Is your ski/snowboard season over yet

[Lostone]

Why bother trying to ski crap and hold on to the illusion of fun

Because it is work, but when you can do it well, it is an incredible amount of fun! It took me many years until I was able to figure out how to do it.

Before, I stopped by the third week in March.

After, I stop when the lifts do... Well, I think that will stop me. But if there is still snow on Spring Fling... That's not that far to hike. Stein's? :wink: :roll:

 

[hammer]

done? hello! the lifts are still turning! let alone all the hiking and skinning that can be done when the lifts close...

I'm quite surprised by your response... :wink:

Just please do the rest of us a favor and feed us some good trip reports. If I can't get out at least I like to read about those who can.

 

[deadheadskier]

done? hello! the lifts are still turning! let alone all the hiking and skinning that can be done when the lifts close...

Denial! That's all I can say. I suppose it depends on one's definition of quality ski experience.

If sliding on a dirty patch of wet, melting mush and jumping over exposed rock is your idea of quality skiing, fine.

For my taste, I don't even bother getting to the slopes unless they have decent natural snow cover.
It's all in qulity of experience for me.

Doing Tuckerman's, sure, that's a prime spring experience. Hitting A-basin or some of the late spring skiing in the Sierras, great stuff. But trying to get something going on rain washed remnants of man made slick and call it skiing? Just don't see it.

Why bother trying to ski crap and hold on to the illusion of fun when there is a whole bunch of other great outdoor activities that offer much higher level of satisfaction offered by spring?

um, I was at Sugarbush on Wednesday and there was still plenty of snow on the natural snow trails and trust me the fun I was having wasn't an illusion at all - it was one of the best days of the year.

Most mountains in Northern Vermont pretty much put away the snow guns in January and if you could honestly find a difference now on trails that have a man made base and those that are natural snow only - I'd call you a liar.

We actually didn't get much of a wash out today. It rained, but not that hard and its far from uncommon to get a heavy dump in these parts even in April, so there is still hope for that.

To answer the question though - no, my season is not over. I will be at Stowe next Thursday and then at least another couple days at Sugarbush or Jay until the end of April and per usual a day at Killington in May. In most all of my 22 years of skiing - I get out at least seven months out of the year.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Probably 8-10 days more, betwen lift served and Tuckerman, GOS, Etc.. Still jonesin'

 

[teachski]

Injury is now saying YES! It was ok until the soft conditions came, then one fall on it made it say "STOP! Don't make me worse than I am!" So I am listening to my shoulder and stopping, it could be the difference between minor surgery and major surgery (which I have put off till school is out, since I am a teacher.)

 

[riverc0il]

done? hello! the lifts are still turning! let alone all the hiking and skinning that can be done when the lifts close...

Denial! That's all I can say. I suppose it depends on one's definition of quality ski experience.

well, last weekend was top notch and one of the best of the season. if it wasn't for the rain we had this weekend, it likely would have been another exceptional pair of days this weekend regardless of how you define a quality ski experience.

that said, quality ski "experiences" that are fun and pleasurable are still abundent if you are of the right disposition. if you need perfect snow conditions to get out and make sore turns, you're right, you probably wouldn't enjoy it. but to say someone is in denial because they define a good ski experience as different than your own............

 

[Bumpsis]

Most mountains in Northern Vermont pretty much put away the snow guns in January and if you could honestly find a difference now on trails that have a man made base and those that are natural snow only - I'd call you a liar.
.

The spirit of my remark (Denial... etc) had more to do with anticipation of what 3-4 inch rain fall was going to do to the snow conditions rather than what skiig conditions were like a week ago.
Looks like much less water came down than expected.

I stand by statement though: crappy, rain erroded cover interrupted by dirt and rocks just doesn't amount to optimum skiing experience. Being an eastern skier I hardly expect perfection when I go out and ski what's there.
Granted, everyone has their their own criterion of what's great, good or acceptable, but let's just say that fact are facts. We all know what a solid rain storm combined with warm temps can do to snow cover

The gist of my post was simply to question the overly enthusiastic (in my opinion) expectaions of what can be expected on the slopes for the next few weeks in view of the weather forecast.

As to not being able to tell man made snow from natural, well, once it all really starts to melt, there probably isn't that much of a difference, so slush is slush but I respectfully would disagree with you deadheadskier. In early forms of the snow metamorphosis, one can easily make a distiction between natural and aritifcial. Even under spring conditions natural cover is decidely different from man made.
Good, "dry" corn is much more likely to be found on natural snow trails. Man made stuff once made and skiied on hard just gets transfromed into ice very quickly. In spring, once it melts, it's just soft ice with slush.
If you can't tell the difference between one and the other you probably could tune up your awerness a bit.

 

[goldsbar]

Mountain biking, road biking, rock climbing, etc. There's so many other things to do now.

 

[dmc]

If you can't tell the difference between one and the other you probably could tune up your awerness a bit.

After it gets mashed up and transformed a few times - I can't tell the difference.. I really don't think there is a difference once either gets old..
I guess I need to tune up my awareness...

As far as the rocks and stuff in spring... I love getting through/over them... It's part of the whole spring season fun!!!!

Not to taken seriously... It's spring!!!!

 

[massivslinky]

Went down kicking and screaming. Have some roughed up base to show for it, but nothing beyond a little work (no ptex needed). Skiing round rocks and bare spots makes you learn to turn better anyway.

Adverse conditions builds a better skier. I now feel fairly comfy on all conditions, except bare rock that is. Spring makes for fun moguls too.

Only one run gave me true fits this year. The snow looked like powder, but was heavy and wet like joint compound. If you leaned to far forward, it was instant breaks and would try to toss you over your tips. No one was having a good time on that run. However, the one next to it was perfect. Go figure.

 

[BrockVond]

this is the view out my hotel room window yesterday, so i guess you can put me down as a "no way":

http://community.webshots.com/photo/317940255/317940696eKneai

 

[andyzee]

Not yet, but this weekend coming up may be my last for the season. I usually find that after the middle of April, conditions quickly deteriorate. Yeah a ton of diehards out there that'll take my head off for that remark, but I like to go out on a high note and not grasp for straws. I may take a ride up to Killington some weekend after that and if there still is snow, do a run or two, but I wouldn't go with skiing as my main reason. And Tucks keeps on tempting me, so that's a possibility.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Just ended for me this past Sun at the Loaf. But it was one of the best years of skiing I have ever had. Can't wait till Nov.

 

[andyzee]

But it was one of the best years of skiing I have ever had. Can't wait till Nov.

Taking into consideration the lack of snow fall this year, it was one of my best as well.

 

[Vortex]

I would not say the best, but most days in years. 57 days to date. Snow was great late season, but were some tough parts to the year. I think I have another month of skiing left.

 

[Brettski]

57 days...wow....37 was my best ever....

15W!

What town?

I'm in WO

 

[Greg]

I'm done now. 25 days total.

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

Looking at 2 possibly 3 more Sunday's to go...

 

[thetrailboss]

I'm done now. 25 days total.

DONE??!!

Why not join us at Ski Maynia?? It's FREE :wink:

 

[Greg]

I'm done now. 25 days total.

DONE??!!

Why not join us at Ski Maynia?? It's FREE :wink:

Yup. Done. I need to start getting some things done around the house now. I'd also like to start spending my weekends outside more with my daughter; playing in the yard/parks, hiking, etc.