My SUP has been safely stored out of the harsh winter elements in preparation for the colder months ahead. My snowboard has been freshly waxed and edges sharpened, impatiently waiting to hit the slopes. As far as I am aware, it is supposed to snow during the winter months here in the Northeast. However, this rainy weather has made it feel more like spring than winter, even now in typically cold month of January. As soon as the weather finally gets cold enough for the mountains to make snow, we end up with rainy days that completely destroy any hope of  having fresh powder, or even decent conditions to snowboard.

It has not been much of a winter here in New Hampshire, and I’m sure most of the ski mountains are cursing this warm rainy weather. We have only received 3 snowstorms so far (all before Thanksgiving and none amounting to much). Since then, it has been pretty mild with some warm days and lots of rain and sleet.

I have been forced to plan my days on the slopes based on the upcoming forecast. I try to go snowboarding before it rains, and then give the mountains a few days after the rain to recover and get the conditions boardable again. Thank goodness for powerful snowmaking guns! 🙂  Crotched Mountain in Bennington, New Hampshire is my home mountain. I snowboard there as often as possible. They even have a high speed chairlift which is great. It is a small mountain compared to some, but I feel very fortunate to have a ski mountain close by that I can enjoy.

The conditions at Crotched have been better than I expected over the last couple of weeks. It can be a little icy in spots, but there have been a few beautiful, sunny days to hit the slopes. If you live in the area, be sure to check out the season pass which is part of Peak Resorts. With this pass, you can ski and snowboard 10 other mountains in the East, including Mount Snow in Vermont. I have yet to ride Mount Snow, but will definitely be shredding some powder there at some point this season. Fingers crossed for some pow days!

I’ve learned from living in the Northeast that winters are never the same. Some winters give you awesome powder and perfect snowboarding days. Other times, the winters are rainy and not great for us boarders. No matter what the weather brings, challenge yourself. Don’t let bad weather deter you. Instead use it as a tool to better your riding. By the time you know it, you’ll be able to ride in all kinds of conditions, good and bad!