Is all skiing good skiing?

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The western resorts benefit from elevation. Whereas here in the east, top elevation is between 4-5K unless you earn your turns to the summit of Mt. Washington.

They have the elevation AND the desert that dries out the clouds so that you've got 6-8% moisture in the snow.

 

[Hawkshot99]

Only 1 bad day that I can think of in my skiing life. Very thick fog at night up at Jiminey. Couldnt see the chair ahead of us on the lift. Left early because it was just too dangerous. Other than days were I have hurt myself, I cant think of times I have not enjoyed a day skiing.

 

[riverc0il]

I had quite a few rather terrible days in November/December this year. Absolutely terrible conditions at Jay Peak with only two or three excessively crowded trails off the Jet were open. Many of those days I skied 4-6 runs (short runs of the Jet mind you) and went home. Worth it? Sometimes it was but mostly it was not on those days. Some days the conditions just truly blow.

Greg points out trip reports etc but they don't always tell the full story and I would rather roll the dice than stay home on a questionable ski day (especially living close and having a pass). But you won't see me wasting gas milage both Saturday and Sunday if I learned my lesson the hard way on Saturday.

Nope, sometimes it truly is better to stay home. And perhaps that is a gradient based on a higher level on minimum standards. But I do not think I have elevated my nose quite that high but rather have skied some horrendous conditions on days most other skiers would not have bothered. Having a pass and living close increased my willingness to roll the dice on questionable conditions. On the flip side, there were many days when the conditions were questionable based on weather and reports that turned out to be rather good. It can go either way. But that is just my point, it really can go either way. And as much as I love skiing, there are definitely days I could have spent doing something more fun than skiing when the conditions truly suck.

 

[millerm277]

All skiing is good skiing...some days are better than others, but it's pretty hard to have a bad day if you look at the reports at all beforehand. Even the bad days tend to wind up turning out well, such as my day at Hunter in early Jan....in the morning it was solid ice on everything, and bare spots across everything but mainline. Around 11AM the guns went on, and by the end of the day, from what I could see, I was skiing in some nice gun-pow on Minya.

 

[takeahike46er]

Weighing in the cost of travel, tickets and time-off, there are some days not worth skiing. A few days of rain and record warmth followed by temps in the teens makes for unpleasant and dangerous conditions (as evidenced by Greg's trip to Gore). These are the days it might be better to wait and spare the hospital bills from a nasty injury.

 

[Tyrolean_skier]

Anyone care to guess what my answer would be?:

Andy, there were quite a few days last season when you quit early because you did not care for the conditions. Myself, on the other hand, continued skiing on those days because skiing is better than not skiing. Also, on the day of your video, I was hiking Outer Limits several times because the conditions were much better than Superstar and that's the reason that nobody was at Superstar.

 

[andyzee]

Andy, there were quite a few days last season when you quit early because you did not care for the conditions. Myself, on the other hand, continued skiing on those days because skiing is better than not skiing. Also, on the day of your video, I was hiking Outer Limits several times because the conditions were much better than Superstar and that's the reason that nobody was at Superstar.

Yes Ty, you are correct, in years past, I did quit sooner. However we all change, this year I pushed it a bit more. Now what exactly is your point? Are you saying you're better? More core? If that's the case, so be it. The question asked in this thread is "Is all skiing good skiing?" not "who is more core?" :roll:

Oh, on the days that you think I quit, I was actually at Mountain Creek. And take my word on this, conditions were far worst there :lol:

 

[Greg]

All skiing is good skiing...some days are better than others, but it's pretty hard to have a bad day if you look at the reports at all beforehand. Even the bad days tend to wind up turning out well, such as my day at Hunter in early Jan....in the morning it was solid ice on everything, and bare spots across everything but mainline. Around 11AM the guns went on, and by the end of the day, from what I could see, I was skiing in some nice gun-pow on Minya.

(as evidenced by Greg's trip to Gore)

I agree with millerm277. Some days start out pretty crappy, but usually something happens that makes it worthwhile. I sometimes need to "fight" though the first 5 runs or so, then things click. Even that day at Gore was fun. It was a bit depressing knowing all that good terrain we saw and couldn't ski would rock after the storm overnight. However, the good company (Jim, Brian and HPD) made up for it, as well as the chance to ski a new mountain. The ride home was an adventure, but Brian's company made it actually a bit fun (except for crawling through Albany). In fact, I can honestly say that I did not have one day that overall sucked enough that I wish I didn't go last season. I believe part of the reason was that I skied with either AZers or friends/family on many of my ski days. The solo ones turned out to be pretty decent; either nights on the bumps at Sundown, or MLK Day at Hunter in the pouring rain. Sure, the rain sucked, but the nice bumps made up for it. I always can find some aspect about an outing that makes it enjoyable overall. The camaraderie of skiing with other AZers can greatly increase the enjoyability of any ski day.

Yes Ty, you are correct, in years past, I did quit sooner. However we all change, this year I pushed it a bit more. Now what exactly is your point? Are you saying you're better? More core? If that's the case, so be it. The question asked in this thread is "Is all skiing good skiing?" not "who is more core?" :roll:

"Core". :roll: I really hate that term. Can we make a pact to remove it from our skiing vocabulary?

 

[andyzee]

"Core". :roll: I really hate that term. Can we make a pact to remove it from our skiing vocabulary?

Hey, I would imagine that this BBS software has a word censor same as phpBB, use it :lol: Have a poll on what core should be replaced with, could be fun :lol:

 

[skiadikt]

I agree with millerm277. Some days start out pretty crappy, but usually something happens that makes it worthwhile. I sometimes need to "fight" though the first 5 runs or so, then things click.

i agree. sometimes a ski day consists of many chapters. you just have to let them play out. there've been days when we get to the mtn, lifts are closed and what's open is a skating rink but slowly conditions start improving. lifts open, surface softens, some guns get turned on etc ...

 

[skibum1321]

Well, obviously you went skiing right after a thaw-freeze, no? It's pretty simple to monitor the weather, filter ski area ski reports, read actual trip reports on forums like this, and be able to make an informed guess as to what to expect on the hill. Any ski area where there is "all ice" is that way for a reason, and those are the days to simply opt to not ski.

But for whoever was there that day the skiing was not good, so therefore not all skiing is good skiing.

I can think of a number of situations where I have gone to the mountain and taken a few runs only to be bored or wanting to leave for other reasons:
1) Early season with only a few trails open and you have to play dodge the gaper all the way down the trail
2) 50 below windchills that make you go inside after every run (had a couple days like this and I probably skied 2 runs on each day)
3) On a day when everything is all ice

Although, not terrible, I don't particularly enjoy days when there are only groomers open. I usually do 5 or 6 runs and call it quits. It just bores me half to death...

So my answer is no, not every day of skiing is a good day.

 

[JimG.]

"Core". :roll: I really hate that term. Can we make a pact to remove it from our skiing vocabulary?

"Oh chef of the future, can it core a apple?"

"Yes it can core a apple...HA HA!"

This has nothing to do with skiing, so it's OK.

 

[andyzee]

If you guys really want to get down to it, yes there are days that are not so good. There was one day this past season over Christmas week where it rained so hard we couldn't see. We took on run and called it quits. But, I would still call it good, because:

1. I wasn't in work.
2. I had skis on
3. It's still an adventure and I consider all adventures fun

 

[ajl50]

There is no such thing as a bad day skiing. If you have a bad day skiing you
a) need to get some perspective on life
b) are really lucky that whatever else you do on a daily basis is soo awesome that a day spent outside doing something you love can actually be called "bad"
c) or you got injured. That's a bad day.

All this talk about conditions is just so frustrating. IT'S SKIING. NOT WORK!

 

[Greg]

But for whoever was there that day the skiing was not good, so therefore not all skiing is good skiing.

Yeah, I see your point, but if I opt to not go, it's not a bad day of skiing for me, it's simply not a day of skiing for me.

 

[nycskier]

Andyzee, That video is absolutely hilarious!!!!!

Thanks for posting it!!!!!

 

[JimG.]

All this talk about conditions is just so frustrating. IT'S SKIING. NOT WORK!

I hear you...I'll go out in just about any conditions. But I have limits.

I'll ski 2 days in a row in the pouring rain, but I opt out on day 3 if it's still pouring. That happened this past season on MLK weekend.

The only other limit is surface hardness. If bodies that weigh 200 pounds or more bounce off of the surface conditions without leaving behind a mark (blood does not count) on that surface, then that may be a day to opt out. Gore qualified on 3/16/07 but I went anyway.

 

[andyzee]

Andyzee, That video is absolutely hilarious!!!!!

Thanks for posting it!!!!!

Thanks

 

[riverc0il]

"Core". :roll: I really hate that term. Can we make a pact to remove it from our skiing vocabulary?

Here here. I try to only use this word when making fun. Self debasing humor included.

 

[riverc0il]

IT'S SKIING. NOT WORK!

My thoughts exactly which is why I say that you can have a bad day of skiing when getting down the mountain feels like work. If it feels like work (and this is not including "working" on your technique which is fine on a day that is sub-par but still worth skiing) then it isn't worth skiing and is a bad day.