Rate This Season So Far

New to the forum but have been following nyskiblog for a long time. The blog articles always capture the essence of skiing and the nostalgia is always flowing as I read what like minded skiers have to say about their experiences.

As far as this season goes, I can understand why it would be a disappointment for those who live up North and have easy access to a plethora of mountains. Obviously the coverage has not been able to stick around and NY tree skiing has been near non-existent thus far. However, given we are young powder addicts from NJ (Plattekill 2.5 hours), we usually have to pick and choose our days carefully throughout the year anyway, calling 15 days on the hill an awesome year especially if the majority involve good powder.

All things considered, I've been out 5 times this year:

1 - skinning day 2 days before Platty opening with Sean Reilly: Maybe best 3 runs I've ever had on East Coast

2 - Platty opening day: As good as Platty gets without trustable glade coverage

3,4 - day each of soft snow trail skiing at MCcauley and Plattekill with family and friends: Always fun with a crew, even with C+ conditions

5 - Mccauley for winter storm Jacob MLK weekend: 8-10" not bottomless but really fantastic conditions with plenty of untracked runs abound all day


All in all, to have 3 good powder days before February for us Jersey guys is quite fantastic, even with low tide conditions as has been mentioned. We usually do our trip out West in mid February and I can't remember having as many good days under the belt at this point in the season in years past. All in all I give this season an A so far from the NJ Pow contingent and hopefully the meat of the season (Feb-March) delivers! The stoke is high, the storms are flowing, just need some cold temps to manipulate that wet precipitation! Cheers!

-Tempsick

Sweet first post KT. Welcome!

Maybe a 4. Like 20 days in so far. A couple of good ones. Fun lessons.

I need:
1. More pow
2. More trees
3. More BC
4. More aprés shenanigans

Hoping the season improves here in the East, but I have trips to Tahoe (March) & Breck (April) planned, so I'm pretty confident in saying that the season will get better from here.

Not bad here in AZ.

My apres shenanigans are on point so far.

Dad skiing has been rad and Cody is killing it. That’s been the best part.

Two good tours with powder.

Freeski shredding hasn’t been so hot but I’m a working guy this season and health insurance is nice.

No complaints here.

Typical start to my season, I’ve only got 6 days so far, half out west in epic conditions, with a solid powder/packed powder MLK Sunday and two marginal days at WF.  So, a good start for a pick your spots 15 to 20 day a year guy.....and it will get better!

I can see how it’s been a crappy season for someone skiing most every weekend.

Good thread Harvey
Like 6 out 10 for me
One day at Gore earlier conditions on their first weekend open
Every other has some snow last month was nice
Most every day this season mostly been in our not so great north east season for Bellaire 7 days
Love having NY 3 pass

Well, bottom line, it's almost February, and there isn't a whole lot of snow on the ski hills. So, unless we start getting hammered over the next few weeks, you might only have hope for a few weeks in March, because this thin base will not deal well with Spring.

I know Benny is kind of a naysayer, so I searched back for the last time he declared a season to be on life support this late into January.

The results were.... Not encouraging:

Benny Profane wrote

I know it's early, but, I am now proclaiming this to be the worst season in memory. Rain coming in tomorrow with a flash freeze afterwards that makes driving up to an ice rink very unappealing, and high pressure settling in out west after the only big storm in weeks. I was told by my friends last week that I was "lucky" conditions were so good at Killington last week. sheesh.
If you watch CNBC or Bloomberg, try to avoid salivating at the enormous amount of snow in the background at Davos right now. Wish I was one of the non working 1% who could just jet off to the Alps right now........

From: https://forum.nyskiblog.com/Worst-season-ever-tp3690466.html

If it rains/mixed this weekend, that would be 4 of the last 5 weekends. This pattern sucks. If this pattern was rain/mixed every Tues/Wed at least I would be skiing in the sun on the weekends.

I just spent two days at Killington and one at Sugarbush. I had fun, learned quick to embrace the speed groomers, and they had the entire length of Superstar blowing with big whales and no icy guns, which was much fun. Most natural needs sun. But I was shocked a few times at the simple lack of snow, or low base. I looked down at a few spots and said, damn, never saw those steps before or that bush.
It's simple math. Only so many weeks left to winter, and now they're talking rain again this weekend. But, you know, it's going to hammer on 2/4, because Benny will be in Utah.

for a weekend warrior that isn't going out west..this is the worst season in memory..

0/10. Back injuries suck. Haven't felt too bad sitting it out so far though given the weather, but definitely jealous of a few days I missed out on. I did ski 1 day for a few hours and the pain was enough to convince me I need to heal more before trying it again.

Steroid injection Wednesday. Hoping it works and to be out again two weeks after for Pres Weekend and hit it hard the rest of the season to make up for lost time (but not too hard to reinjure my back...). I've held off putting in an insurance claim on my IKON pass in the hopes I get some use out of it for the 2nd half of winter. Next couple weeks will determine if I have a season, or if it's completely lost.

Bleak !

Started off great, with snow and cold in November and December. The month from 12/25 to 1/25 has been disappointing, with every good snowfall followed up by a gully washer rain... like today. We start to believe that glade skiing is possible, only to watch natural snow cover get washed away. If it weren't for our great snow maker team, we'd have closed on more than a few days in the last 30.

Kleetus wrote

0/10. Back injuries suck.

Best wishes man.  I suffer from back problems too, I know the pain.   Also the Kores are great, you were spot in

I'm still giving this season a decent grade, maybe a 7. I missed that big weekend a few weeks ago, but scored again this past week. Lots of warm air in the forecast, but if spring cooperates, could be good.

MC2 5678F589 wrote

Maybe a 4. Like 20 days in so far. A couple of good ones. Fun lessons.

I need:
1. More pow
2. More trees
3. More BC
4. More aprés shenanigans

Hoping the season improves here in the East, but I have trips to Tahoe (March) & Breck (April) planned, so I'm pretty confident in saying that the season will get better from here.

It has gone from a 4 to a 5.5

But things don't look promising for the rest of the year (unless California & Colorado cool down significantly and get some snow).

So far I'd say it's about a 5 as well, the middle season was pretty bad. The late season has been good but not as good as previous and has not made up for the middle yet. Going back to Utah soon - if I get some off the hook powder days like I did last year then that will raise the number. So far it looks like we will have a snowy week.

PeeTex wrote

off the hook powder days ... will raise the number

I think this is an immutable law of nature.

Worst in recent times