For those with a sense of deja vu, here's why: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=11843
Area Sum of Days Sum of Vertical Sum of Powder
Mammoth 4 96.5 2
Snow Summit 1.5 33.8 0
Bear Mt. 0.5 10.7 0
Aspen Highlands 1 11.6 0
Aspen Mt. (Ajax) 1 17.4 0
Snowbird 6 117.2 0
Alta 2 40.2 0
Beaver Creek 2.5 44.9 0
Vail 3.5 94.1 10
Copper Mt. 1 23.8 2
Jackson Hole 4 94.1 0
Brian Head 1 11.9 0
Arapahoe Basin 3 50.3 10
Winter Park 2 37.1 4
Solitude 1 19.3 0
Blackcomb 3 81.6 6
Whistler 2 39.4 1
Grand Targhee 1 24.5 0
Big White 1 15.5 0
Lake Louise 1 24.2 0
Sunshine Village 1 21.5 0
Kicking Horse 1 22.4 0
Panorama 1 21.9 0
Las Lenas, Argentina 12 161.0 5
Mustang Powder Snowcat 3 50.6 26
Loveland 1 16 1
*Lost Trail 1 18.7 6
*Discovery 1 20.9 0
*Hlidarfjall, Iceland 1 9.2 0
*Arctic Heliskiing, Iceland 3 44.3 27
Totals 67 1274.6 100
* = New area, total now 195 areas
Arctic Heli was clearly the highlight of the season. Vail and Jackson in January had the best lift-served skiing. I was fairly successful in avoiding the worst of the snow conditions, with only 6 cherry-picked days in California and only a handful of times being confined to the groomers. Opening day was a close to average Dec. 18 at Big Bear, but again northern hemisphere closing day was a very early May 9, as I chose to leave California and finish the season in better snow elsewhere, this time Colorado. 15 ski days in Colorado was a record high.
There was no getting around the lack of powder in 2014-15. 4.0% powder for lift served skiing is the second lowest since I bought fat skis in 1996 and less than half of 10.6% average. The 12 days in Las Lenas boosted 2014-15 up to my second highest season in vertical and 3rd highest in day count. It was also only the second time I've exceeded admin's day count.
Of note to Patrick: By skiing April 24 and 27 in Colorado I have finally skied all dates in April to go along with January-March. I still have 3 unskied dates in May and 4 in December.
I had not created these charts since I retired, so here are those seasons, plus the last season before retirement:
The powder deficit is where 2014-15 stands out on those charts. Next year rates to be the lowest day count since before retirement (due to missing 2/3 of March, historically my highest ski month), likely less than 50 days unless we have a good year here in California.
Area Sum of Days Sum of Vertical Sum of Powder
Mammoth 4 96.5 2
Snow Summit 1.5 33.8 0
Bear Mt. 0.5 10.7 0
Aspen Highlands 1 11.6 0
Aspen Mt. (Ajax) 1 17.4 0
Snowbird 6 117.2 0
Alta 2 40.2 0
Beaver Creek 2.5 44.9 0
Vail 3.5 94.1 10
Copper Mt. 1 23.8 2
Jackson Hole 4 94.1 0
Brian Head 1 11.9 0
Arapahoe Basin 3 50.3 10
Winter Park 2 37.1 4
Solitude 1 19.3 0
Blackcomb 3 81.6 6
Whistler 2 39.4 1
Grand Targhee 1 24.5 0
Big White 1 15.5 0
Lake Louise 1 24.2 0
Sunshine Village 1 21.5 0
Kicking Horse 1 22.4 0
Panorama 1 21.9 0
Las Lenas, Argentina 12 161.0 5
Mustang Powder Snowcat 3 50.6 26
Loveland 1 16 1
*Lost Trail 1 18.7 6
*Discovery 1 20.9 0
*Hlidarfjall, Iceland 1 9.2 0
*Arctic Heliskiing, Iceland 3 44.3 27
Totals 67 1274.6 100
* = New area, total now 195 areas
Arctic Heli was clearly the highlight of the season. Vail and Jackson in January had the best lift-served skiing. I was fairly successful in avoiding the worst of the snow conditions, with only 6 cherry-picked days in California and only a handful of times being confined to the groomers. Opening day was a close to average Dec. 18 at Big Bear, but again northern hemisphere closing day was a very early May 9, as I chose to leave California and finish the season in better snow elsewhere, this time Colorado. 15 ski days in Colorado was a record high.
There was no getting around the lack of powder in 2014-15. 4.0% powder for lift served skiing is the second lowest since I bought fat skis in 1996 and less than half of 10.6% average. The 12 days in Las Lenas boosted 2014-15 up to my second highest season in vertical and 3rd highest in day count. It was also only the second time I've exceeded admin's day count.
Of note to Patrick: By skiing April 24 and 27 in Colorado I have finally skied all dates in April to go along with January-March. I still have 3 unskied dates in May and 4 in December.
I had not created these charts since I retired, so here are those seasons, plus the last season before retirement:
The powder deficit is where 2014-15 stands out on those charts. Next year rates to be the lowest day count since before retirement (due to missing 2/3 of March, historically my highest ski month), likely less than 50 days unless we have a good year here in California.