Early season help
- Thread starter Jem
- Start date
rfarren
New member
Jem":xohwuwz4 said:
Pay attention to the weather. If it has snowed up there and remains cold I see no reason why the conditions wouldn't be worth it. The only problem is: it hasn't really snowed much up there and it's been a bit warm as of yet. However, 2 weeks is a long time, and they could get a massive storm. Just pay attention, if no new snow falls by the 20th and there aren't any storms forcasted and it remains somewhat warm I would say it might not be worth it.
IMHO this also depends from where you are traveling. I live in NYC and stowe is a long way, so the conditions better be pristine to make it worth it, otherwise, I just assume stay around the local mountains.
riverc0il
New member
Not only is the current weather pattern looking poor for Thanksgiving skiing, I would advise caution for any skier looking for any beginner terrain in November. Most ski areas just try to get open for Thanksgiving and ski areas don't usually open with much if any beginner terrain. They will try to get it online as soon as possible and some of the larger resorts may get some token beginner terrain open. But I would never expect beginner terrain by Thanksgiving any year. Especially this one the way things look right now.
rfarren
New member
Jem":2hjuc0tk said:
I've gone skiing multiple thanksgivings, and the only place that was ever worth it was Whistler (it's not the EC but it's reliable). The EC before thanksgiving is only worth it with a good early storm. This year I wouldn't be shocked if one of the local areas opened up a trail or so before December, but I'm not sure it would be worth it.
It might be best to hold off till mid december, and use the money you would've spent during thanksgiving for the spring when IMHO the skiing in the EC is at its best.
This sentence should be the first answer to nearly anyone, anywhere, who inquiries about skiing in November beyond last minute easy daytrip distance.rfarren":18t9yql1 said:
Patrick
Well-known member
Thanksgiving skiing at a ski resort = overrated / burning cash
Unless:
- huge Fall snowwise / natural and/or man-made.
- you have money to burn.
I wouldn't bother going out of my way (more than a daytrip and never locked in some serious lodging). I was never a big fan of Fall skiing, Spring skiing (ie. actual Spring = March 21+) has better coverage and generally better snow conditions and deals.
Geoff: last year comparison is a bit extreme and was the worst November skiing in probably over 30 years where only a limited Sunday River and limited Mont St-Sauveur were open.
Unless:
- huge Fall snowwise / natural and/or man-made.
- you have money to burn.
I wouldn't bother going out of my way (more than a daytrip and never locked in some serious lodging). I was never a big fan of Fall skiing, Spring skiing (ie. actual Spring = March 21+) has better coverage and generally better snow conditions and deals.
Geoff: last year comparison is a bit extreme and was the worst November skiing in probably over 30 years where only a limited Sunday River and limited Mont St-Sauveur were open.
Marc_C
Active member
I agree, and have experienced both.Patrick":253zmtqn said:
When we bought our time share at Sugarbush, they gave us a free week there, so we took it that T-giving. Nothing in the Mad River Valley was open nor was Stowe or pretty much anyone else. 55F and downpour will do that.
One year we decided to go to Sunday River - a better year, they were about 40% open, but really had only 3 or 4 beginner runs in shape.
On a three week western road trip, we threw the skis in our Toyota truck just in case there was some skiing somewhere. Turns out it was a huge fall in Colorado that year. We skied Snowmass/Aspen* - both were about 85% open. Since it was early season, we got quite the deal on a ski in-out condo at Snowmass: $125 / night (in full season it ran $450)
After moving here (UT), one huge year Snowbird opened 5 Nov with over 95% of terrain open; Alta opened 2 weeks early as well. OTOH, either last year or the year before, there was barely enough snow and cold weather to open a full week after T-giving (even Alta had only a single WROD).
So it's a major crap shoot. As Tony, Patrick, et al have said, only go at the last minute if conditions warrant and it's what you consider cheap enough. Under no conditions should anyone pre-book if there's no option of 100% refund for cancellation.
jasoncapecod
Well-known member
if it's cold and i think it will be..hunter will be have a have a descent amount of terrain open
berkshireskier
Active member
Yea, longer term forecast for the end of November is for a significant pocket of cold air to invade the east and Northeast.
http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/weathe ... ill-be.asp
Could be good snowmaking weather for ski areas and maybe some real stuff too.
http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/weathe ... ill-be.asp
Could be good snowmaking weather for ski areas and maybe some real stuff too.
Patrick
Well-known member
Geoff":11zpzzn7 said:
Talking about Killington maybe, not the East as a wholed. November 2009 was the only year I remember for all other ski areas in the East being closed with the exception of MSS (half a trail/not even top-to-bottom) and SR. There was definitely better and more choose for skiing in Quebec in November 1999.
BigSpencer
New member
In looking from tomorrow till the end of the weekend, the temps up in the more northerly lattitudes of the NE are beginning to drop....but they're erratic if one looks at the predicted highs/lows....but it is a promising trend.
So goes another pre-season stretch of "if only it were 15 degrees colder" weather.... :roll:
So goes another pre-season stretch of "if only it were 15 degrees colder" weather.... :roll:
Marc_C
Active member
And Stowe announced today they were pushing their opening date back to Nov 24. Someone who works at Stowe mentioned in another discussion forum:
Note that the writer is talking about the *one* snowmaking route. Sure, it uses parts of 3 or 4 trails, but it will basically be one way down.