Okay I KNOW that it is St. Patrick’s Day and I am wearing a Shamrock to show my Irish pride. I’ve been a “Shamrock” all of my life as I grew up in a community called Eau Claire (midlands of Columbia, S.C.) and our high school was “The Shamrocks”. I know all about St. Paddy’s Day. Today is also my niece “Katie’s” birthday and in honor of my brother who passed away a couple of years ago – today is all about St. Katie.
Like EVERY DAY here lately, another darn Vail Alert came in, inviting me to attend another “EPIC DAY” at Vail, where another 5″ fell in the last 24 hours. Keystone and Breck each picked up yet another 7″. Laura Parquette, if you are reading this, ‘yes, we’re very jealous’. According to their snow report, Keystone has seen 28″ of new snow in the last 72 hours.
I was reading a ski industry news update yesterday that spoke to the subject that ski areas out west are all enjoying a record season in terms of skier visits, revenues taken in, lodging, etc. Obviously our resorts in the east are all seeing the exact opposite of that.
No need to belabor that point.
Beech Mountain Resort Has Now Announced They Are Closing Saturday, March 19th at 5pm
Final Day of the 2015-2016 Season
Beech Mountain Resort is scheduled to close for the 2015-2016 season on Saturday, March 19th at 5 pm. On Saturday, the resort will offer weekday March pricing on lift tickets and rental equipment. Join us to celebrate a fantastic season and enjoy this beautiful spring weather! Festivities will be held at the View Haus Cafeteria. As always, we value our loyal customers and we can’t thank you enough for the continued support.
One of our staff heard from someone up at Beech this past week about the fact that on one day recently Beech only had a dozen or so people on the mountain. As Joe Stevens always says, ‘It is usually a lack of people that closes resorts and not a lack of snow.’
Of course THIS SEASON it is a bit of both at some resorts.
Won’t it be a kick in the face if we see a deep snow this weekend up at Beech. The forecast at Beech is still for 1-3″ of snow on Sunday – JUST AFTER the official start to SPRING! The pattern is now being called a possible nor’easter and it could bring more significant snow than that.
Snowshoe Mountain could see perhaps an inch or so of snow on Saturday, 3″ on Sunday and a bit more on Monday. They could see 6-7″ of snow from this storm which could dump a lot of snow into New York.
As previously mentioned, Sunday is the first day of Spring. Looking at the long-range forecast, we could see a couple more ski areas change their minds about staying open after Easter Sunday as there are some good chances of showers everyday from March 24th through the end of the month. It is Spring.
It just looks like Sunday, March 27th would have to be the last day of the season for all resorts…but Appalachian is still maintaining that they will go a few more days past that.
Sugar Mountain is Down to 4 Slopes Today
They dropped (9) slopes from their open terrain since Wednesday and that means that they are now open only on the bottom part of their mountain. That is unheard of at Sugar. They have posted, “We are working on getting the mountain back open to the top. Please continue check back for updates.”
One of the toughest things a resort can do is move snow UP a mountain. Our guess is that they are trying to push enough snow around up top to create a path from the exit of the Summit Express chair, down Switchback and to the top of Upper Flying Mile. That will be a tough task but if anyone can do it – it is Sugar. We’ll keep you posted, but don’t be surprised if Sugar calls it quits this weekend. Even with some snowfall and one-to-two days of snowmaking (Sunday and Monday IF Sugar chose to do it) you have to wonder if they would think it worth the effort with rain in the forecast for the following March 25-27th weekend.
Cataloochee Ski Area is still looking pretty decent and they are still planning on riding until March 26th.
Cataloochee posted this cool photo to the right recently.
The original #Cataloochee poster with a couple of “youngsters” (and champion skiers and telemarkers!) who have #skied with us from our beginning.
They are still at it, #skiing strong and FAST and still spreading the #Cataloochee love…
Thanks, Keith and George! #homemountain — with Keith Calhoun and George Chumbley.
The guys are definitely representing!
As mentioned, Cat plans to close March 26th and they should have plenty of good snow to make it to that target date.
SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN RESORT IS JUST SHOWING OFF 🙂
Snowshoe Mountain is sounding pretty stoked over this being the last day of warmer weather and with SNOW in the forecast. They’re even showing off a little bit by ADDING another trail today to their open terrain. They now have 38 slopes and trails open…which added another acre to their now – 166 acres of open terrain. (BRAGGERS!)
GoFundMe Fundraiser for a Community Family
I want to thank those of you who made a donation yesterday to the Brandon Alridge family. They are about one-half the way to what is needed. Have a look if you’re inclined to do so. CLICK HERE TO READ AND/OR DONATE.
That’s it for this morning.
Until next time…
Email me anytime and about anything at: [email protected]
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