Shortest Season of this generation?

[deadheadskier]

I'm aware that Sunday River opened way early (was there mid-oct), yes I'm aware K is trying to make it to May. It just seems overall as a region things got started 2-3 weeks late and are ending 1-2 weeks early.

I can't seem to recall a year we got whacked on both ends like this one. Hopefully next season makes up for it.

 

[RootDKJ]

Here in the MASH, it was more about quality then quantity. A lot of us got both however, just in a shorter span.

 

[marcski]

It did start late...but I don't really see it ending earlier than normal? Most places usually close out Easter weekend or the weekend after...and that seems to be what's happening. What areas are you talking about that closed down sooner than usual?? I think if the East didn't get that late Feb. 4-5 feet...things definitely would have shut down early...but that set most places up for a superb spring.

 

[deadheadskier]

Smuggs is closing tomorrow. They usually make it until mid-April. Mt. Snow had made it to last weekend of April the past couple of years and are closing after this weekend. Sunapee made it to around the 20th the past few years. Stowe almost always offers skiing a full 3 weekends in April, but will be shutting down after this weekend. Those are just off the top of my head.

 

[thetrailboss]

Agree. Even SB is saying that they will go through "at least" this weekend and then go from there. It was too warm in November to blow snow, so places had to play catch up. Throw in little to no natural (Burke which averages 210" or so only got 110"), a snowless March, and hot April, and it has been a short season.

 

[Highway Star]

You're doing it wrong.

 

[Geoff]

I'm not quite at the Highway Star "You're doing it wrong" level but....

I got in an October Sunday River day. I had plenty of November days. I even had an OK Thanksgiving day at Sunday River. 200" at KMart is an off year but not a disaster. New Years was great. The late-February dump saved the season. March was really freakin' good. Kmart should run for another 4 weeks and close when they said they were going to close.

 

[deadheadskier]

No HWS, I'm not. I skied SR on 10/17 and plan on skiing K later this month. I've had a long season, but we have as a region have had one of the shorter seasons overall in the past 25 years.

It pains me to say this, but you were right in your call for a bad snowfall winter back in the fall. I blame it on you :razz:

 

[deadheadskier]

It just seems overall as a region things got started 2-3 weeks late and are ending 1-2 weeks early.
.

reading comprehension folks. key words being overall and region

 

[severine]

Definitely started later and ended earlier in this region! And don't forget, marcski, that Easter is different every year; last year, it was April 12th. But as far as a trend goes re: shortest season of this generation, hard to say. If I lived further north, I'd probably contest that more but for us Southern New Englanders, it was noticeable this year.

 

[Greg]

I got a lot of skiing in, but yeah down here it was short. Next season, and I say this every year, I'm going to forgo taking vacation days to ski shit snow in November and even December, short of some fluke dump. It's not worth giving up warm days and bumps on the back end of the season. The problem is it's tough to fight the early season jones.

 

[riverc0il]

If I lived further north, I'd probably contest that more but for us Southern New Englanders, it was noticeable this year.

If anything, I think those of us further north have felt the lack of snow most keenly. Snow is always hit or miss in SNE and near the coast. To see the slopes of Tenney completely bare on April 1st was a huge shock. And to have driven all of March without a single flake in Central NH and not have any remaining snow piles any where during late March was a real eye opener. :-o

 

[Johnskiismore]

Yeah, it is pretty depressing to see how fact the snow is going. Saturday let's say Cruiser at Loon was 80% covered.... its about 30% now. Drove by Cannon this afternoon and, well, the memories.

 

[Vortex]

October to May. Bad snow year, bad economy. Made the best of it.

 

[marcski]

October to May. Bad snow year, bad economy. Made the best of it.

Agreed. People complain too much. Bad snow, what skis to buy.....Just shut up and ski!

 

[jaywbigred]

Agree with OP. Certainly the shortest since I came back from my 2002-2005 hiatus. I feel like the early seasons have been slow almost annually, but we've had years of late season snow or at least lingering colder temps to allow later skiing. I believe I've skied the 3rd weekend in April all of those years without much trouble (1 at Stratton, 1 at Mt. Snow, 1 at Sugarbush), but it may not be in the cards this year. We will see how the jones is and what Kmart has to offer...

 

[Euler]

Smuggs is closing tomorrow. They usually make it until mid-April. Mt. Snow had made it to last weekend of April the past couple of years and are closing after this weekend. Sunapee made it to around the 20th the past few years. Stowe almost always offers skiing a full 3 weekends in April, but will be shutting down after this weekend. Those are just off the top of my head.

I get the impression Mt. Snow is closing more from lack of skiers than from lack of snow.

 

[deadheadskier]

Agreed. People complain too much. Bad snow, what skis to buy.....Just shut up and ski!

I'm not necessarily complaining. I made the best of it. I got my most days in since 2000-2001. Just an observation.

I don't recall a year that had such a late start and early finish for the vast majority of Eastern ski areas is all I'm saying. 2006-2007 started off rough, but had an epic spring. Last year started off very well, but fizzled out in March in terms of natural snow. This year we got whacked with both.

I can certainly recall leaner years in terms of natural snowfall. Can't recall a lean year like this combined with being so warm for both the start and finish to the season.

 

[deadheadskier]

I get the impression Mt. Snow is closing more from lack of skiers than from lack of snow.

really? There were that many more skiers in the past couple of years when they were in the running for last to close in the east?

I wouldn't know. I haven't skied there in over 20 years. Just seems odd to have that kind of a shift.

 

[Glenn]

really? There were that many more skiers in the past couple of years when they were in the running for last to close in the east?

I wouldn't know. I haven't skied there in over 20 years. Just seems odd to have that kind of a shift.

The general manager gave a really good description on the season passholder site. Basically, they need a decent crowd to "break even" on a given day. Last year, on closing day, they had 200 people. And I'm willing to bet most of those are passholders. She went on to state that after April, most people are thinking of warm weather stuff and not skiing. I find that to be true; especially here in CT. I'm sure it's the same in NY and NJ.

This weekend is the last weekend for Mount Snow. Based on what I saw last weekend, they could go longer. Again, the problem is, there's just not that much interest. Mt. Snow has always been good about spinning lifts as long as there's snow...and as long as people show up. The problem has been people tend to disapear before the snow does. :wink: