Ski the East...or not?

[kingslug]

So many people I know just wont ski the East any more. I go on 3 trips out west a season and when i ask the crowd im with..who live here ,where they ski, most say out west only now. They have given up with our variable conditions and long drives. Sad..I cant imagine not skiing here..i think it makes you better. And some wonder why they have a tough time out there when the champagne powder turns to
Crud...and in order to stay in shape for places like JH..you better ski a lot before and after you go. This last trip wiped out so many people..quickly.
Hmmm...wonder why...

 

[Not Sure]

So many people I know just wont ski the East any more. I go on 3 trips out west a season and when i ask the crowd im with..who live here ,where they ski, most say out west only now. They have given up with our variable conditions and long drives. Sad..I cant imagine not skiing here..i think it makes you better. And some wonder why they have a tough time out there when the champagne powder turns to
Crud...and in order to stay in shape for places like JH..you better ski a lot before and after you go. This last trip wiped out so many people..quickly.
Hmmm...wonder why...

Your friends are old? I just can't get motivated to ski shit conditions the older I get.

 

[kingslug]

All in late 40s to 60s. At best they go to killington a few times..they cant believe i drive 5 hours to Stowe every week when im not out west..
Skiing SB,Stowe,Jay..only makes you better

 

[andrec10]

Wimps....

 

[kingslug]

What really cracks me up is a lot of them bring their Eastern skis...and die in the deep snow...some do get it..and rent some fat boys...after dying..in the powder.

 

[Los]

Your friends are old? I just can't get motivated to ski shit conditions the older I get.

+1

 

[WWF-VT]

So many people I know just wont ski the East any more. I go on 3 trips out west a season and when i ask the crowd im with..who live here ,where they ski, most say out west only now. They have given up with our variable conditions and long drives. Sad..I cant imagine not skiing here..i think it makes you better. And some wonder why they have a tough time out there when the champagne powder turns to
Crud...and in order to stay in shape for places like JH..you better ski a lot before and after you go. This last trip wiped out so many people..quickly.
Hmmm...wonder why...

They aren't skiers....they're tourists

 

[deadheadskier]

Your friends are old? I just can't get motivated to ski shit conditions the older I get.

I'm the opposite. The older I get, the more I appreciate all kinds of conditions. Yes, the preference is powder, but if you have the right gear tuned properly and the skill to use it, even hard pack days can be fun. The most accomplished precision racers on the planet live for snow surfaces Joe Tourist thinks as garbage.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[tnt1234]

I love so much about east coast skiing.

I love the variety of mountains- from large resorts to small mom and pops...I love - absolutely love - winding, new england trails, narrow and steep, snaking down the mountain....

I love east coast glade skiing....

But I'm really getting frustrated with our weather. When we catch two feet of snow on a sunday, and that is wiped out by rain before the very next weekend...

 

[abc]

Your friends are old? I just can't get motivated to ski shit conditions the older I get.

I just don’t have the time to ski the east.

This season, I’ll go out west 3 times, 9 weeks total, including the weekends front and back. That doesn’t leave too many weekends I’m in the east!

Then, like last weekend, I just got back from CO the week before, do I feel strongly motivated to fight the holiday crowd and pay premium window price (blackouts in my Ikon base pass) and the risk of windhold? Nah.

Simple math of zero sum game: the more I ski put west, the less time I have to ski the east!

I’m not choosing not to ski the east, I’m simply choose to ski west as my priority, with the resulting consequence of not skiing the east half as much as I used to.

 

[BenedictGomez]

They aren't skiers....they're tourists

Pretty much. If you, "only" ski in the west, you're only skiing so many days.

 

[snoseek]

As someone that skis all over I enjoy skiing in the east when I get the opportunity. I like the idea of spending a season back there every so often. It keeps things real and sharpens my skills. I also like the low key locals vibe.

 

[Vaughn]

What's your shortest drive to a good mountain though? In Boston, I can hit the 4 western White Mt. areas in a little over 2 hours - a very easy day trip. If I lived in NJ or LI and it was over 3 hours to even Mt Snow, I could see where hopping a plane for long weekends out west (money aside) would be pretty appealing as I'd already be looking at skiing as an overnight, not day trip.

 

[Not Sure]

I'm the opposite. The older I get, the more I appreciate all kinds of conditions. Yes, the preference is powder, but if you have the right gear tuned properly and the skill to use it, even hard pack days can be fun. The most accomplished precision racers on the planet live for snow surfaces Joe Tourist thinks as garbage.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using AlpineZone mobile app

My Ski preferences are bumps and skiing groomers fast. Skiing icy bumps with powder is how I broke a ski 2 yrs ago LOL. I'm into self preservation as I age , I just don't bounce back from injury as fast . I'll always ski a trail or slope to check out obstructions first before making a fast run. If the hardpack is chopped up or the bumps are bulletproof skiing just isn't fun .

I cherry pick my days anymore, It's not that I don't ski the east .I'll wait a few days for the areas to recover or pick a warm day . If I take a trip somewhere I tuff it out and ski slower . My schedule is fairly flexible so I'm not restricted to weekends. Skiing weekends with the crowds is also counter to my self preservation theme LOL. I can't see not skiing anymore but my motto is "Live to ski another day"

 

[Funky_Catskills]

Wow - you guys are depressing and old..

 

[Smellytele]

I ski what the gives me (unless it is raining). Living close to the mountains helps. As others have said if I had to travel 3 hrs or more it maybe a different story.

 

[NYDB]

How do your buddies get their legs primed for out west trips if they aren't on the snow before your trips?

You can do all the squats/lunges/box jumps you want but to get good legs time on the hill is needed.

 

[tnt1234]

I ski what the gives me (unless it is raining). Living close to the mountains helps. As others have said if I had to travel 3 hrs or more it maybe a different story.

Yeah, the drive time sucks. The day trips...you get up at absurd hours, drive 3, 3-1.2 hours to the catskills, and find icy bumps and slick groomers...really brings the stoke down, you know?

And then, weekend trips, you have to commit to time off, hotels, etc.... drive 5-6 hours each way, and find lack luster snow....it's a bummer.

But, what the hell....it's not like someone is forcing me to ski. I love the sport, my family loves the sport. This is what we're in for until i can figure out a way to move or get a second home in teh mountains.

 

[tnt1234]

Wow - you guys are depressing and old..

That may be, but for me, it's really just the fact that I live in NJ. and every ski day takes a certain amount of commitment on my part. And often that commitment is scoffed at by the conditions.

If I lived close to a mountain, I'd ski all the time. Good, bad, what's it matter? There is always tomorrow.

But when you are a weekend warrior with drive times, that's not always the case.

 

[jimk]

It’s all good. Enjoy what you got and you won’t miss what you don’t.