Snow Zone

Don’t get to say this often:  POWDER ALERT IN CONNECTICUT

The National Weather Service forecast calls for up to 7 inches of dry, fluffy powder to fall in the state.

Snow is expected to end by mid-afternoon. Give the road crews a few hours and then head to one of Connecticut’s four ski areas for some sweet pow-pow

Night skiing and snowboarding goes on at all four areas tonight.

Even sweeter…lift tickets are cheaper.

Here are the details:

Mount Southington… Open until 10 p.m. tickets $33. It will have 13 of its 14 trails open tonight. Forecast: up to 6 inches of snow expected.

Ski Sundown in New Hartford … from 6 to 10 p.m. a night ticket costs $35. Up to 4 inches.

Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall … the cheapest … from 6 to 10  p.m. $26. Up to 4 inches expected.

Woodbury … from 6 to 10 p.m. $29. Area also has snow tubing. Up to 5 inches.

Looking for a new pair of skis to Get Yer Ya Yas Out?

Then check out these classic rock skis….

Rolling Stones K2 Side Show Skis.

The cost? $875 … probably the price of a VIP ticket for a likely Stones tour later this year.  And that cost does not include bindings.

Here are the skis stats:

Performance: 50% Powder / 50% Variable

Sizes: 174, 181

Radius: 20m @ 181cm length

Construction: Metal TNC, Hybritech Sidewall, Aspen/Paulownia

Binding Options: Flat

Features: Limited Edition Rolling Stones graphics, All-Terrain Rocker, Powder Tip, Progressive Sidecut, Carbon Web, Tip and Tail Holes.

Leave it to the Stones to endorse this product. After all their web site sells all kinds of Stones merchandise from T-shirts, posters, recordings, boxer shorts, shot glasses and clothing, most featuring the Stones tongue logo.

If you’re going to have these new kind of  ”rock skis” you’d have to have a suitable playlist when you’re cruising down the mountain on these “all terrain rockers.”

Here’s my set list:

“Rocks Off”

“All Down the (fall) Line”

“Get Off of My Cloud” …  when it’s foggy.

“Have You See Your Mother Standing in the Shadow?” … when there’s flat light

“You Got Me Rocking”

“Start Me Up” … for that first run

“She Was Hot” … enough said

“Connection” … switching trails

“Flip the Switch” … getting ready to rip it up

“High Wire” … cruising on the high terrain

“Let it Loose” … mid-day romp

If I had a lot of money, I’d probably buy them. But would probably use them only a few times.

I’m sure many years from now these skis will become a collector’s item because they are so unusual and so indulgent for Stones fans. Maybe save them for the Stone’s 75th anniversary in 2037 … the year Mick Jagger turns 94.

Mount Snow GM Kelly Pawlak writes on her blog: "Thank you for all the snowdances, prayers and for all that had faith in winter. She has arrived and graced us with over 17” of snow."

Finally. We’re skiing and snowboarding on “pow pow” today!!!

And just when we were starting to think winter wasn’t going to return to New England.

This weekend is probably the best one, condition wise, this season. But as we all know with skiing in New England, there’s always something. This time it’s bitter cold temperatures.

The National Weather Service says wind chills in northwest and southern Vermont could hit minus 19 degrees. Actually, that sounds worse than it really is. Just take precautions and no exposed skin. On Sunday in Ski Country, it will be sunny and cold with temps in the upper single numbers. MLK Day on Monday looks sweet with partly sunny skies and temps in the 20s.

Just look at these snowfall totals from the past two days.

In Vermont: Jay, the winner with 23 inches … Stowe 18 inches … Mount Snow 17 inches … Sugarbush 16 inches … Killington 14 inches. Stratton … 11 inches.

In New Hampshire … Wildcat 13 inches … Waterville and Loon 10 inches … Mount Sunapee and Gunstock 8 inches.

Maine didn’t get slammed as much as Vermont; Saddleback got 9 inches, Sunday River got 6 inches and Shawnee Peak around 10 inches.

Massachusetts did nicely with 14 inches at Berkshire East … 7 at Jiminy Peak … Catamount and Butternut with 4 inches.

New York areas got a few inches, but not the Big Dump. Whiteface, Windham and Hunter picked up around 6 inches.

And Connecticut? Zilch.

That’s why ski areas in the Banana Belt of New England have snowmaking.

Thanks to some fresh snow (and more still coming down), trail counts are increasing across Ski County.

Video was shot Thursday at Sugarbush in Vermont.

Up to 10 inches of snow fell across northern New England allowing most resorts to open up about half their trails. That’s a big improvement from a couple of weeks ago when some areas were struggling.

Big winners in the snow totals were New Hampshire areas like Wildcat, Attitash, Cranmore, Mount Sunapee and Gunstock with up to 9 inches.

Most Vermont areas received at least a half a foot.

More snow is falling today.

Check out these live cam at Sugarbush,

Areas that have massive snowmaking arsenals like Okemo, Mount Snow, Stratton and Killington in Vermont lead pack with open terrain. But if you look at Magic Mountain in central Vermont, there’s only five of 40 trails open despite the 7 inches it received Thursday. Why? You guessed it, an antiquated snowmaking system that has hurt this area for years.

Stratton opened five more trails today including Upper and Lower Liftline and Lower Kidderbrook, and Solstice Way ; Bolton in northern Vermont dropped the rope on seven more trails.

And something many have been waiting for … Outer Limits at Killington is now open. I’ll wait.

Mad River Glen in Vermont is absolutely giddy this morning.

Its report: “Finally it is GAME ON here at MRG and after what has been an interminable wait we are going to FINALLY re-open the main mountain today. We picked up 4-6″ of snow in part 1 of the storm and we are expecting another 6″ (the Single Chair Weather Blog says maybe as much as a foot) in part 2 which is expected to start later this morning and continue into the evening. It could be one of those amazing days when conditions just keep getting better and better, but be aware that temps are expected to fall precipitously throughout the day.”

In Massachusetts, Jiminy got just three inches, but that combined with their snowmaking will open up 85 percent of its trails this weekend.

Butternut in Great Barrington got 5 inches at the summit, allowing it to open all 22 of its trails, one of only three resorts in the East to achieve that. Catamount now has 25 of its 33 trails open.

Despite the rain, Connecticut areas will be in good shape this weekend.

Ski Sundown has all of its trails open. Mohawk has 13 of 25 open; Mount Southington 9 of 14; and Woodbury 10 of 15 trails. If you want to go skiing or snowboarding today here’s a $15 off coupon for Southington.

It’s the long Martin Luther King Jr. weekened, meaning resorts will be charging higher holiday rates. But don’t expect large crowds this weekend because of the combination of very cold temperatures (in the single digits Sunday) and the football playoffs.

Hopefully the Snow Gods, and the meteorologists, aren’t playing any games with us this time.

But … there’s significant snow in the forecast for upper New England Thursday into Friday.  I’m trying not to get too excited, but it’s possible that more than a foot of snow could fall in the higher elevations, maybe more.

Sunrise at Stowe, Vermont this morning.

It’s one of those situations where you got to keep checking the forecasts and see if this dream forecast becomes a reality. And that means the complete forecast, not just the snow totals. For example, the NWS’s mountain forecast for Thursday calls for summits to be “in and out of the clouds” with southeast winds between 35 to 50 mph. And we all know how wind can ruin a day and put lifts of hold.

But if you really want to get teased, read Josh Fox Single Chair Weather Blog from Mad River Glen in Vermont where he says “it’s possible” this storm could drop between 10 and 20 inches.

In southern New England it’s also possible that ski areas can pick up a few inches of fresh snow before it changes to sleet and dreaded rain.

Overall, it looks likely this could set the stage f0r an excellent MLK weekend.

Since this could be the first big dump of the season, there could be a run on moderately priced lodging this weekend; like the chain hotels popular with skiers and snowboarders on a budget.

Naturally, skiing and snowboarding midweek is always better, both in terms of ticket deals and crowds, especially since the college kids will be heading back to school next week.

And here’s a nice incentive:

Mount Snow in southern Vermont is offering FREE midweek lodging next week. The offer, based on double occupancy, costs $75 per person, per day. You can stay between Monday and Thursday next week. But you have to book by 5 p.m. Friday. Details here.

By the way there’s interesting reading about how Mount Snow has survived this poor winter on GM Kelly Pawlak’s blog. She notes that Snow’s December temperatures average 8 degrees above normal with a series of “rain events.”

Next week is National Ski Safety Week, the time to remember the “Skier’s Responsibility Code.” You know that code that is often printed on napkins or cafeteria tray liners are ski resorts.

It includes: Always stay in control …  People ahead of you have the right of way… Stop in a safe place for you and others …  Whenever starting downhill or merging, look uphill and yield … Use devices to help prevent runaway equipment … Observe signs and warnings, and keep off closed trails … Know how to use the lifts safely.

But what about the other stupid things skiers and snowboarders do?

Not looking uphill before crossing a trail. Guilty of this one. I nearly bought the farm when I was broadsided by a skier on Killington’s Upper Cascade trail. I was on the High Traverse trail and, stupidly, didn’t look uphill before crossing. The skier who hit me flew over my head and flew about six feet. Fortunately, both of us were just bruised … for weeks.

Going down a tough, expert trail on the first run. Very guilty of this one, but learning. I’ve had friends curse me for doing this. Taking a few warm-up runs on blue cruisers, not only make sense, but is a good way to check your equipment … and your body.

Not putting the safety bar down on a chairlift. Have you ever gotten on a chair with a bunch of people and they pull the bar down? You wait and wait and finally do it yourself saying “coming down.”

I’m sorry I want that bar down; probably from that time in Utah when my ski hit a lift tower and I almost fell. Some lifts in Utah have no safety bars; in Vermont it’s state law.

Skiing and snowboarding buzzed. Back in the heady daze of the 1980s, it was common that someone would light up weed while riding in the gondola. Before that people would carry along “wine sacks” and sip the alcohol throughout the day. Some would finish the day by having a few drinks in Killington’s summit lodge bar and later ski down the mountain.

Yes, people still … indulge … but as with everything moderation is the key. Let’s be honest you not going to ski or snowboard at your best if you’re buzzed. And you’re more likely to do stupid things and endanger other people; not a good thing on slippery mountain.

Not drinking enough water. You need to stay hydrated in the moisture-sucking mountain environment. Ideally,  using something like CamelBak hydration pack that has extra insulation to prevent freezing. You’ll be amazed on how much energy you’ll have if properly hydrated. Even stupider … not cleaning the water container in your hydration pack at the end of the season.

Taking a shortcut through the trees. If you’re not a good tree skier or snowboarder why take chances? If you want to be one, take a lesson. Slamming into a tree off the trail in the woods can be a death sentence. And if you get lost, you can be charged the cost of rescuing you. Have you ever lost a ski in the woods and deep powder? Grabbing on branches to pull yourself out of deep snow? Not fun.

Then there’s what they cal lthe “Deep Snow Immersion Accident. “ This happens when a skier or rider falls into an area of deep unconsolidated snow and becomes immobilized and suffocates. Not good.

Not wearing a helmet. I was guilty of this until this season. Yes a helmet will not save you if you slam into a tree of lift tower, but a helmet can help prevent mild concussions and reduce the severity of head injuries.

Who wears a helmet?

According to the National Ski Areas Association 93 percent of children 9 years old or younger; 79 percent of kids between 10 and 14 wear ski/snowboard helmets; 73 percent of adults over the age of 65 wear ski/snowboard helmets.

Forty-eight percent between 18 and 24 wear helmets.

Helmets are much lighter and cooler looking than  they were years ago. Some helmets have embedded areas where you can put headphones. Others also have Bluetooth to hook into your phone.

Stopping in the middle of the trail. Stupid. You not only are going to get slammed, but are ruining the run for many skiers and snowboarders.

Eating too much during lunch. That huge burger, fries and dessert will taste good during lunch, but it will take you a few runs to regain your energy. I like to go for the soup and chili; just enough to fuel you up.

Buying full-price lift tickets. Blindly walking up to the ticket window and paying full price is very, very stupid. Before going to a ski resort check out their web site for price breaks. Okemo has one of the best areas on its Steals and Deals page.

Better yet, one of the best ways to save money on tickets is to join a ski club. You can save more than 50 percent off on lift tickets, on select days and resorts. How much? Check out the Connecticut Ski Council’s Awareness Days.

There’s plenty of other stupid things … like speeding through small villages … eating lunch exactly at noon … getting to a ski resort on a weekend day at 11 a.m. … not getting your gear together … rushing to make as many runs a day as possible … borrowing a friend’s ski equipment … crossing ski tips … tucking you ski pants into ski boots.

Guilty of all of those too, but learning.

The other day I read a tweet by Thomas Cooke on the Ski Utah blog about the “6-inch rule.”

It read in part: “Seth Godin, a best-selling author, a well-known and admired guru to marketers, and an entrepreneurial visionary once said not to underestimate the value of positive cashflow when starting up your own new business venture. The key is to have enough. He said cash flow is like water. A fish doesn’t care if it is swimming in 6 inches of water or 6 feet of water. 6 inches is enough for the fish to survive.”

There hasn't been a huge amount of snow this year, but it has been snowing. In fact, Jay Peak in northern Vermont picked up 6 inches last night. This photo from Ski Vermont demonstrates the 6-inch rule.

Cooke said that same theory can apply to kids and snow and skiing.

“Here we are, spoiled Utah skiers, lamenting the fact we’ve been short-shafted on waist-deep powder days this year. But then I think of my kid on Christmas day. New skis. Blue skies. Neighborhood posse of 2nd graders running wild at Park City Mountain Resort. No complaining about the snow. Kids don’t care. 6 inches or 6 feet, they are still skiing and having fun. I wish I were still a kid,” Cooke wrote.

That’s exactly the kind of attitude we should be having in the East this winter!

Sure we too have been “short-shafted” by a snow-stingy winter. But we still have some good skiing and snowboarding thanks to the millions of dollars ski resorts have invested in snowmaking in the last 25 years.

That means we can still ski and ride even if we don’t have any snow in the backyard. We can still slide down our favorite mountains, go with our friends and family, eat and drink at our favorite ski town restaurants and bars. And yes there is some natural snow up north to add to the classic winter backdrop.

This weekend temperatures will be in the 40s and 50s. Skies are expected to be sunny. An ideal setup (at least for March) that will make for a great ski weekend. So go ahead and go skiing and snowboarding; conditions are quite good even in Connecticut.

I’m still going to be praying for snow, but I’ll take what I can get and enjoy the trails that are open.

We’ve finally hit the mark – the coldest day of the season so far.

Ranging from -9.5 degrees on Mount Washington, to the single digit and teens in ski country. All we need now is some significant natural snow to get the winter in high gear.

Temperatures are expected to moderate across the East the next few days with an increasing change of light snow and snow showers.

That combined with great deals is the right combination for some good skiing and snowboarding in the days ahead.

One of the better deals is THIS  Sunday at Mount Snow in southern Vermont kids pay their age for a lift ticket. That means if a kid is 12, their lift ticket is only $12. The deal is for “kids” 18 and under. Snow warns: “For some ages, valid ID may be required for verification.” If you’ve been looking to take the kids skiing or snowboarding this is it!

On Thursday at Mount Snow, college students pay just $29 for a lift ticket on Thursday with a valid ID.

Hunter Mountain in New York is also giving college students a discount; $35 tickets through Friday and from Sunday to next Friday.

At Okemo in Vermont when skiers and riders pre-buy a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday lift ticket online in advance, they pay just $49. This offer is valid every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday through the month of January.

Also at Okemo, kids ski or ride for $1 when their family stays at an Okemo Mountain Resort managed property for at least two nights in January (excluding MLK weekend). In addition, if they book three nights, everyone stays the third night free.

Jiminy Peak in northeastern Mass. has just posted a number of e-coupon days through March that can greatly reduce the price of a lift ticket. Even better, some are on weekend day. Check them out here.

Despite the lack of a major snowfall, ski areas from New York State to Maine are steadily expanding terrain thanks to continued snowmaking. Both Okemo and Stowe in Vermont are nearly the 50 percent mark of having all its trails open. Sunday River in Maine leads the pack in that state with 53 of its 132 trails. Loon and Sunapee have half their trails open in New Hampshire.

In New York, Hunter’s got 31 of 55 trails open, Belleayre has 16 and the big mountain of Whiteface is reporting 35 of 86 open.

Massachusetts areas like Butternut, Catamount and Jiminy Peak are pushing to get 75 percent of their terrain open. And in Connecticut…Ski Sundown now has all 15 trails open.

So what are you waiting for?