Your Coldest Ski Day

I've skied in similar temperatures. Took the resort an extra hour to get lifts working in the morning after a very cold night (about -40). Otherwise no problem.

I remember teaching a one person "group" 3 hour lesson  at Copper years ago when it was 25 below. She was a second day skier and we were lapping an old slow chair which was exposed to the wind near the top. She was using a lot of energy and having a ball; I was damn near hypothermic!!!

I'm always nice enough to take a break whenever the instructor is freezing to death. Or losing the tip of their nose. They just have to ask

Coldest was wind chill of -75F only a few of us got out on the slopes that morning before they closed Okemo.

 

Other times, I've spent a few day's out there when the temp was -29F or close to it.

 

One time a buddy and I spent the morning in the trees skiing. When I took my jacket off at lunch, my fleece had frost on it. Neither of us was cold all morning. That was one of the more memorable day's on skis.

 

Another day was the Salomon Oasis Day's back about 2002, another -29F day. There were not many of us out demoing skis that day.

 

I was in Quebec, the day started at about -40 F, the high was -17 F in the afternoon and there were tremendous winds 40-50+mph. So strong the Canadian highway back to the States (the one through La Prarie) was closed because of the snowdrifts. I was at Mont Blanc a total of about 8 hours but only out for about 6 as I was going in every 2 hours because my neck warmers, gloves, etc. would all get totally frozen and needed to be switched out and we were checking for frostbite. I never wanted to find the wind chill, but it was very cold.

-40c at sunshine village. They shut down the resort and didn't tell anyone. They still sold you a ticket but won't let you on the gondola, because it might start up later. They did. Not a fan of that place.

My coldest day where I still dared look at the thermometer was at Cannon (New Hampshire) a few years ago.  The summit thermometer was reading -29F.  No wind, no clouds, stunning visibility that day.  I wound up doing tram laps all day, so you didn't freeze on the ride up.

 

There was a day at Sunday River (Maine) where they claimed the summit thermometers were reading 40 below.  I didn't dare look at the thermometers on top of the chairlifts to verify this though!  I remember breathing on my jacket sleeve and watching the ice form.

 

There was a 25 below day at Sugarbush (Vermont) where the winds at the top were ~40mph.  (About 65 below with wind chill).  The lift was spinning although looking up there wasn't anybody else stupid enough to be riding up.  I slid up to loading position and the liftie asked me "do you realize what you're getting into?", which I think was code for "are you really this stupid?".  Most of the lift ride was sheltered but the last 100 yards were brutal.  I got off and skied down as fast as I could.  One ride to the top was enough on that day.

1973 Whiteface -36F below skiing with Blue Jeans and thermal underwear.  To stay warm I would skate up hill.   Whitface employees gave you blankets before getting on the chair lift.  They would fold up the blankets and send them back down the lift. 

-44F at Snowmass during the historic low temperatures in CO on Feb 1, 1085.  My biggest fear was if the lift broke down or I fell so I skied on easy runs under the Big Burn chairlift.  Seemed warm since it was -61 (lowest temp ever in CO) at Maybell, Co (west of Steamboat Springs) that day. Lots of skiing in the UP, Minn, and WI at -30-35F in the 70s and early 80s while racing and coaching. 

Damn, you've been skiing a long time!  :)  It would be another 400 years before Columbus sailed and Snowmass already had chairlifts! 

Below -40 at Lake Louise  in the late '80's.  We had to sit in the lodge until it warmed up to -40 so they could start the lifts!