Worst Ski Season Ever?

[skiadikt]

haven't read the previous 31 pages so forgive me for any repetitions ... started skiing in '74. clearly the worst season i can remember or am aware of. i can mostly speak of killington and when you get 57" or less than 25% of your yearly average of 240" that's catastrophic. the previous recorded low in their history was '79-80 when they received 138" (more than double this season's total) yet they still skied a mind boggling 221 days and closed may 23. the important snowmaking month of december was a staggering 13.5 degrees above normal with only 5 days in month registering "normal" temps. hard to make and retain snow at those temps. k was forced to constantly rebuild open terrain at very unproductive snowmaking temps. pretty much put every ski area in the east behind the 8-ball. january was +2 above normal and feb was +4.5 with numerous big thaw/rain events (5 alone in feb). by contrast last season k went 50 days w/o a day above freezing. march has continued the trend averaging nearly 9 degrees above normal. the northern vt areas have been spared a bit by averaging nearly double the snowfall k's received but still less than half their normal snowfall at best. bottom line. disaster of a season. probably worst ever ...

 

[Los]

haven't read the previous 31 pages so forgive me for any repetitions ...

started skiing in '74. clearly the worst season i can remember or am aware of. i can mostly speak of killington and when you get 57" or less than 25% of your yearly average of 240" that's catastrophic. the previous recorded low in their history was '79-80 when they received 138" (more than double this season's total) yet they still skied a mind boggling 221 days and closed may 23.

the important snowmaking month of december was a staggering 13.5 degrees above normal with only 5 days in month registering "normal" temps. hard to make and retain snow at those temps. k was forced to constantly rebuild open terrain at very unproductive snowmaking temps. pretty much put every ski area in the east behind the 8-ball. january was +2 above normal and feb was +4.5 with numerous big thaw/rain events (5 alone in feb). by contrast last season k went 50 days w/o a day above freezing. march has continued the trend averaging nearly 9 degrees above normal.

the northern vt areas have been spared a bit by averaging nearly double the snowfall k's received but still less than half their normal snowfall at best. bottom line. disaster of a season. probably worst ever ...

ouch. but don't forget to tell us how much fun you had this year. always a prerequisite on this board.

 

[Rowsdower]

Do you really think they get enough snow for that? I'm very wary of going into the woods south of Northern New England except for maybe Plattekill after a major LES event. They have a hard enough time getting Lehigh open no less opening up the woods.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Even Blue has marked glades now. Sure, you can ski them, but you'll only get a couple days a season where they're really in play.

 

[Not Sure]

Even Blue has marked glades now. Sure, you can ski them, but you'll only get a couple days a season where they're really in play.

Blues Glades are only a few acres , always ski behind someone else and turn when you see sparks!
Pa. Glades are more accident , snow blows over between trails while snowmaking. They do provide a little base but declines further away from the main trails . That being said 13/14 people were skiing under the lifts and safe pretty much everywhere. We do get some descent Glade days , LOL Middle of February to early March ....

Some Elk eye candy ....So much potential going to waste!

 

[deadheadskier]

Isn't part of the reason they don't allow people in the trees at Elk is because they planted a whole bunch to reclaim some forest? I thought I read that and that video certainly looks like it.

 

[Not Sure]

Isn't part of the reason they don't allow people in the trees at Elk is because they planted a whole bunch to reclaim some forest? I thought I read that and that video certainly looks like it.

I heard there was a tree collision death years ago . Side effect of the fir trees is shades slopes. When they were small acted like a cushion for out of control Newbs. Now they are taller and no low branches the large trunks are exposed.

 

[deadheadskier]

Trail layout looks well designed at Elk. Not a lot of intersections. Lots of unique ways down. I've only seen it in the summertime.

 

[ScottySkis]

Trail layout looks well designed at Elk. Not a lot of intersections. Lots of unique ways down. I've only seen it in the summertime.

It is definitely like that

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[Not Sure]

Only place in Pa. I've skied with Rime. Tunkhannock my favorite trail !...hardly ever as smooth as it was this day. Mostly bumps

 

[Rowsdower]

That being said, people will duck into the trees if there's the snow anyway like they will do anywhere.

 

[witch hobble]

That place looks cool. Has any other ski area taken on such large scale reforesting (on purpose)?

 

[deadheadskier]

Sunday River should take notes and do the same in OZ.

 

[deadheadskier]

Earliest Ice Out in history on Winnipesaukee

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...nnipesaukee/yzOgxauvLDNW8DPeUI1V5L/story.html

Record had been 3/23/2012

First time it's ever happened during winter

 

[ss20]

Earliest Ice Out in history on Winnipesaukee

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...nnipesaukee/yzOgxauvLDNW8DPeUI1V5L/story.html

Record had been 3/23/2012

First time it's ever happened during winter

My hometown lake never even fully froze. Last year it was frozen until April, which is incredible.

Candlewood Lake, CT, for those wondering...

 

[Cannonball]

Earliest Ice Out in history on Winnipesaukee

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...nnipesaukee/yzOgxauvLDNW8DPeUI1V5L/story.html

Record had been 3/23/2012

First time it's ever happened during winter

Tough year. I have friends who live off the grid and count on Winni ice harvest for their whole years refrigeration. They harvested early this year and hope to be OK. But between ice and sugaring challenges they are having a harder time making it work lately.

 

[Abominable]

"I have friends who live off the grid and count on Winni ice harvest for their whole years refrigeration."

Whoa, really? Keep it packed in sawdust in a below ground cold storeroom? Interesting.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[Cannonball]

"I have friends who live off the grid and count on Winni ice harvest for their whole years refrigeration."

Whoa, really? Keep it packed in sawdust in a below ground cold storeroom? Interesting.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

Not below ground, but yes in sawdust in an 'ice shed'.