Do you go skiing even if you know it's going to be crappy?

[ski diva]

So we've had rain here in Vermont for the past two days. No lie, it's been dismal. The temps have been warm and there's been some serious melting going on. Last night temperatures dropped below freezing and we had a couple inches of wet snow. I know today it's going to be absolutely bullet-proof ice -- that is, where it's not death cookies and divets gouged out by the groomers. I haven't skied since Tuesday and I'm not going to ski again til next Wednesday. Plus I have a lot to do to get ready for my trip out west.

SO -- should I even bother to go take a few runs? What would you do? Do you ski even when you KNOW it's going to be crappy?

 

[surfsnowgirl]

On a normal day I'd go but that's just me. In your instance you are headed out west in a few days and have a lot to do so meh depends on how badly you want to ski. The caveat is if we just got a dumping and/or conditions were otherwise stellar I'd definitely go get a few turns in. Otherwise If I were headed out west in a couple days and had a lot to do I'd probably not ski today and wait

Generally speaking I ski every weekend and ski in whatever condition mother nature has on the menu for that weekend.

 

[ski diva]

Then again, on further reflection, sometimes you think it's going to be awful and you go over and find out it's great.

 

[RhodySkiBum]

We're going for it this weekend - not sure what we will find for conditions after this awful week of weather. (Assuming ice/hardpack - like all this season....) But we've had this weekend planned for a while - and I am afraid that there are not that many weekends left.

I go "on call" for work for two weeks after next weekend, so during that time weekend trips are out. And after that? Who knows if we will still be able to ski at all the way this winter is going!!

So we need to go while we can!

 

[Jilly]

If I had to travel for it, probably not. If it was down the road...maybe. I made 2 runs the day it was -30C at Tremblant. Because I was there.

Now it just might be a good day to get the laundry done and some packing organized too.

 

[ski diva]

Yeah, it's right down the road. I actually went outside and cleaned off the car with the full intention of going, but changed my mind at the last minute. I have too much to do before we go, and I just couldn't get excited about an iffy day. Plus it's very windy, and I hate the wind. So it's laundry, packing, errands, etc.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Skiing for me, is supposed to be fun. If and when I decide that the conditions suck, even if I haven't been out yet to know for certain, then there's a good chance I won't have a good time. Part of the beauty of having to work as a ski instructor is that I need to put a good spin on the conditions and help create a fun memory even if it is in my opinion sub-optimal snow.

What I find interesting, is that bad conditions are defined by the user not by the conditions. For some it's icy, for others low visibility, and some guests even refused to ski if it's dumping in fantastic powder out.

As someone who loves challenges and to learn new things, there is no doubt that going out on really funky snow days, even if only for a few runs, usually ends up being at the very least fun if only because I survived it. But I recognize that I am lucky as the hill is only 40 minutes away. If I knew for certain that the conditions sucked I probably would not go.

This brings up another interesting question or issue. Whose opinion do I trust? When asking about conditions have noticed that there are those that think it's great no matter how bad it is, those who always find something wrong with the conditions, and then those that look at it the way I need them to look at it for me to form an opinion when I cannot test things out in person.

Let us know what you decide to do!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I have had really good days when I thought it was going to be crap so sometimes you can be surprised.......

 

[bounceswoosh]

You know - @ski diva - I was going to respond "sometimes," but then I saw your description of crappy - raining and bullet proof. No, I would not ski in that. I realized that my definition of crappy is "hasn't snowed in two weeks." That's a whole different universe.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Ok, for some reason, your question is making me chatty, I guess that is what this forum is for. Just last week was the first time in 15 years of full time teaching that I actually told my students that it was a day we should skip out of their 6 day vacation. It was raining at the base, and the forecast was for extremely high winds. We went to town instead. As we sat down at lunch time, I showed them that not a single lift was running because of the high winds. It was the right choice. I felt awful about it.

 

[elemmac]

Then again, on further reflection, sometimes you think it's going to be awful and you go over and find out it's great.

I've had some of my best days on skis when it's raining out. No crowds, no lines, and as long as it's not pouring, the snow is normally really good.

For me, it depends on travel, if I have anything else I could be doing, how bad is BAD, and if I'm in the right mindset to make the best of a bad situation. If I go out "knowing" the conditions are going to suck, and I'm probably not going to have a good time...I probably won't. But if I go thinking, worst-comes-to-worst I go in for a bloody mary at 10AM when the bar opens, I'll normally have a decent day whether I take 1 run or 15.

With that being said, it's been pretty terrible in Maine as well. I probably wouldn't be heading to the mountain this weekend if it weren't for picking my skis up for Diva West. And since I'll be up there already...I'll take some runs.

 

[ride_ski]

@ski diva, killington is reporting 7", so you could go there . In my case, I would do the same thing as you are. In fact, we will be in Vt and aren't planning to ski this weekend. Conditions are not very good and it would be my luck to go out and hurt myself a week before leaving for Diva West. Errands, laundry, packing sound good to me.

 

[ride_ski]

my definition of crappy is "hasn't snowed in two weeks."

I wish that was the east coast's definition of crappy this year....

 

[Christy]

No way. There's always good days ahead sooner or later, and always other fun stuff to do on weekends.

I will admit that attitude has made me miss some really good ski days. Sometimes I think, well, it hasn't snowed in a week, or I turn my nose up at early-season conditions, or there's a chance snow will turn to rain. Then my husband goes and comes home raving. Oh well.

 

[MissySki]

If I'm up at the ski condo, I'll go out. Once I'm out I'll decide how long I actually stay out based on whether I'm enjoying myself or if it's really just not fun that day. Sunday River is so spread out I feel I can usually find some redeeming quality of a trail somewhere on the mountain each day. If it's that bad then we can always call it a day very early on and go hang out in our fave apre ski bar that serves awesome breakfast pizza and mimosas!

I also like that there are way less people on the slopes when conditions are "too cold" or "anticipated to be bad". For @ski diva this isn't as novel as for someone like myself who skis weekends almost exclusively. Some of the best days I've had out were when no one else was willing to brave whatever elements were at play. I've been surprised many times with spots I'll find to make me smile on what I'd anticipated was going to be a short and crappy day.

My last thought is on challenging myself.. Since I didn't start skiing until after college, I'm still playing catch up to many others in terms of time on snow and different snow conditions I have experience in etc. Lately I've been getting much more comfortable in challenging conditions (to me) than previous years. Some things that used to be deal breakers, would frustrate me or exhaust me I've been able to enjoy this year and even excel at in some cases and I love love love to feel that progress over past seasons.. the only way for me to get to that point is to go out and ski no matter what. I won't lie and say I don't enjoy it a little when others around me are complaining about things that I'm managing to still have a blast on or getting bogged down where I'm flying through with little effort because I've put that time and work in to get to that point! The best skiers/instructors (in my opinion) that I've been out with are those that can go in the nastiest and ever changing conditions/terrain and make tiny adjustments that I can't even discern while they still look the same and as effortless as in the best of conditions and terrain. I want to be there someday (and that day is a looooong way off for me), but I sure as heck won't get there by sitting out the unpleasant stuff..

 

[Fluffy Kitty]

Yes, because I have little choice on when I can go. I do choose the mountain that will be less crappy, since I have three to choose from, and I may come home early if I can't deal.

Pouring rain is tough, though; I haven't had to face that, yet. I'd probably go anyway, then stop when I am too wet to stay warm.

 

[SkiBam]

If I were going on my own, I'd likely be much fussier about conditions and only go when I know it will be good. (Like last week when I got up one day and saw Tremblant had received 40 cm.) But if I've planned to meet someone we'll often go no matter what. And are very often pleasantly surprised!

 

[GoingDownhillWeeeee!]

Yes. A few years ago I declared that I'm not a snow snob, I'm a die hard. I'll ski powder, hard pack, slush, everything but actual ice. But then, it sounds like "bad" in the east is much worse than "bad" in the west.

 

[MissySki]

Yes. A few years ago I declared that I'm not a snow snob, I'm a die hard. I'll ski powder, hard pack, slush, everything but actual ice. But then, it sounds like "bad" in the east is much worse than "bad" in the west.

If you won't ski actual ice in the east, there would be a lot of days with no skiing! Ice skills are a must unfortunately.

 

[snow addict]

Last season I made a rule to ski every single day I was up, even if only for a run, and I skied some really bad conditions. Extremely icy, limited crowded slopes in the early season, I skied under the rain, in blizzards, in blowing wind and in zero visibility (less than 5 meters). I am trying to do the same this year (minus the Christmas break when for almost 2 weeks our of 3 it was so bad it wasn't even worth trying - hiking and swimming were much better propositions), but I have a benefit of having a place in resort, so I don't need to plan and prepare for my trips, all I have to do is to walk 5 min to the lift go up and see if I like it. And it costs zero since I have a season pass. If I had to pay every time I am going up it would be different and I would rather not go altogether than pay for the whole day and then ski only for an hour because conditions are bad.

Oh, yes, when it rains it's possible to go above it, so it's not all that bad. If it rained all the way up to 3300m I would pass )