goods anyways!

I typically go to the mountains I know rather than fight the masses.
 

Edd

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All things being equal, Chase the snow, absolutely. Throw in other factors, and you usually must, then it’s more complex.


Sent from my iPad using AlpineZone
 

cdskier

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I've never changed my plans on where I was going simply because some other mountain received more snow. So I suppose that means I'm not explicitly chasing the snow and going with where I know.
 

shwilly

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When it was just me and the Ms., we would either follow the snow or go to Sugarloaf.

With two little ones, we go the mountain where we have a place. Having the home base makes it infinitely easier with the kids. That outweighs everything else at this stage of life.
 

Vaughn

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I've never changed my plans on where I was going simply because some other mountain received more snow. So I suppose that means I'm not explicitly chasing the snow and going with where I know.

I'd say this is an extreme case though where NH and northern VT are getting close to nothing and the Catskills and maybe southern VT are getting a lot of snow. Usually it's not such a stark difference.
 

cdskier

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I'd say this is an extreme case though where NH and northern VT are getting close to nothing and the Catskills and maybe southern VT are getting a lot of snow. Usually it's not such a stark difference.

Irrelevant in my case...my gear is all in N VT so I really can't go to Cats even if I wanted to...

And before I had a "home base", I was either planning in advance for big trips (which I wouldn't have cancelled just due to snow somewhere else) or I was doing day trips to the Cats (as 2 or 2.5 hours is my limit for day trip).
 

bdfreetuna

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keep the faith
I would add in a less crowded mountain too.

Yep big factor. Especially if it involves Saturday skiing -- I'm looking at Burke, Bolton, Pico, Bromley, maybe Magic (more conditions-dependent crowds there). Out of my normal Vermont picks anyway.

Would like to hit Gore in hopes they get a good whallop -- never have skied there though. Might end up waiting for the dust to settle next week and go there with hopefully most/all ropes dropped.

When I figure out exactly what I'm doing I don't plan on announcing it in advance this time ;)

Also if somebody would like to mention how crowded Gore gets on a Saturday ..
 

sankaty

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As long as it's a mountain that I think will have adequate terrain, I chase the snow if I can. It's likely I'll drive an extra 40 minutes south to Stratton tomorrow morning if it looks like they'll do much better than Okemo/Killington/Pico.

However, while I'd go significant lengths to chase 12" over 3", I'm not nearly as likely to chase 20" over 12" unless I'm convinced it will put trees in play, etc. Deeper snow is fun, but there is a point of diminishing returns where convenience wins out pretty easily.
 

BenedictGomez

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Not really an issue of 'knowing the mountain' for me. If there is a ton of snow, what is there really to know?

This.

Skiing is a sport that requires snow, and the more snow the better.

I couldn't care less how "comfortable" I am with the mountain that got 6" of snow, if someone an hour away got 16" of snow.
 

BenedictGomez

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I'm not nearly as likely to chase 20" over 12" unless I'm convinced it will put trees in play, etc. Deeper snow is fun, but there is a point of diminishing returns where convenience wins out pretty easily.

I dont know that world.
 

sankaty

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I dont know that world.

I kind of wish I didn't either. However, I could drive and extra 5 hours or so (and spend some cash on a motel) to go to Belleayre tonight. Instead, I'm going to our scheduled lodging in VT tonight and will take my chances with a S VT mountain, so I guess my actions tell the story.
 

tnt1234

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I kind of wish I didn't either. However, I could drive and extra 5 hours or so (and spend some cash on a motel) to go to Belleayre tonight. Instead, I'm going to our scheduled lodging in VT tonight and will take my chances with a S VT mountain, so I guess my actions tell the story.

Shouldn't be an extra 5 hours to Bell from S. Vt.

I drove from Hunter to Mt. Snow a few weeks ago and it took about 3 I think. Maybe a little more.

Just saying....

I'm not questioning your call - looks like there is plenty og snow coming to S.Vt to make for a great day, and we just settled on the reverse - cats over vt. - for the same reasons - closer to us.

Anyway - have fun everyone!
 

sankaty

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Shouldn't be an extra 5 hours to Bell from S. Vt.

I drove from Hunter to Mt. Snow a few weeks ago and it took about 3 I think. Maybe a little more.

Just saying....

I was thinking round trip, but you're right about the way there. I'm imagining that I'll have a positive philosophical outlook if VT gets 5" and Belleayre gets 40", but I'm really hoping not to have to test that hypothesis.

Good luck in the Catskills! I hope to see lots of pictures of epically deep snow.
 

abc

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With the potential for wind hold, I'd suggest staying close to home (if your "home" is where the snow is likely to hit anyway).
 

BenedictGomez

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With the potential for wind hold, I'd suggest staying close to home

I don't think skiing tomorrow is going to be a possibility for the areas getting the snow. I think this will literally be a blizzard, a word misused 95% of the time, but might be accurate tomorrow.
 

tnt1234

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I don't think skiing tomorrow is going to be a possibility for the areas getting the snow. I think this will literally be a blizzard, a word misused 95% of the time, but might be accurate tomorrow.

Oh shit, really? Even in the catskills, so far from the main action?
 

cdskier

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Oh shit, really? Even in the catskills, so far from the main action?

From the Binghamton NWS office (which covers the western part of the Catskills including Belleayre and Platty):

As the surface low rapidly deepens under 980mb by
Friday afternoon, very strong north-northwest winds will develop
over our area as well. Right now winds are forecast to increase
between 20-30 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph Friday afternoon and
evening.
 
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