Ski Sundown - 12/30/2006 (night)

**Greg** · Dec 30, 2006, 10:01 PM

Date(s) Skied: Saturday, 12/30/2006, 7:05 pm - 10:00 pm

Resort or Ski Area: Ski Sundown, New Hartford, CT

Conditions: Sticky manmade, LGR, hard pack. Cool, calm, partly cloudy.

Trip Report: After reading Brians report, I was psyched to ski tonight as it sounded like they made a lot of snow last night. Indeed the mountain had blown quite a bit of snow, mostly as small whales scattered about. I clicked in shortly after 7 pm and noticed the loading area had a pretty steep incline to get to the lift. There's likely 4 or 5 feet in that area. I took a few runs and found the manmade was rather sticky with areas of edgeable, almost springlike thawed hard pack in spots. I soon ran into loafer89 and Warren in the lift line and spent the remainder of the night with them. Warren broke off for a bit while loafer and I skied together. We ran into Warren from time to time and chuckled about his latching on to a group of early teenagers.

He particularly seemed enamored by one particular snowboarding girl named Lizzie. Cute stuff.

Anyway, decent skiing - stuck mostly to Temptor and Nor'easter and I rode the similar lines from a few night before. Skier's right of Temptor was actually better with some deep LGR and spring-like mushy snow. Around 9 pm, loafer and I noticed the surface change quickly from a tacky manmade to more of a packed powder snow as it must have just reached frezing around that point. A lot of snow was made in their 15 hour window. I noticed some huge whales on Sensation in the learning area as I drove out. Again, I can't wait to see what they can do when they get some multi-day/night snowmaking windows.

The only bummer of the night was rushing what would be my final run on Temptor only to miss them closing the lift by a chair or two. Not the best way to finish out 2006. The good company made up for it though!

loafer89 · Dec 30, 2006, 10:26 PM

It was great to ski with you Greg and I enjoyed the company as I am used to skiing alone or with Warren. Our last run was down Stinger and it was 90% skied off with just a narrow band of edgable snow down skiers right that Warren more or less snowplowed down. We should have taken Nor ' Easter which had some nice edgable snow on either side of the trail and fun whales.

Warren is now asleep in bed after his skiing adventure with his snowboarding friend. I imagine that the mountain will see snowmaking tonight as it was 31F on my car thermometer when we left and it is at 32F here at home. It will be nice to see snowmaking in the next 1-2 weeks on Gunbarrel if we are lucky.

**bvibert** · Dec 31, 2006, 7:16 AM

Sounds like a decent night. It must have really warmed up after I left yesterday, there was nothing resembling spring like conditions while I was there. That pile at the base was impressive, wasn't it? I was going to get a picture of it, but was too lazy...

Hopefully they were able to run the guns again last night into this morning.

**Greg** · Dec 31, 2006, 7:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bvibert

That pile at the base was impressive, wasn't it? I was going to get a picture of it, but was too lazy...

Hopefully they were able to run the guns again last night into this morning.

They had a nice stockpile started at the summit too.

loafer89 · Dec 31, 2006, 8:47 AM

There website says that they did indeed make more snow overnight with a low temperature of 26F. They needed more snow at the base on Exhibition to take them through the next week of warm weather and rain safely.

**bvibert** · Dec 31, 2006, 9:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loafer89

There website says that they did indeed make more snow overnight with a low temperature of 26F. They needed more snow at the base on Exhibition to take them through the next week of warm weather and rain safely.

Yup, I saw that on their website after I posted too. They're purposely are leaving the new snow piled up around the mountain so that it has a better chance of surviving the upcoming rain. Then they'll plow those piles down and move the snow around to where it's needed after the rain is gone...

loafer89 · Dec 31, 2006, 9:29 AM

Any idea on when they might start to expand terrain? I guess that they have to concentrate snowmaking on what they have opened right now to stay in survival mode, but it would be nice to see snowmaking on the rest of the unopened terrain.

Still, kudos to the snowmaking crew and thanks for the skiing.

**bvibert** · Dec 31, 2006, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loafer89

Any idea on when they might start to expand terrain? I guess that they have to concentrate snowmaking on what they have opened right now to stay in survival mode, but it would be nice to see snowmaking on the rest of the unopened terrain.

Still, kudos to the snowmaking crew and thanks for the skiing.

They've already started expanding in the Sunnyside learning area for some much needed beginner terrain. I heard they're expecting to have at least Sensation open on Monday. Hopefully we won't get too much rain tomorrow and they'll be able to keep most of the base they already have. Then if we have some favorable snow making temps at night during the week they should be able to finish Sunnyside and start on Gunny and Tom's. I think there is going to be a push to get Gunny done soon since racing is already starting to be affected. The Tuesday night races are supposed to start this week and Ski Sundown race team is supposed to have a race sometime next week.

**Greg** · Dec 31, 2006, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bvibert

They've already started expanding in the Sunnyside learning area for some much needed beginner terrain. I heard they're expecting to have at least Sensation open on Monday. Hopefully we won't get too much rain tomorrow and they'll be able to keep most of the base they already have. Then if we have some favorable snow making temps at night during the week they should be able to finish Sunnyside and start on Gunny and Tom's. I think there is going to be a push to get Gunny done soon since racing is already starting to be affected. The Tuesday night races are supposed to start this week and Ski Sundown race team is supposed to have a race sometime next week.

You forgot continuing to blast on Nor'easter so they can seed the bumps...

Next time you see Chris, you gotta pick his brain to see what's happening there...

Dec 30, 2006, 10:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
Greg Nassahegan, CT: 8/14 Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Thomaston, CT Posts: 20,308	Ski Sundown - 12/30/2006 (night) Date(s) Skied: Saturday, 12/30/2006, 7:05 pm - 10:00 pm Resort or Ski Area: Ski Sundown, New Hartford, CT Conditions: Sticky manmade, LGR, hard pack. Cool, calm, partly cloudy. Trip Report: After reading Brians report, I was psyched to ski tonight as it sounded like they made a lot of snow last night. Indeed the mountain had blown quite a bit of snow, mostly as small whales scattered about. I clicked in shortly after 7 pm and noticed the loading area had a pretty steep incline to get to the lift. There's likely 4 or 5 feet in that area. I took a few runs and found the manmade was rather sticky with areas of edgeable, almost springlike thawed hard pack in spots. I soon ran into loafer89 and Warren in the lift line and spent the remainder of the night with them. Warren broke off for a bit while loafer and I skied together. We ran into Warren from time to time and chuckled about his latching on to a group of early teenagers. He particularly seemed enamored by one particular snowboarding girl named Lizzie. Cute stuff. Anyway, decent skiing - stuck mostly to Temptor and Nor'easter and I rode the similar lines from a few night before. Skier's right of Temptor was actually better with some deep LGR and spring-like mushy snow. Around 9 pm, loafer and I noticed the surface change quickly from a tacky manmade to more of a packed powder snow as it must have just reached frezing around that point. A lot of snow was made in their 15 hour window. I noticed some huge whales on Sensation in the learning area as I drove out. Again, I can't wait to see what they can do when they get some multi-day/night snowmaking windows. The only bummer of the night was rushing what would be my final run on Temptor only to miss them closing the lift by a chair or two. Not the best way to finish out 2006. The good company made up for it though! __________________ Greg 2007-08, 2006-07, 2005-06, 2004-05 Life's too short for warm up runs.

Dec 30, 2006, 10:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
loafer89 Sugarloaf Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Coventry, C.T Posts: 3,551	It was great to ski with you Greg and I enjoyed the company as I am used to skiing alone or with Warren. Our last run was down Stinger and it was 90% skied off with just a narrow band of edgable snow down skiers right that Warren more or less snowplowed down. We should have taken Nor ' Easter which had some nice edgable snow on either side of the trail and fun whales. Warren is now asleep in bed after his skiing adventure with his snowboarding friend. I imagine that the mountain will see snowmaking tonight as it was 31F on my car thermometer when we left and it is at 32F here at home. It will be nice to see snowmaking in the next 1-2 weeks on Gunbarrel if we are lucky. __________________ Ski School - A place where novices are turned into menaces.

Dec 31, 2006, 7:16 AM	#3 (permalink)
bvibert West Hartford Res 6/22/08 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Torrington, CT Posts: 11,782	Sounds like a decent night. It must have really warmed up after I left yesterday, there was nothing resembling spring like conditions while I was there. That pile at the base was impressive, wasn't it? I was going to get a picture of it, but was too lazy... Hopefully they were able to run the guns again last night into this morning. __________________ Brian SAC Tracker

Dec 31, 2006, 8:47 AM	#5 (permalink)
loafer89 Sugarloaf Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Coventry, C.T Posts: 3,551	There website says that they did indeed make more snow overnight with a low temperature of 26F. They needed more snow at the base on Exhibition to take them through the next week of warm weather and rain safely. __________________ Ski School - A place where novices are turned into menaces.

Dec 31, 2006, 9:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
loafer89 Sugarloaf Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Coventry, C.T Posts: 3,551	Any idea on when they might start to expand terrain? I guess that they have to concentrate snowmaking on what they have opened right now to stay in survival mode, but it would be nice to see snowmaking on the rest of the unopened terrain. Still, kudos to the snowmaking crew and thanks for the skiing. __________________ Ski School - A place where novices are turned into menaces.

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