Eastern Closing Thread 2016 Horror Story.

[Patrick]

First weekend of April : 7

Only 76 ski areas might open this weekend from North Carolina to Labrador, 45 being North (Laurentians, Québec City, Charlevoix, Saguenay, North Shore, Labrador) or East (Gaspé) of the St. Lawrence Valley which I believe is unprecedented. As I’m writing this, the Chic Chocs are getting another storm. The situation with closing dates in Eastern Québec hasn’t change yet, they often close with an abondance of snow. The question is, will a small number Southern skiing change the dynamic and provide a bit more incentive to last one or two weekends longer?

Numbers from previous seasons: Total / New York & New England
2016 : 76 / 19
2015^: 82 / 38 (2nd weekend of April)

Let’s move Past EASTer & Go Easterner – Eastern Closing Thread 2016 – Part 1
https://madpatski.wordpress.com/2016/03/29/lets-move-past-easter-go-easterner-eastern-closing-thread-2016-part-1/

[Patrick]

Here is this week's update.

Always half of the ski areas left in the East are East of Quebec City.

East 46
Québec 32 (West 12, East 20)
Eastern US 11
Rest of Eastern Canada (Ontario and Labrador) 3

But only 11 are open daily. Go skiing!!!

Freeze Frame – Eastern Closing Thread 2015-16 – semaine 2
https://madpatski.wordpress.com/2016/04 ... semaine-2/

[Patrick]

Update for the upcoming third weekend in April.

27 still hoping to spin, only 9 spinning midweek.

Québec and Labrador : 18
Ontario : 1
New York and New England : 8

Monday, Monday…Eastern Closing 2016 Update – Week 3
https://madpatski.wordpress.com/2016/04 ... te-week-3/

[EMSC]

I note two things Pat:

1 - you have a lot of ski days this season considering how crappy it was in the east (heck you are at 67 at least).
2 - your variety of location was way down this year. Kid(s) racing at Edelweiss?

[Tony Crocker]

I note two things Pat:

1 - you have a lot of ski days this season considering how crappy it was in the east (heck you are at 67 at least).
2 - your variety of location was way down this year. Kid(s) racing at Edelweiss?

This is nothing new. As long ago as 2010-11, 41 out Patrick's 59 ski days were at the Ottawa molehills. Patrick's "interesting skiing" is mostly during the northern summer (South America, glaciers in the Alps, the occasional trip to Mammoth or Timberline). Back then I used to critique the strange priorities periodically, but I retired that a few seasons ago.

[Patrick]

I note two things Pat:
1 - you have a lot of ski days this season considering how crappy it was in the east (heck you are at 67 at least).
2 - your variety of location was way down this year. Kid(s) racing at Edelweiss?

This was my third season coaching at Edelweiss and I broke my ankle in October, so the 2 outings (total 10 runs) at MSS prior to December were testing my ankle, especially the 8 runs in late November as I wanted to see if I could coach for the ski team trip at Killington.

I didn't pay for a single lift* ticket until Mont Chilly on March 27, in fact I was being paid for all those days minus MSS and Rigaud.
*I had to specify as I did get a speeding ticket driving back from Edelweiss once.

This is nothing new. As long ago as 2010-11, 41 out Patrick's 59 ski days were at the Ottawa molehills. Patrick's "interesting skiing" is mostly during the northern summer (South America, glaciers in the Alps, the occasional trip to Mammoth or Timberline). Back then I used to critique the strange priorities periodically, but I retired that a few seasons ago.

2009-10 : Morgane raced Nancy Greene
2010-13 : She raced at the K2/U16.
2013-now : Morgane has been an instructor/coach and I've coached at Edelweiss.

Skiing and being paid to do it. The club lost so many days prior to December 27, so they added extra makeup days on every school days that some kids were in school AND I was available. I bought a Foxcard (11-12 ski days at different ski areas in the East), but I was hoping for better days plus my ankle is maybe at 90% now.

That being said, my season could have sucked for so many reasons, but it really didn't.

[Tony Crocker]

As I see it, if you had to suffer a serious injury at the beginning of ski season, 2015-16 in the Northeast was certainly the right time.

Hopefully all is well now, and I may resume offline discussion with Patrick about the most interesting part of his season yet to come.

[Patrick]

Oh yeah, like I've been saying on the status of the Eastern ski areas this Spring, conditions and winter has definitely less "winterish" by a few degrees and more rain...but it's also colder further north resulting in snow or snowmaking conditions in the Laurentians, the Gatineaus (Ottawa), Quebec City and further East.

Why drive a few hours south and deal with these conditions and charging for more than double the price of a lift ticket. Wait till you see pictures taken at Whiteface, MRG and Cannon March 30, April 2-3).

[Patrick]

As I see it, if you had to suffer a serious injury at the beginning of ski season, 2015-16 in the Northeast was certainly the right time.

Hopefully all is well now, and I may resume offline discussion with Patrick about the most interesting part of his season yet to come.

Totally agree. Skiing at Killington where I was being paid was a painful experience, but I didn't want to skip it. I skipped the ski team days held at St-Sauveur in the Fall. Skiing all-day on WROD, no thanks. I reserved that for Kmart. As my physiotherapist told me, there was going to be discomfort, pain and swelling involved. Enough that I had to let my foot swell down to remove the ski boot back at the hotel. Lucky it wasn't too far of a drive.

[Patrick]

This is what Spring skiing is all about. What a wonderful weekend.

The best of Spring Skiing – Eastern Closing 2016 – Week 4
https://madpatski.wordpress.com/2016/04 ... 16-week-4/

Down to 15 (which now includes the Midwest) East of the Rockies. Only 6 are open daily.

Midwest : Lutsen, Ski Brule
Quebec : Fortune, MSS, MSA, Valinouet, Lac Vert, Comi
Vermont : Jay, Stowe, Bush, Kmart
New Hampshire : Wildcat
Maine : SR, Loaf

More detail? Click the link.

[Patrick]

What do I mean by “May continue skiing”?

a) Ski area might open this weekend
b) Ski area might go beyond this weekend
c) Skiing into May
d) Lifts aren’t an end to all means.
e) All of the above

May continue skiing – Eastern Closing Thread 2016 – Week 5
https://madpatski.wordpress.com/2016/04 ... 16-week-5/

[Patrick]

Dual May Days for Mothers’ Day – Eastern Closing Thread 2016 – Week 6
https://madpatski.wordpress.com/2016/05 ... 16-week-6/

Down to 2 East of the Rockies and no one open daily.

[Patrick]

Here is my latest update on Eastern lift spinning...

May it last? Eastern Closing Thread 2016 – Week 7
https://madpatski.wordpress.com/2016/05 ... 16-week-7/

Two options this weekend.
The following weekend anywhere between 0 and 2 in the East.

[Patrick]

What lifts are still brining skiers up in the East?
MSS and Kmart, that's who.

Deep into May – Eastern Closing Thread 2016 – Week 8
https://madpatski.wordpress.com/2016/05 ... 16-week-8/

[Tony Crocker]

It is interesting that in this, unquestionably the worst overall eastern ski season, that the number of eastern areas open each weekend since late April has been very average.