Northern VT: what a start
- Thread starter jasoncapecod
- Start date
The Monday freezing rain knocked trail counts down a little at the northern areas today vs. Dec. 24.
Jay 89% vs. 95%
Smuggs 27% vs. 47%
Stowe 63% vs. 85%
Sugarbush 50% vs. 92%
Whiteface 59% vs. 75%
Bits and pieces of new snow may improve skiing over the next few days.
Anyone know why Smuggs open terrain lags below the rest of northern Vermont? Less snowmaking?
FYI the snowfall difference this season between Killington/Sugarbush and Stowe/Smuggs this season is almost as large as the difference between Stowe/Smuggs and Jay.
Jay 89% vs. 95%
Smuggs 27% vs. 47%
Stowe 63% vs. 85%
Sugarbush 50% vs. 92%
Whiteface 59% vs. 75%
Bits and pieces of new snow may improve skiing over the next few days.
Anyone know why Smuggs open terrain lags below the rest of northern Vermont? Less snowmaking?
FYI the snowfall difference this season between Killington/Sugarbush and Stowe/Smuggs this season is almost as large as the difference between Stowe/Smuggs and Jay.
Sunday pix from Jay's Instagram, still looking nice. They're now claiming 236 inches. Will be interesting to see how much damage Friday's unpleasant forecast will do.
jasoncapecod
Well-known member
Looks like AI
That's quite enough, young man -- I'm calling in Jspin for expert analysis!Looks like AI
Yesterday's rain/freeze event knocked Jay down to 54% open today. Jay still leads the U.S. in season-to-date snowfall but conditions obviously suck now. It's not going to snow a flake at Mammoth for at least the next 10 days, but I'm confident it will still be 100% open with excellent conditions then. 
^^ Further confirmation that he's a Mammoth stealth marketing plant.
ChrisC
Well-known member
It was a nice run for NY/New England. Great while it lasted, and plenty of time for inevitable multiple recoveries.
My issue: now, there will always be an icy base on mogul runs and natural snow trails for the season. They always ski the best early, from first opening to first major thaw.
Now, they will be best in spring or thaw/warm days.
My issue: now, there will always be an icy base on mogul runs and natural snow trails for the season. They always ski the best early, from first opening to first major thaw.
Now, they will be best in spring or thaw/warm days.
I would guess that northern Vermont can get large enough storms for true resurfacing. I'll defer to locals as to how often that might occur. For areas averaging under 200 inches natural snow, those events are very rare. This is why I usually observe that Big Bear
Last edited:
jasoncapecod
Well-known member
You are not really stirring the potYesterday's rain/freeze event knocked Jay down to 54% open today. Jay still leads the U.S. in season-to-date snowfall but conditions obviously suck now. It's not going to snow a flake at Mammoth for at least the next 10 days, but I'm confident it will still be 100% open with excellent conditions then.
Just stating the obvious
Low humidity , high elevation and cold temps tend to preserve conditions
berkshireskier
Active member
this is, pretty much, my experience skiing in the Northeast. They can cover up the icy, hard base with manmade snow (or natural snow) but it usually get skied off quite fast on busy days.
The Berkshires are in that under 200 inch category, so not surprising.
EMSC
Well-known member
I'm going to throw heavy lake effect areas in there as well. Less frequent occurrences than prob northern VT but it does happen sometimes (I experienced it a few times during my Eastern years).
like Snow Ridge and McCauley average over 200 inches, don't they? Mt. Bohemia averages 255. Also those upstate NY areas at no more than 4-1 length to vertical ratio do not need as much snow to resurface as steeper mountains do.
It's like repeatedly comparing a modest local diner that serves a good soup and sandwich with a large (for U.S. standards) fine dining establishment that has a well-regarded wine cellar.
I recall a dozen years ago taking my son for his adaptive ski lesson at Camelback after returning from a week at Ischgl: an obvious ski-experience whiplash. While on the chair, a fellow parent mentioned how much he and his kids liked Camelback. I could've taken the opportunity to lecture him about how lame the Poconos were compared to sprawling, snow-sure Ischgl and that he should expand his family's parochial palette -- but to what end? Both ski areas have their reasons for being within a regional context.
Of course you don't need an Ischgl/Mammoth scale area to teach kids or progress your skiing. That was not my point. How much would "he and his kids" have liked Camelback in pouring rain or on a sheet of ice? Presumably these people were day trippers and would not have been there in such a scenario. But families are often not as flexible as us retirees and sometimes must plan ahead. The family in SoCal scheduling a Mammoth weekend a month or two ahead rarely has such concerns. There's a reason I've stayed overnight to ski at Big Bear once lifetime, in 1978.
Last edited: