After a record warm October it was a huge relief to finally see cold weather arrive in full force last week. A few cold nights was all it took for Killington, Okemo and Mount Snow to blow enough snow to kick off the 2017-18 ski season. We toyed with the idea of hitting Killington but ultimately decided that Okemo would offer more skiing and less crowds. We'll save our Killington days for later in the season when there's more terrain open.
I'll be the first to admit that I generally find Okemo's terrain pretty bland, but their Day 1 offerings were just about perfect. They fired up their 6-passenger bubble lift to serve 1600 vertical feet of skiing on World Cup, a blue-black cruiser with some steeper pitches. Lift lines were non-existent - we literally skied right onto the lift every run.
Okemo excels at snowmaking and grooming, and it sure showed. For the first Day 1 in as long as I can remember, we skied full top-to-bottom edge-to-edge coverage. There wasn't a single thin or bare spot, dirt, gravel or ice to be found. Nothing like the combat skiing we've endured on some opening days. Surfaces were slick at times, especially when the shadows took over around 2pm, but for early November the conditions were impressive.
Of course the biggest thing about opening day is just getting out there. It's a day to shake out the gear, get into your winter routine, reconnect with friends you haven't seen since last winter, and let muscle memory take over as you slide your way down.
Saturday turned out to be our earliest-ever first day. I'd expect to see a few more ski areas opening for next weekend, possibly including Gore and Whiteface. With a little luck the favorable weather pattern that has developed will hold through November and into December. On Day 1, every season has the potential to be the best ski season yet.
"On Day 1, every season has the potential to be the best ski season yet."
ReplyDeleteSo true. Way to get it!
Thanks for the report.Almost went up there also ,little too far for one way down.
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