Wildcat Opens Friday!

[eatskisleep]

i am doubtful of the grooming partially due to labor and cost issues. they aren't going to get many n00bs or beginners showing up to ski wildcat in october. wildcat's game is definitely keeping expenses bare bones and catoring to a hard core audience.

Luckily they haven't turned into a 300ft wide Intermediate/Beginner cruiser's mountain like 75% of ski areas are today.

 

[Breeze]

Hi folks,

New here, but some will recognize me from other lists.

Up front, I'm employed at Wildcat, winter only. Have no power, no freebies, a thick skin and lots of grey hair.

Tomorrows opening is so fast track, its going to demand patience and humor from everyone. The phone rang at my house right at bedtime last night and the words were spoken. We are Opening Friday.

My husband is there FT/YR and we are ditching 4 days of vacation ( and planned travel) to get this thing spinning. I'm definitely not alone in saying " wtf??? OF course we can."

Going off the Tomcat is the only way we can go.... state inspector needs to get there ( yesterday??). Load testing on all 4 lifts has been completed, but the almighty blessing is necessary to open other terrain with lift service.

Food available will be from the summer menu board. The Pub will open on the strength of last years ending inventory and what could be obtained today/tomorrow on screech notice. Please don't expect us to be as prepared as we might be for Christmas week, its all about the skiing right now. It's our aim to provide a fun time in spite of the early alarm clock. Bring your "fun time" and go with the flow.


Technically, see the snow report at
http://www.skiwildcat.com/snowreport.html for what we plan to open, as it becomes groomed. This is a skeleton staff reaching for a long goal. We sure are gonna get you uphill as far as we can.

Breeze

 

[bvibert]

Hi Breeze, thanks for stopping in with the update. I hope that you'll continue to visit us in the future!

 

[eatskisleep]

Hey Breeze,
This is GreatSkiier from the Sunday River Message board. Glad you decided to sign up as there are many wildcat fans on this board. Glad to hear everything about Wildcat and it opening up first! Thank for skipping your vacation and giving a vacation to many skiers.

 

[Treeskier]

Breeze it's great to hear real news

From Sugarbush and Mad River where we often deal with intense climate changes and quick turn arounds I have the ut most respect for your MT to step up to the plate and SKI IT WHEN YOU CAN..in resent years it to often is the bottom line not SKIING.

I will be there. Blue helmut, beard and rock skies by Dynistar.

Thanks for the hard work and BEING OPEN!

 

[riverc0il]

its all about the skiing right now

as it should be, nuff said! welcome to the forums and thanks for the back ground! too bad more ski areas don't follow that mantra!

as for the rest of us, let's get out and hit wildcat and put $30 each into wildcat's coffers for the effort! time to show that early season offerings can be profitable for ski areas, time to show that it is possible and can be done and the paying customers need to put up or shut up. put our money where our mouths are in regards to ski areas opening up earlier.

 

[awf170]

as for the rest of us, let's get out and hit wildcat and put $30 each into wildcat's coffers for the effort! time to show that early season offerings can be profitable for ski areas, time to show that it is possible and can be done and the paying customers need to put up or shut up. put our money where our mouths are in regards to ski areas opening up earlier.

I will, you wanna pick me up... it is only a 4 hour detour to from lyndonville :wink:

 

[NHpowderhound]

First let me say congradulations to Wildcat and all the staff for having some ball$!
Unfortunately for me, my son has a doctors appointment tomorrow and it will keep me from skiing history.
For those who do venture up to the 'Cat this weekend I hope you have a great time.
As for the creeks and TB,I wouldnt dream of trying to get in there until we get some REAL cold snaps. My guess is those creeks are still open water and from all the rain we've had in this month I'd bet they're crankin!
Catacomb and Jag should be pretty good if they let you in there. A quick skin from the top of the Tomcat lift to the summit would be well worth a trip down Upper Lynx,Wildcat or Catapult.
I really hope everything works out for Wildcat. And I hope whoever the new owners are will have the same commitment to pure skiing as Mr. Franchi.
((*
*))NHPH

 

[riverc0il]

A quick skin from the top of the Tomcat lift to the summit would be well worth a trip down Upper Lynx,Wildcat or Catapult.

:beer:

just wanted to add that i have been rather critical of wildcat in recent years. wanted to extend a big ole' congrats to wildcat for having the balls to do this, nice job folks especially considering the power outage conditions this week. but i still think wildcat has the most exagerated snow reporting in new england and i am sticking to that until i see otherwise but that said, good things happening at the cat and that is something to make proper note of.

now, on to my conjecture: could the decision to open be partially driven by a need to enhance publicity of the area to draw in potential buyers since the area is on the market? would wildcat be opening this weekend if it wasn't for sale? doubt we'll ever know the answer to that question, but it is an interesting question to ask when you stop and consider it!

 

[Greg]

would wildcat be opening this weekend if it wasn't for sale?

This occurred to me as well. Great publicity for them. In any event, let's not overanalyze it. They're open this weekend and I'm envious of anyone who gets out there...

 

[Vortex]

I say congrats to them and all who can get out. Publicity of not.....they did it and the skiers and riders win.

 

[kickstand]

Breeze,

welcome to AlpineZone. I'm sure you'll recognize several of our handles from SR's chat.

kudos to you, your husband and all the other Wildcat employees who may have had to ditch pre-existing plans to make this happen. It's nice to see Wildcat has some super-dedicated employees. Unfortunately, I can't enjoy the early season skiing, but it sounds as if there will be quite the crowd out supporting Wildcat. I bet there is a lot of buzz about this opening all over the Valley.

skiers/riders, get out there in droves and pack this stuff down. Make a base for some great spring skiing, and hope Mother Nature cooperates for the next 6 months. I'm hoping this stuff holds up well enough for at least for 2 more weeks. I need an excuse to ditch stacking wood and raking leaves the next time I'm up.

 

[awf170]

anyone know if there allowing you to hike to the summit, i looked at the summit webcam a few times today and I havent seen anything. I would have pretty mad if I showed up and they would let you duck any ropes or hike to the summit.

 

[blacknblue]

anyone know if there allowing you to hike to the summit, i looked at the summit webcam a few times today and I havent seen anything. I would have pretty mad if I showed up and they would let you duck any ropes or hike to the summit.

I've hiked the summit before and nobody seems to care. I'm pretty sure it's all Nat'l Forest land so they really can't. I skied down before the lifts opened and the patrol guys just waved to me, so apparently they don't mind.

 

[awf170]

anyone know if there allowing you to hike to the summit, i looked at the summit webcam a few times today and I havent seen anything. I would have pretty mad if I showed up and they would let you duck any ropes or hike to the summit.

I've hiked the summit before and nobody seems to care. I'm pretty sure it's all Nat'l Forest land so they really can't. I skied down before the lifts opened and the patrol guys just waved to me, so apparently they don't mind.

thats what I thought, wildcat is usually cool about ducking ropes, going out of bounds and stuff like that. But i thought it was wieird how in the webcam I saw no one, and yesterday everytime I looked there were a bunch of people.

 

[eatskisleep]

Yahooooooo!
Good Lord God!!!
Okay, hold on to your boots! We are opening trails left and right up here -- we forecasted 8+ for the weekend...it's now 24! Yep, 50% of Wildcat's terrain! The snow is better than you could possibly expect! It's soft, powder/packed powder mid-winter snow conditions! No lift-served beginner terrain available. Tomcat Lift only. Lift open: Sat.& Sun. 9am-3:30pm. Restaurant/Bar Services Open! Adults & Teens, $39; Jr./Sr. $25. And of course, your next day is only $25 -- as always! The Adult/Teen price is a little more than Friday...the additional unexpected open terrain is WELL worth it!

 

[Breeze]

A quick skin from the top of the Tomcat lift to the summit would be well worth a trip down Upper Lynx,Wildcat or Catapult.

:beer:

just wanted to add that i have been rather critical of wildcat in recent years. wanted to extend a big ole' congrats to wildcat for having the balls to do this, nice job folks especially considering the power outage conditions this week. but i still think wildcat has the most exagerated snow reporting in new england and i am sticking to that until i see otherwise but that said, good things happening at the cat and that is something to make proper note of.

now, on to my conjecture: could the decision to open be partially driven by a need to enhance publicity of the area to draw in potential buyers since the area is on the market? would wildcat be opening this weekend if it wasn't for sale? doubt we'll ever know the answer to that question, but it is an interesting question to ask when you stop and consider it!

Rc, to be honest, Wildcat has been on the market for more years than the skiing public would know. The public unveiling of the "For Sale" sign this summer may have turned some heads, but it was the public announncement that turned heads, not the actual intent to sell, which has been there for years.

You know the mantra... everything is for sale.... for a price, 2 parties get to a table and agree to disagree.

Thanks for your kudos, too. WE DID get a lot of folks uphill today, and I didn't speak to anyone who was unhappy with conditions. They might have been unhappy with their quads and hamstrings, protecting their legs for another go tomorrow, but I didn't hear anyone say Wildcat did't deliver, or that we exaggerated our conditions.

Boarders Beware.... this is natural snow cover, limited grooming today, some more overnight.

if you stop or fall, you may find your arms aren't long enough to find a solid bottom for push-ups.

As for skiing out of bounds this weekend, just remember that we don't have the staff to chase you or find you if you choose to go OUT THERE. If you are skiing on "closed" trails, use all that backcountry caution.. don't ski alone is the first caution.

Actually, I shouldn't have to even say that here LOL

But I know that several folks investigated their way down Black Cat, Starr Line, and completed the old Gondi Line today. Thats unheard of in October, usually doesn't get hit until Feb.

From my heart, I have to say a word about some people who actually said " Thank you for coming to work and giving us this experience."

Thank you for that kindness. That really starts the season off on a good note.

Breeze

 

[Terry]

I will be there Sunday morning early. Can't wait. Probably will be hurting because I am not in shape for it, but my mind says go even if the body says no!!!! :beer:

 

[ga2ski]

here are some pix from wildcat from opening day.

http://forums.alpinezone.com/module...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

Trail report to follow after I take a shower.

I agree with Breeze on my arms not being long enough to get back up after falling.

Breeze-i was one of those on BlackCat and under the quad lift lift. They were amazing. Who would have thought you could drop from boulder to boulder and not hit solid rock, just powder.

 

[Powderhound21]

Wow man, that is insane. Props to the cat for the early opening.

I cant wait to get in that stuff!


Breeze- What are the chances of you guys opening up next friday through the weekend?