Which do you prefer: early or late season skiing?

[KathrynC]

Love the excitement of early season, but late season is always better in Scotland. Softer snow, more daylight for touring and better snowpack stability meaning I can go further and ski steeper stuff off the pistes. The weekend just gone was my best of the season.

 

[marzNC]

After sampling the skiing available in early May in Oregon and California recently, I would certainly prefer late season if I lived on the west coast somewhere within driving distance of Mammoth or Bachelor or Mt. Hood. All clearly had a lot of terrain open through the end of April. Bachelor and Mammoth still had a good variety of terrain open for intermediates and advanced skiers the first week of May.

Spent a morning at Squaw as well. While it was fun to get in some turns at the top of the mountain, I wouldn't recommend it for an intermediate who has to fly to get to Tahoe.

 

[alison wong]

I prefer early season, same as @KathrynC , I love the excitement of early season with the anticipation of my ski trips out west.

Also, not sure about late season skiing after seeing what happened to my friend. In her 1st ever trip out west in early April, she fell because of the sticky snow, had a hairline fracture of left humerus.

Now I am nervous of sticky snow and afraid what happened to her may happen to me... Spring condition can be tricky.

With all that said, I may still go for another trip (or 2) in April / May in late season. It depends on few variables: 1) whether or not I have enough days during regular season, 2) if I still have the "craving" to slide and make turns, 3) school course load is manageable, 4) Have enough vacation days to spare....