By Mike Brookins
Wednesday, January 07, 2009 at 9:24 p.m.
Read more: Local, Weather, Environment, Ski Central
YUCK!!! It’s time to forget about this past Wednesday’s icy weather, because prime-time winter and ski season is here. The ice storm shut down most ski areas for a day but with snow and cold back in Central New York, packed powder conditions are sure to follow. Looking at the next seven to ten days, I see nothing resembling weather what we had then. In fact, it will be a prolonged cold and snowy weather pattern. I’ll end this topic with a loud YEAH!!!
With the New Year’s holiday behind us, many school ski clubs will begin their weekly run to the mountains. These clubs are a great way to improve both you skiing and boarding skills, as well as friendships. I still hit the slopes with a few of my ski buddies from junior and senior high school a couple of times each year. Enjoy the next six or more weeks taking part in the clubs. Hopefully you’ll come out a better person and skier. And you know the season will be over before you know it.
Coming to a ski area near you…. Toggenburg starts their Gatebuster Racer program this Saturday. Any five to eight year olds who want to learn the ins and outs of ski racing can check it out. Also at the Togg the first snowmobile hill climb of the season has been rescheduled for this Sunday at 5pm. Lastly the resort will begin a Wednesday night race league this January 14th. The whole family can ski or board for only $99 this Sunday at Snow Ridge. And they are offering a discount to those in the military this coming Wednesday, January 14th. Grab your friends and head to Labrador for team NASTAR every Sunday from this weekend through January 25th. Lab also hosts a discount night for college students every Tuesday. Heading west to Bristol Mountain, all three Brigades programs kick off this Saturday. There is the weeski for 5-7 year olds, junior for 8-18, and the adult brigade for those 19 and over. These run through mid-March. Also going through then is Bristol’s Mogulmasters each and every Sunday.
Coming up later this winter I will be heading out west to ski for my first time. Having been to just about everywhere in the northeast over the past 30 plus years, it’s remarkable that I never made the trip. You see, my other vice is beach vacations and I always seemed to make it there. I’m way excited for my trip to a place where they get over 500” of snow each season, and will tell you all about it here in my blog as it gets closer. Until next week, happy trails!
