What a Bummer for XMas Skiers, Eh?

[GolfingOwl]

We always take our vacation for the days up to and including X-Mas and then bolt on the 26th to avoid the crowds. While the timing wasn't great for weather, the bottom line is most areas have nearly all their terrain open which is a good thing. December is always a crapshoot in New England so this isn't that terrible. Last year was great (we were at Stowe) but two years ago we were at Sugarbush during the same period and they had one top to bottom run.

This past week we skied Okemo and Stratton. We arrived in Manchester on Sunday in a snowstorm. As much as I wanted to ski Monday, I have two young kids and a wife who is more fickle than me so despite the awesome conditions, we bagged Monday due to the cold and high winds. Just wasn't worth the aggrevation I would have had to put up with. Skied Okemo Tuesday and the conditions were excellent. Wednesay at Stratton was spring-like and the rain didn't get bad until the evening. My 7-year old spent the afternoon in the trees and he wouldn't leave until the lifts stopped turning. Thursday was firm but not unskiable - I've skied on much worse during a normal weekend at Pocono resorts. Stratton only opened groomed trails - if you are a Northeast skier, I would call the conditions average.

 

[thinnmann]

optimism

You could come down really negative on a day like today. It is the Holiday Season for the mountain, and here it is hit with a shot of warm weather and rain. But it is hard for me to be negative right now. We had a great time at Belleayre.

Trip report here...