# No January Thaw!



## ERJ-145CA (Jan 28, 2009)

What a great year so far.  I know the month is not quite over yet but it's safe to say that there was no January Thaw this season.  It only got above freezing 3 days this month, in Jersey no less.


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## KingM (Jan 28, 2009)

I'm not sure we ever got above freezing in Vermont and it looks like we won't. It has been a bit on the dry side, but the cold weather has been great.


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## AMAC2233 (Jan 28, 2009)

Jinxed it...heard on the news today that there's a potential "pattern change" for next week, with a possible "rain event" mid-week. Yuck


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## ERJ-145CA (Jan 28, 2009)

AMAC2233 said:


> Jinxed it...heard on the news today that there's a potential "pattern change" for next week, with a possible "rain event" mid-week. Yuck



I'm talking January though, it shouldn't get above 30 here for the next 3 days.


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## AMAC2233 (Jan 28, 2009)

ERJ-145CA said:


> I'm talking January though, it shouldn't get above 30 here for the next 3 days.



Good point. I keep forgetting that January is almost over. It was a great month though! I'm just a little anxious if this is going to last...we all get greedy when it comes to snow...


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## Greg (Jan 28, 2009)

The January thaw happened in December. I've been saying it all along. Everything this season was 2 weeks early.


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## ERJ-145CA (Jan 29, 2009)

Let's hope it doesn't end two weeks early.


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## frozencorn (Jan 29, 2009)

ERJ-145CA said:


> Let's hope it doesn't end two weeks early.



Ugh, please no.


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## mlctvt (Jan 29, 2009)

Let's hope that the 2/2-2/3 storm isn't our January thaw a few days late? This is my biggest fear right now as I'm taking my nephew skiing the weekend of 2/7-2/8.


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## billski (Feb 1, 2009)

Well, Wed. Jan 28th it rained like lleh here with the temps in the high 20s.  A technicality?  good news was that it was for less than 24 hours.  Feb 1st brought 40s here, an opportunity to peel the ice sheets from the driveway.  Good news is that the mountains saw none of it.


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## tcharron (Feb 1, 2009)

Sure we had a January thaw.  It just HAPPENED in December.  :-D


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Feb 1, 2009)

Sucks for golfers..LMFAO!!!


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## 4aprice (Feb 3, 2009)

Hate to say it but it looks like our thaw may be coming up this weekend.  I am going to take the optimistic approach and hope this is a short (maybe 2 week) period where the weather relaxes before reloading for a good close to February and March.  The bases generally seem to be fairly deep and should be able to withstand any warm up.  I remember Greg saying awhile ago he was looking forward to some warm sunny bump days.  Well maybe they are here for a period.  Get out the sun screen, the spring jacket and enjoy, I'm going to.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Feb 3, 2009)

4aprice said:


> Hate to say it but it looks like our thaw may be coming up this weekend.  I am going to take the optimistic approach and hope this is a short (maybe 2 week) period where the weather relaxes before reloading for a good close to February and March.  The bases generally seem to be fairly deep and should be able to withstand any warm up.  I remember Greg saying awhile ago he was looking forward to some warm sunny bump days.  Well maybe they are here for a period.  Get out the sun screen, the spring jacket and enjoy, I'm going to.
> 
> Alex
> 
> Lake Hopatcong, NJ



I could go for some spring conditions this weekend..as opposed to ice..


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## 4aprice (Feb 3, 2009)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> I could go for some spring conditions this weekend..as opposed to ice..



Was at Blue last Sunday for a race and while conditions were much better then last season they could use a little thaw to soften things up.  Barneys Bumps on Main Street were nice but they should take up the practice that Camelback has started to do and blow a little snow on top of them (something Camelback calls conditioning them).  It makes for a much nicer ride.  The good bases at CBK, Blue etc should be able to handle any warm up that comes our way for the beginning of Feb.  

BTW question for you GSS.  After the racing season is over does Blue let either Challange or the racing trail bump up?  The new intermediate trail off the top is nice.  When will they open the top of it?

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


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## hammer (Feb 3, 2009)

4aprice said:


> Hate to say it but it looks like our thaw may be coming up this weekend.  I am going to take the optimistic approach and hope this is a short (maybe 2 week) period where the weather relaxes before reloading for a good close to February and March.  The bases generally seem to be fairly deep and should be able to withstand any warm up.  I remember Greg saying awhile ago he was looking forward to some warm sunny bump days.  Well maybe they are here for a period.  Get out the sun screen, the spring jacket and enjoy, I'm going to.
> 
> Alex
> 
> Lake Hopatcong, NJ



Longer range forecasts I've seen have this warmup only lasting a week at most...in addition, this guy's bullish on a big return to winter afterwards:

http://www.snocountry.com/article.php/20090202112325798


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## 4aprice (Feb 3, 2009)

hammer said:


> Longer range forecasts I've seen have this warmup only lasting a week at most...in addition, this guy's bullish on a big return to winter afterwards:
> 
> http://www.snocountry.com/article.php/20090202112325798



I for one will take a warm up if it is brief and the pattern reloads and comes back strong.   Feb and March are usually the best for us and hopefully this year follows suit.  Planning on skiing well into April this season.  I love spring snow so I plan to enjoy this pre-spring spring skiing this weekend.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Feb 4, 2009)

4aprice said:


> Was at Blue last Sunday for a race and while conditions were much better then last season they could use a little thaw to soften things up.  Barneys Bumps on Main Street were nice but they should take up the practice that Camelback has started to do and blow a little snow on top of them (something Camelback calls conditioning them).  It makes for a much nicer ride.  The good bases at CBK, Blue etc should be able to handle any warm up that comes our way for the beginning of Feb.
> 
> BTW question for you GSS.  After the racing season is over does Blue let either Challange or the racing trail bump up?  The new intermediate trail off the top is nice.  When will they open the top of it?
> 
> ...



Last season they let half of Challenge bump up late season..I've never seen Razors bumped up but the race team trains on it until about a week before the mountain closes..I would guess the top of Dreamweaver will be open in a season or two..and Blue sometimes blows snow on Barneys..it just depends..lets home for a late March snowstorm so Blue stays open into April..otherwise they'll close in March..


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## 4aprice (Feb 4, 2009)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> lets home for a late March snowstorm so Blue stays open into April..otherwise they'll close in March..



Then you'll just have to come to Camelback again to close out the Pocono season before more trips up north.  If your lucky they'll give you that deal like last year.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Feb 4, 2009)

4aprice said:


> Then you'll just have to come to Camelback again to close out the Pocono season before more trips up north.  If your lucky they'll give you that deal like last year.
> 
> Alex
> 
> Lake Hopatcong, NJ



I'll only ski Camelback if it's free..compared to Blue..Camelback is slumming it..


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## 4aprice (Feb 4, 2009)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> I'll only ski Camelback if it's free..compared to Blue..Camelback is slumming it..



Disagree totally.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Feb 4, 2009)

4aprice said:


> Disagree totally.
> 
> Alex
> 
> Lake Hopatcong, NJ



Camelback is so freaking flat..and the runs are much shorter than Blue..it's more crowded and it's really close to Jersey..lol..enough said..


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## 4aprice (Feb 4, 2009)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> .it's more crowded and it's really close to Jersey..lol..enough said..



You're joking right?  The crowds at Blue were huge Sunday. Plus You have a HSQ and Six-pack serving the same terrain.  Talk about a cluster&%*(.  I've found the conditions a Camelback to be much much better.  You can have the vertical feet I'll take the better snow.  

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Feb 4, 2009)

4aprice said:


> You're joking right?  The crowds at Blue were huge Sunday. Plus You have a HSQ and Six-pack serving the same terrain.  Talk about a cluster&%*(.  I've found the conditions a Camelback to be much much better.  You can have the vertical feet I'll take the better snow.
> 
> Alex
> 
> Lake Hopatcong, NJ



Camelback has better snow than Blue..that's like saying Milwaukees best is better beer than Natural Light..lol..anyway over on www.paskiandride.com alot of former Camelback season passholders have seen the light and the light is Blue..oh well..if I lived in Jersey..I'd just go to Mountain Creek..


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## ERJ-145CA (Feb 5, 2009)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Camelback has better snow than Blue..that's like saying Milwaukees best is better beer than Natural Light..lol..anyway over on www.paskiandride.com alot of former Camelback season passholders have seen the light and the light is Blue..oh well..if I lived in Jersey..I'd just go to Mountain Creek..



You think the Poconos are crowded on weekends, Mountain Creek is almost unskiable on weekends from what I've heard, I've always avoided it on weekends though.  As for this Blue vs. Camelback debate I like Camelback but I have to say I like Blue better, having skiied both multiple times over the last few years.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Feb 5, 2009)

ERJ-145CA said:


> You think the Poconos are crowded on weekends, Mountain Creek is almost unskiable on weekends from what I've heard, I've always avoided it on weekends though.  As for this Blue vs. Camelback debate I like Camelback but I have to say I like Blue better, having skiied both multiple times over the last few years.



ERJ has seen the light and the light is Blue..the only people who think Camelback is better than Blue are Camelback seasonpassholders..


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## hammer (Feb 10, 2009)

January thaw is coming a few weeks late...just in time for the Feb. vacation week. :-(

Actually, I would have rather had this happen a few weeks ago...


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Feb 10, 2009)

hammer said:


> January thaw is coming a few weeks late...just in time for the Feb. vacation week. :-(
> 
> Actually, I would have rather had this happen a few weeks ago...



We usually get a thaw every month in the northeast..


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## Greg (Feb 10, 2009)

I consider a "thaw" a several day period, like 3-5+, where the temps remain well above freezing even at night. We haven't had that, even in SNE. Sure we've had some warm days and NCP, but I think there is some overreaction here. The only really bad part about this warm-up is the timing, being right before Prez week. Aside from that, we'll recover and the rest of the season should be good.


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## loafer89 (Feb 10, 2009)

Greg said:


> I consider a "thaw" a several day period, like 3-5+, where the temps remain well above freezing even at night. We haven't had that, even in SNE. Sure we've had some warm days and NCP, but I think there is some overreaction here. The only really bad part about this warm-up is the timing, being right before Prez week. Aside from that, we'll recover and the rest of the season should be good.


 
That's not exactly true as we had a very severe thaw right before Christmas and we lost about 90% of our snowcover (about 12") here in Coventry. I think it got up to 50-55F here for a while with high overnight temperatures, fog and a ton of rain.

The timing sucks for sure as I have my son home for 9 days with nothing around but icy WROD, expensive lift rates and crowds. After skiing tree's and powder bumps, we are taking a step backwards with snow conditions.


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## billski (Feb 10, 2009)

Greg said:


> I consider a "thaw" a several day period, like 3-5+, where the temps remain well above freezing even at night. We haven't had that, even in SNE. Sure we've had some warm days and NCP, but I think there is some overreaction here. The only really bad part about this warm-up is the timing, being right before Prez week. Aside from that, we'll recover and the rest of the season should be good.



Well then some damgun varmit is out there meltin all the snow.  Tried to put bang the croquet hoops down into the lawn butn its still too hard.


I'm having empathy pains for the resorts.   I want them to suck in a lot of money next week so my lift-served habit will survive!


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## Greg (Feb 10, 2009)

loafer89 said:


> That's not exactly true as we had a very severe thaw right before Christmas and we lost about 90% of our snowcover (about 12") here in Coventry. I think it got up to 50-55F here for a while with high overnight temperatures, fog and a ton of rain.



I meant since early January.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Feb 10, 2009)

Greg said:


> I consider a "thaw" a several day period, like 3-5+, where the temps remain well above freezing even at night. We haven't had that, even in SNE. Sure we've had some warm days and NCP, but I think there is some overreaction here. The only really bad part about this warm-up is the timing, being right before Prez week. Aside from that, we'll recover and the rest of the season should be good.



By the time the warm and rain moves out..most natural snow terrain in New England will be solid ice or bare..


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## loafer89 (Feb 10, 2009)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> By the time the warm and rain moves out..most natural snow terrain in New England will be solid ice or bare..


 
Not in Northwestern Maine, not by a long shot. Northern New Hampshire and Northeastern Vermont should make it through this okay as well.

Smugglers Notch, Mad River Glen and Magic wil take it on the chin though.


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## loafer89 (Feb 10, 2009)

Greg said:


> I meant since early January.


 

Sorry, my bad, the December thaw sucked though and we lost tons of cover.


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## Greg (Feb 10, 2009)

loafer89 said:


> Sorry, my bad, the December thaw sucked though and we lost tons of cover.



No worries. You haven't been living here that long. Most years our snow cover comes and goes. This last stretch was the longest I could remember in a long time.


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## Glenn (Feb 10, 2009)

It has been a good run the last month or so. This is the first time in weeks that I've seen bare grass. Usually, we'll get snow down here(CT) and a week or so later, there's a lot of melt. It's been a long time since we've had solid snow cover on the ground for 4+ weeks.


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## psyflyer (Feb 10, 2009)

Here on Burke Mt the cover has yet to budge and things look good so far.  Although conditions remain somewhat slick, the snow-cover is more abundant today than today last year, plenty to go around and still tons of fun.  Tomorrow should warm up perhaps beyond freezing also on the mountain but conditions also calls for some light snow.  We shall see.


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## 4aprice (Feb 10, 2009)

I am going to be optimistic and say The best is yet to come.  Rumors starting to abound.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ


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## loafer89 (Feb 10, 2009)

psyflyer said:


> Here on Burke Mt the cover has yet to budge and things look good so far. Although conditions remain somewhat slick, the snow-cover is more abundant today than today last year, plenty to go around and still tons of fun. Tomorrow should warm up perhaps beyond freezing also on the mountain but conditions also calls for some light snow. We shall see.


 

I agree there is alot of snow on Burke easily 50% more than at Smugglers Notch. I would like to get back up to the mountain after the next snowfall to ski Dixieland again.


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