Reflections on this season

[billyt.]

Here on the east coast we experienced a normal winter.  The old farmers almanac’s prediction for snowfall was accurate.  We did not have the freeze thaw cycles from years past, with plenty of natural snow that is always welcome.  Some decent powder days early this season, and February being most consistent with weekly accumulations of 3-5 inches.

usually ride mid week alone and work on form , but with everyone working remotely, I had my wingmen. 

Mt Snow’s first year as a Vail resorts mountain, and they seemed to pull it off.  Booting up at the car was a bit of a pain and also making reservation for entering lodges, but we got used to it.  Do miss the Apre vibe at the bar, and the hot tub being closed was probably the worst part of all!  Hope you all enjoyed your winter.

[Jack M]

Sugarloaf received 73" of snow for the season after the total reset washout on Christmas.  Normal snow years are 100" more than that.  There was a great 6 week stretch after the big snowstorm on January 16 where we had no rain, no thaw, and a few inches here and there.  Also an 18" dump on February 2-3.  It was great for carving, but it still wasn't enough to make the woods really safe.  Then there was a thaw and freeze.  March saw 3" of snow and the carving never fully recovered.  So for me it was a crappy season with a really awesome 6 week mini-season in the middle.

I know I'm lucky to have been able to ride at all.

[lowrider]

Glad it's behind me never want to look back on this past season ever !

[barryj]

Well it ain't over just yet here in NH!  Most local mtns. aren't  closing until this Sunday so  I'm gonna get one more mid week day in tomorrow!

but I can say the Thirst SF162 Is a Freaking Slush Destroyer!!

End of season update to follow..........

 

[Corey]

Two days on the snow for me. Regulations kept the ski areas running at partial capacity, so tickets were sold out weeks in advance. I took vacation to be able to ride the days I did. 

They were fun days with decent snow on the three runs that were open, and traffic was light. 

Looking forward to the 2022 season! 

[daveo]

19/20 season: didn't happen due to knee injury.

20/21 season: didn't happen due to travel restrictions.

Anyone who got a single run in for the past 2 seasons is doing better than me 

[Neil Gendzwill]

I looked longingly at my boards from time to time.  

[workshop7]

I pushed off my and my family's Ikon passes for this year.  Turns out I got in eight days before getting injured (you just paid as we went).  My season ended early but I got in more days than I thought I would.  The wife and kids got in 13-14 days.  I'm ok with that, especially know that next years Ikon is paid for.

[johnasmo]

111 days lift assisted.  22 days skinning.  And it's not over yet.
Go West, young man.  Really.

[lonbordin]

~30 days at the local bump.

Out here at Vail co. picking up some bonus days with my son.

I'm immunized but he's not yet so the weird solitary masked season continues.

I've never considered LASIK or the like as strongly as I have this season.

I'm thankful for this forum. I've lost family due to the pandemic. It's been awful.

I would've lost my mind this winter without boarding.

Mahalo.

 

[1xsculler]

About 45 days at Crystal and 8 days at Jackson and I’m not complaining about a single one of them. My Crystal days begin at 8:45 and I’m in my car heading home by 11:00 mainly because I don’t want to get hit by a straight liner when the slopes become crowded. 
I learned a lot and neither me nor any of my friends or family suffered from C-19 so I guess I’d have to say that I am one very lucky guy so far. 
I feel that I actually graduated from a consistent slaver to a legitimate carver and on slightly steeper pitches than I could carve on even three weeks ago. After hot lapping for 7 to 8 runs, after which my quads burn out, I revert to slarving and I go home. I would say that I really had only one day, about ten days ago, at Crystal when I was a descent carver.
I could link up nearly perfect pencil lines for as long as I wanted to on Eagles Rest in Jackson but the slope was gentle enough so speed control didn’t enter the picture. That proved to me that true carving was in me but it didn’t really count as it was a no brained and not challenging in the least.  
I am running out of Bdays, however!

[BlueB]

Season is still on, but will be about 60 days when all said and done. Ususal mixed bag of conditions at Cypress, but overall an OK to good snow season. Mountain did well, no C transmissions recorded. 

I had 2 snow trips (education/work), to Sun Peaks and currently at Lake Louise/Banff. 

Some last year's injuries still bother me and I had some new ones this year. A fractured (probably) rib bothered me for about 5 weeks. Still managed to ride through most of it... I feel that I'm definitely over the hill, physically. Yet, I'm still improving... in versatility... or at least I'd like to believe so. 

My immediate family stayed healthy. Both my and my wife's extended families, in Europe, had about 50% infection rate. Everyone survived, thankfully... 

[Kneel]

Season started with a 3ft dump in mid December then in typical fashion rained/froze every weekend through the new year. From King's Day(Jan. 18th) to mid February was some of the best conditions we've seen in the northeast for a LONG time.  After that, spring came early. No snow, 50's and sunny, just wiped out the spectacular base.  Really a wacky season.  Rode just about every weekday at Stratton for that month stretch with little to no crowds, till you had to hide on the weekends from the throngs of NY/NJ license plates.  Steamboat in March, back to the front range in a week to close out the season. Honestly, I didn't think there would even be a "season".  Consider myself pretty blessed especially after hearing what our brothers to the north went through with closures...

On 4/7/2021 at 12:31 PM, Jack M said:

Sugarloaf received 73" of snow for the season after the total reset washout on Christmas.  Normal snow years are 100" more than that.  There was a great 6 week stretch after the big snowstorm on January 16 where we had no rain, no thaw, and a few inches here and there.  Also an 18" dump on February 2-3.  It was great for carving, but it still wasn't enough to make the woods really safe.  Then there was a thaw and freeze.  March saw 3" of snow and the carving never fully recovered.  So for me it was a crappy season with a really awesome 6 week mini-season in the middle.

I know I'm lucky to have been able to ride at all.

 

Didn't they turn the guns back on at The Loaf last week?  That's pretty awesome if they did...

[barryj]

Let's see.... probably average of 3 days a week for 5 months puts me at 60 days+++

Feel very blessed for every day I had!   

Thank You Mark Miller For Making A Crappy Season A Hoot - Loved Every Minute On The SF162!! 

Even More Blessed I Made It Through The Entire Season With ZERO Injuries!!   Thank Ya Baby Jesus!

I have no complaints but already thinking about next year and how it should be a Big improvement for everybody and their riding!   I'll be back at Squaw and looking forward to a Looong winter season with riding easily through May!    

Stay safe and healthy Brothers and Sisters!

Edited April 8, 2021 by barryj

[Aracan]

Not too bad a season, especially considering that it didn't kick off until January for lack of snow. Went out about 25 times, I believe, many of them very nice days. It looks perfectly wintery now here (we had a few days of snowfall until the day before yesterday), but the gondola closed after Easter, and my season ended on Thursday before, due to Covid.

[QQAC]

Got out on the alpine board just 2 days:  a few ugly runs on the first day of the season, and a half day of respectable trenching on the last day of the season on frozen granular giving way to corn in the afternoon.  In between was a handful of days on skis teaching my 4 y.o.  Not much of a season, but happy I got the chance to try out my new Deeluxe Track 425 boots and TD3 step ins.

[davekempmeister]

 

. first day was in November, last day in April.

. 55 days, 3 of which were particularly all-time/amazing (1 pow day at Snowbird and 2 hero cord days here in the mid-atlantic).  rode in the rain a lot because my daughter will ski in any weather - it's good for me, she says.

. watched my daughter's skiing progress, exponentially.

. scored a new pair of Atomic Redster SL skis for my kid at a price that had to have been a mistake.  still makes no sense.

. I broke 1 rib. I broke 3 boards (2 because of very heavy, wet snow).  i think i would have preferred to break 3 ribs and 1 board.  all very painful, just the same.

. saw Sunapee for the first time - I am a fan.  Great vibe there.  met Kildy at Sunapee and saw his latest Frankenstein project, under his feet.  that guy has a battery, for sure.  wonder how his brain ever goes to sleep.

 

 

 

 

[Allee]

Five days. I just wasn't feeling the covid restrictions, the lift lines, snotty icy masks and the general BS, and once we got an early spring and the motorcycles came out I was happy to pack it in.

Next year.

[Jack M]

On 4/8/2021 at 1:22 PM, Kneel said:

Didn't they turn the guns back on at The Loaf last week?  That's pretty awesome if they did.

They did, on a couple trails, to be able to meet their guaranteed 150 day season.  They're done grooming though.  They will need to make it to April 24th to fulfill the guarantee.  I'd be surprised if they made such a guarantee next year.

[dhamann]

Sugarloaf rules. Best day every day. Every other hill is just training. Last day is today at Loon. Late start to season for me and down probably twenty+ days. Just gotta make em all worth it. Til next year...