Killington 3/28/06, Excellent conditions!

[Pfunkride]

If we can't get the snow, we might as well have the nice weather

Got there at noon and things were soft at this point. I took a bunch of runs in the canyon; Cascade,Double Dipper, EastFall. All the runs here were excellent. Lots of edgable goods with still some firmness to it. The traverses were sticky and sloppy but worth it for the canyon. Highline was probably the run of the day. I overheard the Bear side was tooo sloppy and mushy so I didn't even venture over to that side. Ramshead is melting fast. Lots of patches over most the trails there. There were also a few bare spots in the park areas but all the hits were still in place, so I enjoyed going bigger than normal and riding out some soft stuff.
** Get out and enjoy the weather on the slopes! ALL week should be epic east coast spring conditions. I know i've been bummin' about the lack of snow this year, but a 55degree bluebird day on the slopes,with the lifts to myself, is just what i needed!

I am curious to see how long superstar holds up this year............ :roll:
Any guesses if they'll be running in MAY? My guess is NO.

 

[JimG.]

There's a rumor floating around amongst K regulars that the resort is eyeing 4/23 as the closing date. Superstar has far less snow on it than I've seen in the past 20 years.

 

[Patrick]

There's a rumor floating around amongst K regulars that the resort is eyeing 4/23 as the closing date. Superstar has far less snow on it than I've seen in the past 20 years.

OH MY :shock: :shock: :shock: TOTAL SHOCK.

I thought that they had a fixed date around May 19(? - guessing) this year. I can't imagine them closing in April, that would a incredibly early and short season (if you remove the freak October Strom opening).

 

[Sir Felgar]

I don't think can even remember an April closing in the last 20 years! I remember one year they opened a strip on superstar for July 4!

 

[skiadikt]

There's a rumor floating around amongst K regulars that the resort is eyeing 4/23 as the closing date. Superstar has far less snow on it than I've seen in the past 20 years.

heard the april 23 thing. the new 'rumor' is may 1. rumors are just that until the fat lady sings. my sense is that they're 'planning' to stay open til may 14 but are 'prepared' to close earlier if necessary. and it doesn't look good for the home team ... superstar is definitely the lowest i've seen since they switched late season skiing to it. to be honest at this point there's probably more snow on outer limits but i think april 15 is the close for bear. the latest word from from k president allen wilson in an email this morning to a k-zoner is:

we haven't targeted a closing date as of yet. It has has been a very warm and strange winter weather pattern one that I hope doesn't repeat itself.

Allen

 

[Pfunkride]

....Makes sense that they would plan to stay open til May, but are prepared for an early closure. I can't believe it's going to be in the 70's today and next week it'll still be in the 50's and 60's. Although it's still been below freezing at night. Makes for great sugaring :lol:

I also read an article in the latest AMCoutdoor mag, that Jan was 11degrees warmer than an average year. They had a good article summing up how this winter has been and a few stats to boot.

I'm enjoying the heck outta riding in a hoodie! Hopefully I'll still get some quality turns in next week, with this type of weather. Maybe hitting the Presidentials if it's still holding up........

 

[Patrick]

I don't think can even remember an April closing in the last 20 years!

They haven't. I started skiing at Killington (late season mostly - mid to late May) since 1984.

my sense is that they're 'planning' to stay open til may 14 but are 'prepared' to close earlier if necessary. and it doesn't look good for the home team ... superstar is definitely the lowest i've seen since they switched late season skiing to it.

I would agree on the "planning to make it to May 14", but who knows what the weather is doing to be like in April?

On the snow level on Superstar. The first few year on Superstar was pretty pathetic. Were talking around 1987. The efforts to make to June were much harder than on KPeak and they were falling short for the first few years. (1987-1991?). Then they made it to June from 1992-1997, I was there every year. Some years (1993 comes to mind), it was pretty pathetic, but the lifts kept spinning.

we haven't targeted a closing date as of yet. It has has been a very warm and strange winter weather pattern one that I hope doesn't repeat itself.

Hope it doesn't repeat itself. :roll: Unfortunately the climat is getting warmer. :x

 

[cd]

It's not that they may close sooner because there's less snow on Superstar, they make less snow on Superstar nowadays because they don't want to stay open as long. The arguments for and against that are a seperate issue, that's just a statement of fact. It's admittedly been a pretty bad year but I do hope to at least see a couple weeks of May there.