Midwest Upper Midwest 2020-2021

[wallyk]

I'll post a few dates here later today and see what works for anyone else that is interested. Between kids soccer, lacrosse and ski racing out of Welch, Thankfully MN did not cancel ski racing as a youth activity (no inter club but still some racing is better than none!!!!) I have a full schedule BUT but skiing is THE priority.

@Dwight is it possible to do a poll to see what dates can work for people to attend?

 

[Dwight]

I'll post a few dates here later today and see what works for anyone else that is interested. Between kids soccer, lacrosse and ski racing out of Welch, Thankfully MN did not cancel ski racing as a youth activity (no inter club but still some racing is better than none!!!!) I have a full schedule BUT but skiing is THE priority.

@Dwight is it possible to do a poll to see what dates can work for people to attend?

Easy to do a poll in a new thread.

 

[afski722]

Boyne Highlands & Boyne Mt blew some snow last night for about ~12 hours.
Nothing crazy and not really any good streak of snowmaking weather in the near future but they are trying.

Maybe if we are lucky some skiing in the Northern Lower by 12/5 or 12/12.

 

[focker]

So the wife and I were trying to book a quick trip to Big Powderhorn from 12/27 to 12/29. There are almost no places to stay left, and what is available isn't cheap at all.

Guess we should have booked earlier.

On the bright side this is good news for UP ski resorts I'm sure. They're likely to be crazy busy over the holidays.

 

[wallyk]

Welch Village announces their policy....."YOUR VEHICLE IS YOUR CHALET". "Chalets will be available for bathroom use only, the rest the chalet will be closed per the executive order".......Was half expecting this.....uhhhhhh. Few things better than putting Lange RS's and your kids RS's in the car/lot.

Anyone know how to make a hair dryer work out of a car?

 

[dbostedo]

Anyone know how to make a hair dryer work out of a car?

Regular hair dryers are really high wattage, so probably can't be used in a car even with an inverter. They do make low wattage car hair dryers, but I don't know how effective they are:

 

[afski722]

Nub's Nob is now making snow, fired up the snow guns for the first time this season late this afternoon.

Looks like they will get a ~12-16 hour run in tonight, more or less for a shake-down, but then not another good snowmaking opportunity until next Sunday/Monday.

 

[Beach Bum]

Looks like the first real cold front could come thru around 11/30 with lake effect machine going and resorts further south able to start cranking up the snow guns. Not the coldest temp after that but hopefully at least below freezing at night to keep making snow. No chance for skiing around 12/5 weekend anywhere within 2.5 hours from Chicago but maybe by 12/12.

Keep reading about La Nina and its positive effects for a cold and snow winter. But instead we keep getting temperate and warm air out of the SW or lows up from the S. It's early though. Fingers crossed for the patterns to change in December.

Last year what looked so promising around this time of year ended up with like 50s and rain on several occasions by mid December. Several of those led to big snows up in northern MN/MI but rain everywhere else. I'm all for a slow start to the season if that means a true winter kicks in by mid Dec.

 

[Dwight]

We get 2-4" of tomorrow followed by rain the next day.

 

[afski722]

Yep....if we aren't going to have it cold enough for snow / snowmaking, I'd rather have it be 50-60+ and sunny.
Days of upper 30s/low 40s and rain/overcast are meh. I did enjoy that awesome warm stretch 2 weeks ago when it was mid-70s.

I think there is a possibility that some areas in LP Michigan could get open by 12/5 if the cold snap next week shapes-up. At least the areas like Mt. Holly and such than can make snow over 2 nights and open a few runs on a ~12" base.

 

[focker]

Welch Village announces their policy....."YOUR VEHICLE IS YOUR CHALET". "Chalets will be available for bathroom use only, the rest the chalet will be closed per the executive order".......Was half expecting this.....uhhhhhh. Few things better than putting Lange RS's and your kids RS's in the car/lot.

Anyone know how to make a hair dryer work out of a car?

Yup, just read that. That basically kills my wife's appetite to ski. There are few things in life she hates more than booting up at the car. This could well be a season where we ski 5-6 times and call it good.

 

[Beach Bum]

I feel like at many resorts that we drive up to I sit in the back of my SUV with the back latch door up and put boots on behind the truck. Been doing it this way for decades. It's nice when you bring in a bag and do it inside in a heated locker area, especially with kids or for the wife, but that's only an amenity and not a necessity.

As long as there's a place to buy a beer in the afternoon and/or after skiing I'm happy.

 

[Dwight]

At our local hill, many already boot up at vehicle. Unless you are renting, there isn't much room for you any ways.

@Beach Bum, the outdoor heated bar areas have been expanded this year too.

 

[focker]

I feel like at many resorts that we drive up to I sit in the back of my SUV with the back latch door up and put boots on behind the truck. Been doing it this way for decades. It's nice when you bring in a bag and do it inside in a heated locker area, especially with kids or for the wife, but that's only an amenity and not a necessity.

As long as there's a place to buy a beer in the afternoon and/or after skiing I'm happy.

If it's a nicer day I don't mind it at all. Kinda nice sometimes honestly.

I've had some bad experiences with it though, including a day at Loveland in Colorado where the parking lot was an absolute skating rink and people were going down in nasty falls all over the place. Falling while carrying your skis and poles is not fun.

 

[focker]

Afton Alps, Wild Mountain and Welch have some nice parking spots where your car is literally right off the ski run, provided you get there early enough to get one of those spots. That is really convenient and fun.

 

[afski722]

Yeah, my wife said she won't ski without the option of warming-up or hanging out in the lodge. She usually needs to go in and warm-up after about 1.5 - 2 hours. Plus, some days she just enjoyed quitting early, going and reading with a coffee or hot chocolate.

She's pretty fair-weather anyways and picks her days, likes its sunny, upper 20s/low 30s, no wind, any maybe a little bit of fresh snow.
She knows its my passion and lets me go as I want, but she's usually good for getting in 7 - 8 days a season.


She said she probably won't bother with downhill skiing this year. She's more into cross country and snowshoeing.

 

[wallyk]

Afton Alps, Wild Mountain and Welch have some nice parking spots where your car is literally right off the ski run, provided you get there early enough to get one of those spots. That is really convenient and fun.

I'm not a fan of any aspect of the car lodge.....kids make that a tough arrangement.

IMHO arrive earlier than usual to get a spot, avoid the lines, ski hard and leave early. BUT I have a feeling that casual skiers will stay away this December and the skiing could be pretty empty if they can get some snow down.

If members here at PugSki are reporting/showing pics of lines in Cali are pretty bad this year I have a hard time seeing Welch and the MN areas being different. Lines will get worse particularly when those youth ski clubs (Jammers and Blizzard) are at an area. Unless the conditions are sweet there is no reason to hang around and spend money this year. Smart and nimble seems like the word this year.

 

[rcc55125]

I've heard thru the grapevine that Jammers, Blizzard and other large traveling ski groups will not be welcome at Afton this season.

The Afton web page says there are no 6 and under season long group lessons this year.
Also, it says all indoor dining is closed till December 18. Grab and go food will be available but there is no indoor seating. Lodges are open for rest rooms.
Boot bags and other property will not be allowed to be left in the lodges.
So, your car will indeed be your base lodge.

 

[focker]

I'm not a fan of any aspect of the car lodge.....kids make that a tough arrangement.

IMHO arrive earlier than usual to get a spot, avoid the lines, ski hard and leave early. BUT I have a feeling that casual skiers will stay away this December and the skiing could be pretty empty if they can get some snow down.

If members here at PugSki are reporting/showing pics of lines in Cali are pretty bad this year I have a hard time seeing Welch and the MN areas being different. Lines will get worse particularly when those youth ski clubs (Jammers and Blizzard) are at an area. Unless the conditions are sweet there is no reason to hang around and spend money this year. Smart and nimble seems like the word this year.

I agree that people aren't going to ski much until the lodges open back up potentially on Dec 18th (if they even do then). For the causal skier the thought of booting up in the car and having to do there to warm up are major turn offs.

Places like Trollhaugen can be a total PITA to get to your car and now they want you to do that with your ski boots on? I think lots of families will wait and ski later this year once things reopen somewhat.

For us the thought of going to a resort we've never been to is less appealing now because you don't know the in's and out's of the place and now you've got to do all that and boot up at your car.

 

[Nelliefj40]

My family is most definitely considering these same things. It's most applicable to my wife who like others have mentioned, often calls it early and spends time in the lodge.

We're indy pass holders this year and are still planning on giving it a go. We'll see how it works.

Local place in Central Iowa is hoping to open in the first 10 days of December.