Total Solar Eclipse, Apr. 8, 2024

For you northeasterners it's worth reprinting this excerpt from TGR's 2017 eclipse thread.

The first 20 pages before August 21 were the usual mix of some people who were going plus the also expected traffic/crowd paranoia and snark.

The 12 pages after August 21 were quite different, and also not a surprise. Mostly "meh" from those outside totality and awed testimonials from those inside. As a ski analogy, these posts sum it up:


St. Jerry :1w8hnux2 said:
Partial = 1" new
Totality: 30" new
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puma:1w8hnux2 said:
I like that.

I was at the office yesterday talking to a few others who experienced the 30" new. As we were recounting it, another colleague walked up to join in the conversation. I asked if he checked out the eclipse, as I figured he had due to the kind a guy he is! He said yeah, it was awesome. We asked where down south did he head...nope, stayed in Portland. The other 30 inchers of blower pow looked at each other...and shook our heads non discreetly...

Not sure I understand someone that lived 30 to 45 minutes from totality not taking the time to get down there...most I know that did not, have admitted they feel like they missed out big. They are right. Not trying to rub anyone's noses in it...but I would say that one must try to see totality once in their life. Unfortunately for those 1 inchers around here...it is going to mean travel. Unfortunately, for them, probably not going to happen if 30 minutes was too much...
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Northeast skiers: Do not be one inchers!

Hopefully Kingslug will be back in Stowe then.
 
Truckee beer from 50/50 brewpub that friend I stayed with near there a couple of weeks ago offered to me as he has stopped drinking. I thought it was very expensive and didn't want to take it. But it's only $18 so I should have got it for Mazatlan although it may be too strong for somewhere just outside the tropics.
8485EclipseBeer.JPG

Amazing granite in kitchen and friend also used granite panels as wall coverings in at least two places.
 
A few stories in Forbes about the eclipse in 8 days. I can only see 4 articles for free on my laptop.

www.forbes.com

Total Eclipse Of The Facts: How The U.S. Public Is Being Mislead About Totality

Your total solar eclipse may be at risk if you listen to what some hotels and event organizers tell you, with fictional claims about “99% totality” that do not exist.
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiec...heir-total-solar-eclipse---while-texas-gained but don't think all of San Antonio will see eclipse.

www.forbes.com

Forget The Alamo: Why Eclipse Chasers Must Avoid Central San Antonio On April 8

San Antonio, Texas, will have a close call with April 8’s total solar eclipse, being split in two by the edge of the path of totality. Cue a lot of confusion surrounding the event.
www.forbes.com www.forbes.com

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiec...rself-to-witness-april-8s-total-solar-eclipse which includes "If you hear advice not to bother visiting the path of totality, instantly conclude this: that person knows nothing about total solar eclipses" and ends with “Experiencing a total solar eclipse requires no scientific knowledge,” said Nordgren. “It just requires you to be there.”

A path of totality is coming to North America on April 8. You owe it to yourself to be inside it."
 
Latest forecast for the Plattsburgh, NY area in northeastern NY state (in the center of the path of totality) is for mostly clear and sunny skies in the afternoon of April 8, with a forecasted cloud cover of 18%. Of course, they may get 1 to 2 feet of snow later this week from a powerful coastal storm. I realize weather forecasts 6 days out are not very reliable but, apparently, all of the weather forecast models (the GFS, European, Canadian, etc) are pretty much in sync with this forecast. Let's hope this holds.

I'm still torn as to what I should do. I'd love to see it (especially if the forecast looks good) but I assume that traffic will be insane (there is basically only one major route from NYC and the NY metro area up to the Plattsburgh area) and that is on an interstate but only two lanes in each direction. I don't want to be stuck in a multi-hour traffic jam coming home (normally a 3.5 hour drive for me) and I don't have the option to stay over that night, if you could even find a motel room at this point.
 
berkshireskier said:
I'm still torn as to what I should do. I'd love to see it (especially if the forecast looks good) but I assume that traffic will be insane (there is basically only one major route from NYC and the NY metro area up to the Plattsburgh area) and that is on an interstate but only two lanes in each direction. I don't want to be stuck in a multi-hour traffic jam coming home (normally a 3.5 hour drive for me) and I don't have the option to stay over that night, if you could even find a motel room at this point.
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Rent a helicopter!
 
berkshireskier said:
I'm still torn as to what I should do.
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With that weather forecast you just need to suck it up and
getyourasstototalitysticker-png.24139


Seriously, you are probably not traveling to Spain in 2026 or 2027 or Australia in 2028 or 2030, all of which would cost much more time and $$$.

Play some music, listen to podcasts, chill out. Hang out in a bar or restaurant, sleep in your car; start driving at midnight if the traffic will bother you that much. Liz and I have a hard time understanding why people won't put up with some inconvenience to attain a peak experience. Skiers, especially Northeast skiers, do this very frequently, putting up with icy/snowy driving, uncomfortable outdoor weather, odd hours and yes traffic to ski what and where they want.

jamesdeluxe said:
Rent a helicopter!
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The above advice applies as much to James. Though James unlike most Americans is comfortable with international travel and perhaps might consider Spain in 2026 or 2027.

More from that TGR thread:
Seriously, I cannot imagine anyone with a curiosity of nature not doing all they could to get into the Zone of Totality. The 2 minutes and 3 seconds of totality greatly exceeded my very high expectations, and I expect to relive those 123 seconds many times. Keep me in the loop re your 2024 plans.
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These were all skiers who knew nothing about eclipses before 2017.
 
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A slight modification to my Eastern Closing thread.

Total Solar Eclipse skiing rundown – Part 1b​

madpatski.wordpress.com

Total Solar Eclipse skiing rundown – Part 1b

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE SKIING Besides the storm, a solar eclipse will pass occur on Monday. A number of ski areas are planning festivities around this rare astronomical event. Although not all locatio…
madpatski.wordpress.com madpatski.wordpress.com
​

 
The OpenSnow cloud maps are not very favorable for most Total Solar Eclipse locations in the United States.

Monday April 8 at 2PM:

1712496234401.png
 
Here’s one from my parents’ front yard on a hill overlooking the Mad River valley. I was surprised to receive this by text from John, who lives in Seattle. As far as I knew, he was planning on trying to catch the eclipse from somewhere in Texas. Evidently, he changed his plans on Friday after reviewing the forecasts. Instead, he flew to Boston and drove up with his sister to spend the day with my parents.

SolarEclipse_9304.jpeg
 
Patrick said:
Bucket list: skiing during a total solar eclipse.
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I thought about it after 2017. I would considered it only with alternate plane tickets out of the Northeast April 7 and 9. I will say that if the plan had been Texas we would have bailed like Powderchaser Steve and likely joined him and Patrick at Sugarloaf.

But Adam targeted Mazatlan long ago, and when a large contingent of our Iron Blosam friends booked these El Cid hotel rooms, we did likewise. And the rest of the group that stayed in Mazatlan saw ~90% of what we and Patrick/Steve did.

That pic by Patrick facing south shows the sunset so high off the horizon because Sugarloaf is only about 1/3 of the way from the eclipse southern limit to centerline. I agreed with their decision to sacrifice a minute of totality vs. Jay Peak/Mont Sutton for the clearer weather forecast in Maine.

Black Hole Sun is of course on my 60 song eclipse playlist. Everyone knows about You’re So Vain but the best eclipse lyrics are from Blinded by the Light:
Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun, But mama, that's where the fun is!
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Tony Crocker said:
That pic by Patrick facing south shows the sunset so high off the horizon because Sugarloaf is only about 1/3 of the way from the eclipse southern limit to centerline. I agreed with their decision to sacrifice a minute of totality vs. Jay Peak/Mont Sutton for the clearer weather forecast in Maine.

Black Hole Sun is of course on my 60 song eclipse playlist. Everyone knows about You’re So Vain but the best eclipse lyrics are from Blinded by the Light:
Click to expand...
Blinded by the Light was my favorite song for at least one month back when I was in 5th grade.

Orientation of most of my pictures are SW expect the one with the closest antenna which is more south. Hard to tell from the pictures, but we had a great view of Sunday River and Mount Washington in the distance.

As soon as Jay and Whiteface stated that they wouldn't allow skiers on the mountain during the eclipse is when they fell down my list of destination. I also found out that Sugarbush Valley's upper lift was closed for replacement. Mt. Ellen was already closed for the season, but you could buy a catride to the summit.

As started many years ago, Sugarloaf remains in my favorite ski areas in the East. Terrain available and new snow was a huge plus to pushing me to go to Sugarloaf despite being the further drive.

Next skiing opportunity during a Total Eclipse is July 22, 2028. Remarkables is basically one the centre line. ;)
You could also earn your turns in Greenland and Western Iceland in August 12, 2026.
Iran in March 2034.
Japan in Sept 2035.
Mt Ruapehu in July 2037.
That's pretty much it in our lifetime.
 
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