When do you think you'll start skiing this year?

[altagirl]

That's why all my "family trips" are in mid-to-late November. If I'm going to spend 2 weeks with no biking and no skiing, it better be in a time of year when neither is too good. November it is. And it happens to be Thanksgiving...? Well, come to think of it, it was originally a holiday to do very little!

I've still yet to find a good time for that... maybe mid-July/August when it's really hot? But that's Brianhead and Whistler bike season. Last Thanksgiving we skinned to the top of Alta, skied down to the car where we had bikes on the racks, changed into bike gear and then rode all the way down into the valley. It was so fun.

I'm hoping for a late start like that again myself - the mountain biking in October/November was amazing. And even better because it was cold enough to make snow and hike for turns before the resorts opened. And with a couple October powder days thrown in for good measure... (Now I'm totally daydreaming!)

 

[Pandita]

I am hoping to be skiing at the end of November. Maybe I can convince John (my husband) to get away if something opens in VT. We normally ski at 7 springs though. Last year we skied the Sunday after Thanksgiving - we didn't have our snowpants up yet so I just skied in jeans and a winter jacket - I didn't care after all it was opening day and with season passes who could pass it up
Thinking of snow

 

[SnowHot]

Pandita, you have to visit your sister, right?

 

[Pandita]

Pandita, you have to visit your sister, right?

In January for Martin Luther King Weekend.!!!!!!

 

[marge]

I have no idea. Probably shortly after they open which could be November, could be January.

 

[Pandita]

Let me make sure I understand Ullr is the snow god, right? Just want to make sure...Is this god or goddess, roman or greek. Just curious that's all..

 

[altagirl]

Let me make sure I understand Ullr is the snow god, right? Just want to make sure...Is this god or goddess, roman or greek. Just curious that's all..

Norwegian (Or Germanic Paganism I guess...)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ullr

 

[Kiragirl]

All kneel and hail to the god Ullr!!

 

[Pandita]

Norwegian (Or Germanic Paganism I guess...)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ullr

Thanks

 

[abc]

I've still yet to find a good time for that... maybe mid-July/August when it's really hot? But that's Brianhead and Whistler bike season. Last Thanksgiving we skinned to the top of Alta, skied down to the car where we had bikes on the racks, changed into bike gear and then rode all the way down into the valley. It was so fun.

Don't you have a "mud season"?

I do run into similar situations. I used to just bike and ski so there's a noticable gap between the two seasons (especially in spring). But then I added kayaking, which happens in early spring (whitewater) and late fall (seakayak)!!! So my "off-season" had just diappeared (will be doing that for the next 2 weekend)!

So, my November family trip will take place while seakayak and mountain biking suffer...

(and it explains why I'm not the least big anxious about first flake...)

 

[sicurobin]

I am hoping to get out to Utah sometime in early December. I try to get one ski trip out West before Christmas - not always easy to get someone to go with, as the conditions are pretty variable. Not that I mind, some snow is better than no snow at all.

 

[altagirl]

Don't you have a "mud season"?

I do run into similar situations. I used to just bike and ski so there's a noticable gap between the two seasons (especially in spring). But then I added kayaking, which happens in early spring (whitewater) and late fall (seakayak)!!! So my "off-season" had just diappeared (will be doing that for the next 2 weekend)!

So, my November family trip will take place while seakayak and mountain biking suffer...

(and it explains why I'm not the least big anxious about first flake...)

We really don't. We have more overlap than gap with skiing and biking - I think because of the big elevation differences. Lots of times you can ski in the morning and go ride nice dry trails in the afternoon down in the valley. Mud season is only if you hit the high elevation trails too early after the snow melt - and in fall the trails are so dusty that it would take a ton of rain to create any lasting mud - and by that time we usually have snow or frozen trails. And the best season for places like Moab is pretty much simultaneous with the best spring skiing - if you wait until skiing is done - you totally missed the entire season (too hot if you waited).

 

[RachelV]

Last Thanksgiving we skinned to the top of Alta, skied down to the car where we had bikes on the racks, changed into bike gear and then rode all the way down into the valley. It was so fun.

...

So listen, here's what we're going to do. We're going to take NYC, and we're going to move it out to Utah. Ok? Ok. Otherwise I don't see how I'm ever going to be able to live anywhere without always wanting to be somewhere else.

 

[abc]

But then, if you have year round sport, it doesn't matter WHEN you take a break. Just take a break! ;-)

The only reason I used to be so stingy about my non-sporting trips is because of the variable weather here in the east. We could have rain when we want sun or snow. Rain used to be a useless weekend time waste and can cut into ski/bike time. But since starting kayaking, rain is a godsend! More water the better!!!

So now I, too, have year round sport. I have to change my mind set to just take any "family vacation" any time of the year. It'll cut into SOMETHING. Though on the other hand, I'll get to do "something else" the rest of the time anyway!

 

[abc]

...

So listen, here's what we're going to do. We're going to take NYC, and we're going to move it out to Utah. Ok? Ok. Otherwise I don't see how I'm ever going to be able to live anywhere without always wanting to be somewhere else.

Well, short of moving the city of New York to Utah, there's another option. Move to Paris or Geneva or Zurich or Milan.

Not exactly easy either but at least a REAL possibility.

Although Vancouver comes pretty darn close (geographically and metaphorically).

 

[gr8outdoors]

I will be starting my ski season the first weekend our home mountain is open (usually early December, but they try for Thanksgiving - it just usually doesn't work out too well). My husband, son and I are all looking forward to it!

Sherry

 

[QA1]

I will "ski the white ribbon of death" at the beginning of the season and the "Sno-cones" of slush at the end. Thanksgiving is a great day to ski, if you can work out the turkey issues. I hope the season starts before well before the turkey isues.

 

[CMCM]

I'll be up there on my rock skis on opening day, whenever that turns out to be this year. Soon, I hope!

 

[ikkin]

we usually hike to ski the first skiable snowfall. in the past this has been october 21st, october 31st, etc. which is pretty amazing on the east coast. it'll usually snows 9-10 inches, we ski it, it melts, we wait four weeks for the resorts to start making snow, and then ski again around thanksgiving.

so basically, i hope to ski the first skiable snow. not sure where we'll be in a month or so (contemplating a big scary quit our jobs pre-recession move), but we'll be out there as soon as we can. not long now.

 

[mollmeister]

I'm HOPING I can start skiing the end of November or first week of December. . . (please, please, please!!!)

But . . . I have hit the first of what I am sure will be many *tough patches* for skiing, with two small children. :(

My older son is now in school three mornings a week (9am to 1pm) this year (Tue/Wed/Thur, chosen explicitly for long ski weekends, lol). I don't have much of an issue with him missing some days for ski trips, as it's *only* a private pre-K program, but he is a bit sensitive and shy, and missing too many days leads to a lack of participation and clinging to me when I drop him off. So I am less flexible for mid-week days with my Dad or whatever.

I now have TWO active kids. And the older one is crazy hyper lately. . . and the younger one, well, he's still *death wish baby.* So Nana is a little less likely to get super excited to take them for a ski overnight or a long, drive-to-the-mountains (6am - 6pm) day, since they might kill her or themselves or each other, or at least cause many small heart attacks over the course of 12hrs.

I discovered last year just how bloody expensive it is to ski with two kids. When putting one in childcare and the other in ski school runs you about $200 + tips for a DAY, it adds up FAST. Yikes. Plus, kids who don't sleep all that well and are hungry all the time mean no divey hotel rooms. We at least need a kitchenette and a separate sleeping space for them. So skiing has suddenly gone from *ski bum cheap* to $$$$$$$$. Which, in this market, with a DH who makes his living in high end resort real estate, is not as appealing.

Oh, and DH has continued on a crazy travel schedule. For the last five months, he has been gone M-F or M-Sat every single week but one. That makes it a lot harder to motivate for big adventures on the weekend, when he's not here to help pack and arrives home completely exhausted.

So for the first time in many, many, many years, I am not crazy excited/motivated by now. :(

I am loving the idea of skiing. I am just not sure how we are going to make it work on a very regular basis this winter. Sigh.