Rating the 2025-6 Season Versus the Last 10 Years

NewEnglandSkier13

joshua_segal FYI, your triangle leaves out a ton of ski areas.

You know that I’ve stopped attempting to actually contribute to this thread because my opinion, and many others, always get ignored.

I’d be happy to start contributing again if you make a commitment to actually being objective. This new forum platform has a polling option. If you actually want to be objective, create a poll at the end of this season so everyone can vote on what rank (1–10) they think this season should be. Then take the average, and there’s an objective answer to where this season ranks. If you can commit to doing that, myself, and I’m sure others, will start contributing to this thread again.

joshua_segal

I’ve always suggested that others are free to add their own lists that differ from mine. There are always areas in the general region referred to as New England, that don’t do as well as others. If you would like to set up a poll to check off what others think, go ahead and do it.

My question was originally addressed to riverc0il to name seasons this century that have been better than this one. You jumped in to complain, but you haven’t suggested any seasons in this century that were better either!

NewEnglandSkier13

joshua_segal If you would like to set up a poll to check off what others think, go ahead and do it.

Will you actually commit to honoring the results and use it in your summary? If not, it’s not worth the effort.

ski_it

Friends canceled their Copper trip due to lack of snow. Now if you are in Tahoe Wed/Thurs that will be a different story .. I think

riverc0il

It’s all good. Just a little friendly banter regarding perrenial disagreements on how we all assess the season. Though, even by Joshua’s own industry biased assessment, I am surprised a season with a Christmas week rain/freeze could he best of the century.

Just in recent years, I’d put last year and 18-19 ahead of this year (subject to change based on the rest of the season). My understanding is 00-01 was a massive snow year (I was a recent college grad and unemployed, I didn’t ski much that year). 06-07 was phenomenal. All hard to accurately compare, YTD, as I can only view those years as full seasons. But last year was much more consistent for me through mid-year, for sure. I think the frequent extreme cold (often on weekends) has been a big negative recently.

25-26 will definitely be remembered fondly by most, even it were to end early and poorly. But we need some more storms and/or an amazing spring for this season to be an all-time great or considered one of the best of the century so far.

lotsoskiing

End of this week starting to look promising

slatham

Well from a BUSINESS perspective this year has to be at the top of the list, given we’ve had all 3 holiday periods with good/great skiing and weather.

riverc0il

slatham given we’ve had all 3 holiday periods with good/great skiing and weather.

There was a rain/freeze during Christmas week and the next snow storm didn’t happen until after New Year’s… weather was freaking cold at times. This week has strong potential to be one of the better Presi holiday weeks we’ve had in a while, we’ll see what happens.

I suspect resorts have done very well during the holidays. Big backyard effects this winter, since New England is actually having an old school winter for the first time in many, many years. Plus, above average snowfall at many areas.

slatham

SoVT perspective caveat.

Christmas break this year was 11 days. One day of freezing rain doesn’t blow it - certainly better than the wash out or melt out that typically happens. Thursday-Sunday prior to freezing was very good conditions and weather. Even Tuesday after event was skiable, just hard and fast and cold. But Wednesday night we had 5-7” and were fully back in business, even the natural trails. The New Years weekend was thus good skiing.

MLK was a record for Magic, very strong at Bromley and I have to think everywhere.

This weekend has been crazy busy.

Not saying all of the 3 holiday periods individually were a record, but that having all 3 be very strong holiday periods in one season is not typical. One (or more) usually suck.

ski_it

The kids said the lift lines were like something they’ve ever seen before at Black. Also the lessons were oversold with too few few instructors. And the instructor they got was less then meh. Some other parents who paid full price for lessons were visibly not happy. Meanwhile Erik was selling champagne and DJing at the shack while Rome burned.

shpride

ski_it I was at Black all day yesterday and I didn’t get and sense that Rome was burning. It was very busy with lines about 10-15 minutes but overall the comments I heard about it was it’s too be expected on a holiday weekend. They also stayed open until 5 to make up for the crowds.

I didn’t notice anything about ski school but that wouldn’t have been where I was so I probably didn’t noticed it. I don’t remember seeing many classes at all so it doesn’t surprise me if they did oversell.

The weather and snow were perfect with everything open so I had a great time at Black yesterday.

joshua_segal

So many good things to comment on:

To NES13: Put up your poll and we can generate a list from it. Why not? BTW, I’m afraid we’ll wind up talking about the biases of the poll questions!!!

Regarding Riverc0il: I always appreciate his comments on this subject. We often disagree, but each of us recognizes each other’s biases. I figured his biases toward powder days and my biases toward industry economics would align this season with both being excellent. But apparently I was wrong!

Lotsoskiing notes that the weather looks favorable for another snow event later this week. When there are these small storms on good bases, that’s the magic formula for great skiing. It affects the entire mountain: not just the groomers or the trails on which they made snow last night.

Slatham notes that it has been a good year economically, while riverc0il counters that there were 2-fog events that did some damage for a few days. I would argue that 2-days is a minor glitch.

Regarding riverc0il’s comment about cold: That’s what has kept the surfaces great and we have clothing, hand warmers, foot warmers, etc. that are so far better than what we had 30-years ago. I don’t remember cold weather being a big issue back then. Why is it now?

I appreciate riverc0il selecting 3-specific seasons that he thought were better than this season. I’d have to research my old notes to check 00-01 and 06-07 years. For now, (IMO) as of the middle of February, I think this season has surpassed 18-19.

I know we were all loving last season until March when the fires of hell hit us and prematurely ended the season dropping it from being a potential first down to 3rd.

And I think riverc0il nailed it when he said, “Just a little friendly banter regarding perennial disagreements on how we all assess the season.”
As for me, I’m not trying to prove any points. I’m just enjoying a friendly interchange with a bunch of people who are passionately into skiing.

NewEnglandSkier13

joshua_segal Put up your poll and we can generate a list from it. Why not? BTW, I’m afraid we’ll wind up talking about the biases of the poll questions!!!

You don’t seem to get it. The poll will ask where you rate this season compared to the last 10 years. You can answer 1 through 10. Then we take the average of that to see where this season ranks based on everyone’s input. There really isn’t any ambiguity to it. My question to you is if you’re willing to accept that result as where this season ranks, even if it different than your personal opinion?

riverc0il

joshua_segal I figured his biases toward powder days and my biases toward industry economics would align this season with both being excellent. But apparently I was wrong!

The season started out like crazy in NoVT, for sure. But things have leveled off since then. Today at the Mansfield Stake is now only ranked #11 all time for this date and also has been below last year all of this month.

Still, an absolutely fabulous season! Don’t take my push back against #1 in the century as suggesting this season has been anything but awesome. I just severely disagree with #1 in the past 26 years.

Also, I think southern New England skiers may have recency bias since it has been SO damn long since SoNE has had a real winter. But, that said, it really has been a truly good year for more southern areas (at least, that is my impression from up here).

riverc0il

joshua_segal For now, (IMO) as of the middle of February, I think this season has surpassed 18-19.

For So NE for sure, but snow depths in February in NoVT were deeper in 18-19. 18-19 had more snow than last year, but last year was more consistent for NoVT. Obviously, the stake is a very specific (and local) measurement and has limitations, but I think from a powder skier’s perspective, it shows a representative picture, especially when comparing specific seasons.

joshua_segal

NewEnglandSkier13 Put up your poll and we (or you) can generate a list from it.
It will be fun to see what we get from it.

NewEnglandSkier13

joshua_segal Put up your poll and we (or you) can generate a list from it.
It will be fun to see what we get from it.

There’s no point in doing it yet; the season isn’t over!

joshua_segal

BTW: Still trying to negotiate the new platform: How do you make the post on which you are commenting show up on your posting?

NewEnglandSkier13

joshua_segal BTW: Still trying to negotiate the new platform: How do you make the post on which you are commenting show up on your posting?

Highlight the text you want to quote.

joshua_segal

NewEnglandSkier13
I tried highlighting the text and then the entire posting and neither worked. Is the problem the browser I’m using?

Regarding a poll: Put it in whenever you want. For now, and since the thread opened: It’s been about this season to date.

NewEnglandSkier13

joshua_segal I tried highlighting the text and then the entire posting and neither worked. Is the problem the browser I’m using?

This is what it look like for me using Firefox. I assume it’s supposed to work the same way on other browsers.

NewEnglandSkier13

joshua_segal Regarding a poll: Put it in whenever you want. For now, and since the thread opened: It’s been about this season to date.

Okay, I’ll give it a chance. I’ll post the poll after most ski areas have closed in April. And since you’re offering that olive branch, I’ll share my thoughts on the season to date:

So far, I’d put at third best compared to the last ten years, behind 2018-2019 and 2022-2023. It’s been a good, but not exceptional year so far. However, the last 10 years overall have been generally below average. So far, we have had slightly below average snowfall and near average temperatures. The only major warm up so far was in late December, and we have had at least some snow on the ground since the start of December, which has made for consistently good cross country skiing conditions. After the large storm in January, most glades have been in play, although most ski areas still don’t have quite enough natural snow to be fully 100% open. It’s been a very average, or slightly below average year to this point, but another foot of snow and no warm-ups could move it up a notch. It doesn’t come close to touching 2018-2019, and I don’t think there is anything that could happen at this point in the season to get it close to comparable.

ski_it

shpride Sorry, I was aiming for my main point being they had a big crowd. So doing well. Not unexpected but not what they have been used to at Black. The reason you may not have seen any ski schools is because they kept them on the handle tow all day. Which was some of the parents complaint. The classes had a wide range of abilty and they didn’t re-evaluate their levels and move kids to more equal groups. Either because there were not enough teachers or they just couldn’t bother.
Meanwhile the GM is doing the DJ thing on one of the busiest days of the year. Haven’t they heard of spotify?

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