Here’s one way to bring in the New Year: skiing or snowboarding.
And you you can do it close to home at two Connecticut ski areas.
Ski Sundown in New Hartford will have its lifts turning until midnight – that’s two extra hours for the price of night ticket ($35 for adults, 15-64; $31 for juniors, 7-12 and $16 for kids 6 and under).
At midnight, the ski patrol will stage a torchlight parade. Sundown’s Sunnyside Kitchen, the lounge and rental shop will all be open until midnight.
Although Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall will stop its lifts at 10 p.m., there will nonetheless be a New Year’s Eve celebration.
They plan to have fun games for the kids, music, and festive decorations. The Pine Lodge will be serving their menu selections from 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and the cafeteria in the Main Lodge will be open til 10:00 p.m. .
And at 10 p.m. Mohawk will present a laser light show.
From 4 to 10 p.m., lift tickets will cost $45 for adults and $37 for juniors.
Mount Southington and Woodbury will both be open until 10 p.m., but is not planning any special New Year’s Eve events.
Although it’s still prime-time holiday week at northern New England resorts, there are some good opportunities for last-minute booking.
For example, Killington is offering up to 25 percent off your lodging with a Snow Blind Package for New Year’s Weekend, or up to 40 percent off non-holiday. If you are flexible enough to book your lodging “blind”, the Snow Blind Package is the deal for you. You’ll get last-minute prices, but you won’t know the name of the property until after you’ve completed a reservation. Plus, you can add on lift tickets at a 25 percent discount. Now booking December 30 through January 13; last departure date January 14, 2011.
This photo provided by Al Noyes shows skiers and lift chairs on the slope after a lift derailed on the state's tallest ski mountain at the Sugarloaf resort in Carrabassett Valley, Maine, Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Al Noyes)
For beginner skiers and snowboarders, getting on a ski lift is one of the firsts fears of learning the sport. But Tuesday’s chair lift accident at Maine’s Sugarloaf ski resort also shook the nerves of veteran snow sliders.
At least eight people — including three children — were were injured after the double-chair lift derailed during a busy vacation week at Sugarloaf. The lift, built in 1975, was set for upgrades or replacement.
Investigators say high wind was a primary factor in a chair lift accident. Ethan Austin, a spokesman for the Sugarloaf resort, told the Associated Press the preliminary findings were made today by inspectors from the Maine Board of Elevator and Tramway Safety.
Rebecca London, of Carrabassett Valley, told AP on Tuesday that the ungroomed snow below — the resort had gotten up to 22 inches a day earlier — cushioned her landing and kept her from serious injury. Her goggles protected her face where it hit the chair’s retaining bar.
Only five chairs fell to the ground, but dozens of skiers remained on the crippled lift for more than an hour until the ski patrol could get them down. Inspectors from the state Board of Elevator and Tramway Safety are probing the cause.
The resort said the lift, which recently passed an inspection, was due to be replaced — possibly as early as summer — partly because of vulnerability to wind.
The lift is 4,013 feet long, gains 1,454 feet of elevation and nearly reaches the summit of 4,327-foot Sugarloaf, the state’s second-tallest mountain.
A lift installed in 1975 is relatively old by ski resort standards, at least in New England. In the last 20 years there have been big changes including high-speed detachable quads. These chair slow down just before passengers sit down. In 1975, the chair of the day were slow moving double or triple chair.
All ski resorts’ lifts undergone an annual inspection to ensure safety. But things can happen in especially windy, wet and cold weather. Parts can snap or become frozen or the cable become frayed during a season.
Wind is also one of the biggest concerns for ski resorts making the decision to run them. It’s not uncommon for many upper elevation lifts to be put on “wind hold.”
Throughout the Northeast there are a number of lifts in use. They include:
Magic Carpets: A slow moving conveyer belt that takes you up a gentle slope while standing. These are always found at beginner areas.
Poma: Not many of these are left. There is one remaining on an upper slope of Snowdon at Killington. You ski to the place where the attendant is standing. There he gives you a J-bar with a disc at the bottom. You put the disc between your leg, pull it up to your butt, hold onto the J-bar with one hand and hold up. Not the easiest lift to ride.
T-bars: Also nearly extinct, but still found in Europe and Canada. Essentially a T-bar that you hold between your legs, holding on to the central bar. Again, not an easy ride.
High-speed detachable quads and six-packs: Now we’re talking. The lift of choice at many resorts. Fast and a cushioned seat. Easy to get on and to get off because they slow down at the base and summit.
Gondolas: Carry from eight to 12 people. You can take your ski or snowboard inside or in a rack outside the cabin. Found at such Vermont areas as Stratton, Killington and Stowe.
SAFETY TIPS:
If unfamilar with a lift, tell the operator and they will slow it down.
To get on a chair lift you need to wait for the chair to arrive.
As it slows down and touches the back of your legs you simply sit down. Timing is everything. Once on, always lower the safety bar; often a state law.
Without the safety bar down, skiers can face the risk of falling out of the chair.
Believe it or now, some states like Utah, do not require safety bars, which I think is insane.
Never wear loose clothing. Scarves can easily get caught in the cable system. Without the rail down, skiers can face the risk of falling out of the chair.
On triples, quads and six-pack safest seats are on the ends because you can hold on to the bar. If you are in the middle seats you can grab the back of the chair with one arm after the safety bar is raised.
And don’t forget to raise the safety bar when you arrive at the top.
Yet accidents do happen, people can get hurt, even die.
But then there was the case of the man who boarded a lift in Vail, Colo in January 2009. Unfortunately, the seat was not placed down causing the man to partially fall through the gap as he attempted to board the lift.
He was prevented from falling to the ground below by his right ski, which became jammed in the lift.
With his boot remaining securely in its binding, his pants appeared to have also been caught in the lift as he fell – leaving him exposed.
The many tourists in the crowded ski resort quickly took photos of the embarrassed man.
He was stuck in the undignified position for about 15 minutes before Vail personnel were able to back the lift up and rescue him, according to The Smoking Gun website.
Up to 47 inches of fresh snow has fallen at the Bretton Woods ski resort in New Hampshire in the last seven days. More than three feet of the snow came from the weekend nor'easter.
The East finally lucked out with a major snowstorm that dumped nearly four feet of snow on some New England ski resorts.
And it could not have come at a better time for ski resorts – and the people who paid big bucks to go there this holiday week.
In just one day, The Big Snow put ski resorts in prime condition for the busy season with prime mid-winter conditions.
Several New Hampshire areas got pounded by the Blessed Blizzard. Just look at these Western-type snowfall numbers: Bretton Woods, 47 inches; Cannon, 39 inches; Wildcat, 34 inches.
In the Great State of Maine, it’s become the Great State of Winter with 45 inches of fresh snow at Sunday River; Saddleback got 38 inches; and Sugarloaf 34 inches.
Massachusetts areas also got a boost with up to two feet reported at Western Mass areas.
Even Connecticut ski areas got up to 18 inches (Woodbury’s claim) that puts them in perfect shape for the holiday week.
Southern and central Vermont resorts fared best with 25 reported by Okemo and 21 by Killington, Mount Snow and Bromley.
Another great thing about this snowstorm: it happened when most people were not working; schools were off, even state employees had a furlough day on Monday.
Sunday night most people hunkered down. And it’s very likely there will be some Blizzard Babies born in September.
ACCIDENT AT MAINE SKI RESORT
Meanwhile there was an chair lift accident Tuesday at Sugarloaf in Maine. Here’s the Associated Press report.
CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine (AP) — Officials at a Maine ski area report that there are about eight injuries in an accident on a chair lift.
Sugarloaf spokesman Ethan Austin told The Associated Press that Tuesday’s accident was “a big deal.” He says one of the ski lifts derailed and five chairs came down.
The resort says on its Facebook page that most of the injuries appear to be minor. Austin says the ski patrol is evacuating the lift. »A spokeswoman for Franklin Memorial Hospital about 45 minutes away in Farmington says at least two injured people are en route by ambulance.
Gray says it’s possible more injured people could arrive because it’s the closest hospital.
Worried about the quality of snow conditions for the upcoming holiday week even if there’s no snow in your backyard?
Relax, it’s going to be fine … just a little crowded.
After spending a few days skiing in Vermont, it was again proven that without snowmaking we’d be looking at brown ski trails. Sure there’s a few inches of natural snow in the mountains, but not enough to ski on.
This video was shot yesterday at Okemo’s Solitude area. As you can see the snow guns were roaring. That’s the way it’s been in the last few weeks at New England ski areas because storm after storm we’ve been ripped off. Let’s not even talk about the 17 feet of snow that’s fallen in California.
The Christmas-New Year’s holiday week is one of the most important profit-making times for ski areas, accounting for more than a quarter of their business.
And with so much business depending on that ski resorts have to crank up snowmaking to provide more open terrain. That’s exactly what such major Vermont areas like Okemo and Killington have been doing.
It comes down to this: they need to open as many trails as possible so crowds can be spread out across the mountain. If they don’t it will be very long lines at the lifts, crowded trails, madness in the lodges and lots of pissed off customers who may not come back.
And it’s not just about the number of trails open, but the quality of the snow conditions.
What ski resorts have been doing is opening up enough trails for the midweek skiers and snowboarders and concentrating their snowmaking power on areas of the mountain not yet open.
On Tuesday at Okemo there were 65 trails open, most of the front faces trails like Chief, Arrow and Definance. Most trails were open at Jackson Gore, a few at Solitude. The South Face area was closed because of snowmaking. Just as important, trails leading to the condominiums were also open.
At Killington on Monday most of its trails were open on Killington Peak, Snowdon, Ram’s Head and several off Skye Peak. Bear Mountain was closed because they were blowing snow for the Christmas-New Year’s break.
A few observations:
SURFACE CONDITIONS: Mainly packed powder, but with a hard surface beneath. On both days, light was flat making it a bit difficult. Overall, there was good coverage wall-to-wall. Later in the day there were sections that were scrapped off; make sure your edges are sharp.
A WHITE CHRISTMAS? Yes, in the mountains, but only a dusting to a few inches off mountain. But hey, it counts.
ACTION PLAN: Try to get to the lifts as soon as they open. That way you won’t have to wait in a long lines and you’ll usually get the the best of the grooming. There are however times when overnight grooming freezes up. That usually improves after about an hour of skier traffic. Planning your day to avoid the hordes always works best during holiday periods. Crowds start to peak at the lifts starting around 10:30 a.m and lodges are always packed at noon. If a lift has a long line, head to another area of the mountain. Mid-mountain lifts are usually less crowded.
But most of all try to relax. You’re probably going to be with friends and family during this special time of year. Enjoy the moment and the quality of time with them. These are the moments you’ll remember, not the number of runs you made in a day.
While it’s still early to tell exactly how much – if any – snow we’ll get from a weekend nor’easter, anticipation is building.
That’s because if we get a significant snowfall it will guarantee a White Christmas.
If the storm does not go out to sea, ski areas that would benefit include Wachusett in eastern Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire areas and up into Maine. Again, depending on the track of the storm areas in Vermont should not see a significant accumulation.
All of this, of course, is speculation.
But, if we do get some snow it will be a big boost to ski areas because a good part of their revenue comes from the Christmas-New Year’s break. It would be even better for Connecticut’s four areas.
CONDITIONS
Even if we only get flurries, ski resorts are in great shape thanks to days of ideal snowmaking weather.
Vermont areas had a good week. In the last 48 hours, Jay got up to 17 inches, Sugarbush 15 and Smugglers nearly a foot. Generally, Green Mountain areas have between a third to a half of their trails open.
New Hampshire areas are slightly behind in open terrain and would greatly benefit from a big snow dump. Best picks: Bretton Woods, Loon and Sunapee.
In southwestn Massachusetts, Butternut and Catamount are nearing the half-way point with open trails.
And all four Connecticut areas have their lifts turning. Best pick: Ski Sundown in New Hartford with nearly all trails open.
With the season still young, now is the time to maintain good habits on the slopes.
And here’s one area I think many skiers and snowboarders are guilty of: not wearing sunscreen.
I got this e-mail from the Skin Cancer Foundation on Tuesday. It has so much wise and useful information I’m posting it here in full.
Essential Sun Safety Information for Skiers and Snowboarders
Winter sports enthusiasts are at risk for overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The combination of higher altitude and UV rays reflected by the snow puts skiers and snowboarders at an increased risk of sun damage, and ultimately skin cancer.
More than 90 percent of all skin cancers are associated with sun exposure.
“It’s easy to associate winter with frostbite and windburn, but most people are unaware that UV rays can be every bit as damaging on the slopes as on the beach,” said Perry Robins, MD, President, The Skin Cancer Foundation.
“With the winter sports season ahead of us, it’s more important than ever to take proper precautions on the slopes.”
Higher altitude means increased risk of sun-induced skin damage, since UV radiation exposure increases 8 to 10 percent with every 1,000 feet above sea level.
At an altitude of 9,000 to 10,000 feet, UV radiation may be 45 to 50 percent more intense than at sea level. In addition, snow reflects up to 80 percent of the UV light from the sun, meaning that you are often hit by the same rays twice.
This only increases the risk for damage. Both snow and strong wind can wear away sunscreen and reduce its effectiveness, so you have to take extra precautions. To protect your skin from the bitter cold, heavy winds and winter sun, follow these important sun protection tips:
Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 30 or higher and some combination of these ingredients: avobenzone, ecamsule, oxybenzone, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide.
Use a moisturizing sunscreen with ingredients like lanolin or glycerin. Winter conditions can be particularly harsh on the skin.
Apply 30 minutes before hitting the slopes. Be aware that the sun’s reflection off the snow is strong even on cloudy days. (Up to 80 percent of the sun’s rays can penetrate clouds.)
Apply sunscreen liberally and evenly to all exposed skin –most skiers and snowboarders do not use enough. You should apply at least a teaspoon to the face.
Be sure to cover often-missed spots: the lips, ears, around the eyes, and on the neck, the underside of chin, scalp and hands.
Reapply every two hours, and immediately after heavy sweating.
Always wear a lip balm with an SPF 15 or higher – lips are very sensitive.
Carry a travel-sized sunscreen and lip balm with you on the slopes. Reapply on the chairlift, especially after a long, snow-blown run.
Cover up
Cover your head — it will protect your scalp and help keep you warm.
Wear items like ski masks, which will leave very little skin exposed to the wind and sun.
Sunglasses or goggles that offer 99 percent or greater UV protection and have wraparound or large frames will protect your eyes, eyelids and the sensitive skin around your eyes, which are common sites for skin cancers and sun-induced aging. The sun’s glare can make you squint, so it’s important to wear sunglasses or goggles to clearly see the terrain. Plus, it will increase your enjoyment and may even improve your performance while skiing!
Be mindful of time spent in the sun, regardless of the season
If possible, ski early in the morning and later on in the day, before 10 AM and after 4 PM. This decreases the amount of time spent outdoors in the most intense sunlight and helps you avoid long lines.
If you are on the slopes for most of the day, take a few breaks indoors to reapply sunscreen.
Enjoy the winter season, but be sure to take care of your skin to avoid the damage the cold season can cause. About The Skin Cancer Foundation The Skin Cancer Foundation is the only global organization solely devoted to the prevention, detection and treatment of skin cancer. The mission of the Foundation is to decrease the incidence of skin cancer through public and professional education and research. For more information, visit, www.SkinCancer.org.
This Sunday at Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont, donate three non-perishable food items and get a lift ticket for $35; a savings of $46. Skye Chalmers photo courtesy of Okemo Mountain Resort.
It’s good to see a dusting of snow on the ground after Sunday’s rainstorm pushed ski conditions downhill a bit. And thankfully cold temperatures have allowed ski areas to resume snowmaking that should greatly improve conditions.
Last Saturday, there were packed powder conditions on two top-to-bottom runs at Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall.
Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall opened its new beginner lift on Saturday. The easy-to-ride lift serves a gentle beginner slope.
There was great, side to side coverage. Opening day also saw the opening of Mohawk’s newest chairlift servicing its gentle beginner slope. This quad lift will end the worries of many beginners using the chair for the first time because it can be operated to a crawl by attendants.
But many skiers and snowboarders will have no interest in this chair serving the “Bunny Slope.”
They want long runs, big vertical drops and steep trails. For them, the big mountains to the north call.
And this Sunday, there’s even a better reason to head to Vermont, specifically Okemo when it holds its annual Cares and Shares Day. Donate three non-perishable food items at the ticket window and you get to buy a lift ticket for only $35.
That’s a savings of $46 off the regular price of a one-day weekend ticket.
Talk about an early Christmas present, not only for you but for the people who will benefit from the donated food.
This weekend brings additional ski areas opening, some fresh natural snow and, unfortunately some rain Sunday.
So Saturday will be the pick of the weekend with sunny skies in southern New England. I don’t think crowds will be too bad since many people are in the midst of holiday shopping, etc. The biggest crowds are likely at Connecticut ski areas and Massachusetts areas like Butternut, Catamount and Jiminy.
The best advice: get there as soon as the lifts open, ski/snowboard half a day and head home. That’s a particularly a good plan if it’s you first time out this season.
Weather
All day Saturday looks good with temperatures in the 40s south, 30s north. On Sunday in the north, snow is expected in the morning before turning to mixed precip then rain. Before it ends, it could turn back to all snow. The rest of the week remains cold with an increasing chance of snow. So things do not look so bad.
Throughout the winter, you should check out Mad River Glen’s weather blogger Josh Fox. This guy is usually accurate with his forecast and does not overhype.
Connecticut
For the first time this season, all four Connecticut areas will be open.
Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall has been blowing snow all week. The Connecticut area opens its season on Saturday.
Ski Sundown in New Hartford opens today with runs on Canyon, Nor’easter, Exhibition, Temptor and Stinger. Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall and Mount Southington open on Saturday. Woodbury has been open for a few weeks.
Best deal: Mohawk where a full-day ticket is $30 and a half-day (go for this one) is $20. Lifts start turning at 8:30 a.m.
Massachusetts
Ski Butternut opens today; Catamount on Saturday. Catamont will be charging $40 for a weekend single-day ticket; Butternut $35. The areas join Jiminy Peak in having their lifts turning.
Vermont
Most Vermont areas are in great shape thanks to lake effect snows. Heaviest snowfalls were in the central and northern part of the state. Bolton Valley was the big winner with up to 48 inches in the last week. Stowe, Smugglers and Bolton Valley got three feet and Sugarbush and Killington about two feet. Southern Vermont got less than a foot.
With the exception Magic, Mad River Glen, Pico and Suicide Six of all Green Mountain State are open. Even though Mad River got between 18 and 30 inches, it still isn’t open because the snow was light, fluffy and often, wind driven; not the best kind to build up bases. MRG is shooting for a Dec. 16 opening.
Okemo opens the Jackson Gore and Solitude areas; 44 trails will be open this weekend. A ski demo is planned both days at the Gore.
New Hampshire
Bretton Woods got 22 inches this week allowing it to open a third of its trails. Along with BW, top picks this weekend are Loon, Cannon and Sunapee. Wildcat plans to open Saturday.
At Cannon on Saturday bring 4 non-perishable items to Guest Services and get a half price ticket for that day. Applies to full-day tickets only. Food collected benefits the Good Neighbor Food Pantry in Franconia, NH.
Best deal: At Sunapee on Sunday Ski or ride for $30 with the contribution of five non-perishable food items for local families & food shelters.
