It's 10:38 PM in the middle of January...

[RossiSkier]

city is flooding

went to work this morning and the streets were flooded. it rained so hard it aint even funny.

 

[Greg]

This is just UGLY!

 

[thetrailboss]

This article appeared in today's Burlington (VT) Free Press regarding the ski season from the resort's perspective.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/bfpnews/news/3000h.htm

 

[loafer89]

It is snowing fairly heavily in the catskills (at least it is judging by the webcam from plattekill) and Sugarloaf is now recieving snow with a forecast of 2-4" today before it ends. So maybe things will start to improve from here on out.

 

[pepperdawg]

I just got a powder alert via email from Stowe claiming 5"-7" this morning.....

Exerpt of email I recieved at 10:45 today"
------------------------------------------------------
<<Here is today's snow report from Stowe Mountain Resort:

Friday, January 14, 2005 - 10:45 am

Summit Temperature: 25 degrees
Base Temperature: 28 degrees
New Snow in the past 24 hours: 5-7"
New Snow in the past 7 days: 12-16"
Total Snowfall for this season: 102"
Base Depth: 28" - 40"
Primary Surface: Powder
Secondary Surface: Wind Blown

Projected for opening:

Lifts Open: 8
Trails Open: 33
Miles Open: 27
Forecast (7am): Cloudy with snow squalls, temps 28 (top) & 31 (base). Light snow & flurries around midday, temperatures dropping through the 20s.

Trail of the Day: Lord
Insider Tip: It's been snowing heavily since 6 a.m.--not in the forecast, but who cares?? Come out & enjoy it! Expect extensive grooming & snowmaking for the weekend.

This calls for a big YAHOO!! And having said that, I'm going back out to ski myself into exhaustion! Enough said. Have a great day!!

Check out our Interactive Trail Map at:
http://winter.stowe.com/map

For more information please view the complete snow report at:>>

 

[bvibert]

This is just UGLY!

Your map doesn't show it, but its snowing heavily here in Watertown, CT right now

 

[Greg]

I just got a powder alert via email from Stowe claiming 5"-7" this morning.....

I got this from the mountain late this morning:

http://news.alpinezone.com/2904/

 

[KingM]

My comments on the Burlington Free Press Article:

Vermont's winter resorts are heading into the second of their three major money-making periods...optimistic that a strong Christmas week will carry over into the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Okemo, Stratton Mountain Resort, Smugglers' and Sugarbush reported that lodging was almost full going into the weekend.

Sorry, but this is BS. The entire Valley lodging is going to take a bath this weekend. Nobody that I know is over 50% for Fri/Sat/Sun, compared with last year when we were already turning people away. I'd be dumbfounded if the other areas aren't suffering as well.

The latest year-end holiday week was strong at the outset. Inns and condominiums were full. The weather was pleasant. With Christmas and New Year's Day falling on Saturdays, though, the holiday period was compressed into seven days. When the holidays fall on weekdays, resorts can get as much as two full weeks of vacationers surrounding each holiday.

This is true. We were totally full the entire week, although we had a couple of "medical emergency" cancellations right around New Year's that corresponded with the rain. The only thing that hurt us, as the article mentioned, was the calender.

Unfortunately, the weird weather since then has been really bad for these first few weekends. Next weekend is looking marginally better, and we'll hopefully fill up as the the weather improves. As far as the whole winter outlook goes, I've already scaled back on my spring projects, alas. I just hope we pick up or I'm going to be eating beans and rice until foliage.

 

[thetrailboss]

My comments on the Burlington Free Press Article:

Vermont's winter resorts are heading into the second of their three major money-making periods...optimistic that a strong Christmas week will carry over into the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Okemo, Stratton Mountain Resort, Smugglers' and Sugarbush reported that lodging was almost full going into the weekend.

Sorry, but this is BS. The entire Valley lodging is going to take a bath this weekend. Nobody that I know is over 50% for Fri/Sat/Sun, compared with last year when we were already turning people away. I'd be dumbfounded if the other areas aren't suffering as well.

The latest year-end holiday week was strong at the outset. Inns and condominiums were full. The weather was pleasant. With Christmas and New Year's Day falling on Saturdays, though, the holiday period was compressed into seven days. When the holidays fall on weekdays, resorts can get as much as two full weeks of vacationers surrounding each holiday.

This is true. We were totally full the entire week, although we had a couple of "medical emergency" cancellations right around New Year's that corresponded with the rain. The only thing that hurt us, as the article mentioned, was the calender.

Unfortunately, the weird weather since then has been really bad for these first few weekends. Next weekend is looking marginally better, and we'll hopefully fill up as the the weather improves. As far as the whole winter outlook goes, I've already scaled back on my spring projects, alas. I just hope we pick up or I'm going to be eating beans and rice until foliage.

I actually thought that Sugarbush's rep was BS'ing as well. I saw the article as doing the same thing as the press release that the VSAA released on December 24th...."don't run away...come and ski...and spend your money." :wink:

 

[KingM]

It's hard to get an accurate picture when you talk to the marketing guys. The sad thing is, I think the skiing has been decent for the most part. Not great, certainly, but if you've avoided the rainy periods, you've found some good stuff. A guy was telling me at breakfast this morning that they actually had a better time this year than last because although last year's visit had more snow, it was also a lot colder.

As for going forward, we've got another 11-14 weeks of winter and it looks like the rain, at least, is gone for awhile.

 

[thetrailboss]

Got a report in the Wachusett Forum (www.rsn.com/community/wach/forum.html.

Snowing at the base of the mighty Wa with the temps falling through the 30's.

 

[hammer]

Just checked out the Henniker, NH report and it's light snow there as well.

 

[thetrailboss]

Just checked out the Henniker, NH report and it's light snow there as well.

Great to hear! :wink: Pat's Peak's cam has snow/ice on it.

 

[loafer89]

It is season's like this that makes eastern skiers thankfull for the invention of snowmaking, at least for those of us skiing in the Mid-Atlantic AKA the Banana Belt.

As for this weekend, I really can't decide. I want to get a day in in PA and my sister called me from her house in Milford PA and said she had recieved 3" of snow today with about 6" on the ground, so perhaps Cammelback will be a good choice.

Hunter also is reporting 2" of new snow as of 10:30 this morning so who know's.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

The ride back from SoVT last night was some of the thickest fog I've had to deal with in a long time. The visability would often drom to 20' At least when I got onto Route 2, there was enough traffic to help move it above the roadway.

The surface was great yesterday, but the amount of coverage lost was amazing. Each trip down you'd see new obsticals.

At least it looks like we've got a better weather pattern ahead. What the heck. It can't really get any worse.

 

[Greg]

I guess a lot can change in two weeks, eh? Let's pray for some significant snow up north to salvage the second half of the ski season...

 

[bvibert]

Things are definately better now!! :beer:

Lets hope that the North gets some big dumps!