Thanks Woody,

I guess since my plan is to ski every chance i get, maybe i should pick option one and two. I try to have two trips planned ahead before the season starts though. I'm really curious how the weird weather this winter has affected DCSkiers.

I try to ski every chance I get within the constraints of schedules, commitments, and the patience of my family. This usually translates to 10 weekend trips a year. (We have not made a big destination trip since our daughter was born, but such a trip is on the drawing board for next year.)

I will go every weekend that I'm able to pull it off, and really only consider skipping a trip if I'm certain it is going to pour (not snow).

Last year I bagged 25 ski days, this year I hope to make 20 (my average). Last season I recall so many epic days. This season all the skiing I've done has been good, but there have been just a few really nice days - and nothing epic yet.

The effect of the weird weather on my ski trips is really less of an anomaly this year than what happened during "The Streak " last year. Ah "The Streak "........ - 11 consecutive snowy sub-zero weeks in the WV Alpps from Mid January through the Mid-March last year - over 100" of great snow during that time. I stretched my family and job to the limit and skied every weekend during "The Streak ". Deferring or blowing off most of my adult responsibilities until the end of ski season. Sometimes, you have to do these things. Hopefully my boss and colleagues will forget what a derelict I was during the winter by the time the slopes open again next year.

Tom

I'm all three. I ski every chance I get... yet I'm as a stickler for planning as it can get... And then, I have a season pass at Snowshoe, so when it gets cruddy, I can eschew the crud and go shopping or surf the web.

Last year I got almost 50 days of skiing, 10 short of my goal of 60. I save my vacation time, comp time, holiday time, award time, and every weekend available, to use it during ski season. So I take off 30 days and literally move to Snowshoe, where my FLorida family joins me for two weeks, as well as work colleagues and friends.

Sort of weird for someone who was born in the tropics, I prefer a mountain home surrounded by snow than a beach in Florida. Actually I have no use for Florida, which I consider analogous to a 65 thousand-square mile Walmart parking lot. Even though my family there shamed me into visiting them this weekend.

I ski as much as I can. No particular organization to it, other than trying to ski at least one day a week and picking the best day (in terms of weather and snow) relative to work/family commitments. I do avoid skiing on weekends whenever possible; weekdays are by far more rewarding, at least locally. If I have to be away from work/family, I want a very good ski day in return.

Today would have been a perfect day to be at Wintergreen, but I skied Snowshoe Friday-Monday and am still tired (and haven't really unpacked yet). Plus one day of leave a week is about as much as I want to push it most of the time. I'm fortunate to have a cool boss who is OK with me taking occasional ski days as long as my work doesn't suffer. I tend to take 1-2 days of leave here and there during ski season, rather than blocks of 1-3 weeks other people take for typical vacations, so I think it's a fair trade.

I barely made it to 25 days last season. Anywhere from 20-25 is enough to make me feel satisfied. If I could ski every day of the year, I would. I just don't know how I can really go beyond 25-30 without a major shift in my life, job, or location. I put a lot of miles on my car and spend a lot of $$ on gas for my current ski routine.

I believe I have 15 days in so far this season. It has been slim pickings locally, often looking for that decent day or two in between the La Nina cycles. I have only had one iffy ski day this year, due to rain. The rest have been good to excellent. I am still waiting for an epic local powder day. If the mid-A doesn't deliver one soon, I may try for one more trip to Alta in March.

Actually, as cyclical and lousy as the season has been locally, I feel fortunate I have gotten in so many good days thus far. If my worst complaint is the lack of a good local powder dump, life isn't too bad at all. But my fingers are definitely crossed! I want to break out my new fat skis on some sweet WV powder one of these days.

pretty much every weekend (sunday mostly) and we have a trip planned to ut in late march. all i ask is it is not raining while i ski ... otherwise i'm pretty good with any conditions.

The main determinant in my availability to ski timewise is that I travel with my Black Lab. Other than infrequent trips such as Whistler and Montage, we travel together. He's probably the main reason why I bought a ski condo ten years ago. And he enjoys the snow as much as I do

I'd like to get to 20-30 days of skiing a year, but that's going to entail moving out west. Apart from getting wealthy- which ain't gonna happen anytime soon- that's just not a possibility here in KC. Plus, I've got trips to Central America planned right now, and on top of that I love hiking in the summer, so I've gotta balance all that off. Right now, 12 days a year is a good ski year.

Chile for you, Roger... Got all of the above and a great business climate...

Every chance I get!...when My wife lets me go and I don't have too work and when I have money and when I don't have yard work and when the redskins are not playing at home and......

Oh and when is a ski day not perfect??!

Hola Bariloche....

San Carlos de Bariloche! Mirate, ché! That's a wonderful place. Even with the little US-style sprawl, the urban core is like being in Switzerland. And it's upper class Argentina, so everyone is trying to outdo the other in ski outfits... Calvin Cline and Prada's paradise.

Besides, the skiing is awesome...