by Albert Neubert
The weather last Saturday was a reminder that the ski and snowboard season is coming to a close, especially in our immediate area. Thunder Ridge, in Patterson, New York, was looking to get in one more weekend but the high temps and rain on Saturday put the kabash on their plans. Over in Cornwall, Connecticut, Mohawk opened for their last day on Sunday, which marked their 100th day of the season, a very worthy feat in an overall miserable season.
In the Catskills, Windham called it quits on Sunday, mainly because of a lack of turnout and not snow. Hunter’s management announced that they will close on Sunday, April 9. Belleayre and Plattekill will hang in there through Sunday and maybe longer. Belleayre’s management definitely has their sights set on being the last to close in our region. Catamount, near Hillsdale, New York, threw in the towel on Sunday, along with its nearby neighbor to the East, Butternut, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
The Easter Holiday weekend will mark the end of the season for a number of major resorts throughout the Northeast, mainly because there is a precipitous drop in skier and snowboarder visits. It’s hard to get snow lovers to head north for a two to five hour drive to ski or ride when the temps are going into the 60s and even 70s in the Hudson Valley. You have to really want to go and make turns to extend the season but for those that do they get the benefit of lots of uncrowded terrain and no lift lines and “beach” parties on the decks of the base lodges. The snowpack at more northerly areas will last well into April and even May in places.
For those looking to keep the skiing and snowboarding thing going, head north in New York to the Adirondacks where Gore, Whiteface and even West Mountain will stay open well into April and even try for a May closing if possible. In Vermont, Mount Snow, Killington, Sugarbush, Stowe and Jay Peak are a sure bet to last until at least the third week of April and in some cases into May with Killington stretching that into June if they can. In New Hampshire, Waterville Valley, Cannon, Loon and Wildcat tend to go through April and in Maine, Sunday River will shoot for a late April closing while Sugarloaf almost always makes it to May.
I got in some more turns over the past week at my backyard ski area, Hunter. I went to Hunter last Wednesday on a day that got a lot warmer than forecast with temps soaring into the low 50s. Because it froze hard the night before, the snow surfaces were firm early but softened very quickly under the intense late March sunshine. As I always do when that happens, I stay on the shaded side of the ski area and ski Belt Parkway from the summit and then use the Northern Express to ski trails like Way Out, Rip’s Return, Overlook, Rusk Road and Sleepy Hollow. While the East facing slopes on the main mountain became slushy and heavy, the trails on the North side stayed firm and fast.
I skied at Hunter again this past Sunday under bluebird skies and with temps that were half of what they were on Saturday. I had 70 at my house in Woodstock on Saturday and it never went over 36 at Hunter on Sunday, and with a stiff breeze. Even with those low temps, trails facing into the bright April sun got soft and heavy quickly. I decided to hang out on the “B” lift quad where two of the trails, Mossy Brook and Madison Avenue, face north and are very shaded by trees. As a result, I experienced the perfect spring snow that stayed firm but with a buttery texture to make carving turns effortless and easy. Even with that, the snow on the ramps at the bottom and top of the chair were extremely heavy so you had to be extra careful not to get caught in it and potentially twist a knee.
Expect the experiences I had for the remainder of the season for as long as it lasts. Be sure to get out early and ski or snowboard the shade as long as possible. If you plan on going for more than a couple hours, take breaks because your legs will feel the extra effort required to push around the spring snow.
As the season winds down, be on the lookout for sweet deals at ski shops locally and at the ski areas or nearby them. Shop owners are very eager to unload their remaining inventory and want to avoid having anything leftover for the next season. It’s not unusual to see deals for as much as 50 percent off or more on gear and apparel. I have gotten some of my best equipment, clothes and accessories at this time of year.
Here’s a teaser for all fans of Windham or those that should make their way to the resort in the future. Windham’s management has acquired 450 acres on the East Peak side of the mountain. That side is actually a little higher than the west peak and is currently served by a high speed quad chairlift. There’s nothing concrete yet but there are plans to further develop that area and to potentially include another access point to the resort. Windham’s management has invested heavily across the board to improve and modernize the resort and it now boasts the most high speed lifts in the Catskills with four.
Keep the spring thing going and happy skiing and riding!
You can contact me at asneubert@aol.com or you can visit my Instagram page at asneubert
