Jason's Weather: 1/31/11

The latest GFS 0z and 6z are pointing towards a major snow event for the Catskills, Adirondacks and all of ski country. Both runs are a little weaker and further south than previous runs with the 500mb closed low.

This is a good thing because this storm track should shut off warming aloft. Normally a storm track like this one could deliver a mixed bag of precipitation types for New York and the Northeast. In this case, the position of the High in eastern Canada is crucial in the set up — it will hold all that cold air in place. Bottom line: as of 7:30 a.m. Monday, we're calling for 12-24 for all of the major ski areas.

Harvey Road Weather Page

Harvey Road Weather Forum Storm Discussion Thread

The Gore Mountain Interconnect Opens

Saturday was the grand re-opening of the Little Gore Ski Bowl. The ski area was the destination of the ski trains in the 1930s and operated until the mid-1970s.

Along with the rebirth of Hickory and Big Tupper, the Little Gore Ski Bowl is a third historically important New York ski hill that has come back to life over the last couple of years. In addition, Saturday represented another step forward in the long term plan to connect Gore and the town of North Creek.

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Skiing and Photography

In the spring of 2007, I started skiing with a camera. The next summer, I realized how enjoyable it is to look back at photos from the winter, and since 2008, I've carried a camera whenever I'm out on snow.

I've always considered myself a skier, with a camera, as opposed to a photographer on skis. My primary goal has always been skiing, with photography serving to enhance the experience and memories.

But this year there's been a shift in my thinking. Especially when I'm skiing alone. I'm starting to seek out images — sometimes to the point of interrupting a great string of turns to pull up and capture the moment. A few times, like in the photo above, I've relinquished first tracks to capture a shot. It's not unusual for me to take 150 pictures in a day.

Bastardi's Forecast for Winter's 2nd Half

Accuweather's Joe Bastardi is out with his call for the second half of Winter 2010/2011. While his forecast for the first half of the winter looked reasonable, the storm track for the east has been somewhat south of what he illustrated in his original map. The map above and the forecast behind it could be paydirt for New York and Eastern skiers.

The Mountains Less Traveled: Teton Powder Keg

You may remember the trip reports that James posted in the forum about his vacation in Wyoming last month. In his new "Mountains Less Traveled" feature, he writes about how his first cat-skiing experience — seven hours of untracked powder — had a big impact on him.

Just looking at his pictures had a big impact on ME, but he also brings up some interesting points about our habit of putting off things that we've always wanted to do.

In this issue of NY Ski Magazine:
Tapping the Teton Powder Keg

Editorial: Gore Mountain's Expansion

It's been suggested that the expansion of Gore Mountain onto Burnt Ridge and down to the Ski Bowl is short-sighted. In my opinion, it's actually long-term thinking.

While Gore is a lot like a business, it really isn't one. It's almost an "attraction" run by the state.

If Killington were able to raise $4 million for capital improvements, the people in charge of the quality of the skiing product — from GM on down — could recommend to the owners the best way to spend the money. That's not how Gore's expansion happened. Gore got money specifically for terrain expansion.

No skier would question the wisdom of this new, fantastic terrain if Gore had 2 or 3 times the snowmaking firepower. But you know what? In ten years, I bet they will. I wouldn't be surprised by a 50% improvement at the end of the next five years.

The terrain is here now. If we get cold temperatures and good snowfall we'll use it. The first time I skied Sagamore, it was on all natural snow, and it was one of the best ski days of my life. If it dumped 20" today, Gore would be 100% open, on all 400 acres. There is a TON of great terrain that is potentially available now, and access will continue to improve.

Jason's Weather: 1/11/11

As mentioned in previous posts, there are two possible scenarios with this storm, depending on which model you believe. The NAM is the coast-hugger and the wettest of all the models. The GFS and the EURO have the low further off the coast. I think the reality lies somewhere between the NAM and the GFS.

NAM 18z QPF

At this moment, the Cats look like the NY winner with 5-9 inches. Totals should be light to moderate for the ADKs: around 2-4 inches. More snow will fall on the southern Greens and the favored upslope terrain.

It's all about when and where the development takes place. We'll have a much better idea about storm track tomorrow afternoon. Stay tuned.

Gore Mountain, NY: 1/8/11

It's no secret that Gore's had a tough year for natural snowfall.  But yesterday, a clipper dropped down from Canada, and took its sweet time moving through New York State.

On Friday, it dropped at least a half foot of snow across most ski areas in the state. And overnight, a "norlun trough" set up to drop another half of foot or more over the southeastern Adirondacks. It was bit of a coming out party for the Gore Mountain and the town of North Creek.

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The Most Epic Day at Whiteface

When was the most epic day at Whiteface? Were you there? Submit your story, for a chance to win lift tickets to the king of New York ski hills.

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Jason's Weather: 1/4/11

After a week of mild and tranquil weather, things are looking very interesting for the end of the week. Once again, there are big model differences. They all have a similar look, but their placements and intensities are different.

NAM 500mb at 66 hrs

The NAM and GFS 12 1-4 both show a strong upper-level system dropping out of Central Canada into the Great Lakes. The NAM is stronger with this feature and moves it due south into Ohio. If the NAM went out to 90hrs, I bet there would be a nice low forming on the the Delmarv.

The GFS is similar, but keeps the upper feature more in Western NY and develops a slow-moving low further east.

More time is need to iron out the details and make some kind of snow forecast. The potential is there for a prolonged snow event. But right now I see 3-6" on Friday into Saturday in both the Adks and the Cats. More on the Green Mountain spine and other upslope favored areas.

Le Massif du Sud, QC

by Jason

Instead of our usual Vermont holiday trip, my wife and I decided to go to Quebec City for some culture and skiing. After planning and booking it, three other families came along too. We skied at Le Massif and Mont Sainte Anne, and for our final day we chose Massif du Sud.

The bellman asked where we were going, and when my wife mentioned "Massif du Sud," he said, "Bad choice. It's a small boring mountain." Obviously, the dude doesn't ski. The place lived up to its billing as the best-kept secret in the province. From Quebec City, you drive one hour to the middle of nowhere.

Skaneateles Ski Club, NY

by Jamesdeluxe

It's become a cliché for downhill skiers to bemoan how their beloved sport has become increasingly corporatized over the past two decades, and how there are fewer and fewer local feeder hills — places where, as the Cheers theme song intoned, “everybody knows your name.”

The not-for-profit Skaneateles Ski Club, located on the eastern perimeter of Central New York’s Finger Lakes region, is one of those increasingly rare ski areas that transports you back to a time before the words “bottom line” became paramount in the industry.