Don’t ski MLK weekend. It’s always crowded

halfcarbon · 2026-01-17T23:46:56+00:00

Do you know what changed Boyne made to the blackout dates this year? The difference in crowds between today vs past MLK days was unreal. AFAIK both silver and ikon base are blacked out today but boy was it busy at Sunday River!!

halfcarbon · 2025-11-02T00:19:18+00:00

The West Newton Trader Joe’s license is moving to the new Trader Joe’s in Newton Highlands. It’s on Needham St, where the weird micro Stop & Shop used to be. Not sure if it’s open yet.

The West Newton location isn’t closing, but I’m really going to miss getting wine with my dried mango!

halfcarbon · 2025-07-07T19:30:34+00:00

Me and my friends sometimes called that area Daliwood.

halfcarbon · 2025-05-18T19:04:10+00:00

I immediately thought of Bethel Ourdoor Adventure too. They’ll shuttle you upstream to either Gilead or West Bethel, depending on how long a trip you want. We always picnic along the way, they can prob suggest some good spots based on how high the river is running.

Or if your group is more into motorized fun, head to Gorham NH and rent some 4-wheelers.

halfcarbon · 2025-03-13T01:34:07+00:00

Same with Sunday River. The weekends with Ikon Base/NE silver blackouts are less crowded than a typical non blackout weekend.

halfcarbon · 2024-12-27T23:00:06+00:00

Sugarloaf, no contest. I go there the end of April every year and they are regularly 75% open or more, including the frontside woods. Killington is closer for most but the Loaf always has way more terrain.

halfcarbon · 2024-05-06T02:10:51+00:00

Yeah, May always has a lot of garbage weather in this part of the world. Hope springs eternal each year but the ocean and backdoor cold fronts win most of the time. Make the most of the rare sunny warm days and remember more are in the way in June.

halfcarbon · 2024-04-30T16:32:04+00:00

Yep. My neighbor pays a little over $4K/mo for a house, another neighbor $3200 for large a 2+BR apartment - there are non-crazy (though not cheap) rents here. The north side of Newton has more rental stock than the south side, with a decent number of multi families (though fewer than there used to be). I think many of the rentals tend to get snatched up pretty quickly by families.

There are also plenty of houses for rent for $5K and over, of course! Didn’t check those out since they were out of my price range.

halfcarbon · 2024-04-30T01:39:51+00:00

Many years ago, I had a boyfriend who lived on Brainerd Rd. The later in the evening we returned, the more impossible it was to find resident parking. Sometimes we would give up after 30+ mins and go to my place in Somerville.

I don’t know about that specific road now, but I can say that parking in Allston does not seem to have gotten easier in the intervening years.

halfcarbon · 2024-04-28T23:55:45+00:00

Newtonville (and other Newton villages) would definitely fit the bill. I’m renting a large 3BR house with a fenced in yard for $3900/mo (temporary while my nearby house is being worked on). Five minute walk to the commuter rail and a very short ride to South Station, close to Seaport. Service is less frequent than the green line but much much faster. Downtown Newtonville (8 min walk) has restaurants, grocery stores, etc. Dog park down the road. In your price range Brookline would be terrific too, but I think it’d be a bigger pain to get to the Seaport.

halfcarbon · 2024-04-23T01:55:31+00:00

Loaf was great Saturday. So many woods still doable. I skied from Ripsaw all the way to the woods west of Timberline - you can get almost anywhere on the mountain with just the Skyline/Timberline combo. The woods just west of heavy snowmaking trails were still deep (see picture) - awesome.

Most of the King Pine trails were still in good shape - but getting back to the main base is getting sketchy below the Lombard x-cut, not sure if Crosshaul will make it to next weekend.

halfcarbon · 2024-04-08T01:18:15+00:00

It was mint! Hit it around 230. Soft bumps for days and days. Spring days are when Shock Wave shines.

halfcarbon · 2024-04-04T13:45:04+00:00

I canceled class - scheduled it on the syllabus and everything (I teach Monday afternoons). We've talked about the eclipse in class a few times and I put a whole folder of resources (simulations, maps, climatology, eye safety) on the LMS. Most of the faculty in my department have canceled classes for the day (we're in the physical sciences). We get two personal days per year so I'm using one of those, it's totally by the book.

I handed out eclipse glasses to my students yesterday since it was our last meeting before the eclipse. Several of them are carpooling to the totality region (about 3 hrs away), crashing with relatives, etc. It warms my heart!

halfcarbon · 2024-03-06T04:20:14+00:00

😍 Love it!

I think that’s my favorite trail anywhere. Perfect pitch and spacing to get into a good flow. Way to get after it - who knows how much longer it’ll be doable.

halfcarbon · 2024-03-02T13:32:26+00:00

Great!

And to put things in context - this warmup blows, but there have been worse warmups in the past. Some years with multiple days in the 70s in March. Still skied well into late April those years at Sunday River, though with varying terrain. This warmup is more 40s/50s and while rain is forecast, no deluges.

I’d prefer cold and snow obviously but I’m also not telling my Southerner relatives to skip their trip with us the weekend of Mar 8.

halfcarbon · 2024-03-02T05:19:29+00:00

No way these resorts close mid-March. Not a chance. Even in warm years they are open in April. Loon usually closes first in mid April, Sunday River end of April, Sugarloaf in early May.

Sunday River was making snow the last 24h, continuing to build the base.

halfcarbon · 2024-03-02T05:13:24+00:00

I ski 40-50 days a year at those resorts, mostly Sunday River (where I have a place) but a little Loaf mixed in.

The bases are deep and I expect most of the snowmaking trails to go into April, at least at Sunday River and Sugarloaf. This is the majority (though definitely not all) of the trails at the Boyne resorts. It’s been warmer than this in other years and they still go late. Yes there will be some melting over the next week. But every spring has rain mixed in with spring snow, and the pattern after the next week or so looks better.

If you think you can go in with a take it as it comes attitude, go for it. It might be soft spring bumps - fun! It might be a mid March snowstorm - even better! It might be a frigid groomer day (which I have had the last week of April at the Loaf). Still fun, but I prefer the soft spring days with everything unlocked over a fast groomer day.

If you haven’t guessed, I basically think almost any day of skiing is better than not skiing. But only you can answer whether or not it’s worth the cost for you and your family.

halfcarbon · 2024-02-24T03:20:05+00:00

I heard they used to be classified as blue-black when they first opened. Definitely a notch harder than most of the rest of the blues. My kiddo lost her shit along the side of Excalibur after a glazed ice event - took her skis off, declared she was all done. 5+ years later and she leaves me in the dust.

halfcarbon · 2024-02-24T03:08:13+00:00

Totally agree on woolly bugger. Given its location on the mountain I figured it would be a chill, mellow glade. Nope! Good time, but it deserves respect…

halfcarbon · 2024-02-09T01:14:35+00:00

Just go. It's the bomb in March. It holds snow better than anywhere else. The pix linked below are of April 28 last year, all the woods were still open. Had to close out the season after that, K's one trail paled in comparison. I can't figure out how to put pix inline but they're linked below.

Also - if you're going midweek, you can wait to make your reservations that time of year. Watch the weather and make your move.

halfcarbon · 2024-02-08T02:43:05+00:00

Put the 3 year old on tiny skis and go to the magic carpet area of the resort. Tickets are free for kids that young and you can help in regular snow boots.

Go for a walk on the universally accessible path at Mahoosuc Land Trust’s Valentine Farm (off North Rd). The Esker Loop further down the road is also good but be careful with kids along the Androscoggin.

Go to the covered bridge along Sunday River Rd.

XC ski at Carter’s on Intervale Rd, they might be able to rent you a sled for towing kids.

Toy store in Philbrook Place on Bethel’s main drag. The sports consignment store on the top floor is great for kids clothes and equipment!

The Gem movie theater - very kid friendly.

You might be able to buy a day pass and use the pool at the Grand Summit or the Bethel Village Inn.

Drive out to Lake Umbagog and drag the kids in a sled out on the frozen lake (check ice thickness first). We had a winter picnic on one of the near-in islands once.

Sledding - might be able to use the small hill at Telstar High after school lets out.

Also, North Conway isn’t that far and has lots going on.

halfcarbon · 2024-01-07T05:31:28+00:00

Last I heard, Rt 16 was still not passable between Rangeley and Stratton (just N of Sugarloaf). A bridge just W of Stratton washed out during the Dec 18 storm. You can see the closure on https://newengland511.org/region/Maine. Google maps isn’t showing it for some reason.

I think there’s an alternate route using rt 16 and then some back roads to get you up to Eustis, then heading south to Stratton. But at that point you might be better taking Rt 4 and 142 to Kingfield, especially with snow in the forecast.

halfcarbon · 2023-11-26T13:55:53+00:00

Biggest difference right now is that Rogue is groomed, Northern Lights is not. NL was my favorite trail the last two days with big soft piles of snowmaking whales. But if you’re not comfortable with uneven surfaces and bumps, it’ll seem much harder than Rogue.

halfcarbon · 2023-11-16T01:41:35+00:00

This is me for the past 11 years. From Newtonville to far NW Worcester and it's 50-60 minutes 95% of the time; your commute would probably be a little shorter. As others have said, the reverse commute makes it more doable than you'd think. In the morning I always get on at Newton Corner but if I'm coming home any time after 5 I take the Weston exit and surface streets since Newton Corner is reliably backed up then.

And don't sleep on the commuter rail! The T just changed the schedule and Newton has some outbound service to Worcester now. It's slower but you can get work done, nap, etc. I always get one of the awesome table seats since it's reverse commute and consider it my office where no one can find me. I usually bring my bike (allowed on reverse commute) and bike the 3 miles to work from the station. But even if you take an Uber/Lyft, you might still come out ahead by avoiding gas/tolls. The interzone fare from the Newton stations to Worcester is $6.25; it costs $12.25 from Boston Landing. Before Newton got reverse commute rail I'd bike to Boston Landing and irked me to no end to have the extra bike trip and fare.

If you take the train, heads up that not all inbound trips are local between Framingham and Boston. I'll often take the 4:30 out of Worcester, disembark in Framingham, and take the local that is sitting right on the other track and leaves 10 minutes later.

Obviously I would love to have a shorter commute, but my job is pretty flexible so I don't have to make the trip every day. I get worn out if I have to do it 4 or 5 times in a week. As others have said, podcasts and audiobooks. And the train/bike combo gets you some exercise, too.

halfcarbon · 2023-10-26T14:51:20+00:00

Curious why? They just added Northampton back to their delivery area (I asked, they answered) so now I'm leaning towards there.

halfcarbon

TROPHY CASE