Similar to last year at this time, I’m currently away from my home without a computer, so it makes it more complicated to do everything on a tiny phone.
Last weekend and for some, their season ended with rain. Some ski areas decided not to reopen with the incoming rain and closed for the season like Camp Fortune, Massif du sud and Le Valinouet. Despite the pouring rain on Sunday, Sunday River was open with free lift tickets for their annual end of year tradition, SkiMania. Some places like Whiteface, Jay and Sugarbush got snow instead. Enough craziness that Whiteface decided to postponed their end of season day announcement again: May skiing in Whiteface, why not? Oh yeah, Bristol and Craigleith private ski club reopened this morning, May 1. I haven’t been tracking Craigleith as it’s off my radar as a private ski hill, but thought it was good to mention that there is, sometimes, skiing in May in Ontario. Crazy Spring indeed.
Again I’ve copied some of the post from last season as I’m currently out in Banff, Montreal. Only the text and format are copied, the information and data are current.
LIST OF 8 9 SKI AREAS TENTATIVELY OPEN IN MAY. Only 2 areas spinning daily ***
Vermont : 3 (2 daily)
New York : 2 (Bristol May 1 only)
Quebec : 1 2 ***
Maine : 1
New Hampshire : 1 *
Ontario : 1 (May 1 only)
Pennsylvania : 1 **
Bristol NY – May 1 (today only – 9am-12pm only)
Craigleith ON – May 1 (today only – 9am-12pm only)
Wildcat NH – May 5 (tentative – Saturday only) *
Big Boulder PA – May 5 (reopening Saturday only) **
Whiteface NY – May 5 6 (tentative – weekend Saturday only) *
Sutton QC – May 6 (weekend only) ***
Sugarbush VT – May 6 (weekend only)
Sugarloaf ME – May 6 (weekend only)
Jay VT – May 13 6 (daily until Sunday then weekend – tentative May 12-13 weekend) ****
St-Sauveur QC – May 21 13 (weekend only and Victoria Day) **
Killington VT – June (tentative – daily until May 6 then Friday-Sunday & Memorial Day Monday)
* Update May 3, 8:00am: Wildcat isn’t reopening and Whiteface is opening on Saturday only.
** Update May 3, 3:00pm: Big Boulder PA is reopening Saturday only. MSS is adding an extra long weekend.
*** Update May 3, 9:30pm: Sutton QC isn’t reopening.
**** Update May 4, 8:05pm: Jay is added an extra weekend.
MAY
What do I mean by “May continue skiing”?
People always wonder; Where is their skiing in May? May skiing is greatly very possible even if you live in the East. Good year, bad year, I’ve never in the last 12 years that I have kept track on the Eastern Closings has there hasn’t been at least one ski area spinning their lift for the skiing public. This May will not be the exception, currently 9 ski areas are planning to spin, but as it is always this time of the season, you can’t take it granted.
Frequency of number of ski areas spinning in May
7 or more ski areas : 5 times
6 ski areas : 1 time
5 ski areas : 1 time
4 ski areas : 3 times
3 or less ski areas : 3 times.
Previous years:
Here was the status of what was happening at the same time in previous years:
Numbers from previous seasons: Total / Daily until May:
2018 tentative 9 / 2
2017 : 7 / 3 – Killington, MSS, Comi, Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Sugarbush, Jay
2016 : 7 / 1 – MSS, Jay, Killington, Sugarbush, Sugarloaf, Sunday River, Comi
2015 : 9 / 2 – Wachusett, Sunday River, Miller, Sugarloaf, Wildcat, Sugarbush, Jay, MSS, Killington
2014 : 6 / 3 – Comi, MSS, Jay, Killington, Sugarbush, Sugarloaf
2013 : 4 / 2 – MSS, Sugarbush, Sugarloaf, Killington
2012 : 1 / 0 – MSS
2011 : 7 / 2 – MSS, Miller, Jay, Sugarbush, Killington, Sugarloaf, Saddleback
2010 : 3 – Jay, Sugarloaf
2009 : 5 – Jay, Killington, Sugarbush, Sugarloaf & MSS
2008 : 4 – Jay, Sugarbush, Sugarloaf & MSS
2007 : 4 – Killington, Sugarbush, Wildcat & MSS
2006 : 2 – Bretton Woods & Killington
We have the familiar actors in the May skiing skimming pool. A few ski areas closed last weekend, some had enough coverage to continue later. Some of these areas, especially in Eastern Quebec could have continued their season, but other factors are taken into account.
Ski areas that have spinning in May since 2006 including this year’s recent tentative closing dates)
Mont St-Sauveur QC : 12 times (92%) – last 12 years in a row
Killington VT : 10 times (77%) – last 6 years
Sugarbush VT : 10 times (77%) – last 6 years
Sugarloaf ME : 10 times (77%) – 10 of the last 12 years
Jay VT : 9 times (69%) – last 5 years
Wildcat NH : 2 3 times (15 23%) *
Sunday River ME : 3 times (23%)
Comi QC : 3 times (23%)
Miller QC : 3 times (23%)
Bretton Woods NH : 1 time (8%)
Wachusett MA : 1 time (8%)
Saddleback ME : 1 time (8%)
Bristol NY : 1 time (8%)
Craigleith ON : 1 time (8%)
Whiteface NY (tentatively) : 1 time (8%) *
Sutton QC : (tentatively) 1 time (8%) ***
Big Boulder PA : 1 time? (8%) **
By Provinces/States:
Quebec : 12 times (92%)
Vermont : 12 times (92%)
Maine : 10 times (77%)
New Hampshire : 3 4times (23 31%) *
Massachusetts : 1 time (8%)
New York : 1 time (8%)
Ontario : 1 time (8%)
Pennsylvania : 1 time? (8%) **
An important note to remember, this list can change at any moment. Even if there is snow, call ahead, some might not bothering spinning if the weather doesn’t compare with the notion of Spring skiing.
Remember, the ski season is never over, it just moves elsewhere.
Ski Mad World’s weekly Eastern Closing 2018 post:
Eastern Closing Thread 2018 …No fooling with Easter skiing – Part 1
Eastern Closing 2018 : April’s Second weekend or Is It Still Winter?
Eastern Closing 2018 : Calendar creep closures – Week 3
Eastern Closing 2018: Mixed bag options – Week 4
Eastern Closing 2018 : Spring has sprung – Week 5
Big Boulder in PA is reopening just for Sat. $15 tix. Supposed to be top to bottom (though vertical there is only 376)
Thanks Rob. I’ll update my list.