Mid-Atlantic ski resorts have a bright future?
October 28, 2006
19 posts
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As a snow and winter lover, this would be good news. However, the economic impact would be terrible. They say it could happen within a very short (<10 yrs)time period? Maybe I should learn how to ice fish!
Interesting article. I had heard about this pehonena on TV a few years ago, but the article is a great resource too.
I was discussing global warming with a friend on the pretext that I was neutral to more opposed to it because their data doesn't sustain itself. Anyway without delving into that entire mess that a few others here on the site, have, she showed me this link. I was really surprised that any warming we are having could be calm before the storm.
Plus this article does make sense about questions I've had regarding regular normal weather rotational patters. Such as the articles mention of George Washington crossing the river in a boat of men that was filled with ice chunks? Or in the 1600's when the pilgrims arrived and were nearly wiped out by appearantly the harshest known winters in North America to date. What about when some of the older folks were growing up in the 40's-70's? My mom has told me of winters when there was snow on the ground from Nov to April or ice skated on local ponds that were frozen over a foot thick?
While we humans have a negative impact on the envorionment, I'm not apt to personally believe that global warming has went from 0 to destruction of the earth in 50 or so years. I guess we might be finding out in 10 years or so. Does everyone agree... if in that time, Timberline opens on Nov 1 that we all declare global warming junk science?
I'll be dead by the time t-line opens on a Nov 1. But, as you were saying, the recent warm years are more of an exception than the rule. I've read several articles on this possibility of a mini-iceage, and scientifically, it makes sence. The way I look at things is that everything is cyclical. Weather, life, sports teams, good/bad snow years... Take your pick. I would be a billionaire if I could make an accurate prediction on the weather, long term. The problem would be to get pragmatic politicos to do something before the worst happens.
Apparently you did not read the article or since you are a skeptic concerning global warming, you choose to ignore the cause of this supposed upcoming ice age. The cause as indicated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute IS global warming. That is huge rivers of cool fresh water from melting polar ice caps cooling the lower latitudes.There was a recent article in National Geographic showing how the Northern Polar ice cap has reduced by I believe 25% in area over the past 20 years. This was attributed by reputable scientific institutions to global warming.
If this ice age does happen, you won't have to worry about skiing since oil production is peaking, China's growing consumption will compete with the rest of the world's demand, including the good ole gas guzzlin' USof A and we'll be scrambling to find oil to heat our buildings. Hopefully this dire scenario won't happen in my lifetime, but I am not as young as some of you guys and you should be concerned. But in the short term, we could have some great skiing here in the Mid-Atlantic as this ice age unfolds. Hopefully I'll get that last run in on the day the the last drop of oil burns up and I go to that great ski area in the sky.
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Apparently you did not read the article or since you are a skeptic concerning global warming, you choose to ignore the cause of this supposed upcoming ice age. The cause as indicated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute IS global warming. That is huge rivers of cool fresh water from melting polar ice caps cooling the lower latitudes.There was a recent article in National Geographic showing how the Northern Polar ice cap has reduced by I believe 25% in area over the past 20 years. This was attributed by reputable scientific institutions to global warming.
If this ice age does happen, you won't have to worry about skiing since oil production is peaking, China's growing consumption will compete with the rest of the world's demand, including the good ole gas guzzlin' USof A and we'll be scrambling to find oil to heat our buildings. Hopefully this dire scenario won't happen in my lifetime, but I am not as young as some of you guys and you should be concerned. But in the short term, we could have some great skiing here in the Mid-Atlantic as this ice age unfolds. Hopefully I'll get that last run in on the day the the last drop of oil burns up and I go to that great ski area in the sky.
the article is over two years old. just over seven years left now to the apocalypse. lol.
Oh no! Another Global Warming thread.
Whoops, you're right. If we can forget that subject and concentrate on what could be some great Mid-Atlantic ski conditions during the creeping ice age. I couldn't resist commenting on the "junk science" comment. However, I recently watched a program on the Discovery channel I believe, where the subject was a new theory that northern Europeans discovered America about 17,000 years ago based on archeological evidence that was recently unearthed. According to the program, the winter ice cap extend much further south than it does now and you could literally walk accross the Atlantic to America from Europe. At that time I am sure that Mid-Atlantic ski conditions would have been great. If we could go back 17,000 years, we'd have great ski conditions right here in the Mid-Atlantic (along with Wooly Mammoths).
I bought that issue of Discovery when it came out. It is an old-ish article now. I'd be interested in seeing a follow-up to it in a year or two. Are the Woods Hole scientists still tracking the same pheonomenon? Any changes in the patterns they've seen? Any further evidence on how Atlanic water temperatures may have affected climate in the past (there is another contingent of researchers, if I remember right, that say that ocean temps have little to do with the temps in Europe or on the Atlantic seaboard).
In the meantime, let's concentrate on this mini ice-age we're in for the next couple of days...
Yeh I remember you bringing it up back then Roger. What a twist that thought was! Well here we are a few years later & this morn we broke a record low with another record broke at myrtle beach(the 2nd or 3rd this fall) 4 inches of snow up in the valley with friged temps..Denis posting a couple of guys getting 3000' vert of skiing on Mt Washington......Anybody want to buy some palms?..Come on, Half priced!! PS Did anybody catch the Dolly Sods cam this morn? It was snowing in the valley at 7am & then the clouds broke & the sun came out for a couple of hours...EXCEPT On Mount porte crayon! Looked like it just kept snowing on the whole Roaring plains plateau ..This is a magic Mtn..oh well its nice to dream!
Yeah I remember our conversation about this Andy. You were concerned about fishing or something dorky like that.
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The way I look at things is that everything is cyclical. Weather, life, sports teams, good/bad snow years... Take your pick. I would be a billionaire
Why can't being a billionaire be cyclical too?
It usually does when someone blows it all like running water.
Well, the good news is......Global Warming isn't likely to affect the Mid-Atlantic nearly as much as many other parts of the globe. Of course, this is presuming that Global Warming is real. Having said this, I think that the smart Mid-Atlantic ski areas have already hedged their bets by diversifying into a variety of profitable off-season activities.
I hedged my bets by moving to the dead center of the country. Makes for an easy jump-off for whichever coast is getting better snow in all this global-climate-change-warming-ice-age stuff. And besides, when the impending die-back begins, I'm really, really close to all the wheat.
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... And besides, when the impending die-back begins, I'm really, really close to all the wheat.
I've seen you try to cook. You don't know what to do with sliced bread, how you going to figure out how to live on wheat?
Sure I know what to do with sliced bread! Throw it in the 'fridge until it gets moldy, then throw it away.
Sadly, it's true. When the impending die-back begins, I will most likely (in the words of Dave Barry) be passing through the digestive track of a wolf while the wheat farmers out here scratch their heads saying "gee, all he had to do was grind it up some, ferment the rest and he could have had toast and beer for the rest of his life, like us!" Really, I'm just trying to encourage other people to move out here to stimulate the housing market so I can sell at a good price in a few years and go move closer to the wolves.
