There’s no denying that most ski areas in the Western US had a disappointing ski season. Resorts in the Rockies, Wasatch, and Tetons captured strong early season snow, but then saw relative dry spells for the typically prime months of February and March, making for a close-to-average total snowpacks. Meanwhile, the Pacific Ranges got the short end of the stick, leading a handful of California resorts to premature closing dates.
With the buzz lingo surrounding global climate change being more prevalent than ever these days, it was only a matter of time until critics began to squawk about how we’ll never see another winter of strong snowfall again. Here at SASS, we are shaking our heads, wondering why the hell you’d let yourself think this way?!
First of all, attitude is key. If you go into a season with a set of expectations that may be broken, you’ll end up being disappointed in a season that even hits par for the course. Plus, chances are you probably jinxed the snowfall from the beginning by thinking this way. But let’s turn to the facts. Over the years, plenty of seasons similar to this one have taken place. That’s right people, THIS IS NOT ABNORMAL, THESE THINGS HAPPEN.
Bad new first: this will likely continue to happen. Just as any bell curve will show, below (and above) average snow years will continue. The good news is that historically, snowfall trends upward after these sub-par seasons. In the words of Mike Douglas from a recent video he put out on behalf of Whistler Blackcomb, “In the past 40 years, there have been four seasons that have more or less sucked as bad as this one. Statistics show that each of those years was followed by a season of average, or above average snowfall.” Not bad, eh?
Yes, global climate change is an issue, and as passionate skiers and snowboarders we should not be in denial about it. But I’m confident that we’re not at the point where we need to be concerned about our winters just yet. While the west suffered from thin snowpacks and warm temperatures, the east coast saw their biggest snowfall in years, breaking a few records along the way as well.
Don’t worry, it’s not the apocalypse of winter, we’re just going through the ups and downs of Mother Nature’s moods. And with Argentina’s snowpack coming in at a below average level last season, this summer could see healthy snowfall in the Southern Hemisphere. So keep your skis and snowboards waxed, and keep your boots out from the dusty depths of your basement, things could be shaping up nicely for a South America ski trip this summer.
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