I don't come remotely close to losing my stoke, but I swear people just seem happier and more dedicated from December to mid-febuary, then the crowds deteriorate and the vibe gets weird.
It just seems strange... Like people would rather ski in crappy early season conditions than crappy late season conditions. I've also gotten into a lot more conversations and met more people when the snowguns were blowing and a few runs were open in November to December.
Do you notice any change in the general vibe at your hill. I think people act differently as the season winds down and sit out days that they wouldn't normally sit out.