Favorite time of the season to ski

What is your favorite time of the year to ski?  Mine is late-season because the weather is nice, crowds have started to thin out, and the mountain is only just starting to reduce operations.  I find early-season very icy and not much of the mountain is open.  Crowds are also greater than late-season, but any skiing is better than no skiing.  Mid-season has the best conditions and the mountains are 100% open or close to it, but where I do most of my skiing, the crowds can be insane.  However, don't let my opinion affect your vote.

What is your favorite time of the season to ski?

Early-Season (up to mid-December)

Mid-Season (mid-December to mid-March)

Late-Season (after mid-March)

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All of the above.  If its white and you can slide on it it's all good and more so when you ask this question in summer.

There is nothing like mid season, weekend, -15 degrees and the wind is blowing, the gondi line is long and I am all alone in the squeaky snow on the summit...there is no wind in the woods.  Early in the morning the views are awesome with the fog following the rivers and streams through the mountain valleys...I can't wait!

When it's like this

Favorite time is when I'm not at work and on the hill.  Period.  

The season is not long enough to have a real favorite.   I ski the mountain differently at different parts of the season but I don't really have a favorite.  As long as I get that one spring day when you wear no gloves, just your mid layer, and bake on the lift, and get a bit chilly on the way down I'm a happy person.  

Any time I'm on boards, on snow, is my favorite part of the season.

The best skiing I've ever done was in early December. I'm going to vote for that and hopefully we will get a repeat. But I'll gladly take my best days in January, February, March, or April, too.

I like to ski most anytime. I’ve found I ski the most after Presidents’ week. Seems the crowds thin nicely, snows best of season and days are abit longer. I have this quote from somewhere it’s good to remember when you start to wimp out on a day.    
”Skiers often pick their days carefully watching the weather for a storm. But skiing is fun under almost any conditions, and we think it’s best to look for any nice day to be outside.  If you make excuses for not getting out, the only practice you’ll get is in making excuses. Every day on skis adds to each season’s unique character.”

Great quote Hudsonhiker.

Mid-season though the End. The early season stuff stuck on one or two icy, crowded trails doesn't really do it for me (although I am always happy to be skiing). Mid season on is the best, cold with fresh snow then onto to sunshine and eventually corn. Ahhhhhhhhh.

mid-season

skiing anytime is great and I'm already eager to se the snow fly but....

Early season has what a couple trails covered with every type of skier and level of skier.  It is downright dangerous and a sign of our desperation to ski.  I skied opening day at Gore and I hope I can hold off longer this season or at least until a December blizzard!

Late-season is a close second usually so much of the mountain is open you are grinning ear to ear with glee until  skiing full speed into a water bar or slush a foot deep,  guess that is why I have skis as wide as a snowboard ;-)  But it is the most difficult time to dress no longer can you count on a base layer and a warm outer, but then skiing in bikinis might just make this number one, but I haven't scene a good bikini day so second it is.

Mid-season crisp mornings with the freshly groomed frozen ropes of corduroy are the best.  Terrain is open but the lines are long.  Mid-season dumps are the best.  A snow day that closes schools and is too dangerous to get to work ;-) means a drive  somewhere with the kids to ski.  The only negative is the constant hum of the snow making - nope I love that sound and can't wait  to hear it again

I knew i got that quote from some ski article some where TKS Harv.

  Spring is the best, soft snow and sunshine  Still daylight when you drive home.  Ice cream  parlors are even open for a treat on the way home. I would ski to July if the snow lasted.

Hard question. Hate to give a whimpy answer but pretty much love it from when the trees open up until the bitter end. Storms, cold, snow, corn, sun. The only part that is second best is early season. Or when you are still looking for snow guns to ski under in Jan or Feb.

Hudsonhiker wrote

I knew i got that quote from some ski article some where TKS Harv.

I just realized that you guys probably think all the unsigned blog posts (like Friday Fantasy Fotos) are mine.  

That kind of poetic justice is all ML. The kid (hey I'm OLD!) really loves to ski, has the passion, and has been my right hand man on the blog this summer.



Some good passion in this thread, another good one from THE KID in all caps: snoloco.

When the weather really really sucks. Cold, so cold; cold enough to freeze things, hard. Blowing like a banshee. Precip, any form, but a lot. Bring it on. If that ride up Top Ridge makes me whine for Mommy then I know it's a good day.
Does that make me a bad person???

It's all good of course. But my vote is for early spring, in that sweet spot between the hard snow just starting to soften up and the corn turning to polenta, or grits. I love a powder day as much as anyone, but the thing about corn snow is it doesn't much matter if it's skied out. It's still good all day until the sun gets low and it sets back up. In our part of the world, the powder can be great but it gets skied out and the hardpack beneath is exposed. Also, as I dip my toes into the backcountry, spring is best because the avalanche danger in the high terrain diminishes.
Thanks for the late-summer stoke. The days are getting shorter, there's a little color in the trees and, at least for this morning, there's a nip in the air. It's coming!

Spring, I'm done working, top of my form, in shape, deep snow, soft landings in the park, no crowds, better deals, and SUN.