October, October, October !!! Ski Streak may stall at 144

[MadPatSki]

Another extremely warm Fall, probably record breaking in the East. It's fricking +22c on October 22 (72F) in Ottawa, average temp is +10c... A few hours of snowmaking at Killington, Sunday River and St-Sauveur back on October 17. The cold weather window in the long-range forecast keeps being postponed. October 25 was initially suppose to be cold enough, but now it looks like it isn't going to be cold enough. The next window is October 31/November 1.

What should I do?

Staking snow behind an arena isn't an option. Buying ice and spreading it out either.

Closest (not last day of the month) snow should be in Northern Ontario East of Lake Superior up to Timmins. Snow gets closer on October 30.

And then there is Colorado on FF points. Europe glaciers are awesome, but timing/cost would be difficult to make it happen.

I've avoided flying out for turns in October (or July), with only one exception in October 2007. That year, Sunday River opened on October 31, but I wasn't going to risk it.

I've flown a few times for July turns, but that was on exceptional good years in the PNW (2012) or California (2006, 10, 17).

So the question is out there....what should I do?

Call it quits?
Hang on, wait and hope for something to happen in time for Octoturns?
Play it safe, I get some plane tickets for Colorado?

 

[Eleeski]

Why?

But if it's your passion absolutely make sure you get the October runs. The journey can be the fun part.

Or mix it up and come water ski with me in Socal. Would that count? Colorado might be easier and planning a waterski trip will guarantee snow.

First world problem. And on further reflection, definitely keep the streak alive.

Eric

 

[Jenny]

Play it safe and fly . . .

 

[David Chaus]

Most open terrain would be at Timberline, OR. Flights from $510 on United from YOW to PDX.

Just sayin’

 

[TonyC]

Most open terrain would be at Timberline, OR. Flights from $510 on United from YOW to PDX.

Just sayin’

True, but Timberline is where MadPatSki has gotten several of his August/September turns.

I've been following this streak basically from inception and have often been critical of it as a poor use of limited time and $$ ski resources. One reason I stopped my own at 12 months in 2005 and 21 months in 2012 is that the longer you go, the greater the incentive to keep going. I have skied with him on three of those western July trips in 2010, 2012 and 2017 and also in Chile in September 2007.

Nonetheless at this point MadPatSki's streak is newsworthy and I strongly suspect unique for someone living in the East and not employed full time in the ski industry. So while I criticized the October Colorado WROD trip when the streak was young, I probably wouldn't let the streak break this time for just one month. It makes more sense to put it to rest when you finally want to do something else in the summer. This would be only the second time in 13 years Pat has been unable to scrounge October turns in the East.

Don't come to SoCal now. I'll be attending the first two games of the World Series in temps in excess of 95F.

MadPatSki's streak was discussed when he made the first Colorado trip in 2007, with an update in 2014.
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5866

The most interesting stats are how Patrick achieved the "hard months" if I have this right:
July
5 Tuckerman's
3 Avila
3 Mammoth
1 Pacific Northwest


August/September
5 South America
4 Timberline
2 Europe
1 New Zealand

October
6 Eastern backcountry
5 Eastern lift service
1 Colorado

 

[Bigtinnie]

It would be a travesty to break your run. To hell with the expense - head to one of the Europe glaciers!

 

[Philpug]

A-Basin, Loveland? How are flights to Denver?

 

[Muleski]

Keep it going.
It means a lot to you, and it inspires others. This might be the most challenging month that you'll have for many more years.
CO would get my vote.

I had a much older friend , now deceased, Paul Schipper, who skied every day that Sugarloaf spun even one lift, for 24 consecutive years. It took a lot of effort at times to keep it going. He was so, so glad and proud that he persisted. And so were many others.

Keep it rolling!

 

[MadPatSki]

Most open terrain would be at Timberline, OR. Flights from $510 on United from YOW to PDX.

A-Basin, Loveland? How are flights to Denver?

I can get to PDX and DEN on AirMiles points. I noticed I can booked with short notice this time of year.

Pros and Cons if I fly:

Timberline :
+ Right now best lift served terrain in North America...
- when the lifts are spinning. Only open on weekends... if conditions permit. They were closed this weekend due to the storm.
+ Morrissey is playing in Portland on October 31 (never seen him solo (boycotts Canada due to the seal hunt), but I've seen the Smiths in Montreal in 1986). A bit further, the Breeders are playing on November 8.

Colorado :
+ Easiest access from Ottawa.
- I've been before
+ however ABasin is trying to open an upper lift soon and they might be more terrain than the 4 runs (2 at Loveland And ABasin) that I did in 2007.
+ open 7 days a week.

It would be a travesty to break your run. To hell with the expense - head to one of the Europe glaciers!

European glaciers are definitely the best lift served on the planet right now, but I've already done 3 trips (ski or simply vacation) since late April: Banff, California, Iceland, Oregon...the budget would be hurting. I've skied all the Alps all 7 late Summer ski area glaciers.

So while I criticized the October Colorado WROD trip when the streak was young, I probably wouldn't let the streak break this time for just one month. It makes more sense to put it to rest when you finally want to do something else in the summer. This would be only the second time in 13 years Pat has been unable to scrounge October turns in the East.

in 2007 Sunday River opened on October 31, but at that time, lift served October wasn't an "almost annual thing" in the East. The forecast tonight has slim hope for later this week (in peaks in Adirondack or Northern Ontario/NW Quebec/Quebec North Shore - besides NYS, all the others at least 5-8 hours drives).

Don't come to SoCal now. I'll be attending the first two games of the World Series in temps in excess of 95F.

Don't hurry, I've done that once when I flew in Denver in October 2007 on the morning of the Rockies first World Series home game; even if my car rental was pre-booked, I ended up waiting in line at least 45 minutes to get to the counter.

The most interesting stats are how Patrick achieved the "hard months" if I have this right:

July
5 Tuckerman's
3 Avila
3 Mammoth
1 Pacific Northwest


August/September
5 South America
4 Timberline
2 Europe
1 New Zealand

October
5 Eastern backcountry (Jay Peak, Le Massif, Timberline in West Virginia, Whiteface Toll road x2)
6 Eastern lift service (Wildcat, Sunday River x3, Mont St-Sauveur, Killington)
1 Colorado

Well some of those Summer trips included more than just a skiing trip (Europe, New Zealand, PNW in 2006). The two European trips were respectively 5 and 6 weeks long for just 7 and 4 ski days. I could have found July snow the 4 years I went West, because the skiing was just to awesome in those years.

Keep it going.
It means a lot to you, and it inspires others. This might be the most challenging month that you'll have for many more years.
CO would get my vote.

I had a much older friend , now deceased, Paul Schipper, who skied every day that Sugarloaf spun even one lift, for 24 consecutive years. It took a lot of effort at times to keep it going. He was so, so glad and proud that he persisted. And so were many others.

Keep it rolling!

And skiing once a month isn't the same type of commitment as everyday (during a season or year-round) or once a week (year-round). You can still live a normal life.

Thanks...I'll try to wait a bit longer for the forecast cold and snow to become closer before making the final decision.

 

[Bill Seddon]

Morrissey clinches it. There is no other consideration! It's the opening gig of the tour as well.

 

[TrueNorth]

Maybe you should look into this for next year...

https://www.pugski.com/threads/home-snowmaking.2491/

 

[Philpug]

Maybe you should look into this for next year...

https://www.pugski.com/threads/home-snowmaking.2491/

Paging @Dave Petersen to the white (see what I did there) courtesy phone.

 

[NZRob]

Come down to NZ and I'll take you on some hikes for some sweeeeet spring corn and you get to see a steaming volcanic crater in the deal

 

[Eleeski]

Maybe waterskiing does count!

Eric

 

[MadPatSki]

I'm hesitating right now between 5 hour drive flat 2km cross-country skiing or 8 hours drive-flight-transit for downhill turns.

 

[MadPatSki]

Managed to find a flight on points for Monday for Denver.

The next step:
- Trying to find a place to stay/crash (Hostel/couch).
- Finding discount lift tickets?
- Find a cheap car rental.

 

[Blue Streak]

Managed to find a flight on points for Monday for Denver.

The next step:
- Trying to find a place to stay/crash (Hostel/couch).
- Finding discount lift tickets?
- Find a cheap car rental.

You could make Halloween Tuesdays In The Snow!

 

[MadPatSki]

You could make Halloween Tuesdays In The Snow!

Definitely wouldn't be the first time. Here's a TR from an awesome Halloween turns during the Frankenstorm.

Frankenstorm Trick and Treat, West Virginia style – Part 1: Timberline, Oct 31, 2012

 

[Frankly]

Good Luck!

 

[nemesis256]

@MadPatSki were you successful?