Eastern closing dates thread 2008-2009

[Patrick]

Okay, I started this earlier in the week, but like my TRs, I haven't had time to continue or spend time on it. I guess I've been skiing too much, as if.

I'm starting by area that will try to make past the Easter Weekend. The list is going to be short this year, many are closing on that weekend including Tremblant (which was schedule) and Sutton (which wasn't).

Ski areas are hurting financial, definitely a below average year snow wise and there isn't much money staying open late.

So people better go skiing this weekend, because not many are going to spin lifts afterward. This even in places where snow is currently not an issue. Some of them have been dumped on this week, but are set to close this weekend.

If you have a better information, let us know. Need to figue out my options for the coming weekends.

QC (that is all):

Bromont: April 19 (if possible)
La Réserve: April 19 (if possible)
Valinouet: April 19 (if possible)
Val d'Irène: April 19
Ste-Anne: April 28 (If possible)
St-Sauveur: May 3 (if possible) or maybe even longer.
Comi: TBD
Le Relais: TBD

ME:

Sugarloaf: April 19
Sunday River: April 19


VT :

Snow: April 19
Sugarbush: April 26 or more
Killington: May 2
Jay Peak: TBD
Stowe: TBD


NH:

Wildcat: May 3 (if possible)

That's it folks. Pretty slim choice.

[jasoncapecod]

I think Hunter and Gore this weekend

[Admin]

I think Hunter and Gore this weekend

I'm starting by area that will try to make past the Easter Weekend.

[jamesdeluxe]

Patrick's tail-wagging-the-dog season will soon be here.

[Tony Crocker]

definitely a below average year snow wise

Snowfall is not below average, the early excess still outweighing the later shortfall. However, eastern spring snowpack is more driven by recent weather than the season as a whole, so no surprise most will close this weekend.

Wildcat: May 3 (if possible)

I'd be extremely surprised.

Killington: May 2

I don't think anything lift served lasts that long this year unless they planned ahead for it. So it looks like Killington changed policy and stockpiled snowmaking (they claim 10 feet) on Superstar.

Ski areas are hurting financially

Do we know the impact in the East? December was above average, so maybe more easterners booked closer to home as a cheaper alternative to flying somewhere. Kottke data for New England will be interesting. Should be down from last year's excellent season, but I bet up from 2006-07, when the first half was terrible.

[Patrick]

definitely a below average year snow wise

Snowfall is not below average, the early excess still outweighing the later shortfall. However, eastern spring snowpack is more driven by recent weather than the season as a whole, so no surprise most will close this weekend.

Snowfall is probably close to average, snow wise (in general) is below average. Ottawa is currently 10cm below the average of 236cm, we've received 22cm since the end of January.

I don't think anything lift served lasts that long this year unless they planned ahead for it.

We'll see if some areas have the stomach for it. Valinouet is looking to stop on April 19th. Massif and Edouard got 40cm, Tremblant 30cm, but are all closing on Monday. Sutton also got some new snow, but is also closing. Spinning without selling day tickets is hard to do. The impression in the city is that skiing has finished a long time ago, even if one local, Camp Fortune, is going to open this weekend.

Ski areas are hurting financially

Do we know the impact in the East? December was above average, so maybe more easterners booked closer to home as a cheaper alternative to flying somewhere. Kottke data for New England will be interesting. Should be down from last year's excellent season, but I bet up from 2006-07, when the first half was terrible.[/quote]

Reading and hearing left and right, ski areas generally lost this year. How much, I don't know?

Here is a quote from Guy Thibaudeau's ski blog.

http://blogues.cyberpresse.ca/ski/?p=317

Définitivement, ca n’aura pas été une saison très profitable pour les stations de ski. Après une saison exceptionnelle l’an passé les résultats de 2009 risquent d’être très décevants.

A quick translation, "Definitely, it hasn't been a very profitable season for ski areas. After an exceptional season last year, 2009 resultats risks being very disappointing."

Snow, temps, impressions and the economy. Early December snow is a far memory, rain near Christmas. Real cold weekends in January and no new snow in March. Add the economy to the mix and it's doesn't look promising.

So I see two possible bets here with Tony.

1) that liftserved skiing while not make it into May.
2) That this season's numbers while be better than 2006-07.

I would think Tony might be wrong on one of them, if not two.

[Patrick]

Patrick's tail-wagging-the-dog season will soon be here.

Before Tony jumps on this tail-wagging-the-dog business, I'll get the facts out.

I've skied May almost every year since 1982 (except twice, when I was on the DL)
So it's 26/28 years.

June? Since 1988, I've skied in June 11 times out of 21.

So I've always kept my season going as long as I could, period.

*9 sep 07
7 sep 08
*4 sep 06
*15 jun 97
*14 jun 88
13 jun 05
11 jun.92
1 jun.93
1 jun.94
1 jun.95
1 jun 96
*29 mai 85
*24 mai 84
24 mai.99
21 mai.90
21 mai.00
20 mai.89
19 mai.91
18 mai.86
18 mai.87
*15 mai 82
4 mai.02
3 mai.03
1 mai.01
1 mai.04
26 avr.98 (DL year)
?30 jan 83 (DL year)

[Tony Crocker]

Patrick is dedicated. His long term median closing day is almost the same as mine (May 24 vs. May 26) under far more adverse conditions most of the time. I suspect his median opening day is considerably earlier than mine (Dec. 16). My info here: http://webpages.charter.net/tcrocker818/vft_seas.htm

If Killington really has that 10-foot stockpile they should make May 2. I'd be very surprised if anyone else does. Given the importance of Christmas week to ski visit totals, I would also be very surprised if the Northeast Kottke numbers for 2008-09 do not exceed 2006-07. Kottke is a US-only analysis, so I can't comment on hard data from Quebec. Is there a centralized source of skier visit info for the whole province?

[rfarren]

This is where Icelantic would've said that this is a great year to hit Tucks, and it'll be open way after the rest of the resorts close.

[BobR]

Sunday River is April 26th

Reduced Daily Ticket Prices:
From now until April 26 (conditions and weather permitting. Sunday river http://www.sundayriver.com/TicketsPasse ... ckets.html


Sugarloaf if May 3rd or later. I have a room booked up there May 2nd.
Reduced Daily Ticket Prices:
Monday, April 6 through Sunday, May 3

- Adult / Young Adult: $49
http://www.sugarloaf.com/PricingProducts/index.html

[Anthony]

Alta ( Laurentians) will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday on natural snow . Hard to believe since there has not been a powder day since mid February. Will go out later once things soften up .

[billski]

Stowe appear to be closing shop on April 19th, according to various stowe.com indicators.

[Geoff]

If Killington really has that 10-foot stockpile they should make May 2. I'd be very surprised if anyone else does. Given the importance of Christmas week to ski visit totals, I would also be very surprised if the Northeast Kottke numbers for 2008-09 do not exceed 2006-07. Kottke is a US-only analysis, so I can't comment on hard data from Quebec. Is there a centralized source of skier visit info for the whole province?

Killington will have no problem making May 2. Win Smith is shooting to be open on the May 2nd & 3rd weekend at Sugarbush. If the sun is shining, I'll be skiing on Spring Fling and Steins on May 3rd with my "Killington Refugee" tee shirt. I'd expect Jay Peak and Sugarloaf to spin lifts at least that late and would be surprised if they closed earlier.

We've had this discussion before. Your experience is with western snow, not eastern manmade surface. The base is a thick layer of ice, not natural snow with lots of air in it. Anything that faces north with a fair amount of pitch to it takes a very long time to melt.

[jasdmd0]

Here's a pic of a 100% natural trail, Jaws on the North face of Mount Snow on Good Friday



This doesn't even get close to what they have stockpiled on their fan gun covered trails over on the Carinthia side of the mountain. If they choose to close in April, it will be because of 1 of 2 reasons.

1) Mother nature throws a week of 70 to 80 degree temps and rain at Southern Vermont, or

2) The dayticket volume of park rats looking for mutliple late season parks and a half pipe or 2 drys up (not likely based on the last few weekends there)

[billski]

Jay - May 04: last day