Snow Report: Will the Weekend Snowstorm Help Skiers?
The majority of people in Boston are probably not excited about the prospect of a snowstorm hitting New England this weekend. They’re busy grimacing at the thought of shoveling and putting on extra layers to go outside in the cold, while New England skiers are giddy with anticipation for what could be the first big storm of the season for the region. Here’s your Snow Report for this week:
Storm Comin’?
It’s still early in the forecast to nail down the snow totals for this weekend’s storm, but all forecasters agree a storm is on its way to New England. Whether we get two feet or two inches is to be determined as the storm moves across the United States and into the Gulf of Mexico. Even if the storm turns out to be a bust and New England only receives a dusting, it’s still better than nothing for the snow-starved resorts. Right now, forecasters such as Harvey Leonard of WCVB are projecting a storm that will be stronger in the southern part of New England:
@kcsmimi If rooting for snow, I’d rather be in Plymouth, MA than in VT, NH or ME
— Harvey Leonard (@HarveyWCVB) January 19, 2016
Skiers Caught in Avalanche at Tuckerman Ravine
Tuckerman Ravine is the crown jewel of New England backcountry skiing, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Avalanches at the Mount Washington feature have claimed the lives of nine people in the last two decades and injured countless more. On Sunday, four skiers were caught in a 100-foot wide avalanche when a huge chunk of snow on a section known as The Chute broke off and careened down the mountain. All four, two Canadians and two Americans, survived the terrifying incident.
“I’m not sure if I have fully processed what happened to me yet,” said Kaj Huld, 47, of Brunswick, Maine in an interview with the Portland Press Herald. Huld told the paper he is not sure when or if he will return to Tuckerman Ravine.
Black Mountain Closed
Black Mountain in New Hampshire has been closed for two straight days because of a problem with its lifts. According to a Black Mountain representative, they are waiting on the arrival of a part for a chairlift. Black Mountain has a double chair and a triple chair plus three surface lifts. The website and Facebook pages for Black Mountain have not been updated with today’s news, but the resort expects to be open Wednesday.
Skier Pushes a Snowboarder off Chairlift
A skier at Aspen Highlands was so annoyed by the snowboarder he was sharing a chairlift ride with that he pushed him off, sending him tumbling 25 feet to the ground. Snowboarder Seth Beckton survived the fall largely unscathed, but he was still shaken by the incident. “I honestly thought I was dead,” Beckton said in an interview with the Aspen Times.
Beckton did not initially report the incident because he survived the fall without an injury. The skier involved in the incident has not been identified, but Aspen Highlands officials said they are investigating.
