Night Skiing Anyone?

[PA Ridge Racer]

The just wondering thread had me thinking.. Alot of us live near smaller hills that offer skiing under the lights. Night skiing has it's advantages as oppposed to day time. For instance you have the Mt all to yourself, and it allows you to get out after work where as you would not otherwise. The downfall is the snow is not as good can be icy, temps can be be much colder (if thats a problem to begin with). How do you feel about night skiing, Do you prefer it to skiing between 8am to 4pm?

 

[Kerovick]

80% of my skiing is night skiing, I do love the shorter lift lines but the conditions seem to suffer. my local resort (and its sister resorts) offs a night only season pass for $170 that starts jan 2nd (which is usually about right for the resort ro open 100% up). Pretty much the only time I get to ski in the sunlight is when I'm on a ski trip.

It used to be afterdark = snowblowing but in the last couple years they have decided to wait untill the evening skiers go home. Many nights I've been the last person down the hill at my home resort.

 

[Greg]

I rediscovered night skiing a few years ago when I moved closer to a decent local hill. I would say 40% of my skiing is now at night. I encourage everyone to not overlook night skiing as a good way to increase your time on the hill. It's a great way to break up the week which is why I love the Sundown Wednesday night gatherings. Meeting up with a "crew" is of course fun as well and adds some camaraderie to a potentially boring (or at least less fun) night of solo skiing. It's also a great way to take advantage of a recent snowfall if you happen to not be able to get out that day. Plus it's way better than sitting at home watching TV.

I certainly don't prefer it to skiing during the day, but I wouldn't get out as much as I do without it.

 

[MrMagic]

love night skiing, only went twice last year, but normaly it would make up around 40-50 percent of my total ski trips. while the mtn might not be in the best shape as the day times, the lack of crowds and the crips cold night air, make up for that, plus many areas groom, and blow snow during night sessions, which = good snow

 

[wa-loaf]

I prefer to ski during the day, but if I did that i wouldn't get much skiing in these days.

 

[bvibert]

I prefer to ski in the day, but I don't mind night skiing at all. Probably 80% of my time on skis the last two years has been night skiing..

 

[threecy]

The temperatures, conditions, and lighting are usually subpar in my opinion, so I'm not a big fan. That said, Greg's right - better than sitting at home and watching TV.

 

[Greg]

Interesting comments about the conditions being a bit "beat" at night. Since we predominately ski the bumps at night, it's a non-issue. Sometimes they do harden up over the course of the night as it gets colder though. Also, when skiing bumps at night, the lights light up the lines pretty well. You would not have that benefit skiing bumps on a cloudy/flat light day...

 

[campgottagopee]

Very rare that I go night skiing, but when the Lake Effect is crankin I'll go due to all the snow!!!!!!!!!

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Back when I worked 5 days a week driving a desk, night skiing was about 80% of my skiing. Now I might go once or twice a season. It most certainly has it purposes, but it's not part of my mix now.

 

[MRGisevil]

Most of my skiing is done at one of the close mountains- Jiminy, Blandford, Southington- and they're all pretty well lit imo. I notice I tend to lean towards rose-tinted goggles a bit more at night as apposed to clear or gray, but that's about it. Sure, it's a bit colder, and at the smaller mountains the trails can be a bit skied off by the time I get there, but skiing's skiing. If I had to chose I'd ski day, but night doesn't bother me.

 

[salsgang]

Shawnee Peak in Maine is a great place to Night Ski. They do a 4pm groom on all the night trails so the conditions are usually pretty good. They light up quite a bit of the mountain top to bottom so you have a lot of terrian to work with. And if you can't get to the mountain first thing in the AM you have the option of skiing later in the day into night if conditions are good.

The only complaint I have I guess is skiers tend to be a bit reckless at night with speed etc. But overall its a lot of fun.

 

[MrMagic]

Shawnee Peak in Maine is a great place to Night Ski. They do a 4pm groom on all the night trails so the conditions are usually pretty good. They light up quite a bit of the mountain top to bottom so you have a lot of terrian to work with. And if you can't get to the mountain first thing in the AM you have the option of skiing later in the day into night if conditions are good.

The only complaint I have I guess is skiers tend to be a bit reckless at night with speed etc. But overall its a lot of fun.

would shawnee peak, be the biggest night skiing area in new england? the vert is 1300 right? i know stowe lights two trails off the gondi during peak season, but its only offered a limited time

 

[Grassi21]

Most of my skiing is done at one of the close mountains- Jiminy, Blandford, Southington- and they're all pretty well lit imo. I notice I tend to lean towards rose-tinted goggles a bit more at night as apposed to clear or gray, but that's about it. Sure, it's a bit colder, and at the smaller mountains the trails can be a bit skied off by the time I get there, but skiing's skiing. If I had to chose I'd ski day, but night doesn't bother me.

Southington is 1/2 the distance of Sundown for me but I always end up at Sundown. I skied Southington once and had a good time. Maybe I'll get out for a few hours with the wife this season and leave the little one with Grandma.

I have a pair of goggles with a yellow lens. I don't care for them. If it isn't too windy I will go sans goggles. If I find a cheap pair of clear ones I might give those a shot.

Nights at Sundown accounted for about 1/2 of my days last year. Its easier to slip away for some skiing midweek and not get yelled by wifey.

 

[severine]

The one season that I got in, at least half of it was done with night skiing. Not so great initially when you're learning, but I loved the lack of crowds (or lesser crowds, anyway... you still have to deal with the school groups). Cold didn't bother me. I have a pair of goggles with clear lenses for at night so wind isn't a problem either. Once the temps get warmer, I actually prefer night skiing because the snow seems to be in better condition, IMHO, than during the day when it's all saturated and slushy.

Like I said, biggest advantage was the lesser crowds. I hate skiing when it's crowded.

 

[gorgonzola]

half to 2/3 of my skiing is at night at Blue Mt PA, Thursday night NASTy-AR is always a good time and we have a pretty good group of regulars (GrillD and Glen-NO-No-NO included) who stick around to free ski afterwards. Friday night is kids night out so its always interesting battling the busloads of school trips - stay off of paradise and lazy mile and your fine. I much prefer day but you take what you can get - I'v gone whole seasons in the past never skiing by the light of day

 

[Hawkshot99]

I love night skiing. About half my trips last year were to Jiminy at night. yea the trails get scraped off, but then you can ski all the scraped stuff on the sides. The trails are empty, and its just a great time.

One of the coolest things is to hit a glade directly between 2 lit trails, and ski the trees in the dark, or poach a unlit trail under a full moon.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

The just wondering thread had me thinking.. Alot of us live near smaller hills that offer skiing under the lights. Night skiing has it's advantages as oppposed to day time. For instance you have the Mt all to yourself, and it allows you to get out after work where as you would not otherwise. The downfall is the snow is not as good can be icy, temps can be be much colder (if thats a problem to begin with). How do you feel about night skiing, Do you prefer it to skiing between 8am to 4pm?

Temperatures in the evening are usually warmer than early AM but the darkness makes it seem cooler. I prefer day skiing..especially getting out first thing in the morning. I usually work until 4:00PM but during ski season...I can usually get out of work between 3:00PM-3:30PM which puts me at Blue mountain by 4:00PM depending on traffic/school busses. Monday through Thursday I ski from 4:00PM to about 7:00PM...on Nastar nights I usually stick around until at least 8:30PM..and occasionally till closing around 9:30-9:45PM. For me a cure for the Mondays is skiing. At Blue mountain they re-groom Paradise, Lazy Mile, and Switchback between 4:00PM and 5:00PM everyday which is sa-weet and the limited weekday traffic keeps the other trails decent..yes it can be icy but it is the Poconos and ice means fast snow. Plus I get to watch the sunset from the lift which is sa-weet. On Fridays I get out of work at noon so I typically ski from 1:00PM to 5:00PM or so...Monday and Tuesday nights are dead..Wednesday and Thursday nights are fairly busy with school groups but only in January and February..and Friday night is a zoo but I'm usually not skiing on a Friday night. I always bring my ski clothes with me to work so I drive right from work to skiing...If it wasn't for night skiing...I would have never skied 60 days in a row last season..

 

[snowman]

would shawnee peak, be the biggest night skiing area in new england? the vert is 1300 right? i know stowe lights two trails off the gondi during peak season, but its only offered a limited time

We already had some of this convo a couple months ago. Mont Ste. Anne is the biggest night skiing location in the east in every respect...or even possibly all of North America...as I can't think of anywhere else that even comes close. In New England I'm not sure who would be the largest. Stowe likely has the vert title for new england, but terrain and hours of operation are very limited. Not sure who the "biggest" would be in New England.

 

[snowman]

I probably spend 50 to 60% of my ski time night skiing midweek. Conditions are ALWAYS better than the weekend and no one is around. Yes, there is the odd human missile as someone mentioned, and chairlift rides are sometimes thru pot smoke filled air, however on the weekend you've got people coming at you from every direction. Dodging one missile is easier than dodging a cluster bomb...lol! If there would be as many people as there are at night skiing on the weekend in the day, THAT would be my preference, but that's just not how it works out. OH, AND, it's WAY CHEAPER! At Mont Ste. Anne a day ticket runs something like $62. A night ticket is $22 or so...for the same amount of ski time and you get way more mileage thanks to not having to stand in line all day!!!!