Ski Dates for 2019

I'm looking for people interested in joining me on ski trips. I go to Killington, where I have a season pass. I am an all-day skier... I like to start by 9:00AM and I'm usually not off the mountain until well after the lifts close. On some occasions, we get on the road at 6AM to arrive at the slopes by 9 for the first day. Others we leave the night before. Lodging is at Chalet Killington which has a good and fast hot breakfast, leaving us with a one-mile drive to Snowshed, two to Killington Base, or about 4 to Bear Mountain. We leave for home after the lifts have closed on the last day and arrive home about 8:00pm. Nothing is sweeter than getting on the last chair at 4pm and having that nice long last run after normal folk have gone home.

I don't own a car, so if you provide a car, you share the room for free.

If you don't have a car, and still want to come, I'm always eager to have company for the ride, so we'll figure out something that works.

The Chalet has free wireless, so you can sit in front of the fireplace and work, surf the web, or drink beer. There's a sauna and jacuzzi, and a heated outdoor pool. Dinner is available at the Baja Burrito right in the hotel, so you can walk down to dinner from the room without even putting your shoes on.

We normally kick off the season with a skiers' hooky day or weekend in December, depending on the conditions. Serious skiing begins with the arrival of the new year, and continues through March.

Think Snow!

Here is some historical info on the lifts at Killington.
Here are some pictures from the 2011 season.

Full weekends are in black. The usual plan is to drive up Friday night.
Partial weekends are in yellow with notes. Weeks marked "No Friday Travel" are open for 2 options: (1) 6:00AM Saturday drive for 2 days of skiing, or (2) Saturday afternoon drive and ski Sunday. We can make decisions at the last minute depending on the interests of the participants and the reported snow conditions.
Unavailable weekends are in red. I'll be there in spirit those weekends.
Indicated dates include northbound travel.

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DATE
NOTE
PLANS, [and RESULTS]

Aug
21-29
Ski Chile with Colin
4 ski days, a couple driving days, and a couple for sightseeing.
[Wed 22 Aug: Valle Nevado with Colin. Great spring conditions, with lots open and nice weather. A good day to get our ski legs back. Day 1.
Thu 23 Aug: Portillo with Colin. Debated about delaying the trip because of snow in the forecast, but we went anyway and it was a good decision. A little firm in the morning, but sun-softened in the early afternoon. Mostly blue skies and great scenery with the lake at the focus of the area. The snow started late afternoon just as we left and caused no problems. A couple long runs to the bottom led to a chair ride that crossed the Pan American Highway 3 times. Day 2.
Fri 24 Aug: Road trip! 700km to Suizandina Lodge just before Corralco. Saw 4 llamas before we checked into the lodge, nestled in the Andes among the Aurucaria trees.
Weekend 25-6 Aug: Corralco with Colin, Jaime P, and Ignacia. One of those memorable days. Some of the world's most amazing winter scenery, the best snow we've skied in years, and bluebird skies. It's a small resort (2 double chairs, 2 pomas and a T-bar), but a great diversity of trails and light crowds even on the weekend. It snowed most of last week, and there's still untouched powder beside some of the trails. Saw 2 foxes on the slopes and another in the parking lot. Sunday started cold (-4C) and a little more firm, but warmed nicely. The wind diminished enough to allow el Cumbre to open, with one good black trail down. Still all sun and blue skies. Got up close with a llama back at the Lodge. Days 3,4.]

Oct
21

[Impulse trip for first-ever October skiing. Cold day on Rime under the guns. Day 5]

Nov
23-25
Womens' World Cup,
Chalet K reserved Fri & Sat.
Nick C. [Watched races Saturday and skied Sunday. Toboggan ride down Cascade with a broken pelvic ring. Going to be out for a few weeks. Day 6]

Dec
TBD
Skiers' Hooky Day
Spur-of-the-moment trip if conditions are good.

Jan
1-6 (Tue-Sun)
Classes begin Mon 7 Jan.

Recuperating and doing PT.

11-13
Dave F. [Great conditions after a recent snowstorm. Blue skies and single-digit F temps. Days 7,8]

18-21 3 Days
MLK Colin and Jackson [Great snow Saturday. Even better a big powder dump during the day Sunday. Very cold on Monday. Days 9-11.]

25-27
No Friday Travel Drive Saturday. Ski Sunday. Andy and Chris [Snow all day. Cold and windy, but good skiing. Day 12.]

Feb
2-4
Photonics West
Photonics West

8-10

Just Jackson! [K made a great recovery from a Friday freeze. A lot of good soft stuff on top of the hardpack. Cold weather. Mostly sunny on Sunday. Days 12-13.]

15-18 3 Days
Presidents' Weekend Ali G. [Pretty good snow, temps in the 20s and blue skies Sat and Sun. A nice bit of fresh powder on top of it Monday continuing to snow through lunch and then some sun. Days 14-16]

22-24
Dave F. [Nice clear day Saturday. A bit wet Sunday but still good. Days 17-18]

Mar
1-10 (Fri Night to Next Sun AM)
Spring Break, Ski House Week [Great new ski house with lots of space, great kitchen and fireplace. Saturday Chris, Steve, Colin, Jackson, Chris; Comfortable temps, great snow, 100% open, some crowds but no long lines. Sunday same crew plus Dave F., a little cooler, and lighter crowds. Monday just Chris; Freshies! Just a couple inches in the AM and maybe a couple more during the day, hight temp 20 at the top at 9:30 and then cooler. Tuesday blue skies, teens, great snow. Chris. Wednesday with Danny; single digits and great snow Thursday into the teens with a little snow squall at the end. blue skies. Friday temps up into the mid 20s. Danny's first Snowshed runs. Saturday with Marcus, Zack, Jeff, Dave and Charlotte under blue skies and just into the 30s. Just a hint of sun softening. Sunday freshies with snow all day and high 20s. Wind kept the upper mountain closed until after lunch. We certainly missed the old Snowdon Quad with this weather. Some nice fresh tracks on North Ridge and Snowdon to end the week. The new ski house is the best. Days 19-27.]

8-10
Ski House Continues through Sunday AM.

16-17 No Friday Travel Dave [Very firm. Cold. Day 28]

22-24
Dave F., Rich, Charlotte, Sarah. [Freshies. Great new snow dump. Cold and Windy Saturday. Mostly sunny, warmer Sunday. Days 29,30]

29-31
Will [20's and very foggy with good snow Sat. Woke up to great sunshine Sunday, but it turned to rain at the end of the first run. Temps in 40s. Days 31-32]

Apr
5-7 Dave F. [Heavy wet snow and foggy at the top Saturday. Drier fast snow Sunday morning, changing to sunny and soft snow in the afternoon. Days 33-34, and likely the end of the season. ]

and beyond???
April Skiing is unpredictable. We'll go after this only if it really looks good. In 2010, we hit Jay Peak on 1-2 May to close the season. In 2015 it was 3 May at Killington. Other years, we've barely made it through March.

All in all it's been a good season, starting in August with 3 new areas in Chile, and adding October to the list of months in which I've skied. A broken pelvic ring in November was a minor setback, but I got back on the slopes pretty quickly, and added a few new friends to my list of ski buddies.

It's been a year of big changes at Killington. It's great to have a chair back on the South Ridge, and the new tunnels are mostly a plus. There's still a lot of good snow left for April and May, but with a busy travel schedule coming up, I don't expect I'll be around to enjoy it again this year. It's time to enjoy biking and travel, and plan for next season.

Watch this space in early May for summer bike trips, and look in November for the next ski season.

	DATE	NOTE	PLANS, [and RESULTS]
Aug	21-29	Ski Chile with Colin	4 ski days, a couple driving days, and a couple for sightseeing. [Wed 22 Aug: Valle Nevado with Colin. Great spring conditions, with lots open and nice weather. A good day to get our ski legs back. Day 1. Thu 23 Aug: Portillo with Colin. Debated about delaying the trip because of snow in the forecast, but we went anyway and it was a good decision. A little firm in the morning, but sun-softened in the early afternoon. Mostly blue skies and great scenery with the lake at the focus of the area. The snow started late afternoon just as we left and caused no problems. A couple long runs to the bottom led to a chair ride that crossed the Pan American Highway 3 times. Day 2. Fri 24 Aug: Road trip! 700km to Suizandina Lodge just before Corralco. Saw 4 llamas before we checked into the lodge, nestled in the Andes among the Aurucaria trees. Weekend 25-6 Aug: Corralco with Colin, Jaime P, and Ignacia. One of those memorable days. Some of the world's most amazing winter scenery, the best snow we've skied in years, and bluebird skies. It's a small resort (2 double chairs, 2 pomas and a T-bar), but a great diversity of trails and light crowds even on the weekend. It snowed most of last week, and there's still untouched powder beside some of the trails. Saw 2 foxes on the slopes and another in the parking lot. Sunday started cold (-4C) and a little more firm, but warmed nicely. The wind diminished enough to allow el Cumbre to open, with one good black trail down. Still all sun and blue skies. Got up close with a llama back at the Lodge. Days 3,4.]
Oct	21		[Impulse trip for first-ever October skiing. Cold day on Rime under the guns. Day 5]
Nov	23-25	Womens' World Cup, Chalet K reserved Fri & Sat.	Nick C. [Watched races Saturday and skied Sunday. Toboggan ride down Cascade with a broken pelvic ring. Going to be out for a few weeks. Day 6]
Dec	TBD	Skiers' Hooky Day	Spur-of-the-moment trip if conditions are good.
Jan	1-6 (Tue-Sun)	Classes begin Mon 7 Jan.	Recuperating and doing PT.
	11-13		Dave F. [Great conditions after a recent snowstorm. Blue skies and single-digit F temps. Days 7,8]
	18-21 3 Days	MLK	Colin and Jackson [Great snow Saturday. Even better a big powder dump during the day Sunday. Very cold on Monday. Days 9-11.]
	25-27	No Friday Travel	Drive Saturday. Ski Sunday. Andy and Chris [Snow all day. Cold and windy, but good skiing. Day 12.]
Feb	2-4	Photonics West	Photonics West
	8-10		Just Jackson! [K made a great recovery from a Friday freeze. A lot of good soft stuff on top of the hardpack. Cold weather. Mostly sunny on Sunday. Days 12-13.]
	15-18 3 Days	Presidents' Weekend	Ali G. [Pretty good snow, temps in the 20s and blue skies Sat and Sun. A nice bit of fresh powder on top of it Monday continuing to snow through lunch and then some sun. Days 14-16]
	22-24		Dave F. [Nice clear day Saturday. A bit wet Sunday but still good. Days 17-18]
Mar	1-10 (Fri Night to Next Sun AM)	Spring Break, Ski House Week	[Great new ski house with lots of space, great kitchen and fireplace. Saturday Chris, Steve, Colin, Jackson, Chris; Comfortable temps, great snow, 100% open, some crowds but no long lines. Sunday same crew plus Dave F., a little cooler, and lighter crowds. Monday just Chris; Freshies! Just a couple inches in the AM and maybe a couple more during the day, hight temp 20 at the top at 9:30 and then cooler. Tuesday blue skies, teens, great snow. Chris. Wednesday with Danny; single digits and great snow Thursday into the teens with a little snow squall at the end. blue skies. Friday temps up into the mid 20s. Danny's first Snowshed runs. Saturday with Marcus, Zack, Jeff, Dave and Charlotte under blue skies and just into the 30s. Just a hint of sun softening. Sunday freshies with snow all day and high 20s. Wind kept the upper mountain closed until after lunch. We certainly missed the old Snowdon Quad with this weather. Some nice fresh tracks on North Ridge and Snowdon to end the week. The new ski house is the best. Days 19-27.]
	8-10	Ski House Continues through Sunday AM.
	16-17	No Friday Travel	Dave [Very firm. Cold. Day 28]
	22-24		Dave F., Rich, Charlotte, Sarah. [Freshies. Great new snow dump. Cold and Windy Saturday. Mostly sunny, warmer Sunday. Days 29,30]
	29-31		Will [20's and very foggy with good snow Sat. Woke up to great sunshine Sunday, but it turned to rain at the end of the first run. Temps in 40s. Days 31-32]
Apr	5-7		Dave F. [Heavy wet snow and foggy at the top Saturday. Drier fast snow Sunday morning, changing to sunny and soft snow in the afternoon. Days 33-34, and likely the end of the season. ]
	and beyond???	April Skiing is unpredictable. We'll go after this only if it really looks good. In 2010, we hit Jay Peak on 1-2 May to close the season. In 2015 it was 3 May at Killington. Other years, we've barely made it through March.