Where to go on MLK Day?

[from_the_NEK]

Looks like you'll want to stay north of the Massachusetts/VT/NH line Sunday. Monday is the colder side of the storm and should bring temps below freezing all the way down to NYC.

Could even be some accumulating snow on Monday! Will my first significant ski day of the year be a powder day ?

 

[mister moose]

Weather aside, crowds aren't really a factor on Monday. Saturday on the other hand is a complete and utter zoo. One of the biggest days of the year.

I can't speak to Ragged, but Mt Snow vs Pico: Pico will be cheaper, less crowded, and could be a snow play depending on weather. Less snowmaking, and Mt Snow puts out a better product with their fan guns if they have been running recently. Given the low snow and 2 major rain freezes in the last month, my personal choice for a day trip on Monday would be the better snow, more trails and shorter drive of Mt Snow. Drive farther north if rain/snow line demands it. Killington will be at a relaxed low level of crowds on Monday, and no more expensive than Mt Snow. Best terrain selection.

 

[ALLSKIING]

Monday weather is starting to look a little iffy...

Looks cold enough to me...Sunday so far looks good too.

 

[billski]

I'll be at Sugarloaf Saturday. Sunday it will either be a Ski Safari to lots of little Maine community areas, or Saddleback, depending what Jack Frost brings.

 

[MEtoVTSkier]

Looks cold enough to me...Sunday so far looks good too.

Sunday looks salvageable, Monday is looking worse...

 

[joshua segal]

Thinking about Crotched with the kids.

Agree. Crotched is one place where you won't spend a lot of your day standing in lift lines (and I disagree will billski's suggestion that "it will be overrun with rug-rats"). Pico, Ragged, and either Black Mtn. are also great choices where lines should be acceptable.

 

[from_the_NEK]

Sunday looks salvageable, Monday is looking worse...

I shouldn't have opened my mouth about it being a powder day. I just can't win this year. :-(

 

[hammer]

Agree. Crotched is one place where you won't spend a lot of your day standing in lift lines (and I disagree will billski's suggestion that "it will be overrun with rug-rats"). Pico, Ragged, and either Black Mtn. are also great choices where lines should be acceptable.

How reliable has the HSQ been this season? I'm not a regular, but in my trips there since the HSQ has been running I think it's had issues each time. When that happens the lines can build up a bit.

That said, I always like to have a few passes for places like Crotched so I have an option on busy holiday periods.

 

[joshua segal]

How reliable has the HSQ been this season? I'm not a regular, but in my trips there since the HSQ has been running I think it's had issues each time. When that happens the lines can build up a bit.

That said, I always like to have a few passes for places like Crotched so I have an option on busy holiday periods.

It appears that the bugs have been worked out of the Rocket and there have been no shutdowns (for more than a minute or two) since Christmas week.

 

[dlague]

If Ragged doesn't have Exhibition or any of the blacks from the 6-pack then I'd be reluctant to go there. The place can ski pretty small when there aren't many trails open IMO.

As I mentioned earlier - Ragged is struggling to get stuff open. I agree with your point! At this time there are like 3 runs on Spear and one of then being basically a long runout. And there are at best 2 primary paths down off the 6 pack. A few openings on that side could make a difference like Exhibition, Crew Cut, Birches, and Raggedy Andy to name several. Some of those have coverage but frozen natural so they need a storm to open things up - maybe that is their plan.

 

[xwhaler]

Exhibition looked like it maybe saw some snowmaking at one point and with some natural on top I wonder if there was enough to groom it out then open?
The water bars are concerning though which is probably why they are not open yet.

Pizza at the Stone Hearth last Sunday was well below average...$18 for what amounted to a frozen pizza quality pie. Not impressed.

 

[billski]

Sunday looks salvageable, Monday is looking worse...

where is it looking bad? While the valley forecast is marginal, at mountain elevation shows a whole different picture.

 

[Puck it]

Looks like a all snow event from what I am seeing for northern resorts.

 

[slatham]

Slow down guys, the models have been terrible this winter. Do not get excited (if it looks like snow) or depressed (if I t looks like r#+%) until 3 days out. In this case, the short waves coming off the pacifc need to be on shore to be properly sampled by the weather gauges before the models will really know what is happening. That might not be until Firday night model runs. And even then, if it looks to be a close call, you just don't know until it's on the ground.

 

[dlague]

Exhibition looked like it maybe saw some snowmaking at one point and with some natural on top I wonder if there was enough to groom it out then open?
The water bars are concerning though which is probably why they are not open yet.

Pizza at the Stone Hearth last Sunday was well below average...$18 for what amounted to a frozen pizza quality pie. Not impressed.

Lots of erosion where the water bars are? - wondering if they had a busted water pipe. Exhibition is generally open early.

 

[xwhaler]

Lots of erosion where the water bars are? - wondering if they had a busted water pipe. Exhibition is generally open early.

Hard to tell as the water bars were partially covered in snow...but they were quite evident. I too was surprised Ex wasn't open as that is one of the first ones to open.
As mentioned the talk there among the passholders is that Ragged has drained their pond and thus hasn't made any new snow in weeks.

 

[HD333]

Like others have said I would think on Monday the crowds will be minimal. My vote goes to Mt Snow, if Sat or Sun them my vote may change as I bet Snow will be a madhouse on the weekend.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Weather aside, crowds aren't really a factor on Monday. Saturday on the other hand is a complete and utter zoo. One of the biggest days of the year.

I doubt it will be this year with the below zero temperatures.

 

[drjeff]

Like others have said I would think on Monday the crowds will be minimal. My vote goes to Mt Snow, if Sat or Sun them my vote may change as I bet Snow will be a madhouse on the weekend.

Usually is!! I'm glad that as a passholder I get 7:30AM access to the Bluebird tomorrow (the generally public gets access to the bluebird and all other lifts at 8) and plan to be out of the base area by 8:45 when one of the larger lesson programs, DEVO, hits the hill - lots of fixed grip lifts after that then, as I'm guessing by the time the "crack 'o 9:45 crowd" hits the hill that the Bluebird will have a 15+ minute line. which then typically has in the past spilled over to both the Grand Summit and Canyon lines, almost making the entire width of the base area looking like 1 contiguous liftline

I'll probably be done for the day by 11:30 when my kids race programs break for lunch, and then once I know their fine, off to the Station Taproom with my wife for lunch and a few beverages :beer: until the kids finish up their training about 2:30 - a first chair, 1st barstool kind of day, which usually will net me somewhere around 15 runs and at least 15k vertical feet by 11:30. And my guess is by about 3:30, the waffle cabin, and all its sweet smelling, sugary goodness will have a 10 minute line!! (Seriously!!)

By MLK Monday, especially after 11AM, Mount Snow's lines typically resemble a light weekend day (i.e. maybe 5 minutes for the Bluebird and Nitro, and then close to ski on at most other lifts. MLK Saturday is typically one of, if not the, busiest days of the year

 

[Ski Till I Die]

I'll be at Killington. I was there over the holidays and other then the K1, ramshead, and snowshed I skied right on the lift.

See you there.