The second half of February and into early March often bring the deepest snow cover of the year and this is a banner time for skiing. Whether you’re doing downhill or Nordic, there’s been plenty of snow over the past couple of weeks. As we conclude school vacation week, this weekend’s weather, along with this deep snow cover, will cooperate to bring some of the best skiing of the year.
There are more than 70 ski areas across New England and while the big names get a lot of exposure, there are smaller family-run resorts that are perfect for novices as well as those of you who might want to just steer clear of the crowds. These sometimes family-run resorts rely on a deep loyal base.
The sun this time of the year is getting higher and stronger every day. In many ways, this is the enemy to ski areas and they know it. This is why if you look at most trails, they actually face north or east so they limit the amount of sun exposure and allow the powder to continue deeper into the day and the actual season. Nearly every ski area here in New England, with one notable exception being Bromley Mountain up in Peru, Vt., with south-facing trails.
Remember this weekend, sunscreen is in order in addition to the goggles.
Eventually, the snow will start to melt, but the surface temperature of the snow still has a long way to go. Look at the map below and notice that many areas have snow temperatures in the single digits and teens. Until the snow gets to 31.9 degrees, it’s not going to melt. It might get a bit slushy before that, but it has a long way to go before we see significant disappearing.
Snow depth this year is actually above average in many parts of New England and where it is below average, it’s only somewhat under typical seasonal normals. This is good news for winter sports enthusiasts, of course. One of the best snow depth spots in New England is actually in Vermont: Mount Mansfield’s snow depth is now over 3 feet, about 8 inches more than the long-term average.
If you’re a skier, you know that the best time to get onto the mountain is as soon as lifts start spinning - the snow has been groomed overnight and you get those “first tracks.” Some areas will even allow you to pay a little extra for your ticket to get out before everybody else. When I ski, I usually try to be on the slope first thing in the morning to catch that early powder and try to take minimal breaks, if any, until lunch.
If you don’t like the coldest air of the season, skiing during the second half of February and into March is generally more comfortable. Temperatures quickly warm after sunrise and by 11 a.m. they can be over 10 degrees off morning lows. Also, with the sunsets now after 5 p.m., heading home after a day on the slopes can be done with daylight.
The winter of 2024-25 has been a much more typical one for New Englanders and the best for skiers in several years. There is still plenty of time to take advantage of great conditions before many of the trails you are navigating top to bottom, become hiking trails in the opposite direction.