Tag Archives | winter

WOOO HOOOO! I DID IT!

January 17, 2012 in Gear Review, Ski News

I must have. Broken the curse,  I mean.

It’s obvious — last week I wrote about the severe snow deficit we’re facing throughout the country, and then, look what happens: it snows like crazy in the Midwest and New England,  and the forecast looks good in Colorado, Tahoe, Colorado, and the Pacific Northwest.

Behold! All bow before the power of The Ski Diva!

 

Yeah, right. :)

Regardless, I’m more than a little pleased that winter has decided to finally make an appearance. And just in time for Martin Luther King Weekend, when ski areas rely on big crowds to rake in the dough. I mean, as  much as I hate skiing in crowds and won’t go out over holidays and weekends, ski resorts depend on attracting loads of people  to keep the lifts running. (If you skied then, my undying gratitude.)

So what did I do last Thursday, during the first round of decent snowfall, here in the Green Mountain State?

I hauled out my Atomic Century skis for the very first time. Okay, I’ll admit it. I did something very, very bad — and uncharacteristic, for me. I got these skis without benefit of demoing (phew, confession is good for the soul). This is something I always advise against, but I went ahead and did it anyway. I figured if I didn’t like them, I could always turn around and sell them.

Well, that ain’t gonna happen.

These babies rock. First, just give them a gander:

Way cool, right?

First, let me tell you about me: I’m an advanced eastern skier, 5’1″ (and a half!), 110 lbs.

And let me tell you about them:

Length: 166
Dimensions: 128.5-100-100.5
Turning Radius: 18

The Atomic Century has an early rise tip with traditional camber in the middle. This allows it to float in the powder, while giving you the edge control you’ll need in the hard pack. This is really good in the east, where you can encounter all sorts of conditions on the same day — everything from deep snow to bare ice. The day I’m talking about here had loads of nice powder, but the wind had scoured all the snow off the top of the mountain, leaving behind, as they say, “dust on crust.” No matter: the Atomic Century handled it all quite happily. I found them poppy, light, stable, and willing to go, go, go, no matter where I took them: fresh tracks, cut up crud, and yes, even ice. Pretty cool looking, too.

Though my go-to skis (Volkl Tierras) are 156, I went 10 mm longer with these — alllllllllllll the way up to 166, which is longer than any ski I’ve owned in many, many years. Why? The early rise decreases the point of contact with the snow. And in powder, you want a longer length for greater stability, anyway. I have to say I had no problem at all.

So now we have the snow. I have the skis. Keep it coming, Ullr. I’m ready!

 

 

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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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Thank you, Skiing!

November 22, 2011 in General skiing, Ski News

 

 

So it’s Thanksgiving Week, the time we all spend battling traffic, eating like pigs, and then hitting the stores to engage in a money-spending orgy we’ll be paying off for months ahead.

I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Well, sort of. Because even though we do all those things — to one extent or another — we also spend time giving thanks for the many blessings we have in our lives. Which is really the point of the holiday, after all.

And what’s one of the things we give thanks for, boys and girls?

Skiing, of course.

So I thought I’d devote this week’s post to why I’m thankful for skiing.

Hang onto your ski poles. Here we go:

1) Skiing makes me excited about winter. Seriously. If it weren’t for skiing, I’d probably  spend the winter burrowed beneath a blanket, wishing for warmer weather. Thanks to skiing, I’m positively giddy about the winter months. It’s the best season Mother Nature dishes out, and I wish it were a heck of a lot longer.

2) Skiing keeps me physically fit during the winter, and gives me something to stay fit for during the off season. To be honest, I’d probably work out anyway. But it’s a good motivator.

3) Skiing is one of the main reasons I ditched my old life back in Pennsylvania and moved to the beautiful state of Vermont, which I love dearly and with all my heart.  It’s a move I’ve never regretted, not even in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene. I <3 Vermont.

4) It’s broadened my horizons considerably. Thanks to skiing (and TheSkiDiva.com) I’ve made tons of new friends and traveled to places I’d never have gone to otherwise.

5) It’s made me appreciate certain advancements in technology. Chairlifts, snowmaking, technical clothing, shaped skis — all the things that make skiing both easier and more readily accessible to everyone out there.

6) It’s given me a new fondness for soup, chili, and hot chocolate. Essentially anything hot. There’s nothing like a bowl of hot soup/chili when you come in from sub-zero temps and a howling wind. Yum.

7) It’s made me appreciate snow tires and four wheel drive, necessities for living here in the Green Mountain State. Both have saved my bacon more than once.

Of course, skiing isn’t the only thing I’m grateful for. Friends, family, health, the list goes on and on. So this Thanksgiving, count your blessings. Turn your thoughts to the good things in life. Draw your loved ones close, eat a good meal, and give thanks for whatever you hold dear.

I wish you all a happy holiday.

 

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