Trip to Stratton VT planned for this weekend and the weather looks rainy / awful.

[Pez]

if you wait for perfect east coast conditions, you won't be skiing much

 

[farlep99]

Lots of people here will tell you that skiing in the rain can be fun. I'm not one of those people. I'm sane.

Hopefully there will be breaks in the rain. I'd try to make the best of it and just accept what you can't control.

It really depends on what we mean by rain. Hard, heavy downpours- yeah that pretty much sucks. Very light mist or light drizzle with decent visibility, soft snow underfoot & no one else on the trails? Those can be really great sleeper days. Biggest issue I usually find on days skiing in the rain is you're sometimes skiing in a cloud, restricting visibility & making it a shitty day.

If you have decent gear skiing in the rain (the right rain) conditions can be fine. It always cracks me up though that so many people invest so much money in high-end, waterproof/gore-tex gear & then don't use it because the weather is shitty. A lot of gear is made for crappy, wet conditions! Go use it!

 

[VTKilarney]

The biggest issue I have with the rain is visibility. You can have all of the Gortex that you want, but Gortex won't stop rain from getting on your goggles.

 

[drdavidge]

Yeah, need some more info here - is this a family trip? Age of kids? Adult trip? Skiing levels? Etc...

If it's a guys weekend away, and your up for a bender instead of a weekend of good skiing, probably say go for it. Breakfast stout kind of weekend maybe?

If it's a family trip, depending on the age of the kids, better start looking up side trips/attractions, and bring same board games, and what not....

Good luck - tough situation.

Were actually staying in Manchester. Going with some friends, 3 couples. No kids! Not great skiers, generally stick to the greens and blues. Was really looking forward to skiing though.

 

[kingslug]

the weather looks the same for stowe, so you are advocating him to drive 5 hour RT each day to ski in rain with a deeper base?

Better mountain. If I had to suffer I would rather be there.

 

[drjeff]

The biggest issue I have with the rain is visibility. You can have all of the Gortex that you want, but Gortex won't stop rain from getting on your goggles.

Get one if the $2.50 "ski-gee" rubber goggle squeegee's and clip it to one of the retraction cord season pass holders on your coat - cleans off the lens easily, quickly and well

You'll have to use it often on a rainy day, but it works far better than just using your glove!

Sent from my XT1254 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[xwhaler]

Weather forecast already looking better for Saturday with the heaviest of the rain not expected to come in until later in the day.

 

[NYDB]

It really depends on what we mean by rain. Hard, heavy downpours- yeah that pretty much sucks. Very light mist or light drizzle with decent visibility, soft snow underfoot & no one else on the trails? Those can be really great sleeper days. Biggest issue I usually find on days skiing in the rain is you're sometimes skiing in a cloud, restricting visibility & making it a shitty day.

If you have decent gear skiing in the rain (the right rain) conditions can be fine. It always cracks me up though that so many people invest so much money in high-end, waterproof/gore-tex gear & then don't use it because the weather is shitty. A lot of gear is made for crappy, wet conditions! Go use it!

That is pretty funny

 

[NYDB]

Better mountain. If I had to suffer I would rather be there.

Why not tell him to fly to chamonix? Just as useful. Typical flid

Sent from my SM-G900V using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[VTKilarney]

Get one if the $2.50 "ski-gee" rubber goggle squeegee's and clip it to one of the retraction cord season pass holders on your coat - cleans off the lens easily, quickly and well

You'll have to use it often on a rainy day, but it works far better than just using your glove!

Sent from my XT1254 using AlpineZone mobile app

I'll check it out. Thanks for the tip.

 

[drjeff]

I'll check it out. Thanks for the tip.

No problem!

And FYI, they also work REALLY well when you're skiing through snowguns and need to scrape the fresh frozen manmade snow off your googles as well

After the first time I finally bought one of them, and pretty sure we've all seen them for sale in a little bucket on the counter of so many ski shops, it was really one of those "why haven't I bought one of these things long before moments?" that most all of us I'm sure have had before!

 

[sankaty]

The trend for Saturday has been pretty good. Last night's Euro run shows no precip through 1PM and only a few hundredths through 7PM with temps well up into the 50s. No guarantees, but if the showers hold off for the most part, Saturday could be a great sleeper springlike day.

Sunday looks pretty rough with temps plunging into the 20s in the early morning. Should be dry, but very firm.

 

[drjeff]

The trend for Saturday has been pretty good. Last night's Euro run shows no precip through 1PM and only a few hundredths through 7PM with temps well up into the 50s. No guarantees, but if the showers hold off for the most part, Saturday could be a great sleeper springlike day.

Sunday looks pretty rough with temps plunging into the 20s in the early morning. Should be dry, but very firm.

Fingers crossed that the Saturday trend continues! My daughter has a race at Stratton on Saturday, and while I don't mind skiing in the rain, standing in the finish area of a race course watching a race in the rain is an entirely different, and far less enjoyable, option!!

 

[kingslug]

Why not tell him to fly to chamonix? Just as useful. Typical flid

Sent from my SM-G900V using AlpineZone mobile app

Good comparison..some real apples to apples that one.

 

[bdfreetuna]

I hope the word doesn't spread that Saturday looks good. Really hoping for slim crowds at MRG for a little early corn harvest.

 

[dlague]

You could do this: instead of skiing Stratton head up to Stowe. They have a 94 inch base compared to 34. Yes its a drive but your most of the way there already. Just because the hotel is in one place doesn't mean you can't ski elsewhere.

Not sure if the base depth really matters in this case. 34 inches is plenty deep unless the intention is to go in the woods and 94 inches seems high. BTW not sure whee your numbers are from but Stowe is reporting the following

Average Base Depths
Snowmaking: 36" - 72"
Natural Snow: 20" - 40"


As far as skiing in the rain - it is not for everyone for sure. I have done it a few times and while it was ok, not sure it was totally worth it. One time we got caught in a down pour and the rain was pelting our faces pretty bad.

 

[bdfreetuna]

Yeah there's not 94 inches base anywhere right now except a few weird spots at Jay.

Basically Stratton woods are going to be out out of play this weekend unless you like rocks and bare patches and Northern VT woods will be in play although you will want to stay alert for these things as well. Much easier way to think about it.

 

[sankaty]

The latest morning/midday model runs still show just a couple of hundredths of precip over most of VT during the day on Saturday. I'm guessing that the mountains may produce a few more showers than modeled, but still think there is a decent chance of no more than a cloudy, misty day with passing showers and soft snow.

Basically Stratton woods are going to be out out of play this weekend unless you like rocks and bare patches and Northern VT woods will be in play although you will want to stay alert for these things as well. Much easier way to think about it.

I guess the thaw has taken a big toll on the S VT woods? At the beginning of last week, the woods at Mt. Snow were absolutely buried.

 

[VTKilarney]

The latest morning/midday model runs still show just a couple of hundredths of precip over most of VT during the day on Saturday. I'm guessing that the mountains may produce a few more showers than modeled, but still think there is a decent chance of no more than a cloudy, misty day with passing showers and soft snow.



I guess the thaw has taken a big toll on the S VT woods? At the beginning of last week, the woods at Mt. Snow were absolutely buried.

I'm willing to bet that Tuna is right. The warm up has been pretty massive.

 

[bdfreetuna]

Just based on what I saw this Saturday at Pico and then Sunday at Bolton Valley ... 1 day of warm-up made a big difference and Bolton has had significantly more snow this season including recently compared to Pico. Overall the snow was still deep but there are going to be bare spots and those spots are going to be more numerous and larger as the week goes on.

Also based on what I've seen at Stratton in early February--- thin, icy base with a few inches of powder on top. And Magic on the 13th (powder day)... lots of fresh snow but the same thin icy base underneath. Perhaps the density/icyness of the base will help it hang in there.

I'm actually planning on bringing my old/rock skis to MRG Saturday. I expect there still to be lots of snow but don't want to abuse my new skis. The old skis are narrower, have dull edges, and work just as well on slushy moguls.