Loveland might go for it!!!!!!

Puck it · Oct 2, 2015

Loveland Ski Area Is Getting Ready to Make Snow This Weekend!

This weekend, the race to see who will open their slopes first in North America begins. As a cold front moves through the rockies this weekend, Loveland Ski Area is anticipating the first possible day of snow making in preparation for the infamous White Ribbon of Death.
That said, as of now it’s only a possibility and temperatures have to cooperate in order for snowmaking to happen on the slopes of Denver’s second closest ski resort. However, on their website the ski area is saying, “A cold front is moving this way and we’re hoping to start snowmaking operations sometime this weekend.”

http://unofficialnetworks.com/2015/10/loveland-ski-area

doublediamond · Oct 2, 2015

Puck it said:
might go for it

They always go for it.

Oh BTW Highwaystar. Loveland and A-Basin both make 18 inches to open their first trails.

ss20 · Oct 2, 2015

Impossible. Western resorts need a week+ to open anything with snow guns. A weekend cold front is a start... I guess?

drjeff · Oct 2, 2015

Loveland turning on the guns vs. Loveland opening are 2 completely different things!!! They don't have nearly the water pumping capacity for their SMI fan guns that most Eastern resorts have.

Don't get me wrong, this is a GREAT sign for the start of the season, however I wouldn't get ready to see those requisite marketing department 1st chair of the season just yet

Tin · Oct 2, 2015

ss20 · Oct 2, 2015

drjeff said:
Loveland turning on the guns vs. Loveland opening are 2 completely different things!!! They don't have nearly the water pumping capacity for their SMI fan guns that most Eastern resorts have.

Don't get me wrong, this is a GREAT sign for the start of the season, however I wouldn't get ready to see those requisite marketing department 1st chair of the season just yet

Exactly. The East can have 2 mountains open with two decent nights of snowmaking. The West could have temperatures in the single digits 24/7 and it'd still take 5 days to open a trail. Little water, little labor.

doublediamond · Oct 2, 2015

Not really any different from the East:

2230 gpm, 5500 cfm

That's 137 gpm/acre for Cat Track > Mambo > Home Run

It's just a lot of snow to make to open it up 5800 ft long, averaging 120 ft wide.

The East just benefits from overall shorter runs.

Crotched, the most powerful system in the East, generally makes snow on about half their trails at once. That's 120 gpm/acre at once.

thetrailboss · Oct 2, 2015

I'm not so sure that it's impossible. Is it a challenge? Sure. Have those that have said, "it takes a week to open anything in the west" skied Loveland or checked out their Opening MO? They usually get things open pretty fast.

snoseek · Oct 2, 2015

I was a steady loveland skier for three years and got opening day for a couple of them. They don't open for roughly a week after they start blowing unless its a freaky long early cold snap....temps staying below freezing during the days needs to happen for multiple days. One year it did and they opened before 10/15 as I recall. Also the run is a bit longer than a basins opening strip so its a challenge being the winner.

Pre thanksgiving early season its definitely a better overall day of skiing there.

doublediamond · Oct 2, 2015

1.6x longer; 2.23x pumping capacity.

thetrailboss · Oct 2, 2015

Details aside, this is a step in the right direction!!!! :beer: :fangun:

snoseek · Oct 2, 2015

I'm driving right by in a couple weeks and will have all my gear handy. I should at the very least pay a visit to the pub.

skiNEwhere · Oct 3, 2015

The top of chair 3 at Loveland got hit by lightening a couple days ago, so all the racers are gonna be intertwined with the regular skiers until the lift gets fixed, probably in November. Loveland has enough on their plate as it is, they haven't even installed the haul rope on the new ptarmigan chairlift yet.

thetrailboss · Oct 3, 2015

skiNEwhere said:
The top of chair 3 at Loveland got hit by lightening a couple days ago, so all the racers are gonna be intertwined with the regular skiers until the lift gets fixed, probably in November. Loveland has enough on their plate as it is, they haven't even installed the haul rope on the new ptarmigan chairlift yet.

That sucks. I've been watching the construction of the new lift online. It is coming along. Is that part of their master plan to replace lift number three?

Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

skiNEwhere · Oct 3, 2015

I think chair 3 was installed circa 1995, so it's not that old. I don't remember management saying it was gonna be replaced anytime soon. Looking forward, loveland is trying to get approval for their chair 10 installation. Most ski areas are developed right up to the edge of their SUP, loveland is the exception. Chair 10 is within the SUP and when (if?) approved, Loveland will reclaim the highest chairlift in North America.

Highway Star · Oct 5, 2015

doublediamond said:
Not really any different from the East:

2230 gpm, 5500 cfm

That's 137 gpm/acre for Cat Track > Mambo > Home Run

It's just a lot of snow to make to open it up 5800 ft long, averaging 120 ft wide.

The East just benefits from overall shorter runs.

Crotched, the most powerful system in the East, generally makes snow on about half their trails at once. That's 120 gpm/acre at once.

Jesus Christ you have no idea what you are talking about.

Newpylong · Oct 5, 2015

He is actually pretty spot on.

Highway Star · Oct 5, 2015

Newpylong said:
He is actually pretty spot on.

Why don't you go call up every major resort in the east and let them know Crotched has the "most powerful" snowmaking system in the east and see what they say. Dummy.

Puck it · Oct 5, 2015

Copper started.

http://unofficialnetworks.com/2015/10/snowmaking-is-officially-underway-at-colorados-copper-mountain

Highway Star · Oct 5, 2015

For anyone ACTUALLY interested in who has the most powerful snowmaking system, we have a thread for it:

http://forums.alpinezone.com/showth...ually-has-the-Most-Powerful-Snowmaking-System

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