2013 King of Spring - Who will it be?

[gmcunni]

Who will be this year's "king of spring", the last to provide lift-served skiing in the Northeast?

 

[gmcunni]

i think Big K is going to make a statement this spring

 

[Riverskier]

I wish I could say Sugarloaf, but by all accounts Killington is planning to go deep into May. Jay and Sugarloaf will likely be #2 and #3.

 

[dlague]

The new chief at Killington stated that they wanted to get back to the days when they wer first to open and last to close! They have the capacity to do that but are just a little further south than the other two likely competetors! I am a Jay fan so I lean that way and with them starting constriction on Stateside in April, I am not sure they will be it this year since Haynes is generally the trail they keep open!

 

[deadheadskier]

Jay has already said they are closing 4/21. I'm thinking 5/5 for the loaf and after what I saw at K last weekend and the much more aggressive approach of the new GM I'm thinking 5/19 ......maybe even longer

 

[ScottySkis]

To easy Killington for sure.

 

[Puck it]

Kton with the glacier. F global warming.

 

[St. Bear]

Jay has already said they are closing 4/21. I'm thinking 5/5 for the loaf and after what I saw at K last weekend and the much more aggressive approach of the new GM I'm thinking 5/19 ......maybe even longer

5/19, wow. That may get me an additional day. Let's get it done!

 

[bigbog]

I guess my vote would then be Killington...snow-wise(just a guess), cuz every corporation that's operated Sugarloaf for the past 30yrs, on average, has closed it by the middle of April, .....by my best personal estimate. Under ASC Sugarloaf was always closed early to operate SR as far as they could. Hardly anyone skis a lift-served Loaf at the prices ASC & Boyne now charge except pass-buyers. They're always keeping it open for a while for the marketing-thing...

 

[JimG.]

Killington no doubt.

Now we all have to make it up there and make it worth it for them to keep doing this from now on.

 

[skifree]

sounds like another year of turns on the snow in the morning and turns on the lake in the afternoon!
maybe try to mix 9 holes in.

 

[Conrad]

Jay has already said they are closing 4/21.

Are you sure about that? That seems really early for them.

 

[Conrad]

I could see Sunday River staying open into May if they wanted to. They have so much snow stockpiled around Barker and they will certainly spread that around once they need it on other melting trails.

 

[Edd]

Damn, I may actually go to Kmart this year.

 

[Riverskier]

I could see Sunday River staying open into May if they wanted to. They have so much snow stockpiled around Barker and they will certainly spread that around once they need it on other melting trails.

They could, but most likely they won't. Ever since Boyne has taken over, they have focused their early season efforts at SR, and their late season efforts at SL. No May skiing at the River since Boyne took over, and 2 years ago they could have with minimal effort. My money is on a 4/21 closing. There is an outside chance of 4/14, but it seems unlikely they would close that soon with this much snow, and an outside chance of 4/28, but that seems unlikely just based on their track record. All just my opinion though, and you never know.

 

[xwhaler]

Saddleback is moving to wknd only ops after this wknd but they say they will stay open "through April"
They did have skiing into early May a few yrs ago IIRC

 

[timm]

Wildcat is often (always?) the last mountain standing in NH and as of now has said "deep into April, at least".

 

[deadheadskier]

Are you sure about that? That seems really early for them.

In they jay thread it was mentioned they were likely to close 4/21 due to construction projects.

 

[Angus]

IMO Sugarloaf is the real king of spring regardless of whether Killington stays open an extra week or two longer. Just compare the acreage open during the later stages of the season. I can recall recent springs when SL has had 50+ trails open to K's less than 10. On the flip side, Killington should be applauded for their re-commitment to staying open well into May. Due to proximity, Saddleback could compete but don't believe they make the snow-making commitment.

 

[gmcunni]

In they jay thread it was mentioned they were likely to close 4/21 due to construction projects.

i recalled reading that and am too lazy to go back to find it again but i also seem to recall that was a partial closure and some of the mountain would remain open??