indiggio Posted May 8, 2012 Report Posted May 8, 2012 Like we didn't already know. http://blogs.denverpost.com/thebalancesheet/2012/05/07/official-201112-ski-season-worst-20-years-51-million-visits/4629/ Quote
Johnny Law Posted May 8, 2012 Report Posted May 8, 2012 There are no terrible seasons, only terrible skiers. 1 Quote
Timeless Posted May 8, 2012 Report Posted May 8, 2012 For us it didn't start until late January and what's left now is slushy crap. I think I have to agree with the original post, this has been a terrible season by the standard set in the previous 2 seasons since I moved out here. Quote
sibhusky Posted May 8, 2012 Report Posted May 8, 2012 (edited) Interesting link. We didn't do all that bad here. http://missoulian.co...19bb2963f4.html Whitefish Mountain Resort sees 4th highest number of visitors last winter By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Missoulian| Posted: Wednesday, April 25, 2012 8:30 pm | 1 Comment Font Size: Default font size Larger font size CRAIG MOORE/GlacierWorld.com Conor O’Neil of Whitefish skis off a rock at Evan’s Heaven at Whitefish Mountain Resort on a bluebird powder day. WHITEFISH – Despite postponing its scheduled opening for a full week due to a lack of snow, Whitefish Mountain Resort closed its season with 294,000 skier visits – the fourth-highest number of visitors in the resort’s history. Riley Polumbus, a spokeswoman at the resort on Big Mountain, said a sluggish start to the winter season meant fewer skier visits in December, but when the snow finally arrived in earnest, so did the skiers and boarders. The total number of winter visitors fell short of last ski season’s banner year, when the resort ushered in a record 318,222 skiers and snowboarders. The mountain has only broken 300,000 visitors twice in its history, according to data compiled by the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research. But accumulations of snow in January, February and March of 2012 were even higher than in 2011. The snow piled up to 7 feet in January, while 20 inches of snow fell on Big Mountain in one 24-hour period on Feb. 26 – the most single-day snowfall recorded in years. March had the most days of measurable snow, with 23 days of accumulation totaling 6 feet 3 inches. “The season started out a little scary, but the consistent snowfall was spectacular,” Polumbus said. “We are excited that each season has shown a growing trend and that the average number of skier visits keeps bumping up. Considering that we lost a full week because of the late opening, we can only imagine what the numbers might have looked like with a normal December.” Still, when the resort closed for the season on April 8 the summit had accumulated a total of 303 inches, more than four feet below last year, when a La Niña winter delivered 355 inches. But 294,000 visitors is a figure that sits well above the resort’s five-year average, and Polumbus attributed some of the trending growth to the affordability of lift tickets and ski vacations, as well as to local support of the mountain. Skiers can often purchase a day of skiing and a night of lodging for less than the price of a lift ticket at bigger resorts, and military personnel receive deep discounts off lift tickets. Whitefish Mountain Resort and its namesake town also received several accolades during the 2011-2012 winter season, with Ski Magazine readers ranking the resort in the Top 10 for grooming and scenery. National Geographic named Whitefish one of the world’s 25 best ski towns and then ranked its popular winter carnival one of the top 10 in the world. “We’re quite pleased with this year’s results. Despite a difficult start to the season, the snow and the skiers still came in very good numbers,” Whitefish Mountain Resort President Dan Graves said. “We’re lucky to be positioned in the northern Rockies for consistent year-in and year-out snowfall and certainly we are trending positive over the course of the past several years regarding the number of people visiting.” Read more: http://missoulian.co...l#ixzz1uIgJV94M Edited May 8, 2012 by sibhusky Quote
Timeless Posted May 8, 2012 Report Posted May 8, 2012 Interesting link. We didn't do all that bad here. from the pictures you posted, it seemed like you had a pretty decent season once it got going, much better consistent snowfall than we had. If not for a couple of big storms putting down a decent base, this season would have been a disaster, and I'm pretty sure for the resorts it was financially a disaster despite those storms. Quote
Timeless Posted May 8, 2012 Report Posted May 8, 2012 I skied Northstar in December was decent eastern conditions. I was there at thanksgiving and it was "decent eastern conditions" on a few runs, we read your reports from back then so we know how much you enjoyed it... FWIW you could probably go to squaw this coming weekend and get "decent eastern spring conditions" for a couple of hours in the morning on a handful of pretty decent runs. Not worth the travel though and not what you come to expect. Spoiled I guess.... BTW, I just renewed my families season passes for next year ($469 for squaw and alpine combined with christmas and MLK/pres. day blackout but discount tickets) so next season will probably be jinxed too. Anyone planning a vacation here should not expect good conditions, the first two years were epic snow years (no passes) last year we buy passes and the snow doesn't come. 1 Quote
zzslope Posted May 9, 2012 Report Posted May 9, 2012 With the exception of a couple of iffy days, it was a good year at blue. The only thing they didn't open were the two tree trails. Quote
AtomicSkier Posted May 9, 2012 Report Posted May 9, 2012 horrible season? 80" in 8 days in Jackson and awesome spring skiing while getting a tan in Aspen. And...in PA, you take the good with the bad. Not great conditions but absolutely no crowds this year. I'd say it was an average season for PA. 1 Quote
Ride Delaware ? Posted May 9, 2012 Report Posted May 9, 2012 And...in PA, you take the good with the bad. Not great conditions but absolutely no crowds this year. I'd say it was an average season for PA. No crowds? Awesome!!! No crowds and an average season? Doesn't sound average at all lol Quote
GSSucks Posted May 9, 2012 Report Posted May 9, 2012 I was there at thanksgiving and it was "decent eastern conditions" on a few runs, we read your reports from back then so we know how much you enjoyed it... FWIW you could probably go to squaw this coming weekend and get "decent eastern spring conditions" for a couple of hours in the morning on a handful of pretty decent runs. Not worth the travel though and not what you come to expect. Spoiled I guess.... BTW, I just renewed my families season passes for next year ($469 for squaw and alpine combined with christmas and MLK/pres. day blackout but discount tickets) so next season will probably be jinxed too. Anyone planning a vacation here should not expect good conditions, the first two years were epic snow years (no passes) last year we buy passes and the snow doesn't come. Im hoping to hit Squaw again next year, please dont junx it again.... Quote
Ride Delaware ? Posted May 9, 2012 Report Posted May 9, 2012 I think we in PA were spoiled by the previous two snowy season. Were they really that snowy? I feel like there is a misconception that they were snowy... If I remember correctly, most of the snow passed Blue and went north... I say this, but I don't have the snowfall totals in front of me... They very well may be average... Quote
AtomicSkier Posted May 9, 2012 Report Posted May 9, 2012 Were they really that snowy? I feel like there is a misconception that they were snowy... If I remember correctly, most of the snow passed Blue and went north... I say this, but I don't have the snowfall totals in front of me... They very well may be average... you mean south....philly and Jerz got all the snow. Blue got shafted every time. Quote
Ride Delaware ? Posted May 9, 2012 Report Posted May 9, 2012 20" for the SEASON???? I think he meant a snowfall that totaled 20", not 20" total for the season... I would like to see those numbers and when they fell... I remember very few big storms, and even fewer storms of any significance that were totally snow... It seems like most of the storms end in rain or ice... Also Jeff, I know there were several that went south, but I remember several clippers, including that one that dropped 15" or so on CB one or two years ago that went north... I wasn't counting the ones that hit the big cities and completely missed the mountains... Quote
RootDKJ Posted May 9, 2012 Report Posted May 9, 2012 Was there a ski season? I got drunk in December and sobered up in mid-march and don't remember any snow. 3 Quote
Ride Delaware ? Posted May 9, 2012 Report Posted May 9, 2012 Ride Deleware you are just arguing for arguments sake. U were not in the poke N Hoes skiing deep powder in 2009-10 and 2010-11... Im not trying to argue at all, I just like to have the facts straight, and I don't think they are, deep powder or not... Quote
NazarethSkier Posted May 9, 2012 Report Posted May 9, 2012 Forget this past year...next ski season is just around the corner. JADIP 4 Quote
sibhusky Posted May 9, 2012 Report Posted May 9, 2012 (edited) Video from the end of the season here. It's best to go TO Vimeo for this. Edited May 9, 2012 by sibhusky Quote
Ride Delaware ? Posted May 10, 2012 Report Posted May 10, 2012 With Stowe at 211" and the Bush at 161", we can only hope for a return to the average next year... Both resorts were more than 100" off... I think Stowe counted the upslope storm after they closed whereas Sugarbush did not, so those numbers may be even worse than they appear... I didn't check Killington, SR, or SL, but they were all in the 100" less than average department... It will get better next year... Can't get much worse... Quote
Ride Delaware ? Posted May 10, 2012 Report Posted May 10, 2012 Next season could be a lot worse if it's not cold enough for snowmaking but as Johnny Law says anything before new years is Bonus. In PA, maybe it is a bonus... In NE, it better be before then... I'm supposed to start work again Dec 1... If its a good year they could be pushing 30 trails... If its like last year, they were snirt skiing on 12 trails... Id love to move up and get some riding in before work starts... Quote
jordan Posted May 10, 2012 Report Posted May 10, 2012 (edited) despite an utterly horendous season here in colorado, I think there is still a good 3 weeks to a month left in the ski season here..despite A-Basin's lousy decision to close early. I don't really ski lift served this time of year anyway. skied the leftmost line that goes off of Atlantic Peak, a centennial 13er (one of the hundred highest peaks in CO) on sunday: here is a closeup of the line: This one is almost melted out, but many other snowfields are still pretty FAT, surprisingly. Its amazing what the wind can do with just a little snow to create a fairly deep snowpack on certain (eastern) aspects Edited May 10, 2012 by jordan 1 Quote
jordan Posted May 10, 2012 Report Posted May 10, 2012 More perspective Berthoud pass summit MAY 21st, 2011 And APRIL 28th, 2012 1 Quote
guitar73 Posted May 11, 2012 Report Posted May 11, 2012 for a "crappy" season, i've skiied the most in a single season than i ever have. can't wait til next seaon 2 Quote
JFskiDan Posted May 11, 2012 Report Posted May 11, 2012 it kinda sucks that one of my two powder days in PA, the lifts were not even spinning for. it was pretty dissapointing to have more snow in october, than maybe we did all season. weather wise this year was drastically different than the pervious 4. Utah did not dissapoint. Right now i would take the worst day this season had to offer. Quote
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