Preparing For Opening Day 2017
As we begin to make our way into Fall, many of us are already thinking about winter–daydreaming about bluebird days flying down a mountain and the frosted flurries of snow that accompany it.
When can we hit the slopes?
In truth, all opening day dates you see are just projections at this point. These unofficial dates are based on projections for weather and snowfall come October and November. There’s no guarantee these dates won’t be pushed back as we get closer to ski time.
So who are these people that show up on a projected date for a ski resort’s opening day?
In some cases, they’re risk-takers. The world is full of people with high tolerances for risk. They speed when they can’t afford a ticket, they’ll use their debit card hoping their check has already cleared and they’ll eat leftovers that have been in the fridge two weeks. These people are willing to plan their travel based on a simple projection.
The other kind of people you’ll see at opening day are those that fly by the seat of their pants. They don’t need to make plans in advance. They think of something and they do it. They decided to show up to the slopes the night before they opened. They’re last-minute travelers. They found their lodging, called into work and started making their way to Summit County.
Some people who go on opening day are cautious planners. They made their plans well in advance and chose opening day to visit because there’s a chance they’ll get to hit the slopes. And if they don’t? Well, they don’t mind because they’re perfectly happy taking advantage of the many other activities available to them in Summit County during the offseason. Sure, they paid a slight premium on lodging to be here on opening day, but that was a small risk they were willing to take because it has big rewards if it pays off.
So what kind of ski resort traveler are you? It’s important to figure that out as you mull over 2017’s opening days. But most important is to remember these dates are not official. When you plan travel around any ski resort’s opening day you need to be sure you’ll be happy at the resort whether you’re on the slopes or not.
For this year’s opening day projections, check out the website for On the Snow. We would also suggest visiting each ski resort’s website to see if they’ve made an official announcement.
Published on Thursday, September 21, 2017