To call the last week in New England skiing horrific would be an understatement. Warm temperatures along with a rainstorm on Tuesday and Wednesday were part of the first round of snowmelt, which included warm temperatures. During Saturday afternoon and evening, another heavy rain storm matched through, making me even more pissed. Ski resorts across the region have been affected, as it appears that closing dates could be on the horizon for smaller mountains.
This past weekend, Black Mountain announced that it would be reducing its operations. The New Hampshire ski area will be closed from today through Friday for snow preservation. Black is expecting to reopen on Saturday and Sunday. Despite this hurdle, it’s still great they reopened this season, as it was looking like they wouldn’t open until the Indy Pass stepped in.
Down in southern New Hampshire, Crotched Mountain notified guests today that they will be closing early due to the rain that’s coming through on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Over at Whaleback Mountain, a lack of snowfall this season made these two rainstorms too much to overcome. The mountain has only received 27 inches of snow this season, resulting in a minimal amount of trails open. On Sunday, they closed the Summit Chairlift due to the lack of snow. Later that day, Whaleback announced that the chairlift was done for the year due to the lack of snow. They plan on reopening the ski area on Friday for an end-of-season party, then will operate only the learning center on Saturday and Sunday. Whaleback’s closing date is scheduled for March 10th.
It’s shaping up to be another rainy week in New England, as more precipitation is expected in the next few days. Let’s hope the second half of March is colder and snowier for the Northeast.
Image Credits: Whaleback Mountain, Crotched Mountain, Black Mountain
