The Worst Day Since Yesterday

Some people think that the only difference between a good day and a bad day is attitude.

Some skiers think skiing in the worse conditions is better than not skiing at all.

Will you ski in frigid temps, high winds, rain, on ice, bare spots and rocks all over, extremely crowded conditions?

If you show up and the upper mountain is on wind hold and you only have lower blandish terrain open will you pack it in or ski what you can?

If it thaws by day, then freezes by night will you ski boiler plate the next morning?

Will you ski anywhere at any time in any conditions or do you have limits?

If you have limits tell us what they are.

What is the worse condition day you ever skied in?

By the sounds of it, you're a Whiteface skier!  (Kidding, kidding...sort of.)

For me, it's all dependent on the snow itself. Boilerplate ice is only fun for so long. I am not a fan of sugar/sand snow resulting from grooming after rain/fog.

Otherwise, for me, skiing > not skiing.

Frigid temps, high winds, rain, ice - yes!  Able to dress for those, however the bare spots/rocks not so much.  Nor the crowds.

Thinking of days I quit early, were due to being overcrowed with lack of terrian.  Did take one run at Gore and called it a morning the day of the flying rocks last year, but that was due to bare terrian, and the crowds due to limited capacity, not primarily the wind.  Heck, wind and ice,  kinda pre-April normal day at our tallest mountian up North!

Speaking of that mountain, if only the Bear lift is running, will head to town instead.  Will ski boilerplate, keeps the crowds down and a chance to bring out the tuned GS skis.

Worse conditions were above, rocks coming at us sideways and pushing the lighter skis uphill on Ruby.  Hit Mammoth with winds gusting to 70 mph on top,  due the ridge their Gondi still run and while certainly an experiece, did mulitple laps just tightened the goggles.

Bottom line - weather extremes (cold, hot, wind, rain) keep at it.  Crowds, bare and/or limited terrian,  not worth an accident/injury/damage to equipment

Depends.

I've skied in the rain before. MRG closing weekend with good company and good terrain. It was actually kinda fun. Once you are already soaked, you are soaked. As long as there is good terrain and good company, I'm pretty much game for anything.

When the terrain is lacking and I am by myself, I am a lot more picky. I don't even bother going if it just rain/froze and the mountains are intermediate ice groomers only. I have better things to do than ski icy groomers after a rain freeze (early season excepted). Some might call that attitude. I call it making better use of my time. Not an attitude problem... just a different approach to how I enjoy skiing. A good day at the office is better than a terrible day on the slopes.

If the lifts stop and the snow is good, I hike. If there is thin cover, I smile and go for it. If it is cold and windy... I don't care... it's skiing and it's winter. I have no stomach for horrid conditions and bland terrain, though, especially when solo.

I think it depends on the situation.

If I'm skiing at Whiteface, which is where I ski every weekend, I might be a little more likely to call it quits when things aren't too great. If, on the other hand, I've traveled somewhere else, then I'll put up with pretty much anything.

I rarely let weather alone dictate. I've skied on some absolutely frigid days, with ridiculous wind-chills. If the conditions are good, and even if they're not, I'll just go in to warm up when needed, and then come back out. Skiing in the rain doesn't necessarily bother me either, to a point. I've had some of my most memorable days skiing in a little light rain, where everything's nice and soft and you just don't even notice the rain. On those kinds of days, I don't usually go "bell to bell", but I'll usually go until I can't possibly bear it any more.

Same for conditions ... even when conditions aren't too good, I'll still stay out, trying to find the one or two spots that are decent. You can usually find something, somewhere.

The biggest problem for me would be long lift lines (read that as 30 minutes or longer). When it gets like that, I generally pack it in.

I think the worst day I ever skied was at Gore in the early 90s.  I wasn't really a skier and I didn't really even realize how bad it was.  Surface was a combo of rock hard frozen mud and ice.  I was on rented alpine gear and I just could not stop or even turn.  It was bone jarring.

Of the 35 days I skied last season, I'd only consider one day not great, and it was decent.

The only way the cold or wind will stop me is if I am concerned about doing some permanent damage from frostbite. One advantage of telemarking is that your feet are getting exercise, and in general the boots have lots of toe room and are very warm.

I'd rather ski in the rain then spend a perfect sunny day on the beach.

Bare spots or thin cover? Hey I'm a Gore tree skier. That's our business.

Had a great day on all natural, but thin cover at Whiteface last December:


Danzilla on Wilderness


Highpeaksdrifter under the Bear Lift

Boiler plate is the only real issue for me - and that's a disadvantage on teles. Skiing on hard surfaces is tough on your knees with free heels. But it's rarely an issue, if you can stick to sides it seems there's always something loose.

Skiing in the rain is such a bummer, yeah the conditions are usually good, but rain is so depressing..

In my book nothing sucks more than a crowded icy day.

I will ski boilerplate and I will ski cold and wind too.  The one thing that sends me home early are the days when it is crazy crowded and I feel like I might get killed. On the big holidays, Presidents, New Years I will go out super early and wrap it up by 10-11 am when the mountain is so packed that I feel like I am going to get run over.  I do not love the rain and sometimes that can send me home early.  On truly arctic days I just take some extra breaks to warm up.

Rain is fine with me - many times when its raining you get that hero snow and the key is to having good pants and gloves - it your butt and hands stay dry you can go all day.

Really cold is also not an issue - dress right and go inside as needed to warm up.

Really marginal conditions like ground sugar over boiler plate many my acl repaired leg not want to risk it but I will still usaully stick it out for 10k of vert before packing it in.  Wind holds are also tough - it its only bear lift and below its time to think about drinking beer.

So far I haven't let any of the conditions listed here stop me once I get to the mountain.  I have cut days short, spent more time in the lodge, etc on less than ideal days but if I have the opportunity to ski I will give it a go.

I used to live in NYC and we had to travel at least 2 1/2 to 3 hrs just to get to Hunter or Windham so after spending so much time on the road I would ski the whole day no matter what.  Back then I went on a bunch of overnight bus trips and a couple of times the group didn't ski because of rain or whatever and I'd be furious (if there weren't enough people skiing the bus wouldn't go to the mountain).

Now with plenty of good skiing within a short drive I can be a lot pickier but so far I haven't been. I'll still go if I've got the opportunity.  I figure if I reach the point that I'm skiing so much that I start turning down ski days then life must be pretty good!

I'm in with you guys. Any day on skis is a great day, though some are better than others. The sketchy ones can make for good trip reports.

It doesn't work this way for everyone tough. I will never forget one crowded, cold, icy day at Jay (yes, Harv, there are icy days at Jay). We were skiing fast through the crowds on our way to lunch. On Angel's Wiggle, a notorious ice sheet, I skied by a poor woman desperately trying to snowplow down the angled skating rink littered with fallen bodies. She was yelling at her boyfriend: "Get me the F&%# off this mountain!!!!!"

I’ve skied in a lot of bad conditions, but I hate heavy rain the worse.

A few of the Alpine Zone boys [b]Greg, Bivert, Jim G. where going to Gore for the first time and asked me if I wanted to go. It was a mid week day, the snow had been great when they planned it and I said sure.

The day before we were going it got warm and soft, that night there was a hard freeze and the forecast was for cold and high winds. They said they still wanted to go so I said ok. When we got there it was brutal…cold, windy and boiler plate everywhere…the gromers made it sheets of ice with death cookies. To make it worse the power kept going on and off so there was a lot of lift stoppage.

We skied down to the Top Ridge chair and the power was out. Greg and I are waiting for about 15 minutes and no Bievert or Jim G. When they get to us Bievert is bleeding from the mouth all over his jacket and his lip and face are swollen. He hit a death cookie and went face first on the ice. The lift isn’t running so we’re stuck there. Ski patrol came down to us to try to help him out. When the lift started running again we got him up to the patrol shack and they cleaned him up as best they could. He kept skiing with us the rest of the day.

At the end of the day we’re having a beer and those guys said they were glad they made the 3 ½ hour trip to Gore cause at least they got to see it. When they started home the forecasted snow storm started that dumped 18 inches on Gore and they never got to ski a flake of it. It took them 5 ½ hours to drive home in it.

Not a big fan of rain but I've done it and had a good time.
Crappy condition really don't matter as long as it fun. Yes you can have fun on the bunny slope!
I just love being out there.  makes you feel alive. What else can you do in the winter? Sit on a lake and fish, Not. snowmobile? I don't have 100 bucks for gas.  Skiing. I'm all in.

Worst day on the slopes was at Stratton. -40 wind chill and boilerplate. It sucked. But we stayed cuz we paid for it!

It all depends on the day.  Long Lift lines turn me away more than bad conditions.  there was that day at Gore when I would not  wait on the gondo(Gondo and Sunway Chairs passed each other) line but went to little Gore and made it over to the bottom of Sagamore for a run through crust, down Tahawus and up top to an empty summit...totally worth the hour + to get there.  Then there was the day that my daughters and I went to Mad River and the single line was way way beyond the corral...With 48" there was nothing but smiles (and snorkels)! But if I am there, snow shoes or just plain hiking can make a great day after a couple of runs off the sunway chair, if that is all there is...or head to North Creek for some good food and drink

Barespots, even big ones, are challenges...I think trees, rocks etc...and enjoy them, mud or not.  

Ice--I practice my ice techniques.

Crowds...hike the Tpark and jump.

So the worst I can go is rain....skiing mostly in Southern PA, we get lots of it, and ensuing ice.    One night I was by myself in the rain...drizzle, then heavy showers.     Still blasting moguls in hero snow as another poster noted.    Mind you, its 8:30pm.    They are keeping this mountain open for me?   Then while riding the lift the lightning came in.   They stop the lift and I sit in heavy rain for 25 minutes with lightning all around me.   I was once warm doing mogul laps, now freezing.   The lift started back at 9pm with ensuing drizzle.    A smart me would have decend the hill and went to the bar.   But "one more run" was internally repeated until the mountain officially closed at 9:50p.   Wet to the core.

I recommend for rain skiers... http://www.snowshack.com/detail/SNW+HB-01257+JR  Velco wraps around your waist and thighs external to your ski pants.   The layer of rubber keeps you warmer and a "bit" dryer.   This photo shows it worn internal. Guess you could wear it that way too.    

If I got to ski more by myself, I might be pickier about weather or conditions.  But for now, I will take what I can get and love every minute.  

I'm fine with the frigid temps, high winds, and rain.  Especially if I'm up at Gore only for the weekend and drove 4 1/2 hours each way for the privilege.  I just take extra breaks.  At least this year we'll have a new Tannery Pub to dry off in. I really hope purchasing more seats is in the budget.  

When it's icy, that's an entirely different matter.  I remember being on Upper Wilderness at Whiteface with my then 8 year old son a couple of years back.  Conditions in general were sketchy.  We asked a group of guys well above the trail if they had been down it and how the conditions were.  I didn't want to commit to the trail unless it was safe.  They said the cover was good, and the very top did have some cover. But, it quickly gave way to a solid edge to edge sheet of ice.  My son went down immediately and ended up stopping safely just off the side of the trail in the woods.  We ended up hiking down through the woods to the midway station, took a break, and then skied down to the base to call it a day.  Nope, not a fan of ice.

     As a result of being picky and not putting in nearly the number of days on the slopes as some of you, I tend to avoid the worst days of the season.  I watch the weather models carefully so you will never see me skiing right after a major freeze-thaw event.  I also avoid days where wind holds eliminate access to expert terrain.  I'll add holiday weekends at Hunter to that list of days to avoid...

     My worst day of last season was an impromptu trip to Hunter.  A storm was forecast to hit the Catskills, and I was jonesing to ski.  My only option for getting up there was to take a ski bus to Hunter.  My mistake was to underestimate holiday weekend crowds at Hunter.  The lines were enormous.  To make matters worse, mixed precip had crusted over any fresh snow that fell ruining any chance of a powder day.
     The first few runs on Hunter West were awful.  Edge-to-edge boilerplate...  crusted snow on top of boiler plate.  I considered calling it a day, but then I had a somewhat decent run down the front side.  As the crusted snow got skied in, the bumps on Crossover and K-27 became a delight.  I even managed to evade some of the crowds.   It still ended up being my worst day of the season, but I was proud that I worked the hill and made the best of the situation.

CMR wrote

 We asked a group of guys well above the trail if they had been down it and how the conditions were.  I didn't want to commit to the trail unless it was safe.  They said the cover was good, and the very top did have some cover. But, it quickly gave way to a solid edge to edge sheet of ice.  

Bozo bravado. Many people nowadays are so insecure that they can't be honest even with simple things. Afraid to tell you it's icy, cause they worry they may look " non expert ".

Good thing your son was not seriously hurt. He easily could have been.

I think that in my lifetime, I have skied in every possible adverse condition.   When I lived in Ohio (that should tell you something right there), I ran a ski club for kids 9-18.  We rented a big tour bus and took 45 kids and staff to the Boynes or Gore or Blue Mountain (Ontario) or Holiday Valley.  I skied in pouring rain wearing a poncho.  I skied in blizzards.  Boilerplate.  Minimal coverage.  Everything.

These days, I won't drive if it's raining, but if I am there, I will ski when it is raining.  Ice is ice and the Northeast is the Northeast.  Doesn't stop me.  I have skied Okemo during Christmas, but I won't do that again.  I skied Gore the day the day the lift line went over to the Sunway Chair.  We all know where to ski at Gore to avoid the big crowds.

The Worse.Ski.Day.Ever. was at Mt. Tremblant.  I was skiing with friends on the backside.  It was snowing and the place was deserted.  When we went back to the top, we discovered they had closed the mountain for wind/rain/ice and they were making everyone ski down. Lifts were closed due to wind.  The boilerplate was worse than anything that I have ever seen.  The rain was hitting the boilerplate surface and freezing.  A Zamboni could not have made the ice any smoother.  There was no way to set an edge.  Even the Ski Patrol was in a snowplow trying to have some degree of control.  People were falling and sliding on their backs with legs and arms flailing like bugs trying to turn over. It was a dark and gray afternoon.    The base lodges lost power from the ice storm.  No beer, no food, no fun at all.

A bad day of skiing is still better than a good day at work!

I will add that getting caught in the rain while skiing isn't the best, the skiing can be fun.  But it is real hard to start the day out in the rain.