jasoncapecod
Well-known member
For me the ultimate in skiing is perfect corn , 45 degs and sunshine...I can rip giant turns for ever.. That said, with the record snow pack out west. Where would you recommend going in May or even June?
Spring Skiing
- Thread starter jasoncapecod
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Mammoth and Bachelor are the easy answer (and the standouts), but Squaw....errr, Palisades, as well as some of the Utah resorts will be open later into May this year. There's always Timberline, too.
Latest info on closing dates:
www.skimag.com
Latest info on closing dates:
Here’s Where We'll Be Skiing in Late Spring—Maybe Even Summer
It’s not too late to plan one last adventure.
www.skimag.com
There is always the issue of which resorts will run which lifts and how much terrain will be open.
For lift served corn snow nothing beats the backside of Bachelor. However, it will be closing May 1 this season. So if you go there do it in April. Just be aware that it may still be winter, and that can mean Summit is closed for wind or visibility. What you want is what Liz and I got April 17-18, 2021. I planned that trip 5 days ahead with a favorable (read clear and not too windy) weather forecast.
There are two issues with Utah (meaning Snowbird) in May.
1) The first is the same as Bachelor, the persistence of winter. It's great if you get fresh powder or after a week+ of clear weather to settle into corn, but during the awkward stage in between, ungroomed snow is very difficult. Mammoth and Bachelor get a lot of windpacking. The corn transition comes much faster in windpack than in snow that has been churned as powder.
2) Snowbird's management puts a very half hearted effort into spring operations. They will not run extra lifts on the best days so lines can be horrendous.
Mammoth and the Sierra tend to get less new snow in late spring than the Northwest or the Rockies, so odds of disrupting the corn cycle are lower. Still, for a destination trip I still recommend April when the whole mountain is open. Normally that's through third weekend of April, but this year it's been announced to April 30.
Still, the roughly half of terrain Mammoth has open in May is still better than what anyone else will have. For about 3 weeks after Memorial Day the gondola is closed for maintenance so only chair 23 serves the top meaning Climax and Dave's will require hiking and may get suncupped due to lack of traffic. By July it's relatively rare for non-skier-packed terrain to avoid suncupping. The best July 4 closing for conditions in that regard was in 2011. That's a function of spring weather not depth of snowpack. There was as much snow in July 2017 but conditions were not as good as in 2011.
Palisades overpromises and underdelivers. Liz and I were very lucky to be there on June 2 in 2017. But Granite Chief had the best skiing and it closed two days later. Siberia closed two weeks after that, so on July 4 Palisades only had 700 vertical intermediate Shirley Lake and similar south facing Gold Coast. Meanwhile Mammoth ran 2,200 vertical over maybe 1,500 acres and a wide selection among its upper mountain steeps.
Palisades is handicapped by its highest lift service being about the same elevation as Mammoth's Main Lodge, with east exposure vs. north at Mammoth. The later into spring you go, the wider Mammoth's advantage becomes. To my knowledge even in the massive years like this one, KT22 doesn't run past Memorial Day. Palisades can have great spring skiing, but much more likely in April than later.
Timberline is very small scale compared to Mammoth and Bachelor. We went there last June 29 and July 1 in pursuit of Liz' first 12 month season. The intense salting done for the racers does produce good corn but you'll be doing a lot of repeat runs, especially when half the hill is roped off for racers until 11:30 or so.
For lift served corn snow nothing beats the backside of Bachelor. However, it will be closing May 1 this season. So if you go there do it in April. Just be aware that it may still be winter, and that can mean Summit is closed for wind or visibility. What you want is what Liz and I got April 17-18, 2021. I planned that trip 5 days ahead with a favorable (read clear and not too windy) weather forecast.
There are two issues with Utah (meaning Snowbird) in May.
1) The first is the same as Bachelor, the persistence of winter. It's great if you get fresh powder or after a week+ of clear weather to settle into corn, but during the awkward stage in between, ungroomed snow is very difficult. Mammoth and Bachelor get a lot of windpacking. The corn transition comes much faster in windpack than in snow that has been churned as powder.
2) Snowbird's management puts a very half hearted effort into spring operations. They will not run extra lifts on the best days so lines can be horrendous.
Mammoth and the Sierra tend to get less new snow in late spring than the Northwest or the Rockies, so odds of disrupting the corn cycle are lower. Still, for a destination trip I still recommend April when the whole mountain is open. Normally that's through third weekend of April, but this year it's been announced to April 30.
Still, the roughly half of terrain Mammoth has open in May is still better than what anyone else will have. For about 3 weeks after Memorial Day the gondola is closed for maintenance so only chair 23 serves the top meaning Climax and Dave's will require hiking and may get suncupped due to lack of traffic. By July it's relatively rare for non-skier-packed terrain to avoid suncupping. The best July 4 closing for conditions in that regard was in 2011. That's a function of spring weather not depth of snowpack. There was as much snow in July 2017 but conditions were not as good as in 2011.
Palisades overpromises and underdelivers. Liz and I were very lucky to be there on June 2 in 2017. But Granite Chief had the best skiing and it closed two days later. Siberia closed two weeks after that, so on July 4 Palisades only had 700 vertical intermediate Shirley Lake and similar south facing Gold Coast. Meanwhile Mammoth ran 2,200 vertical over maybe 1,500 acres and a wide selection among its upper mountain steeps.
Palisades is handicapped by its highest lift service being about the same elevation as Mammoth's Main Lodge, with east exposure vs. north at Mammoth. The later into spring you go, the wider Mammoth's advantage becomes. To my knowledge even in the massive years like this one, KT22 doesn't run past Memorial Day. Palisades can have great spring skiing, but much more likely in April than later.
Timberline is very small scale compared to Mammoth and Bachelor. We went there last June 29 and July 1 in pursuit of Liz' first 12 month season. The intense salting done for the racers does produce good corn but you'll be doing a lot of repeat runs, especially when half the hill is roped off for racers until 11:30 or so.
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jasoncapecod
Well-known member
Thanks for the advice
Decided on mountain biking in Moab
Decided on mountain biking in Moab
A helpful response from Tony and I agree with Jason's decision. Someday I'd like to do a Bachelor/Mammoth spring trip but (similar to Japan) it simply isn't worth the schlep from the East Coast while still working fulltime. Both ski areas require 12 hours of planes, trains, and automobiles in both directions, no thanks.
Moab is just as much a schlep from the East Coast as Mammoth. I’d strongly recommend you consider Mammoth in this historic season. I suspect Moab is pretty much the same every spring.
With James it’s more a matter of rationing vacation time so that’s why the Alps are getting nearly all of it. Spring at Mammoth for James would be more of an extended weekend trip so it makes no sense to kill two days of it in transit.
FYI we expect to be at Mammoth in the May 8-12 timeframe.
With James it’s more a matter of rationing vacation time so that’s why the Alps are getting nearly all of it. Spring at Mammoth for James would be more of an extended weekend trip so it makes no sense to kill two days of it in transit.
FYI we expect to be at Mammoth in the May 8-12 timeframe.
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jasoncapecod
Well-known member
All
True
But I have to be in Colorado Springs the first week of June
And my wife wanted to see arches
True
But I have to be in Colorado Springs the first week of June
And my wife wanted to see arches
6+ hour one way drive. Presumably you have more that just a weekend to do Moab from Colorado Springs.
jasoncapecod
Well-known member
We are there for most of the week
EMSC
Well-known member
In that time frame and location, ABasin is the only worthwhile option. It's possible to be worth it Memorial weekend depending on how cool and snowy spring is (3 out of 4 years usually are), but by June all but the main part of the frontside will be closed (down to about 300 acres or less) and not really worth it unless the main goal is to say you skied in June.
They average closing of A-Basin's steep terrain for wet snow instability is mid-May. It would be a longshot for anything more than a few blue runs to be open in June. Front Range Colorado is having a very average season, collectively 101% at mid-March, and A-Basin was at 91%. Unlike the West Coast areas with stockpiled deep snowpacks, A-Basin's spring quality is much more dependent upon spring weather, which usually means frequent new snow in April/May from moisture coming off the Plains up to the Continental Divide.
Late April/early May is A-Basin's peak season relative to other ski areas: full operation and often with winter conditions from recent snow and the best snow preservation in North America. Unfortunately within a couple of weeks after that, A-Basin becomes a much diminished ski area with the closure of Pali, the Beavers and all steep terrain.
Late April/early May is A-Basin's peak season relative to other ski areas: full operation and often with winter conditions from recent snow and the best snow preservation in North America. Unfortunately within a couple of weeks after that, A-Basin becomes a much diminished ski area with the closure of Pali, the Beavers and all steep terrain.
The reality of Jason's question is that spring skiing options are much more limited in early June than a month earlier. If that's what he really wants he should plan accordingly. I go through this discussion with Patrick periodically, including this year. I always encourage him to come by mid-May. But no he always wants to do it for his birthday June 10 or THE STREAK at end June/early July.
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Very partially related.
@Tony Crocker
I have a mate going to Mammoth in a week or so. You once sent me a report of a couple of April powder days you had there at this time of year. Care to send them again please? I’ll pass them on to him to keep his stoke happening.
I can’t remember what year although it was quite some time ago. I remember you commented on the lightness of the powder. I think you described it as one of your best powder days in April ever.
TIA
@Tony Crocker
I have a mate going to Mammoth in a week or so. You once sent me a report of a couple of April powder days you had there at this time of year. Care to send them again please? I’ll pass them on to him to keep his stoke happening.
I can’t remember what year although it was quite some time ago. I remember you commented on the lightness of the powder. I think you described it as one of your best powder days in April ever.
TIA
We are relocating this afternoon, skiing Lost Trail tomorrow and Sun Valley Friday as planned. We will drive to Bishop Saturday and ski Mammoth April 2-4 in case your friends will be there by then.
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They get in on the 7th I believe.
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Scroll down to links to highlight Mammoth TR's. As noted on that page I consider early spring to be Mammoth's prime time. April 9, 1999 was the best lift served ski day of my life. But note on that list there have been some other good powder days, and several big vertical days.
Thanks. Best day of your life is quite a wrap.
I’ll re-read it myself.
jimk
Active member
Likely that Snowbird will be open in June this year, however not sure if all days or just weekends. You could ski the Bird, drive 4 hrs to Moab, then drive on to CO Springs
Solitude is planning to go deep into May, but just weekends after the 7th and probably not beyond May 21, 2023.
Solitude Village one month ago. Lot more snow since!
ChrisC
Well-known member
I think it's doable in 4 days.
It's very similar to Europe, but just in a different westerly direction. Take a direct evening flight., rent a car stay somewhere near the PDX or RNO airport. The ski resorts are about 3-3.5 hours from either airport. Ski for 2.5 days or so, then it's a direct redeye back. The roads to Bend or Mammoth are quite good.
Not optimal, but worth once.
EMSC
Well-known member
I suppose everyone's personal preferences are different. The only red-eyes I will do anymore are to Europe and only direct from Denver where I can get ~4-5 hrs of sleep minimum. Flights from Chicago or east coast are way too short to get any worthwhile sleep on, and nowadays I'm wrecked if I don't get that ~4-5 hours.
That said, both ski areas are worth a trip...