Tag Archives | weather

A Skier Looks at Earth Day.

April 24, 2012 in General skiing, Ski News
Lone Peak, Big Sky, Montana

Lone Peak at Big Sky, Montana

In case you missed it, Earth Day was Sunday, April 22.

The folks who started Earth Day weren’t dumb. They slated it for springtime, when plants are emerging and the earth is turning green. After all, it’s easier to think about saving the planet when everything around us is coming to life.

But the principles behind Earth Day apply to more than a single season – and taking care of the planet is just as important when the world is shrouded in white. With global warming threatening to eliminate winter — and to take our favorite sport with it — environmental consciousness is something that we skiers need to get behind.

And not only because of skiing. Snow and ice are critical habitats for a wide range of animals. They provide a substantial amount of the planet’s drinking water. And polar ice melt could sink islands and flood coastlines.

How can we help? I’m sure you’ve heard the same thing over and over again:  we need to reduce our carbon footprint. But that’s not easy, especially since snowmaking, ski lifts,and  just getting to and from the slopes require huge amounts of energy. So what are we supposed to do?

Glad you asked. I have a few ideas right here:

* Carpool. Or use public transit to get to your favorite ski areas. It’s amazing how foreign this simple idea is to many people, although now that gas prices are up it might take on more and more obvious appeal. Seriously, though. Buddy up, people. It’ll help the planet. It’ll save you money. And it’ll make your trip easier, too.

• Support resorts that use renewable energy resources. According to Patrick Thorne, editor of the Green Ski Resort Guide, 60% of the world’s leading 250 ski resorts get at least some of their power from wind, solar, or water (hydro).  Vail, for example, is the second largest purchaser of renewable energy in North America. And Jiminy Peak (in Massachusetts) even has a wind turbine on site. An interesting one to watch: Mountain Riders Alliance. This organization (I blogged about them here), has the stated goal of  developing values-based, environmentally-friendly, rider-centric mountain playgrounds that have a positive impact in the local community.

• Buy from green companies. Another thing I’ve discussed before (go here). In brief, there are a growing number of gear companies that produce outstanding skis and apparel from recycled material. Many also support 1% For The Planet, giving at least one percent of their sales to environmental groups around the world. And some are involved in the Conservation Alliance, a consortium of outdoor industry companies that disburses its collective annual membership dues to community-based campaigns to protect threatened wild habitats. Founded in 1989 by REI, Patagonia, The North Face, and Kelty, the Alliance has more than 180 member companies, and has contributed more than $9.5 million to conservation projects throughout North America.

• Support environmental causes like the Save Our Snow Foundation. Started  by freeskier champion Alison Gannett, Save Our Snow seeks to  demonstrate that solutions to climate change can be cost-effective, can increase profitability while reducing pollution, and can increase energy security and green sector jobs — all while saving our snowpack and our planet’s ecosystems. Another good one: Protect Our Winters, which was founded by pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones, after witnessing first-hand the impact of climate change on our mountains.

Of course, there’s a lot we can do in our daily lives, too. Turn off lights when not in use. Use energy saver appliances. Walk or bike when you can. Recycle. Use re-usable shopping bags. Plant trees. You know the drill.

After all, for skiers, every day should be Earth Day. Celebrate today.

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Where’s winter?

January 10, 2012 in Ski News

What is it they say: “Everyone talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it.”

If only we could.

It’s no news to anyone that this winter has been dreadful for skiers. I have proof. Take a look at this map of the Western snowpack this winter vs. the snowpack last winter:

And check out how far below average the snowfall is here in Vermont:

Here’s some other scary stuff: Temperatures reached record highs in 268 places on January 5. As of January 6, just 16 percent of the U.S. had snow on the ground.  Midland, Texas, has had more snow so far this winter (19.5″) than Burlington, VT (15″). And for the first time since the late 1800s, Tahoe had no snow in December.

So this isn’t just me being cranky. It’s real. And for people like me who wait all spring, summer, and fall to click into our bindings, it’s more than a little frustrating.

So why is this happening? Is it global warming at work? Did someone forget to make a sacrifice to Ullr, the god of snow? Did I put my snow tires on too early? And more importantly, will it snow if I take them off?

To be sure, all of these are possibilities. Still, for those of us who were terribly spoiled by the epic snow we had last season, none of them are very satisfactory.

From what I understand, meteorologists are puzzled, too. Jim Cantorre of The Weather Channel says it’s a self perpetuating cycle. The lack of snowpack contributes to the warm temperatures. “Without a refrigerator to cool the airmasses that are coming down, they moderate very quickly,” he said  in a recent report on NBC Nightly News, “and we wind up with a lot of record highs.”

According to Weather Underground, part of the problem is the Arctic Oscillation, an atmospheric pattern of the northern latitudes that’s hard to predict more than two weeks in advance. Angela Fritz, an atmospheric scientist with WU, says that winter conditions in the upper tier of US states are often determined by the strengthening of pressure systems around the Arctic. When pressure systems are weak, cold air that’s normally trapped flows southward, resulting in extreme winter conditions for the US and Western Europe.While that was the case for the past two winters, Arctic high pressure systems this year are “allowing the cold air to get trapped up north,” she said. “Last year, the refrigerator door was left open. This year, the refrigerator door was left closed.”

All I know is that I want some snow. And if it takes dancing naked around a bonfire, sacrificing a sheep or a ram, or even yes, removing our snow tires, most of us skiers are prepared to do it.

Are you listening, Ullr?

Depiction of Ullr, the God of Snow.

 

 

 

 

 

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A ski town in stick season.

October 25, 2011 in Off season stuff, Ski News

Ski towns can be pretty cool. I should know. I live in one.

We get tons of visitors, so I think a lot of people feel the same way. In winter, of course, they come for the snow sports. In summer, for hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, and beautiful scenery. And in the fall, to take in the amazing, glorious, kalidescopic colors of the leaves.

In fact, there are visitors here pretty much year ’round, with two notable exceptions: Mud Season, when the snow melts and the ground is a disgusting, gloppy mess, and Stick Season. What’s Stick Season? It’s when the leaves are off the trees to reveal, well, sticks. It’s not pretty, it’s not warm enough to enjoy a lot of outdoor activities, and it’s not cold enough for winter sports to kick in. It’s no surprise that Stick Season isn’t a big tourist draw. There are no “Come See Vermont During Stick Season” commercials in major markets. Most people put off their visits for times that are a bit more exciting.

So what’s a ski town like in Stick Season?  Let me put it this way. You could lie down in the middle of Main Street, and I think you’d pretty much be okay.

Okay, I exaggerate. But it is pretty quiet.

To be honest, I kind of like it. This is practically blasphemous, given how greatly the local economy depends on tourism. But before I get completely ostracized from the business community, let me explain. Stick Season gives you a taste of what the town was like before all the tourists started coming, when most everyone you saw was local and the big news was if someone saw a moose. There’s a sense of peace you don’t get during the other times of the year. And that gives us a chance to reflect, to catch our breath, and to get ourselves ready for when the snow starts to fly. Call if the calm before the storm. Literally.

Make no mistake: I’m like anyone else around here. I’m counting the days til the lifts start spinning. But since I can’t control Mother Nature, I’ll take a few weeks of peace and quiet. Maybe I’m just getting old.

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Pix! From Space!

February 2, 2011 in Ski News


If you’re reading this and you’re in the US, chances are you’re being affected by the monster storm that’s hammering practically the entire country.

Groundhog, I think you’re officially snowed in.

Here in Vermont, we’re expected to get about 2 feet. Add this to the snow already on the ground, and you’re talking some serious coverage. A big improvement over last year, that’s for sure.

I found these great pix of the storm from outer space, and I thought I’d share them here:

 

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How cold is too cold to ski?

January 23, 2011 in Ski News

It differs for everyone.

Right now I’m in Sugarloaf, Maine, a resort known for its extremely cold temperatures. The high today is forecast for -1°F, the low tonight, a bone-biting -22°F.

Yeah, that’s cold.

This is tough. I hate to be  cold, but I love to ski. So yes, I’ll still go out there. I’m not sure how long I’ll last, and I’ll probably have on everything I own to stay warm.  But this is New England. It’s January. The alternative is to stay indoors and wait for summer.

In case you’re interested, here’s what I’ll have on, from bottom to top:

Feet: Thin pair of ski sox, Hotronics boot warmers, Boot Gloves (these go over my boots) with a toe warmer heat pack placed underneath it.

Legs: three pair of base layers (Hot Chilly’s micro-fleece, Smart Wool, Mountain Hardware Power Stretch Tight), Cloudveil Madison Pants.

Torso: Thin baselayer followed by heavier one; Patagonia Nano Puff pullover; EMS Prima-Loft layering piece; Cloudveil Down Patrol jacket

Face: Definitely a face mask & goggles

On my head: My Smith Variant helmet

Whew! Sounds like a lot to go through, just to have some outdoor fun. I feel kind of like an astronaut gearing up for a space walk. Or a scuba diver getting ready for a big dive. Will I look beautiful? No. Will I stay warm? Hopefully. Am I crazy? Probably.

As I said in the beginning, everyone’s tolerance of the cold is different. There’s even a discussion about it on TheSkiDiva.com.

The bottom line is you have to do what you can to stay as warm as possible, avoid frostbite, and have fun. Let’s hope that’s in the cards for me today.

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

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How cold is too cold?

January 13, 2009 in General skiing

For everyone, it’s different.

Take my folks who live in Florida. If the temperatures dip into the fifties, they’re ready to call it a national emergency.

Here in Vermont, however, we’re in for a real cold snap. The high temp over the next few days is expected to top out at 5°, with the wind chill making it feel like well below zero. Overnight, it should dip to about 20 below.

That’s cold.

Will I go out to ski? Probably, at least for a while. There are ways to gear up to make it a bit more tolerable. I have boot heaters in my ski boots, Boot Gloves to wear over them, a face mask (as ugly as that is), and lots of warm base layers to pile on under my ski pants and jacket. I’ll probably take more breaks than I would under ordinary circumstances (2 runs, break, 2 runs, break).

When it comes to cold temps, looking good takes a back seat. I’m all about keeping warm. I won’t be pretty, but I’ll be out there.


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Winter on its way out.

April 22, 2008 in Uncategorized

The first picture was my deck in February.

The second, my deck on April 19.

Winter is on its way out, but there’s still plenty of great talk about skiing on TheSkiDiva.com, the internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

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Dress for success.

January 4, 2008 in General skiing

I hate the cold.

There. I said it.

Seems almost sacrilegious, when you consider this is a ski blog. But as much as I love to ski, I absolutely hate to be cold. And the only way to get around that is to dress for the conditions. Today the temperature was brutal. It was about minus 3F, and with the wind chill, about minus 25F. Tough to dress for, I know. I think I wore everything I owned.

Which leads me to the best way to dress for thte cold: Layer. Layers trap warm air, so you stay warmer. Another benefit — you can tailor your clothing to the conditions. So if you get warm during the day, you can just pare down.

What sort of layers? Start with a base layer that’s not too heavy. Most important, be sure that it’s not made of cotton. Because cotton holds moisture, it can keep perspiration next to your body. And a wet body is a cold body. Instead, use a base layer made of a fabric designed to transfer moisture away from your skin. This will keep you dryer, and a lot warmer.

After that, consider a fleece, maybe a vest, and then your jacket or shell, depending on the temperature, and you’re good to go!


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Summer Desperation.

July 10, 2007 in Off season stuff

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had enough of these 90F+ degree temperatures.

This clip pretty much sums it up for me (at least the first part). Take a look. It’s pretty funny.


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Got cold feet?

February 23, 2007 in General skiing

I don’t mean the kind you get when you’re nervous and change your mind. I mean actual cold feet — the kind you get when the temperature’s below zero.

Here are some tips that might help keep your toes toasty:

  • Make sure your boots fit. If they’re too tight, they could be cutting off circulation. And that can make your feet cold.
  • Use thinner sox. That’s right. Seems counter-intuitive, but thick sox can 1) cramp your feet and cut off your circulation, or 2) make your feet sweat, which will cool them right down.
  • Spray your feet with anti-perspirant. No kidding. Because dry feet are warmer feet. (Plus they won’t stink!)
  • Keep your core warm. The warmer your core, the better your blood can circulate to your extremities, where it can do the most good.
  • Use toe warmers. The little self-adhesive kind that stick to the top of your foot, inside your boot.
  • Look into neoprene boot covers. These can go a long way in keeping out cold air, so your feet stay toasty.

Remember, warm feet are happy feet! And happy feet love to ski!


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