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Why do people stop skiing for the season?

Glenn

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In good years, it seems we run out of mountains before we run out of snow.

Why is it that people will clamor to the mountain early season, to ski in grey, cold, narrow conditions, yet when it's warm, sunny and 75% of the terrain is open, no one shows up?

Is it other activities? Over scheduled kids?

We were driving through MA yesterday on our way to Easter with my in-laws. At the Oxbow Marina, they had a huge soccer tournament going on. I thought it was a bit early...and somewhat odd to have an event like that on a holiday. Could that be a reason? Are people shifting gears already?

While I am looking forward to getting out on the ol' mountain bikes and kayaks, I'm certainly in no hurry to have the snow to melt to do so.
 

ss20

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People want to golf/bike/boat early in the season the same reason people want to ski early in the season...they haven't done it in 6 months and are ready to get back into it. Even if it does "suck" compared to peak season.

For me...personally...I just get burnt out by April. I'll still ski but not do 3 days a week like I average in December-March.

I'm going up to ski again this weekend for 3 days and then it'll probably just be Fridays til May or when things start to suck. I was actually going to go to Thompson Speedway's Icebreaker racing event but the snow in VT looks like it'll be too good to pass up.
 

Domeskier

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A lot of folks seem to dislike skiing corn, slush and bumps. Might be part of the reason why their attention turns to other things in spring.
 

Smellytele

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I don't get burnt out but my wife does by the end of March. I will now pick and choose my ski days. cold nights and warm days does not always make for a good combo as the thaw/ freeze screws up trying to get a full day in. It isn't always worth driving 2 to 3 hours each way to only ski an afternoon. While I don't mind skiing by myself in the dead of winter - Spring skiing is about grills, lawn chairs, sunshine and beer in the parking lot and doing it by yourself isn't the same. Maybe I need new friends who will set their priorities more in line with mine. My kids are in High school and college now and aren't always available because of school sports and jobs.
 

crank

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I don't start until at least Christmas unless there is real snow and terrain open. I stop when it stops snowing because I have done enough spring skiing in my time and it no longer holds enough interest for me to make a 4+ hour drive. We went for our first mountain bike ride of the season yesterday which brings up another reason we stopped skiing for the year - we like doing other outdoor activities when weather permits.

If I lived in ski country I would likely ski much later into spring. But I don't so I don't.
 

bdfreetuna

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50% of terrain being open in December seems more exiting than 70% being open in April.

At this point I either want to ski trees or incredible spring conditions. Skiing some slushy narrow trails surrounded by brown is just depressing. I may as well embrace hiking or mountain biking.

There is something a lot different mentally and spiritually about skiing early season and skiing late season. It's not for everyone, all the time.

Hoping I can end the season on a high note next week some time at Jay. If I can't end it on a high note than I'll end it on the high notes already sung. Watching the snow melt isn't something that bring me a feeling of peace and happiness unless the skiing is simultaneously spectacular.
 

KustyTheKlown

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I would never stop if that was an option. and im constantly thinking about unaffordable south American summer skiing.
 

abc

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A lot of folks seem to dislike skiing corn, slush and bumps. Might be part of the reason why their attention turns to other things in spring.
You can't push the tail out and slide on corn/slush. Much easier to do that in man-made WORD during Christmas.

But the other reason is probably true. People are burn out by end of March. Whether they got good condition or not, they've "skied" x number of days they've planned. Races are now over, kid's programs done, non-ski programs starting...

I'm not surprised why people quit. I'm only surprised why people start before condition were half way decent ...

I see people cleaning their boat/bike. It's still cold out there, roads are slushy, water is still bone chilling. But they have to brave that to go boating and biking! By the time it comes September, they're burned out and itching to ski WORD!!!

I guess patient is not a popular thing. Who wants to wait for the right condition when one can ski the WORD or bike the salt-peppered roads??? I want something, I want it NOW! :)
 

jaytrem

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A lot of folks seem to dislike skiing corn, slush and bumps. Might be part of the reason why their attention turns to other things in spring.

Last week on vacation number of people told me how much they dislike the mushy conditions. Lots of passholders skiing early and quitting early. So I'm sure many people don't want to buy a ticket for the 2 hours they consider good conditions. Perhaps a discounted 1st 2 or 3 hour ticket would be a worth while product.

When we finished skiing Attitash we almost had our stuff locked in Bear Peak lodge. Apparently everybody else was long gone. It was about 4:15 and we had caught the 3:59 chair. Worker said he was about to lock up when he saw us skiing down, didn't notice our shoes inside.
 

KustyTheKlown

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their loss really. this past weekend was one of my best of the season. soft bumps and deteriorating glades are my jam.
 

bdfreetuna

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soft bumps and deteriorating glades are my jam.

Deteriorating glades are awesome. Woods out of play / brown = I'm done or go to Jay until they're done

1 week makes a big difference at this point in the season, I don't blame people for counting themselves in or out either way


I have definitely not had my fill for the season, it's been a short one with some highlights but pretty depressing to be ending it already. Hope for a couple days at Jay next week in good conditions and terrain in play. But you won't find me skiing WROS (white ribbons of slush) after that
 

KustyTheKlown

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okemo woods were all roped off and closed but were totally skiable with exposed grass/dirt/rock patches. fun to bounce around.

stratton woods had no signage or closures at all, and i never saw another soul skiing in the trees yesterday. i think they take a sort of sugarbushy approach to glades being neither open or closed and ski em at your own risk. coverage was better than okemo, but they also got 1-2" of fresh snow so any exposure was covered by at least a small coating. however, i also kind of figure that the extra 1000 feet of elevation and the fact that Stratton region got clobbered in march, make up for the difference.

i had never skied the long blue glade on the far right side of the Stratton trailmap, along the boundary. you need to take the green off the backside of the peak, and i had just never gone that way before. that glade is a lot of fun. not much pitch, but its very wide with lots of lines, and some lines beyond the boundary looking good too. and it goes on for a very long time. will def head right back there next time at Stratton on a powder day
 

Not Sure

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A lot of folks seem to dislike skiing corn, slush and bumps. Might be part of the reason why their attention turns to other things in spring.

I like corn,slush bumps and woods but slush groomers are a complete drag , 20 mph speed limit choppy as hell and rough on my old legs . I can't help it if I can't one good speed run and there are no bumps I won't bother going .

I like to fly also and this time of year 3rd week of April to 1st week of May is prime time for good soaring conditions been up to Ten thousand feet plenty of times and over a thousand feet per minute thermals "Updrafts". Not bad for no engine
 

SkiFanE

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I love spring skiing. But kids spring stuff begins. They are done by now and want to be home weekends. We've been home one weekend since Xmas and not much since early Nov. We got most oak leaves raked by then, but more fell and blew into yard. So our grass looks like hell and we have tons of limbs and branches down from storms. I don't try to keep up with the Jones' too much, but neither do I want to be the eyesore amongst cul de sac suburban beauty - we don't hire out yardwork :) Then need to focus on opening up lake house.

So one intense weekend of yard work, soccer and brush burning. Then next weekend a soccer day and a ski day, could be last. Admittedly I'm losing steam and bike is looking dusty.
 

Killingtime

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Usually pack it in end of April although this year I may end it next weekend at the Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge. Time to start up the jetski and break out the wetsuit.
 

KustyTheKlown

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my bike is permanently locked to a pole since i dropped my keys down a nyc sewer. that's kept me off the bike thus far.
 

kingslug

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I would never stop if that was an option. and im constantly thinking about unaffordable south American summer skiing.

Sometimes you can score a deal with a ski club..its still expensive but its the best skiing you can do in summer. Only prob is that they book early and you can get skunked on conditions...if you wait for the good stuff then the price goes through the roof due to limited hotel rooms.
 

smac75

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I love spring skiing. But kids spring stuff begins. They are done by now and want to be home weekends. We've been home one weekend since Xmas and not much since early Nov. We got most oak leaves raked by then, but more fell and blew into yard. So our grass looks like hell and we have tons of limbs and branches down from storms. I don't try to keep up with the Jones' too much, but neither do I want to be the eyesore amongst cul de sac suburban beauty - we don't hire out yardwork :) Then need to focus on opening up lake house.

So one intense weekend of yard work, soccer and brush burning. Then next weekend a soccer day and a ski day, could be last. Admittedly I'm losing steam and bike is looking dusty.

^word for word this (well, except for lake house - I wish!). Past weekend was first one home since early Jan and it felt so good to just be home and catch up on one million errands! Pulled camper out of storage and dusted off mountain bike. Will be heading back up this weekend though :)
 

kingslug

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I go from late November until May...then im done..unless we go to S America..seems once it gets warm..most people are just..toast.
.
 

HD333

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Life gets in the way.

If you have kids involved in sports other than skiing the end of ski season comes real quick.

Competitive Soccer and Lax is in full swing. My kids had soccer tournaments 3 out of the 4 weekends in March. We were lucky to get up this past weekend to end the season.


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