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How cold is too cold?

How cold is too cold?


  • Total voters
    105

Zand

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Dec 30, 2003
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Spencer, MA
I put -11 to -20. All wind dependent though. After all, there are times where +10 can suck more than -10.
 

St. Bear

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Dec 22, 2008
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Never too cold. I may have to take a break after every run, but I won't be packing it in.

And this isn't because I'm super tough or anything, because I know that's what you all were thinking.

I just ski so seldom, that when I am finally able to make it to a mountain, I'm going to get my money's worth.
 

BenedictGomez

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Jan 26, 2011
Messages
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Location
Wasatch Back
I wish the poll denoted if it's with/without windchill.

I dont mind single digits or small negatives if there's not wind.

The worst cold I've ever felt was -67 (obviously with wc) at the top of Killington. Tried looking for tree protected runs etc... nothing helped. Saw some peeps with frostbite. The lodge looked like one of those scenes from a disaster movie, virtually everyone was inside.
 

SIKSKIER

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Nov 13, 2006
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Bedford and Franconia NH
Some of the best skiing I've ever had was with temps well below zero.There is nobody on the trails,the snow conditions stay great so much longer, and almost no gappers are skiing.The bar however does get overcrowded.
 

Abubob

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Apr 9, 2010
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Alexandria, NH
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The wind makes such a huge difference. I can tolerate cold temps as long as there's little to no wind. It's amazing what a little breeze will do though.

This is absolutely true. That's why the Freezer is what it is. Even on a "calm" day at Jay there's a breeze on that chair that chills me to the bone unless I'm layered up real good.

The only time I couldn't ski was back on '06(?) during a wind storm that effectively shut down sections of I93 and I91. Our little Corrolla would have been blown off the road. Anyway at the last minute the wind warning came down so my wife and I hurriedly packed the car Friday night and drove up. It was still a bear but doable. The next morning I start getting dressed to ski and discovered I hadn't packed my ski pants or my ski parka. Wind chills that Saturday were around -30 but I gotta believe it felt worse than that. On a calm day maybe down to 10 I might ski in my jeans but on that day there was just no way I would risk it. I was forced to play cards with my wife and non-skiing friends. :sadwalk:


Fourteen Below by Bob Misu, on Flickr
 

Black Phantom

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Oct 31, 2008
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close to the edge
Yes but skiing at 35mph in the wind at 30mph and 26 below that doesn't even help. There is no down for my face or toes.

Get a pair of these for the cold days!

millet-expert-down-socks-rg.jpg
 

jrmagic

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Mar 9, 2009
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Hartsdale NY/Londonderry VT
Back inthe nineties my buddy and I got first Chair on the Killington Peak double and they were reporting windchills in excess of 50 below. It was definitely an experience. We were dressed rpetty well but after the first run, we headed abck to the car to grab an extra layer and we were good to go with warmups every third run or so. I wasn't crazy about it but there was no way I wasn't skiing that day.
 

Nick

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This is absolutely true. That's why the Freezer is what it is. Even on a "calm" day at Jay there's a breeze on that chair that chills me to the bone unless I'm layered up real good.

The only time I couldn't ski was back on '06(?) during a wind storm that effectively shut down sections of I93 and I91. Our little Corrolla would have been blown off the road. Anyway at the last minute the wind warning came down so my wife and I hurriedly packed the car Friday night and drove up. It was still a bear but doable. The next morning I start getting dressed to ski and discovered I hadn't packed my ski pants or my ski parka. Wind chills that Saturday were around -30 but I gotta believe it felt worse than that. On a calm day maybe down to 10 I might ski in my jeans but on that day there was just no way I would risk it. I was forced to play cards with my wife and non-skiing friends. :sadwalk:


Fourteen Below by Bob Misu, on Flickr

That piece of cheek sticking out would probably freeze :)
 

Nick

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I can pretty much ski continuously up to 10 below. Once it goes below that, I'm doing a couple runs, warmup, couple runs, warmup, etc.

Also depends on lift. The new bubble at Mt Snow or a gondola lets me ski in colder temps, longer, since you don't freeze your ass off on the way up. Sitting in an exposed chair can be brutal on the cold days, when you are stationary and the blood isn't pumping.
 

Hawkshot99

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Aug 16, 2006
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Poughkeepsie, NY
Unfortunately there is a Temp were its to cold to ski. I have yet to get to that temp personally, but I love the cold. My friends on the other hand are not as big of fans, so when they start bitching to much that is when we quit.

Temp is not the biggest problem like many have stated. The wind is what bothers you when it gets cold.
 

ScottySkis

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Jan 16, 2011
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Location
Middletown NY
If its 30 mph wind gusts and temperature is in the negative then that could do it but if no win then i ski in negative temperature no problem just got to wear lots of good ski clothes
 
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