It's ski season

[Ronnie]

Side story from today's trip to Kirk wood, an African American in front of my son and I at one of the lift lines told his son this, "skiing and snow boarding is not for anyone that is financially challenged, hates getting up early, heights or white people."

I don't know what skiing or boarding is like in other states but my son has pointed out that we are or have been the only people of color (within our sight anyway, on the slopes and bus) on the last two trips we took to the snow. This is our fourth trip this season and the first time we have seen anyone else of color on the slopes. It seems like the melting pot that is the sf Bay Area stops where the snow starts.

For the most part I'm colorblind when it comes to race and skin but am concerned about what my son is concluding/learning/taking from these experiences. As long as he wants to keep snow boarding so do I but If there is a more diverse place to ski and board please let me know, even if it's outside CA, I want my son to see it and I'd like to as well.

 

[GiddYupJoe]

Crazy! Comparison from 2015.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4113426/Now-s-snow-American-ski-resorts-Two-years-ago-closed-drought-week-forced-shut-14-feet-white-stuff-fell.html

From Kirkwood.

 

[Ronnie]

@GiddYupJoe , thanks for posting a link to the story. I can't wait to show it to my son. We heard the resorts closed last week but the news didn't spend much time on it so no pics or video were televised other than at the points on the roads up that were closed and people were being turned around. Ironically it was sunny and warm yesterday so no chains were required.

Not the best pic but here is one taken through the bus window after we got to the resort and before we parked, I estimate that the snow was 8' high.

 

[ripler]

Meanwhile out east we are enjoying 60 degree weather, this is from this past Friday, I'm sure it looks a lot worse now. It's not even getting cold enough at night to make snow.

 

[GiddYupJoe]

Meanwhile out east we are enjoying 60 degree weather, this is from this past Friday, I'm sure it looks a lot worse now. It's not even getting cold enough at night to make snow.

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I leave for Snowshoe tonight. I hope it's not THAT bad! Supposed to be mid 50's and it has rained all week.

 

[AndyD]

I leave for Snowshoe tonight. I hope it's not THAT bad! Supposed to be mid 50's and it has rained all week.

We were in snowshoe last week and the weather was warm and the slopes were starting to look like the previous photos unfortunately. They have a good base so the runs were somewhat holding up but the clock was ticking if the temps haven't cooled off since last Friday to where they can make snow at night. Hopefully it's good for you. Good luck!

 

[ripler]

@GiddYupJoe Those photos are from 7 Springs on the 13th and that day they considered the mountain to be 100% open, there were a lot of bare spots. I get email alerts from 7 Springs and they are losing terrain daily. I've heard that Snowshoe isn't doing much better.

 

[GiddYupJoe]

We were in snowshoe last week and the weather was warm and the slopes were starting to look like the previous photos unfortunately. They have a good base so the runs were somewhat holding up but the clock was ticking if the temps haven't cooled off since last Friday to where they can make snow at night. Hopefully it's good for you. Good luck!

@GiddYupJoe Those photos are from 7 Springs on the 13th and that day they considered the mountain to be 100% open, there were a lot of bare spots. I get email alerts from 7 Springs and they are losing terrain daily. I've heard that Snowshoe isn't doing much better.

At least they have plenty of bars! And the kids are staying home.

 

[malibu Dan]

Timberline tomorrow..

 

[KXCam22]

Suddenly really warm where I live. Shi hill is doing Ok but my grass is almost clear. Not typical for Jan. Cam.

 

[malibu Dan]

Great day on the Mt with the wife..

 

[RightStuff]

I could get use to this service from the kids.

Having a great week at Winter Park so far. About 6-8 inches today, and the Berthoud pass closed (avalanche) so it was dead today. More powder for us!

 

[Ronnie]

Made it Mammoth (east of Yosemite), Hell of a drive but worth it to see my sister and get our kids together.

 

[Mainah]

Last two days at Sugarloaf in Maine were amazing. 4ft of snow in the last two weeks and then 50 degree temps the last two days. It was so warm I had to ditch my helmet and jacket for some sunglasses and sun screen. Very liberating to not be bundled up. The only dowside is the soft wet snow gave my oldest son a bit too much confidence. He ended up testing one of those heavy duty nets that keeps you from sliding off a big drop. It held and he is fine but it scared the heck out of me as I felt helpless watching him fly by me head first on the steepest trail on the mountain. My first time realizing he has too much of me in him.

 

[gsbrown]

One last taste of winter @ Camelback with the family.

 

[Ronnie]

We are getting the most snow we've had since my son and I started boarding together over 5 years ago but it looks like the season is over for us now that Track and Field has started. What a bummer, we only got out 5 maybe 6 days this season. Still they were all great days and we got to visit a new (to us) location, Mammoth, so I can't complain.

 

[Mainah]

We are getting the most snow we've had since my son and I started boarding together over 5 years ago but it looks like the season is over for us now that Track and Field has started. What a bummer, we only got out 5 maybe 6 days this season. Still they were all great days and we got to visit a new (to us) location, Mammoth, so I can't complain.

Been a great ski season here in Maine this year too. Feel your pain with kids sports. Middle School wrestling season has been tough to work around and ski season is pretty much over for us now that my son punched his ticket to states and new englands taking second in eastern Maine last weekend. Hopefully he podiums at states tomorrow.

Both my boys start track in 10 days. Good luck to yours in track. Quick tip ... HIIT is brutal but it is the best way to increase cardio strength when done right. With the increase in child athlete heart attacks a HRM is not a bad idea to ensure not over doing it.

 

[ripler]

We had a great start to the season, the middle of the season sucked and then this month the resorts we ski at got more natural snow than they did all winter. We will be making our 20th visit tomorrow with temps going to be in the 60's. This will probably be the last weekend for the resort where we ski the most, but there is another resort where we ski that will probably get another few weekends.

@Ronnie I read that Mammoth was planning on being open until July 4th, you still have plenty of time to ski.

 

[Ronnie]

@ ripler , I heard the same thing about mammoth and a few of the Tahoe resorts but as soon as it is warm enough to hit the water the boards won't stop collecting dust until October or so. Boating and jet skiing are my passions , snow play is a distant third because of the expense, distance and early starts . Still I may take a day off during my son's spring break to hit the snow one more time this snow season.

 

[Ronnie]

Made it to the snow one more time with my son this year. Ironically, my coworker in scal just came back complaining that there was no snow at his local resort. The resort we went to had all lifts running the day before and only 3 when we went because of high wind conditions. It took us 3 hours to get there and another 3 to get back, we only stayed on the slopes for 3 hours but it was worth it. My son tried skiing for the first time ever and we had a lot of fun all day together.