April 5, 2005
Ski Guru Special: Chairlifts are Spinning!
Weathered last week’s rain? Not all, but the big boys certainly did, and the reports are that the skiing, even now, is of high-quality! Granted the conditions are spring like, but that is no reason to turn up your nose just yet. Check Snow Country to see if your favorite is still in the game and when they may plan on shutting it down.
Crested Butte, from RSN.com
Fantastic soft bumps, corn snow groomed to perfection, beers and burgers on the deck. Sunshine! All, in spite of everything that was rain, left to be had in waning days of this 04/05 season. Spring deals in force, which means inexpensive lodging and lift tickets augmented by sparse crowds.
Here are a few of the reports that hit my Inbox of recent. Read and make the move north this weekend for a last hurrah with some friends.
From Sugarloaf, ME – This weekend, The 17th Reggae Festival!
…While we did not escape the unfrozen precipitation, it did not do serious damage to the slopes. There are virtually no bare spots, the snow coverage is excellent on almost every trail (including non-snowmaking trails), and the skiing is pretty nice. Our snow reporter skied Winter's Way yesterday, which is a trail that never gets groomed and he said the bumps were soft and sweet. One would expect bump runs to get down to the ground first (between the bumps), but he said there's plenty of snow there.
The only trails we've closed since last week are the Backside Snowfields and a couple of trail run outs at the base area. This weekend is looking like we should have sunshine and temps in the high 40s -- perfect for Reggae weekend.
Bottom line is we had so much snow in Feb. and March that it's going to be here for a while. We have no doubts about being able to offer great spring skiing until we close on April 24.
We've got The Wailers and 6 other jamming reggae bands for this weekend, so come on up.
Sugarloaf, from RSN.com - 4/5/05
Sugarbush, VT checking in…
Just got in from taking a couple. Ripcord is rad; spring sugar bumps and blue skies. It's getting tough telling my wife I've got a hard job. We did get some rain last weekend, but last night's snow and today's sun have turned the conditions into whipped cream. Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeetttttt skiing!
Jay Peak, VT has some base left.
Just last night an end-of-the-season storm left three to four inches of new snow on the mountain and today, skiers and riders are enjoying packed powder conditions and sunny skies.
Above average snowfall in both February and March (81” and 83”, respectively) meant great skiing and riding mid-winter and has left the mountain with a solid base and edge-to-edge coverage in April.
Jay Peak has nearly 100% of its available terrain open (72 of 76 trails) and will be running 7 of 8 lifts this coming weekend. Only the moving carpet will be closed – not due to conditions but because that area has been excavated and prepared for Jay Peak’s Pond Skimming event which will take place this Saturday, April 9th.
Whisler/Blackcomb, from RSN.com
Other Notables here in the North East as seen on Snow Country.
Saddleback, ME – 100% of their terrain.
Wildcat, NH – skiing on 100% terrain and wild as ever.
Stowe, VT – 80% still recording new snow.
Sunday River, ME – going strong on deep bases, 92%
Bretton Woods, NH & Okemo, VT – both checking in at 85%
Ski Butternut, MA – at a shocking 95%
Oh yeah, don’t count out Killington, VT. They always have the staying power to win this race. Get up there and work on a goggle tan! You will look better to members of the opposite sex with one, once they have had their fill of beverages...
In closing, Tuesday’s quickie from Dr. Weather. If you want Powder head West!
*More huge snows blasting Tahoe/Utah and Colorado and snow measured in feet likely with another later Thursday-Saturday storm
*New England to have showers later Thursday into Friday but weekend should be mostly sunny and dry with nighttime cool temps and frost and temps in the 40s during the day at 1,500 feet.
*Chico Chocs sould see light rain/freezing rain again by later Thursday night and early Friday with improving weekend conditions and possibly some snow by Friday night or Saturday Few inches of snow could fall at Tremblant and parts of N. Quebec by Friday.
*One after another storm will batter parts of BC over the next week with more heavy snows.
Thanks again, Point em!
S.G.
In store for this weekend!
