Warm weather go away! Don't you know I have to ski?

I am undoubtedly am one of the only people who would make such a request of Mother Nature, but come on. This is Maine and it was in the 60's on the coast yesterday. Mrs. Nature has been very cooperative with us skiers this year and we are grateful, but please don't melt away all the lovely snow you have provided to the mountains by letting it rain on us.
My local ski hill, Sunday River, has received 100 inches of snow this season to date. Not bad for an area that averages 140 inches per season and has a fairly low elevation. Out west things are pretty good these days, too. At my favorite place to play in No. Cali/Nevada, Heavenly Valley has received 15 feet of snow to date for the season with more on the way. This time last year, Jules and I were wondering if the skiing would be better here than there, but then a massive storm dropped 8 feet of snow on the resort just prior to our arrival. While I still hope they get a ton of snow right before we get there or while we're there at the end of February, the 9 feet of snow they received last week is a pretty good start. So now all I really ask is for Mrs. Nature to play nice and let the temps being seasonal.
This won't be the case for my ski race tonight and honestly, I'm a little concerned about racing my new skis in the soft snow. I may be better off with some fat freeride skis, but I think it will be a game time decision as Shawnee Peak may have colder temps by race time. Regardless, it will be day 36 for me, skiing this season. That means that since the first resort opened in New England for the season, I have skied more days than I have not and I love it. What's your passion?

Welcoming Back Winter In Maine

In all my travels through the years, I would often tell people that I'm from Maine and the first thing I would hear was, "Wow! It's really cold up there, isn't it?" I'd smile and explain the distinct 4 seasons that Maine offers, but also in the back of my head I'd be thinking that for quite a while, the snowy winters had been only a distant memory. While we have always received huge snowstorms in the latter months of winter and into spring, I have been sad to say that in Portland (along the coast) we haven't seen a 'White Christmas' since the Reagan administration. And that's sad quite frankly as Maine is supposed to be cold and snowy in the winter. I have often said that as long as it's wintry in the mountains, I don't care what it's like on the coast, but that really isn't the case. I love winter and I love the way Maine looks in the winter, especially the holiday season.
Jules and I just wrapped up a 4-day weekend at Sunday River. Having skied 3 days together, she ventured back to Portland this morning while I take the rest of the week off. This time last year, the resort was mostly dry with strips of white where the snow makers had left their mark, but we've already had a couple of substantial storms this month and the skiing has been the best in December in over a decade. After Sunday's nor'easter, we both had to shovel out our cars as 15 inches fell on this western Maine playground. And while it's entirely possible for the weather to change, if the temps remain cold, we'll ring in Christmas with a cover of white in every area of the state. To most, that may be insignificant, but to myself and my family, it brings an extra smile. Happy Holidays.

Even if it only lasted a couple of hours...

The first snow in Portland is always magical, especially when it falls at night in the crisp air, but Mother Nature has her own plans and today she decided that even though it wasn't quite freezing in Portland or anywhere on the coast, it snowed for a couple hours and even stuck a little.
Yes, it has snowed in the mountains and was last weekend when I was there, but being almost two hours south and at sea-level, snow in November isn't as common as some may think. And while the forecast calls for the type of precipitation that doesn't freeze, I'll keep dreaming of snow!