There’s an almost unique ski holiday experience coming up in Eastern North America this spring, as a rare total solar eclipse will cross the region, plunging a 124-mile-wide path stretching from Mexico to Canada into night-like darkness.
The eclipse will pass, moving southwest to northeast, ski resorts in states and provinces including Quebec, Vermont, New York, New Hampshire and Maine and less well-known ski spots like Ohio. Altogether, the path will cross over dozens of ski areas, and hundreds more will see close to totality, mostly 98-99%.
‘E-Day’ is Monday, April 8, 2024, and with true cosmic skills, the eclipse will be nicely timed to begin from mid-afternoon, with totality for around 2.5 to 3 minutes between 3:25pm and 3:30pm at the end of the ski day!
The Small Print
As the next total eclipse in the UK is not until 23 September 2090, it could be a good opportunity for Brits to experience a ski trip, but it’s worth keeping a few things in mind if you plan a trip.
First, if you’re hoping to be actually on the slopes during the eclipse, it’s important to check that the ski area you choose will still be open a week after Easter Monday. Many ski areas in eastern North America close at the end of March or on Sunday the 7th at the end of Easter Week, though some may go for that extra day this year, in the circumstances.
Secondly, be aware that northeastern North America is at the northern end of the total eclipse’s path, so this has two consequences. First, there is a higher chance of cloud than if you go to see it in Texas or Mexico and second, it’s getting shorter than it will be further south. Its longest duration will be 4 minutes, 28.2 seconds, in north central Mexico. It’ll be about a minute shorter in northeastern ski areas.
Some ski areas will already have closed for the season by the 8th, but others will stay open later into spring.
To find the best Ski Resorts open in Spring – read our Spring?Easter Skiing Guide.
Where’s Open And Getting Totality?
In Quebec, the province’s largest ski area, Mont Tremblant, is in the path of totality with the eclipse beginning at 2:14pm and hitting maximum at 3:27pm, ending at 4:36pm. It should be open to 21 April.
Further south in the eastern townships, Mont Orford (open to the 14th) and Mont Sutton (open to the 21st) are also in the path of totality.
South of the border in the US, Sugarloaf in Maine should see totality as should Stowe in Vermont. Many smaller ski areas will see totality, including Brantling and Bristol Mountain near Rochester and Kissing Bridge near Buffalo in New York State.
Some smaller ski areas in the Midwest are also smack in the path of the eclipse, including Ohio’s Mad River Mountain, which is believed to be the first ski area it’ll reach, and those have the longest duration and one of the best hopes of clear skies. However, most seasons close in late March as most Midwest ski areas do.
Of the other biggest US ski resorts in the region, most should see a “deep partial” eclipse, including Killington in Vermont, with a magnitude of 98.7%, and Sunday River in Maine will see a magnitude of 99.1%.
You will get to experience the eclipse from other US ski states. Resorts in Colorado will see about 65%, Utah about 50%, California about 35% and even BC about 20%.
Special Events
It’s likely that ski areas will plan festivities around the eclipse, although many haven’t published them yet.
However, Jay Peak in New York State hasn’t let the grass grow and has booked Pink Floyd cover band The White Out to play Dark Side of the Moon live as the eclipse grows, with the performance reaching its climax at totality.
