• Women skiers, this is the place for you -- an online community without the male-orientation you'll find in conventional ski magazines and internet ski forums. At TheSkiDiva.com, you can connect with other women to talk about skiing in a way that you can relate to, about things that you find of interest. Be sure to join our community to participate (women only, please!). Registration is fast and simple. Just be sure to add [email protected] to your address book so your registration activation emails won't be routed as spam. And please give careful consideration to your user name -- it will not be changed once your registration is confirmed.

How to tell the difference between an east coast skier and a west coast skier

newboots

Angel Diva
East Coast skier gets a big storm!

I skied Killington last year during the April storm that brought the mountain at least 2 feet of . . . it was pretty wet to call it powder, but it's as close as I've come. I kind of got the hang of it (lean back, go fast, whoop and holler), but as it was unfamiliar I couldn't "let go" and stop trying so hard to control the skis the way I'm used to. I fell and fell and fell. Eventually, I found myself on Mouse Run, which had been groomed earlier and had another 6"on that. This, I could handle pretty well. But there were scraped-off spots, where I could hear the beautiful music of my skis on ice. Ahh, I thought. Now I know I'm at home.
 

SarahXC

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Never lived on the east coast, but growing up in Alberta no weather closed anything. Ever. (See middle column below).

Even now when there is more snow prep and clearing capability, a snow forecast means hundreds of businesses, schools, and daycares in my county close very quickly.
I grew up in Minnesota… living in NC now. We had a dusting of snow one day when my kids were in preschool. We loaded up and went to school, got there and it was completely dark and empty. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong?!? Didn’t even occur to me there would be a weather closure for a 1/2” of snow. I started checking the closure on the local station report after that!
 

Soujan

Angel Diva
I grew up in Minnesota… living in NC now. We had a dusting of snow one day when my kids were in preschool. We loaded up and went to school, got there and it was completely dark and empty. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong?!? Didn’t even occur to me there would be a weather closure for a 1/2” of snow. I started checking the closure on the local station report after that!
NYC has gotten soft in regards to snow and school closures. When I was in school, it almost never closed. It would have to be over 2 feet before they considered closing schools and most kids made it in during a snow storm. In the last 3 or 4 years, they've been closing school when there is less than 10 inches of snow.
 

floatingyardsale

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hey, now, this Westie definitely listens for ice while on the lift! Although given this year I'd settle for some snow. My social media 'memories' show us all on our second ski weekend of the season last year, and yesterday I took my mountain bike out.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
We definitely do not consider 4-6 inches of snow a big dump here :laughter:.

We don’t get 4-6 fret at a time usually though. I consider 12+ inches a big dump here myself. Lol
I know .... it was mostly a joke. I've never skied in the East so how would I even know ???
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I know .... it was mostly a joke. I've never skied in the East so how would I even know ???

It did work out well to compare to the 4-6 ft piece lol.

The funny thing is I really like the ~6-8 inch range for new snow. It’s super fun without getting tiring. I’m a pretty terrible powder skier overall. I like light Western powder, but even then if it’s a ton I’m floundering around. I’m sure I will not do well in Sierra Cement.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
It did work out well to compare to the 4-6 ft piece lol.

The funny thing is I really like the ~6-8 inch range for new snow. It’s super fun without getting tiring. I’m a pretty terrible powder skier overall. I like light Western powder, but even then if it’s a ton I’m floundering around. I’m sure I will not do well in Sierra Cement.
Well I wish we would get some sierra cement. Nothing's open now. I'm scheduled to go Dec 12-17 and hoping Northstar will open.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
Ugh yes for sure, seems everywhere is hurting for snow right now. Any good storms on the horizon for you guys?
Yes ! Thursday and then again Monday plus temps dropping so they should be able to make snow. There's been an inversion layer going on and temps have been to warm at the top to make snow and we've had no natural snow !
 

just jane

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Several years ago, my brother brought his girlfriend at the time out to visit us and go snowboarding. She’s from Southern California and mostly went to Mammoth, I think. She complained bitterly about Colorado powder, like it was the snow’s fault she couldn’t handle it, not hers! She wanted to go find the groomed and packed runs.

I don't think we’d even gotten a big dump, it was just mid-winter conditions with some powder stashes. DH was deeply offended by her attitude, and it was a key factor he listed afterwards in all the reasons he didn’t like her. Fortunately they broke up later. There were many other reasons we were happy about it, but that one was valid and relevant to DH, although I don’t think it was a major reason for my brother!
 

Eera

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Our family has a scale in terms of fluff to ice which goes along the lines of Hokkaido-Remarkables-Perisher-Baw Baw, so an average day in Hokkaido we'd describe as being like Remarks, a really bad day would be a Perisher. Ice with tussocks poking through when you crack it and sit in the bar would be a Baw Baw. Sometimes works the other way; had a fantastic season in NZ a couple of years ago when we upgraded the experience to Hokkaido.
 

SkiGAP

Angel Diva
In terms of the reaction to snow:

Midwest = Andorra
Seattle = Toulouse

And they are only 2 hours apart by car - I can see the Pyrenees from my office.
 

VTborn

Certified Ski Diva
East Coast skier gets a big storm!

I skied Killington last year during the April storm that brought the mountain at least 2 feet of . . . it was pretty wet to call it powder, but it's as close as I've come. I kind of got the hang of it (lean back, go fast, whoop and holler), but as it was unfamiliar I couldn't "let go" and stop trying so hard to control the skis the way I'm used to. I fell and fell and fell. Eventually, I found myself on Mouse Run, which had been groomed earlier and had another 6"on that. This, I could handle pretty well. But there were scraped-off spots, where I could hear the beautiful music of my skis on ice. Ahh, I thought. Now I know I'm at home.
I was at Killington that day and it was my first powder day. I got my skis stuck in the snow and a very kind woman pulled me out! I will ski on ice any day (and do most days at Okemo), but powder terrifies me. Hopefully I’ll figure it out someday.
 

newboots

Angel Diva
Hello, @born - we must be sisters from another mother! That was some storm, wasn't it? I hate being the one who is miserable because it's a "powder" day. (I have since been corrected; Several feet in April at Killington does not mean powder. It means, wet, heavy, deep stuff.) But anyhow; I hope you made it to a groomed run before you went home.

I'm so glad someone resonated with my "aha" of happy recognition. I hear people talk about their fear at hearing that familiar scraping sound. I could never have kept skiing if I panicked at that sound. Of course, I don't ski all that fast, and indeed, we hit some ice usually every few minutes, so it's not a standout event!

There are a number of Okemo regulars here, as you've no doubt noticed. But we are all glad to have you!

:welcome:
 

Latest posts

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
26,204
Messages
496,998
Members
8,482
Latest member
Gilly1965
Top