Ski Season Calendar

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

I start to think about next season as soon as the current season is done. These are milestones that mark a mental progression towards the next season — some are mine and some have been contributed in comments. Here is this year's summer solstice ski season calendar update:

Beginning of the off-season: The later the better.

First Pass Deadlines.

Summer Solstice: Days start to get shorter.

July 21: Northern hemisphere begins to cool.

Aug 10: First issue of Powder Magazine.

Labor Day: Unofficial end of summer, and it feels cooler.

Sept 21: Start of calendar Fall.

Thanksgiving: With luck, lifts start to run at most ski areas.

Dec 21: Start of calendar Winter.

Jan 1: Start of mid-winter.

Presidents Week: Half-time in a good year.

March 15: Approx start of Spring Skiing in NY.

March 21: Start of calendar Spring.

Last Day of Lift Service.

Last Day of Skiing.

Do you have a ski calendar in your head? How do you mark it?

13 Comments:

JamesdeluxeJun 22, 2010 06:35 AM
In a normal year anywhere from the Catskills north, I wouldn't expect the beginning of spring skiing until at least mid-March. This past season was obviously at least two weeks ahead of schedule.
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PowderqueenJun 22, 2010 05:09 PM
March typically is the month with the most snowfall in New England...but I think due to climate change, the snowfall has been dropping off substantially over the years.

Late March is the beginning of spring skiing...early March is still mid-winter, which begins sometime between MLK and Prez week. MLK used to be mid-winter, but lately it is still early season with snowmaking underway and not the whole mountain open.
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Sick Bird RiderJun 23, 2010 07:04 AM
Add this to the calendar -

Late August: the real stoke begins when the first issue of Powder Magazine hits the newsstand.
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Harvey44Jun 23, 2010 07:43 AM
James ... I think you're right. I looked into our past TRs from March. If you throw out this year - which was insanely hot - I found a mix of winter and spring conditions in the time period. I also found some good Weather Data for Belleayre on MSN that backs up what you are saying. I guess I was struggling with calling March "mid-winter." Is there something between mid-winter and spring?

SBR... will add the Powder Mag milestone to the calendar!
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JasonJun 23, 2010 08:27 AM
I don't think 2 warm snow less March's makes a trend..3 years ago we were buried up to our necks during the months of March and April..
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SteveJun 22, 2011 03:52 AM
Here is my ski calendar:

October-July: Ski
August & September: Don't Ski

:)
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Harvey44Jun 22, 2011 06:16 AM
@ Steve: It's and enviable calendar for sure. What would you say is the "average closing date" for Tux? Opening?
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Rochester MarkJun 22, 2011 06:30 AM
Here's my calendar. SKI SEASON :-) , NOT SKI SEASON :-( !
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jjJun 22, 2011 10:12 AM
Greetings from Virginia.

Banana Belt Ski Calendar:
Early Nov: hit the local ski show, except they stopped holding one in our area a couple years ago:-( Nonetheless, some form of this entry should appear on your Ski Season Calendar above for everyone.
Dec 10 (approx): ski season starts for most mid-Atlantic resorts
Christmas Week: in a good year the more aggressive snowmakers have the majority of their slopes open
Jan 15: right about now we're due for a January thaw
Feb 1: most likely opening in the narrow window for some local powder
Feb 15 (approx): crowds peak for President's Day Weekend, then drop off the table
Mar 1: spring skiing could last from the first week to the third week of March, crowds gone, lower prices, sunny soft bumps, living is good.
Mar 15 (approximately): majority of local resorts close with 80% of their terrain open, if slushy. But no customers.
After Mar 15: head somewhere North or West for a week of "reward" skiing:-)
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ml242Jun 22, 2011 01:40 PM
Harv -

Your going to ski earlier many other places than Tux. Even in December it's not skiable really, it takes a long time to cover the junk. Fortunately, we get it all back on the other side.

I wonder if K and SR will race again to run the lifts this October.
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ml242Jun 22, 2011 01:41 PM
you're, duh
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70s Gore KidJun 23, 2011 07:59 AM
Here's another date:

Early October: the huge stoke you get when ski areas post pics/video of turning on the snow guns for the first time in the season.

My local resort, Snowshoe, the past few years has posted a slickly edited video with cool music of them cranking up the snow guns and blowing the mice out. They put it on their website and facebook prominently, and link to it with an email blast.

Last year's video was so well done, it almost brought tears to my eyes.

Big hint to the marketing folks at Gore and Whiteface. People see that, and book a ski trip.
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JamesJun 25, 2011 12:46 PM
September and October are probably the most painful months out of the year. When Sunday River opened in October this past year, I can't tell you how tempted I was to hop in the car and make that 7+ hour trip up there.
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