Skiers aren't the only ones having a bad winter

[thetrailboss]

At least we have snowmaking to sustain us, but those who snowshoe and snowmobile are not having any season at all. It is beginning to hurt the small establishments up north in Island Pond and in Northern Coos County. (Sigh), we need some snow!

Any of you snowmobile? Haven't been in about 14 years.

http://www.caledonianrecord.com/pages/local_news/story/9381f0dee

 

[JimG.]

At least we have snowmaking to sustain us, but those who snowshoe and snowmobile are not having any season at all.

Thanks for putting this into perspective for me boss, I was getting totally negative about the lack of natural snow this morning and you have slapped me back to reality.

As "bad" as it has been, I've still been able to ski 11 days worth about 250,000 feet vertical so far this season. At least I'm getting my turns in!

Thanks again for turning that negative into a positive for me.

 

[thetrailboss]

No problem, Jim!

I've gotten only 6 days under my belt when I would have had about 10 had the weather been cooperative. My part of the NEK relies on Burke Mountain AND snowmobile season, which has been almost non-existant this season. That means a lot of $$$ is not going to the smaller hotels and restaurants. It really hurts up there without that cash.

We just need to do our snowdance a bit harder I'm afraid. It could be worse....we could have been hit by that Tsunami. :roll:

 

[skijay]

Not that this was mentioned, I now know what I miss seeing on I-91Northbound on Friday & Saturdays. I have not seen any trailers with snowmobiles.

 

[loafer89]

I postponed my trip to Sugarloaf by one month because we like to snowmobile in the Rangeley Lakes area, while I do not own a sled, we always rent one in Stratton and go out for the day. So far the trail conditions in that part of New England are really lousy with thin trail depths, no grooming and unsafe lake ice. Sugarloaf only got 1/2" of snow from yesterday's storm and rain is predicted for in mid January forecasts, yikes. So for us the snowmobiling conditions were a big consideration in waiting to go up.

 

[KingM]

My part of the NEK relies on Burke Mountain AND snowmobile season, which has been almost non-existant this season. That means a lot of $$$ is not going to the smaller hotels and restaurants. It really hurts up there without that cash.

Same here in the Mad River Valley, but with less snowmobiling. There are a couple of brand-new innkeepers here in the valley (we're only entering our second winter ourselves) and it's rough for them. Christmas week was pretty good, although we had a few people leaving early to attend to "medical emergencies" that day it rained, but early December was half what it was last year and we're almost empty this weekend where we would be completely booked if we had some snow.

It's amazing how much the local economies depend on the tourists. It's not just the inns and restaurants, but the people who wait tables for a second job, the linen service, the guys who deliver the propane, the mom and pop bakeries, the egg farmers, the craft shops, massage therapists, hair dressers, etc., etc.

Staying optimistic, there's a lot of winter left, and I heard that an El Niño is forming this year which could mean some late-season snow. That might make up for the early season doldrums.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Warren inn owner

Hi KingM

The MRV has a bunch of new and nearly new inn owners. The Wilder Inn, Yellow Farm Inn, Waitsfield Inn, Sugar Lodge and the Sugartree. The Pepper Lodge has the old owners back as new.

I am thinking you own the Sugar Lodge but maybe the SugarTree Inn just up the AR. They are diferent but both highly regarded in the valley. :beer:

 

[ChileMass]

Staying optimistic, there's a lot of winter left, and I heard that an El Niño is forming this year which could mean some late-season snow. That might make up for the early season doldrums.

KIngM - Where'd you hear about the possible El Nino - ??

 

[KingM]

SRO,

Hmm, are you a local? You know almost as much about the local lodging scene as I do. The answer is nope, we're the www.goldenlionriversideinn.com.

ChileMass, I saw it on the weather channel a couple of weeks ago. It was very tentative, but there were some preliminary indications that it might be a year for an El Niño. This apparently means a snowier March and April in NE.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

golden Lion

That's totally awesome......you guys have done a wonderful job improving that place.

As SRO it's my job to know these things....lol

I live just up the road from you up Rolston Rd...the dirt road off Rt 100 that has the big sign " Not reccommended for winter travel".