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Ski Weather How To Avoid The Worst Of It
hree days of sleet pellets obvious, but because of our
bouncing off boilerplate skier's ever optimistic hearts,
and a wet wind that renders is almost always ignored. So
Goretex useless ... herein lies listen up.
no joy. And worse yet, if you're
holed up at the Chateau Whistler November
shelling out hundreds a night, Visit the coastal ranges. As of
you're doubly irate and ready to November 14, 2005 Mount Baker had
give the whole ski industry a a 7 foot base. A little wet
swift kick in its over-priced, maybe, but who cares about a dose
padded rear-end. of Sierra Cement when
thanksgiving is still two weeks
So, what's the lesson? Stay away away. Avoid the east...
from the Chateau Whistler? Well Tremblant's mountain-cams showed
... apart from the obvious; let absolutely zero (nada) snow for
me state the obvious. Whistler's the same date in spite of their
poorly kept secret is that, promises of an early opening.
regardless of the time of year,
skiers stand a better than December / Christmas
average chance of encountering Season
gray clouds, snow like cement and It's god awful dank and dark in
an evil penetrating dampness. the coastal ranges this time of
Likewise, no-one should be year, and the joy of just being
surprised when their mid January in the mountains again has worn
Laurentian ski sojourn turns into off. By Christmas, the snow pack
an exercise in frost-bite in the Rockies should have filled
avoidance. in and its a whole lot drier at
10,000 feet than it is at 3,500.
The following advice is designed Any interior range is your best
to slap you with what should be bet. Keep avoiding the east, the
snow guns will be blasting you in most filled in (you can finally
the face, and its bound to be ski those vaunted glades the
gray, icy and frigid. marketing guys keep throwing at
you in their brochures), and the
January / February days have stretched out to light
Has anyone truly, honestly liked your way home from the bar. The
skiing in the middle of winter. Rockies still have light dry
There is no sun, the east and powder and will be as filled in
interior ranges are frigid, the as they're going to get. As for
coastal ranges are dark and the Coastal Ranges, if you get a
gloomy. That said, if you're good week you'll be in heaven ...
going to ski (and who isn't?) top to bottom skiing, massive
take your pick between light or snow pack, and as much sun as you
temperature ... Southern can expect anytime of year.
Colorado, the Monashees, and
Eastern Rockies have more hours Late March
of sun per day than elsewhere, It's a shame, but on many Eastern
the coastal ranges are warmer, mountains the snow pack has
and the east is ... well, the deteriorated to the degree that
east is still afflicted with anything interesting is either so
bullet proof snow and windswept bony a rider is risking life and
runs. limb, or its simply closed. There
is lots of light however, and the
March sun is still putting in an extra
You're in business everywhere ... effort without degrading the
this is the time of year skiing surface too much. The Rockies and
is at its best almost everywhere Coastal ranges are still in top
... In the east, the sun will form.
actually bless you with some
warmth, the snow pack is at its Spring
Tuckerman, Tuckerman, Tuckerman
... here's where eastern riders Late Spring / Summer
get to shove it in the face of Back to the coastal range, my
all those Western hotshots ... friends ... core skiers will
there are core lines here that still recall the year Mount Baker
have more history than any other was open until the July 4th long
on the continent, and by April weekend. Blackcomb Glacier and
enough snow has blown over the Mount Hood offer lift serviced
top of Mount Washington to fill skiing throughout the summer.
in what's going to get filled in,
and the ski-out is still open... And that's that ... mountain
you haven't paid you're dues sports are, by their nature,
until you've paid them there. dependent upon the weather; a
great day can be had on any
That said, anyplace still open mountain at anytime of the year
with a patio, cold beer and a and likewise; a horrible day can
slush puddle will do the trick hit any mountain anytime ... no
... spring afternoons at the matter what decision is made,
bottom of a ski-hill, any it's still serendipity that
ski-hill, are what adolescent rules. Get outside.
memories are made of.
About the Author:
In addition to his lifelong interest in the outdoors recreation community, Trevor Paetkau is the proprietor of Moraine Adventure Books found at http://www.morainebookservices.com, an independent source of Adventure Travel Outdoor Recreation Resources.
Source: www.isnare.com
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