Snowmaking Ops Last night?

[ski_resort_observer]

It would take a lot of rain and warm temps to make snow making not worth it at this point. They will loose some but definitely keep more than they loose this weekend. They really can't afford not to make snow at this point. Thanksgiving weekend is now just under two weeks away, they need to blow every possible second they can to get the main lodges open for their first big weekend.

The overall picture for ski hills/resorts in the northeast for Thanksgiving weekend hasn't been a big deal for several years. Unless the region gets a big dump and at least some snow in the major markets like Boston and the NY area, the limited terrain that will be offered by most resorts, just doesn't result in the guests you will get during a weekend during peak season with most or all of the terrain open.

In addition, if Thanksgiving was considered a big holiday weekend it would be one of the holidays blacked out on season passes that have holiday restrictions.

The first big weekend will either be after a big dump or the weekend before Xmas, which ever comes first.

If either SR or kmart does blow alot of snow up till Thanksgiving and gets a bunch of terrain open they will be busy but again, not like a weekend when they have most or all of their terrain open.

 

[riverc0il]

Perhaps it is not big for skier visits, so perhaps it is more of a perception thing. I certainly look at resorts not open until December as second tier. It seems like the big boys all target this weekend to be open and have at least some terrain and lifts available so skier visits or not it still seems like a "big" weekend. at least as a target or benchmark.

 

[Puck it]

K-mart tags the Friday and that weekend as blackout days.

 

[drjeff]

K-mart tags the Friday and that weekend as blackout days.

My guess is that flagging of those days is more because of relatively speaking historically "limited terrain" than from a true mid season massive crowd

 

[jerryg]

The overall picture for ski hills/resorts in the northeast for Thanksgiving weekend hasn't been a big deal for several years. Unless the region gets a big dump and at least some snow in the major markets like Boston and the NY area, the limited terrain that will be offered by most resorts, just doesn't result in the guests you will get during a weekend during peak season with most or all of the terrain open.

In addition, if Thanksgiving was considered a big holiday weekend it would be one of the holidays blacked out on season passes that have holiday restrictions.

The first big weekend will either be after a big dump or the weekend before Xmas, which ever comes first.

If either SR or kmart does blow alot of snow up till Thanksgiving and gets a bunch of terrain open they will be busy but again, not like a weekend when they have most or all of their terrain open.

I think that this year is the first year that SR's silver pass hasn't been blacked for Thanksgiving weekend. It is a big weekend for the mountain as it's sort of seen as the real kickoff to the season, in full swing, per se, and is also often when they have their demo days.

There were actually quite a few skiers and riders on the mountain today until about noon and then it thinned out. I had thought the ncp would keep day skiers away, but I was wrong.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

I think that this year is the first year that SR's silver pass hasn't been blacked for Thanksgiving weekend. It is a big weekend for the mountain as it's sort of seen as the real kickoff to the season, in full swing, per se, and is also often when they have their demo days.

There were actually quite a few skiers and riders on the mountain today until about noon and then it thinned out. I had thought the ncp would keep day skiers away, but I was wrong.

I give you that it is a sort of kickoff but when SR just has a small portion of their terrain/lifts open I wouldn't call it, "in full swing".

"Quite a few skiers" on a couple of trails is but a pebble in the sand compared to a weekend when they have most/all of their terrain open.

SR is risking some profit to be open which is admirable and deserve kudos for doing so. Kmart has a big image problem with their regulars so I applaud them for at least trying to be open early...tho whether or not they have succeeded is debatable.

With the poor economy still looming most resorts are playing it pretty conservative, which is understandable. With all the self promoted hoopla about the hundreds of fan guns Attitash and Mt Snow have installed kind of surprised that they are still sitting on the sideline.

There is a positive with all the rain we have got in the last day or so in that all the snowmaking ponds should be full for the onslaught I am expecting from some of the resorts to be open with at least limited terrain for Thanksgiving. Not because it's a big money weekend but because many resorts might miss their opening date if it's 11/21 and the rest have scheduled opening on 11/27. Not being open means cancelling reservations which is poison for any resort.

Looking at the various long range forecasts isn't going to isn't going to provide much comfort. If it sticks I don't see alot of snowmaking going on except to open just enough terrain to be open for Thanksgiving. Lots of nights where it gets cold enough but days are in the 40/50's. Luckily, those 10 day forecasts aren't very reliable past 3/4 days so maybe the weather will change for the better.

 

[jerryg]

I give you that it is a sort of kickoff but when SR just has a small portion of their terrain/lifts open I wouldn't call it, "in full swing".

"Quite a few skiers" on a couple of trails is but a pebble in the sand compared to a weekend when they have most/all of their terrain open.

SR is risking some profit to be open which is admirable and deserve kudos for doing so. Kmart has a big image problem with their regulars so I applaud them for at least trying to be open early...tho whether or not they have succeeded is debatable.

With the poor economy still looming most resorts are playing it pretty conservative, which is understandable. With all the self promoted hoopla about the hundreds of fan guns Attitash and Mt Snow have installed kind of surprised that they are still sitting on the sideline.

There is a positive with all the rain we have got in the last day or so in that all the snowmaking ponds should be full for the onslaught I am expecting from some of the resorts to be open with at least limited terrain for Thanksgiving. Not because it's a big money weekend but because many resorts might miss their opening date if it's 11/21 and the rest have scheduled opening on 11/27. Not being open means cancelling reservations which is poison for any resort.

Looking at the various long range forecasts isn't going to isn't going to provide much comfort. If it sticks I don't see alot of snowmaking going on except to open just enough terrain to be open for Thanksgiving. Lots of nights where it gets cold enough but days are in the 40/50's. Luckily, those 10 day forecasts aren't very reliable past 3/4 days so maybe the weather will change for the better.

I hear what your saying, but when I say, "in full swing," I mean more in terms of the events calendar, all the shops and restaurants opening, and owners beginning to make the trek each weekend. There have been Thanksgivings with a couple of trails and barely any coverage and then ones with 25 + trails.

 

[WJenness]

I think that this year is the first year that SR's silver pass hasn't been blacked for Thanksgiving weekend. It is a big weekend for the mountain as it's sort of seen as the real kickoff to the season, in full swing, per se, and is also often when they have their demo days.

There were actually quite a few skiers and riders on the mountain today until about noon and then it thinned out. I had thought the ncp would keep day skiers away, but I was wrong.

Wasn't blacked out last year either.

Year before it was just the Sat. that was blacked out.

-w

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Hats off to Mt Snow! Looks like they are really getting after it. Who else...Attitash? What happened to Woodbury? What about Huntah?

 

[Geoff]

Kmart has a big image problem with their regulars so I applaud them for at least trying to be open early...tho whether or not they have succeeded is debatable.

In the PR hype of opening weekend, Killington announced that their season pass sales were up 11% this year. Doing "Early November to Early May" last year and announcing that schedule this year obviously contributed. The numbers are so staggeringly off from the 1985-2005 norm that an 11% increase still represents a gigantic loss of market share. I think that under the circumstances, Killington had to at least try to roll back to their old brand and the long season is a big slice of that brand.

 

[jerryg]

Hats off to Mt Snow! Looks like they are really getting after it. Who else...Attitash? What happened to Woodbury? What about Huntah?

Over on SnowJournal, someone is spreading a rumor that Mount Snow may not press for Thanksgiving weekend. I find that very hard to believe. I mean obviously if they don't have the temps, they can't make snow, but for people to speculate that Mount Snow is "packing it in" when it comes to planning for Thanksgiving is silly.

 

[riverc0il]

Over on SnowJournal, someone is spreading a rumor that Mount Snow may not press for Thanksgiving weekend. I find that very hard to believe. I mean obviously if they don't have the temps, they can't make snow, but for people to speculate that Mount Snow is "packing it in" when it comes to planning for Thanksgiving is silly.

I wouldn't give much credence to dirk over on SJ. He has a history of pot stirring and a known homer for certain areas. He may be right or he may be passing on a rumor from a friend of a friend of a friend because he thought the rumor was juicy.

 

[jerryg]

I wouldn't give much credence to dirk over on SJ. He has a history of pot stirring and a known homer for certain areas. He may be right or he may be passing on a rumor from a friend of a friend of a friend because he thought the rumor was juicy.

Well that's rude. More open area the better!!!!

 

[Newpylong]

With all the self promoted hoopla about the hundreds of fan guns Attitash and Mt Snow have installed kind of surprised that they are still sitting on the sideline.

It has been too WARM.

 

[twinplanx]

this thread would be helpful if folks stayed on topic

 

[jerryg]

this thread would be helpful if folks stayed on topic

Fair enough. Sunday River and Killington will make snow this week. Other hopefully will be able to as well.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

oops, my bad, the article that said Mt Snow was making snow with all 110 guns was dated Nov 4th.

Their website currently says: As the temperatures allows us to make snow we will. Our snowmakers are standing by and as soon as we see the window of opportunity the fan gun blizzard will begin again.

According to NOAA the temp at the 2276' of Mt Snow will hit 21F tonight, 17F for Tuesday night but daytime highs are in the 40/50's
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...6015625&site=aly&smap=1&marine=0&unit=0&lg=en

 

[Vortex]

SR has the guns going am today as far down as broadway on south ridge.

 

[drjeff]

Over on SnowJournal, someone is spreading a rumor that Mount Snow may not press for Thanksgiving weekend. I find that very hard to believe. I mean obviously if they don't have the temps, they can't make snow, but for people to speculate that Mount Snow is "packing it in" when it comes to planning for Thanksgiving is silly.

oops, my bad, the article that said Mt Snow was making snow with all 110 guns was dated Nov 4th.

Their website currently says: As the temperatures allows us to make snow we will. Our snowmakers are standing by and as soon as we see the window of opportunity the fan gun blizzard will begin again.

According to NOAA the temp at the 2276' of Mt Snow will hit 21F tonight, 17F for Tuesday night but daytime highs are in the 40/50's
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...6015625&site=aly&smap=1&marine=0&unit=0&lg=en

This was posted on the Mount Snow passholder's site yesterday by their head of Mountain Ops, Dave Moulton. Kind of sums it up pretty well

"In the past I might have put some spin on the weather to make it sound good but plain and simple we are just not getting the cold temps to make snow. Yes, there may have been an hour or two on some nights where we could have made the ground turn white but in the scheme of things it would not have done much good.

The forecast for tonight shows cold in the low elevations but lately the inversion has left us in the upper 30’s up high. Frosty in Wilmington and warm in the base area.

We are watching and waiting, will go like crazy as soon as possible"

We just need to get the northerly component of the jet stream to get the heck out of Canada and down to somewhere in the mid Atlantic region to really draw down some GOOD snowmaking air. This marginal stuff right now with temps in the upper 20's BUT a relatively high humidity is so frustrating!

 

[SIKSKIER]

It's coming

Two longer range forecast that I have seen say that way north jet will finally head way south around T-Day for a big change in a good way in the weather pattern.