Ski2Live Live2Ski

I had a nice bike ride

So nowhere day trippable actually opened today. Hunter has reconfirmed opening for tomorrow. Belleayre, Windham and Plattekill still say they will, but have not updated sited yet today, so I am taking it with a grain of salt.

Yes I am one of the chosen people. But I will not be choosing to drive to Killington or further for what they have to offer on Xmas. Might consider going back to Catskills on Sat or Sun. Also hoping to find a day trippable place to ski with kids on either the 30th or the 3rd.

Xmas is usually one of my fav days to ski as lines are non-existent and usually somewhere is offering a deal. Unfortunately this year something else is non-existent.

Every year I ski on Xmas day, but I am afraid this year it will be water skiing.

Interesting, I checked and Google has Mt. Snow being slightly closer (Okemo is farther). Of course in general I would rather spend more time driving North than East, and the crowds tend to be lighter at Gore. But this season is really resort specific judging which has the least crap conditions. Suspect with the way things are looking, nowhere will be worth hitting on Xmas. Maybe hit something Sat or Sun depending on what things look like, when there will at least potentially be closer options.

With Belleayre now saying they reopen on the 26th, I think the closest Xmas option is Gore.

I don't give much weight to a forecast more than 5 days in advance.

On FB Blue posted they are closed for rest of 2015

I would never pull out phone on lift. Too worried about dropping it.

Bright side is with Elk's 100 day guarantee this means they will be going into April if they can

12/25 Belleayre 12/26 Hunter Windham Plattekill (school hill and tubing only at first) And add Shawnee to list opening today 12/21 (but school hill only) Add more to thread as announced

Sorry, not really my thing, would rather focus on the skiing and leave my phone protected in a pocket, and don't know how to post them here anyway. Just providing info. If you want a pic of Belleayre yesterday there is a review with a photo at onthesnow.com

So did Blue basically get played by CB here?

No crowd. Rode lift solo more often than not. And 3/4 of people got off lift at mid station so steep stuff up top was the least crowded. Remarkable so few people were there on a weekend with this being the only skiing south of Gore or VT.

Sorry no pix. The trail they had open was full width soft cover no ice, slush or bare spots, until parts of it got fairly scraped by 230, at which point I left. No lines. 18 runs. Top half was steep enough to make me gulp a bit, and bottom half still fun too. No bumps. Not making snow on open trail, focusing that on lower half of Mt so they can get some stuff open for novices too. As great a day as I could have on one trail of manmade with 800' vertical. There had been half an inch of so of natural snow too so everything surrounding still had a bit if frosting on it.

Loading the car

Belleayre also offering a deal where if you buy a ticket now for any day from 21st through Jan 2 and you get a voucher to come back free any non holiday day.

Yest they are trying. And offering $25 tix if they do

Blue rising to challenge saying they may also open Monday for sneak preview

I actually think opening Monday is a sort of silly idea. Save the snow in whales to minimize melting and groom it out for the 26th when you will get crowds. There will not be many people out there this Monday. I figure CB is doing Monday to get noticed as open so folks book hotel rooms for Xmas week.

Belleayre confirms 800 feet blacl and double black vertical of Onteora for weekend. 29 degrees now with low tonight of 16 and staying in teens or 20s all weekend and may get a little snow. Expect I will check it out on Sunday. $40 flex tix for Sunday available via Potter Bros. Think I may go Sunday. Should be pretty good.

Probably hit it the 25th unless I find something better for that day. Love the lack of crowds skiing xmas. May do Belleayre this Sunday. See what they will have ooen.

Length of season counts. CB was open later in Spring and is opening earlier in Winter. I am not a pass holder so I have no dog in this race. I ski the best place on any given day.

If they succeed while Blue putters around another month they could grab firm hold of #1. Looking at CB mountain cams reveals they are counting some unhatched chickens though