Who's staying positive?

[Big Game]

I said screw it and went ot Okemo anyway yesterday. The 3-5 inches they had allowed a certain guise of winter to overcome me. It was in the 20's at the top. Definitely felt like and looked like winter. Conditions tended to be boiler plate at Jackson Gore, but we found some real enjoyable stuff with Punchline and Stumpjumper. Turned out to be a great time.

And the thing is, it's not like our winters are all that great. Conditions were pretty standard for January, except they didn't have all that much terrain open, but there was enough to have a good time.

 

[ctenidae]

It's tough with stuff like this:
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/displayazone.php?product=BOSAFDBOX&version=0

For Boston, but still...

 

[Breeze]

guess I'm an old goose. Having learned to ski at Mt Southington ( CT) in the late 60's, I've seen my share of good and bad.

I can remember one GOD AWFUL night ski with a cousin of mine at Bald Mountain in Dedham ME ( now a NELSA) in late January 1971. The daytime temps had been way below zero for weeks, and there was zip/zilch/zero moisture, and no snowmaking. Frenchman Bay ( Bar Harbor area) was frozen deep enough to make car traffic possible from Hancock Point to the ferry terminal for the first time in 100 years.

All I can say is OUCH.

Breeze

 

[KingM]

It's coming, it's coming.

http://headlines.accuweather.com/news-story.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&article=5

"When bitter cold air comes up against very mild air, a fierce battle usually ensues. In the end, the cold air overruns the entire battlefield leaving the mild air in total ruin. Here you see the set-up for next week. Subzero air will rule all northern territory, while it will remain very mild through the southern half of the United States. In between the two, the storm track will become very active. This could very well become a long, hard-fought battle with cold air occupying much more territory than mild air by the last ten days of the month."

Notice the graphic, with the storm track blasting through the Northeast.

 

[RIDEr]

I've been out 5 times so far and had to Ptex my board twice.. ouch! But, I look at the glass half full and if there is at least one trail open on the mountain it is better than none.

 

[RIDEr]

Here is the article:

BBC Environment -- Ski resorts across the European Alps are becoming increasingly worried as current bad snow conditions threaten the all important Christmas holiday period. This autumn has been one of the worst on record with high temperatures and little snowfall. Many resorts have had to postpone their openings and the main ski races have been cancelled because of a lack of snow. With millions of skiers heading to the resorts over the next week there are concerns that the open runs will be very busy and people could be put off from booking again at Christmas and the New Year, costing the multi-million pound industry heavily in lost revenue, and threatening jobs. Many believe global warming is to blame for the lack of snow. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warned that many low-level resorts could soon be unviable and predicted warmer temperatures in the future. Snow cannons in the Austrian province of Salzburg Ski operations around Europe have been using snow cannons Already banks are refusing to offer loans to resorts under 1,500 metres as they fear for their future snow cover. Germany is threatened the most, followed by some Austrian and Italian resorts. However, the picture is not as bleak as some say, with the high resorts having good conditions on some runs. I am in the Swiss resort of Verbier and the open runs have good snow and more are set to open this weekend helped by artificial snow. "We have many new snow-making cannons across our slopes and this has helped greatly," Pierre-Yves Deleze told the BBC. "Some snow is forecast to fall next week and then everything should be OK. If not though, it will make us more nervous for Christmas." ... Report from Moscow: Nobody knows what to make of it. This is the middle of December in a country known for the severity of its winters. There's not a snowflake to be seen. Red Square should be covered in white by now. It's not. Its cobblestones are as stubbornly damp and grey as the skies overhead. There would normally be ice on the Moskva River. There's none. "It's just fantasy!" is the way the weather forecast began on one of Moscow's radio stations earlier this week. The announcer's voice betrayed a mixture of disbelief and despair. That's because Russians are proud of their cold winters. Some people welcome the fact that walking and driving the snowless streets and pavements is easier than slipping and sliding. Others, though, definitely feel that something is wrong. Temperatures for the last couple of weeks have been about five degrees above zero. At this time of year, five below zero would be more usual. (12/19/06)

I've been focusing a lot of time looking at the weather specifically in Austria and have seen nothing but snow showers in Arlsberg (St Anton) over the past week. The conditions over there are improving by the day and if they can turn around a 1300 year deficit than so can the Northeast.

 

[NYDrew]

Ouch!!!Easy there Drew Some of us like the Island well east end anyway. I don't have a problem getting up at 3 am to get up north for a day of skiing...Its alll good and summers are a blast.

I stand by my hatred of my home. East end may be nice, thats a whole different world that is yet to be corrupted by the obnoxiousness of big city living, not to mention that there actually jobs out there which require my degree. Can't say though, haven't done much out east since the 10th grade.

 

[loafer89]

Ouch!!!Easy there Drew Some of us like the Island well east end anyway. I don't have a problem getting up at 3 am to get up north for a day of skiing...Its alll good and summers are a blast.

We miss Long Island because it was home, but it's nice to live close to skiing and we got a good laugh at the property taxes for next year that where forwarded to us since we closed on the house near the December 1st due date.

$13,585 in 2007 up from $10,850 in 2006. I can't say that I will miss that.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I’m skiing in the rain
Just skiing in the rain
What a wonderful feeling
20% of the trails are open again

I’m laughing at all the brown
Some think I’m a clown
There's no snow in the air
But I don’t have a care

Let the warm weather chase
Other skiers from this place
Come on with the rain
I’ve got a smile on my face

I’ll ski down the rocky terrain
With a happy refrain
Cause I’m skiing
Just skiing in the rain

 

[kingslug]

I'm outta here. Back wednesday. Of that I'm positive.

 

[Lostone]

Well, at 31 days, it has mostly been doing laps, but when they had something to turn it on for, Sunday, I was cooking.

When is the next time? Not sure, but doing laps isn't bad. :idea: Quite the opposite, it can be fun.

I'm having fun, and staying prepared for the powder which will come.

I'm staying positive. It will happen! I will be here waiting for it.

 

[Terry]

This weekend is gonna be good for a tailgate party. Gas grill, burgers, beer, warmth. Just like in April.Might as well enjoy it! :beer:

 

[Sky]

No crowds, laps are good...and this weather is perfect for a SUnday cookout associated with the Pats/Jets game.

...and oh ya....love the heating bill.

 

[Skier75]

One way of looking at it, is, most everyone here are downhill skiers, I presume.....just think if you were only a x-country skier.....now they have to be bumming hard.

 

[Greg]

XC is not skiing....

 

[Warp Daddy]

Yep we're still out there even tho its not perfect;-)--------- the XC'ers, Snow shoe'ers, Snow mobilers, Ice fishermen are all in "deep dark depression excessive misery" :angry:

 

[Greg]

The forecast looks much better starting Monday night:

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/forecast/Ma...lat=43.182917&smap=1&mp=1&map.x=137&map.y=108

 

[Lostone]

and oh ya....love the heating bill.

It is 70 degrees in here and I haven't used my heat for the last 2 days.

On the other side, the trail I had the most fun on, last Sunday is 99% brown.

On still another side (How many damn sides are you going to have??:roll (As many as it takes! :dunce: ) winter will return next week.

 

[ajl50]

I'm staying positive...I had a great week last week at whiteface and I'm going to Alta in march. Other than that any day I can get out is just gravy.
I realized nobody knows a thing about the weather so I'm just going to roll with it from now on.

 

[KingM]

It's time to just make the best of this season. We have a group of Varsity Scouts here this weekend. It poured last night and we went from snow on the ground to green grass in one day. However, the mountain is STILL open, the people coming back from skiing STILL have had a great time, and we are STILL going to have some days with fresh snow. This year is not going down as epic, or even good but hey, it's all relative. It's still skiing and it's still fun.