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? :idea: 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 :beer: 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 :roll:
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 :x 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.
So what is your mountain's opening routine? On opening day, which runs are open and which lifts? Good suggestions? :idea: 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 :beer: 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 :roll:
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 :x 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.
