The Opening Drill at Your Home Mountain??

[thetrailboss]

OK, there has been a lot of discussion about pre-season and with good reason--it has finally gotten cold and it is snowing in some higher summit areas.

So what is your mountain's opening routine? On opening day, which runs are open and which lifts? Good suggestions? I'm especially interested in Cannon and Sunapee.

Here is what I know:

Burke: Opens usually the first weekend in December. Used to open the POMA slope/Lower Warren's Way first before opening Upper Willoughby and Lower Bear Den to connect to the POMA slope and get the quad running. Lately they have been going for top to bottom focusing much of their efforts on Lower Mountain. I think we can expect some snowmaking and efforts to get the lower mountain going considering the renovations at the lodge and the new HSQ.

Sugarbush: Mt Ellen Summit Area. Need I say more? The usual drill is to get the Summit Quad going and some nice runs up there served by an upload on the GMX to Glen House. First day will usually feature the Rim Run-Elbow-Spread Eagle run with the next effort to get the entire Rim Run trail going before working on the lower liftline trail, FIS, and Exterminator. This pod of trails, both early and late season, is very entertaining IMHO The next effort usually is to get the GMX going by connecting the blues from Glen House to the base and then working on Inverness and the Sunnyside Double. May have changed because of the new terrain park. In 2002 they were rocking on Ellen pretty early

Jay Peak: My BEST opening day ever would have to be the 2002 Opening of Jay--November 9th on Stateside with some natural snow runs going! Their usual drill is to blow snow after three consecutive days of below freezing temps. Plan on Jet, Derrick Hotshot, and Haines dishing some steep cruising. Some will attempt to hit the trees, but don't plan on it. I personally love Stateside--my kind of terrain--steep fall-line. They will run the Queens Highway T-Bar as well during opening day which is good for a warm-up. From here, the mountain turns their efforts to opening Northway and extend opening terrain in the Bonaventure area and to the 'Freezer to get Tramside going. Then Tram runs and Can Am before going back to Stateside. Thanksgiving 2002 we were skiing off of the GMF and it was great. Bill Stenger writes a great article every season about their snowmaking plans.

Attitash: They usually try to get an opening for Thanksgiving or the weekend of the holiday. Usual drill that I've seen and done (in 2001) is to open one run from the HSQ on the main mountain down Grandstand and Ptarmigan (I think) to the base before pushing to the top of the mountain. Last season they were delayed like everyone else

Pats Peak: Last season, our first there skiing opening day, they opened the Turbulence Triple with 'Whisper' the straight green running. Good cover. They also had the J-bar slope going (tubing park later in the season) and a narrow cat-track over to the Hurricane Triple. Tornado was the black they had opened off of the top and it was in good shape. It ran all the way down across the liftline and in front of the lodge. Decent skiing especially for novice or intermediates considering that you had the J-Bar and the Lower Mountain going.

Killington: Now top-to-bottom with the gondola and a loooonnggg run down the summit on Great Northern down to Rime and over to Snowdon and down. Can be crowded Glades Triple usually spins as well.

In all, the trend has been to go from top-to-bottom, as evidenced by Killington who used to 'truck' folks up to Canyon. No more I guess I never did it...just missed out...it is also important to point out that most places open intermediate and expert runs first (with the exception of Pats) so plan accordingly.

[riverc0il]

Cannon: opens with the peabody quad servicing big link > mid ravine > low ravine. IE one route down. from my experience, cannon believes in completely covering a trail for the season before opening it, so they are slow to open additional terrain. after that, look for mid > low cannon to open and the brookside beginner area. i can't remember how they played tuckerbrook last year, they may have waited until they got the zoomer chair online. tram doesn't open until around xmas, later if it's a tough snow making year. summit trails are definitely last to open, look for tramway and upper ravine first when the summit opens. garys and rocket first on the front face then zoomer and avalanche last. essentially, the better trails wait the longest unless there is a big big dump. but like i said, cannon doesn't like to drop the rope until something is in mid-season form.

[K2Trav]

Sugarloaf Plans to Open on November 18th with Sluice and Boardwalk served by Spillway West and DRC East. The Spillway Trail is next followed by Kings Landing, Candyside and either Tote Road or Hayburner


http://www.k2trav.com

[Charlie Schuessler]

Originally Posted by thetrailboss

Killington:...the trend has been to go from top-to-bottom, as evidenced by Killington who used to 'truck' folks up to Canyon. No more I guess I never did it...just missed out...

You didn't miss much...unruly adolescents mouthing off to anyone & everyone most of the time...

I miss riding the K-Chair and using the mid-station to open the season there...Goat Path to Cascade & Downdraft...when done ride the chair to the bottom or walk out...

[stomachdoc]

Waterville Valley

Opens November 19th with one or two trails off of the High Country lift, which means you have to ride the quad up and then ride the High Country (read SLOW) double. When you're done, you have to download back down the quad to the base (which, by the way, is a little freaky if you've never been on a lift the "wrong way).

[Zand]

Wachusett's past 3 routines:

2002: Open Conifer on November 8th with just the Polar Express turning and minimal coverage due to 2 days of snowmaking and Indian Summer (the weather phenomena... not the trail!).

2003: Open Conifer and Indian Summer on December 4th with Polar Express and Monadnock Triple turning and great coverage due to 5 consecutive days of snowmaking.

2004: Open Conifer and Challenger on December 6th with Polar Express and Minuteman Express turning and minimal coverage due to 36 hours of snowmaking followed by no snowmaking for 8 days due to constant mid 40s.


TRAILBOSS... Sunapee usually opens the Summit Express and Blast-Off. They usually throw in a beginner trail off of Clippership too. Typical opening is day after Turkey Day.

[ga2ski]

Sunday River:
Usual Lifts:South Ridge Quad (lift 2) and Spruce Triple (lift
Usual Trails: American Express, Lower Lazy River, and broadway. Maybe Risky business.

Barker sometimes is open as well, with Ecstacy and sunday punch, and cascades.

[Bob R]

Loon Use to open the top area with Flying fox and Upper picked rock and use the the east basin chair with down loading to the base on the Gondola.
The opening dates has been moved back a few weeks so it has been Picked rock top to bottom. Last year they had to wait a couple of days to open the Gondola because it was boken and just used the Kanc quad.

I will be at Wateville's opening date. Its a quick run, but still fun to get out.I enjoy the view while down loading.

[RuffusCorncobb]

Originally Posted by ga2ski

Sunday River:
Usual Lifts:South Ridge Quad (lift 2) and Spruce Triple (lift
Usual Trails: American Express, Lower Lazy River, and broadway. Maybe Risky business.

Barker sometimes is open as well, with Ecstacy and sunday punch, and cascades.

I'm pretty sure its Risky Buisness first then American Express but maybe they will do it differnetly this year just to make me wrong as usual. What ever trail goes first I can hardly wait.

[dmc]

Hunter will open when they get enough snow... they have an opening date on the schedule but they will open earlier(or later) depending on the weather...

I like the fact that they don't get into the whole "who opens first" thing... And are realistic about opening...

It's usually Hellgate>Broadway>Kennedy(HBK) open..
A couple years ago they opened down to the F Lift and closed the bottom of the mountain... After they get HBK covered they move onto Belt Parkway so the intermediates have a way to get down without having to ski bumps on Hellgate... Also been blowing early on the Hunter One area for beginners to enjoy early turns...

It does get crowded - until things spread out and other mountains start to open...