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Question: How cold is TOO cold?

MissySki

Angel Diva
Back in the day -- read young and stupid-- I skiied in -30 temps a few times. One day in Killington they were giving out balaclavas, and you could get your money back if you were out less than an hour. Spent a day at the bar instead. Then a couple very cold trips to Tremblant. The best (or worst) was the -30 in Fernie when we got stuck on the lift for 40 minutes because some kid stuck his tongue onto the chairlift bar. Haven't made it out now since 2020, but I am definitely more of a fair weather skier these days.
Omg didn’t that kid watch A Christmas Story?? :rotf: I’d be so mad!
 

jskis190

Certified Ski Diva
It was the first run of the day, and the first mountain ski experience for my 3 nieces who were 9, 11, and 12. It was a one run day for them, although my husband and I did a few more after warming up. That same trip we were in Whitefish and were woken up in the middle of the night because the water pipes had frozen and burst, setting off the fire alarm. We had to change hotels at 5 am. We still skiied the next day though. Although it wasnt fun at the time it has become a part of our family ski vacation history.
 

Lmk92

Angel Diva
Several years ago, we skied Sugarbush in -35 degree wind chill weather. Lots of trips indoors to warm up. Then we skied Belleayre in -25 wind chill degree weather. I felt so bad, until I saw a bunch of 5 year olds skiing.
 

Amie H

Angel Diva
When I was at Wilmot a few weeks ago, I believe temps were in the teens. I've skied under 20 F plenty of times in the Midwest but what made things unpleasant that day was only 2 lifts open and HUGE lines. Just STANDING in lines in that cold was no fun.
 

Iwannaski

Angel Diva
FWIW, when the bone chilling cold went through the Midwest yesterday, all our locals closed … both because the weather was unpleasant but also because I think it was great snow blowing weather - easier to blow without skiers, anyway.

On 1/2 it was about 10 and my friend and I went in the morning and it was gorgeous. I think down to about 5 degrees Fahrenheit I am fine. Below that I’m a no-go.
 
View attachment 17433
1/23/11, Sugarloaf
Did it ever really get above 0F those 3 days? (Doubt it.)
I think it was -10F when this pic was taken.
Front and center: the late, great skisailor
Oh Laura, we miss you. I remember that day, and I remember one day suiting up in ski clothing just to walk around Sugarloaf because it just was too cold to ski! 10 years ago this month!
 

TrixieRuby

Certified Ski Diva
Where I ski is a notoriously windy mountain (2nd highest peak in state) - so wind is ALWAYS a factor (we marvel when it's NOT). I seemingly always feel it first in my toes. Don't have boot heaters (my feet sweat too much), don't use toe warmers (boots fit too close), should really try Boot Gloves (saw a ton of them yesterday, guess they work?). Next is fingers. Time to go in. Boots nearly impossible to remove when that cold! (OR get back on!)

Amazing how it feels like a "heat wave" when it starts out that cold then reaches double-digits! I'm also not a mitten person (love having "digits"), so when I'm in liners and mittens.....it's a sign....
I have heated socks, and I LOVE them--on the lowest setting they are just right. Pricey, but after paying for a lift ticket who wants to stay indoors. They do have to be washed by hand or in a mesh bag on delicates. Worth the effort for me.
 

TrixieRuby

Certified Ski Diva
My 7 yo daughter is getting cold toes. I think we are managing her hands OK with her mittens and hand warmers.

Yesterday it was in the high teens, low twenties. But she got cold (the wind was blowing). She especially gets chilled before our lunch break, even though she is getting a good breakfast.

So I am considering some type of boot heating system for her. I don't know much about them, but I would need something that would easily move from boot to boot since she is a growing girl.

I am not sure what my definition of too cold is any more, since I am usually in with my kids before I have a chance to get too cold. The first time I went out west, I skied all day with one break and I was shocked to see that is was 0'F outside. Am I crazy or is Colorado cold different than the damp Michigan cold? The wind was not blowing that day either obviously. Maybe I was so entralled by the mountains that I didn't know how cold I really was.
The cold is drier in the west, so it does not feel as cold. Don't know why! It is like heat and humidity--a humid day feels warmer than a dry day.
 

MaineSkiLady

Angel Diva
Oh Laura, we miss you. I remember that day, and I remember one day suiting up in ski clothing just to walk around Sugarloaf because it just was too cold to ski! 10 years ago this month!
Time warp! It was 11 years ago. (:eek:)

It wasn't so much the air temp that shut the lifts at Sugarloaf that day - it was the wind chill. I've skied plenty of days there that started at -10F. It's the Wind. When wind chills get below -40 (sometimes more, yesterday was -55), it's ski patrol's call - then management.

When temps would then rise up and actually HIT double digits - WOW. "Heat wave." At +10, the difference was palpable. Ski patrol often parks someone at top of lifts to warn any/all who have signs of facial frostbite. DH has been "flagged" numerous times! (Hates having his face fully covered. He's getting over it.)
 

SkiGAP

Angel Diva
I’ve gone out in -9 degree weather before. But that’s -9 degree weather with minimal windchill and decent snow. Right now? Hard pass!
I'll barely go out when it's -9 celsius! But I've gotten soft in the Pyrenees environment. It's been a while since I've experienced what NH/VT have to offer in terms of low temps and wind chill...
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I’m in an adult seasonal program this year and the email we got yesterday with our weekly lineup of instructors/offerings simple said that it will be cold, to make sure your boot heater batteries are charged completely, to watch eachother for frost nip/bite, and to speak up if you need a warm up break when out there. Lol I was curious if they might cancel, but alas that is not the case. So I’ll be out there unless the mountain were to close due to the cold. I mean, I’m literally on the mountain in my condo already, so hard to stay put if the lifts are turning when I just ski in/out versus having to drive to the mountain. My fiancé thinks I’ve lost my mind to plan on going out in this cold. :rotf: We’ll see how it goes, I’ll certainly be trying out my new helmet hood as another layer over my face and head.
 

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