Your 2021 / 2022 Ski Season Thread

[urungus]

I am getting stoked… We could be skiing in less than a month …Killington has opened in October 6 times in last decade.

Saw in unofficial networks that snowmaking tests are underway in Colorado

Colorado ski resort snowmaking underway

It’s getting cold in the High Country, and ski resort snowmakers are ready to get back to work.

kdvr.com

Who will be first to open in the east ? Anyone have Wachusett in their pool last year, LOL ? Are resorts going to delay their openings like they did last year, to have more terrain to spread people over ? Or because of staffing issues ?

Vail have already announced some conservative opening dates, it’s too bad they won’t put the snowmaking to use early season at Mt Snow like they did in the last few Peak years

• Nov. 19: Hunter (NY), Mt. Snow (VT), Stowe (VT), Wildcat (NH)
• Nov. 20: Okemo (VT)
• Nov. 24: Mt. Sunapee (NH)
• Dec. 3: Attitash (NH), Crotched (NH), Jack Frost (PA), Mt. Brighton (MI), Wilmot (WI)
• Dec. 17: Big Boulder (PA), Liberty (PA), Roundtop (PA), Whitetail (PA)

Any other opening dates announced yet ?

 

[jaytrem]

Hopefully Big Snow if they can get there fire mess cleaned up quickly. Was supposed to go this week, doh!

For the real stuff I'd be surprised if it wasn't Killington.

 

[drjeff]

I actually did some looking back through my ski logs over the past 12 years about when my Mount Snow seasons have started (almost always their 1st weekend and that may mean that if they opened on say a Thursday or a Friday that I missed day 1 by a day or 2, but my day 1 was usually very close to their day 1)

Over the last 12 years, they once opened in Late October, they once weren't able to open until the 2nd weekend of December, and my overall average 1st day was November 21st.

So while potentially, if Mother Nature brings a bunch of cold air in in late October/Early November, the targeted November 19th opening that Vail has for them this year *might* miss out on some potential days, the reality is based on what often actaully happens that this targeted opening day isn't much different than usual, which as a Mount Snow regular we kind of presume that it will be either the 2nd or more commonly 3rd weekend of November the majority of the time

 

[slatham]

I actually did some looking back through my ski logs over the past 12 years about when my Mount Snow seasons have started (almost always their 1st weekend and that may mean that if they opened on say a Thursday or a Friday that I missed day 1 by a day or 2, but my day 1 was usually very close to their day 1)

Over the last 12 years, they once opened in Late October, they once weren't able to open until the 2nd weekend of December, and my overall average 1st day was November 21st.

So while potentially, if Mother Nature brings a bunch of cold air in in late October/Early November, the targeted November 19th opening that Vail has for them this year *might* miss out on some potential days, the reality is based on what often actaully happens that this targeted opening day isn't much different than usual, which as a Mount Snow regular we kind of presume that it will be either the 2nd or more commonly 3rd weekend of November the majority of the time

Except that current snowmaking capability is waaaaay beyond that available in those earlier years on your ski log.

 

[Edd]

Except that current snowmaking capability is waaaaay beyond that available in those earlier years on your ski log.

Yeah, as long as the will and staffing is there to do it.

 

[drjeff]

Except that current snowmaking capability is waaaaay beyond that available in those earlier years on your ski log.

True, they have more water that they can pump now than through most of my 12 years I looked through, the reality is that for opening up the ability to run the system past say 5 days in a row, which is roughly what the pre West Lake storage capaicty was, isn't a major factor, it just lets them make snow on more trails at once, not make more snow in less time on the same trail since they haven't massively added more guns per trail over that time span

Snowmaking equipment wise, the majority of thw fan guns in their fleet have been there for the entire 12 year time frame. Their air/water fleet has changed, and in particular went fully low e within the last 5 years, so that is different, Some, with way more snowmaking knowledge than I have may argue that having some big air guns in the arsenal for more marginal snowmaking conditions that tend to be present early say may be a better option, and cite as an example what the majority of the guns that Killington lines Superstar with to make snow for the World Cup as an example. I am not sure about this aspect and how it has, or hasn't affected Mount Snow's early season snowmaking production capabilities. Hasn't seemed like a big deal in my early season skiing experiences

Ultimately what it really is about is what kind of wet bulb temps and for how long will mother nature give them, for the system to operate, and that key thing certainly hasn't changed at all

 

[drjeff]

Yeah, as long as the will and staffing is there to do it.

And most importantly the proper wet bulb temps

 

[thebigo]

I like the idea of a stoke thread. Frozen precip has been falling on the rock pile the last couple days. Webcam appears to show something frozen on the deck, north cam covered with ice.

Mount Washington Observatory | Observation Deck

www.mountwashington.org

Mount Washington Observatory | North View

www.mountwashington.org

 

[speden]

I mostly bailed on skiing last season due to the covid restrictions at the resorts, so I'm wondering if I want to buy a pass this season or not.

It just took too much of the fun out of it when the lodges weren't fully open, plus my own paranoia of getting sick before I got the vaccine. I'm hoping the restrictions will be mostly removed this season. The weather is starting to turn colder, so my ski jones level is starting to pick up.

 

[slatham]

Loveland has an official countdown clock to snowmaking. As of 10:50 am today/Thurday is stood at 13 HOURS. Let the (gun) games begin!

 

[slatham]

True, they have more water that they can pump now than through most of my 12 years I looked through, the reality is that for opening up the ability to run the system past say 5 days in a row, which is roughly what the pre West Lake storage capaicty was, isn't a major factor, it just lets them make snow on more trails at once, not make more snow in less time on the same trail since they haven't massively added more guns per trail over that time span

Snowmaking equipment wise, the majority of thw fan guns in their fleet have been there for the entire 12 year time frame. Their air/water fleet has changed, and in particular went fully low e within the last 5 years, so that is different, Some, with way more snowmaking knowledge than I have may argue that having some big air guns in the arsenal for more marginal snowmaking conditions that tend to be present early say may be a better option, and cite as an example what the majority of the guns that Killington lines Superstar with to make snow for the World Cup as an example. I am not sure about this aspect and how it has, or hasn't affected Mount Snow's early season snowmaking production capabilities. Hasn't seemed like a big deal in my early season skiing experiences

Ultimately what it really is about is what kind of wet bulb temps and for how long will mother nature give them, for the system to operate, and that key thing certainly hasn't changed at all

The jury is out until we see what they actually do, assuming they get early snowmaking windows that would permit a pre-Nov 19th opening.

 

[Hawk]

In the 90's I skied Killington on October 1 a couple of times. I thought I skied in September but I guess not. Back in the 90 and early 2000's sking before Haloween was most years. I was looking back at old photo albums of Haloween parties at my ski house. Those were the days. This year I am good with whatever they deside. Early November is fine with me. I have a ton of fall cleanup and projects I want to get off my plate.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

unfortunately we're looking at a pretty warm next 4-6 weeks

 

[Smellytele]

Loveland has an official countdown clock to snowmaking. As of 10:50 am today/Thurday is stood at 13 HOURS. Let the (gun) games begin!

I can’t find the countdown clock on their website. Got a link?

 

[Smellytele]

I can’t find the countdown clock on their website. Got a link?

Found it

 

[ThatGuy]

Hope opening day looks the same as last years.

 

[ss20]

unfortunately we're looking at a pretty warm next 4-6 weeks

Yeah I don't like to look super far ahead but it certainly looks like no early or mid October skiing.

Early look at Thompson Speedway's World Series of racing looks like temps in the 60s all three days whoo whoo!!!!

 

[Hastur]

Hoping K has north ridge and snowden going for vets day and long weekend. Planning those as my first days.

Also just booked the family vacation week for feb and am really looking forward to a more normal year.

 

[Newpylong]

They have sufficient capacity where the World Cup has little effect on the North Ridge/ move down through Snowdon.

 

[slatham]

Given a general cycle of warmer than normal for 4-6 weeks followed by colder than normal for a similar time, having October above normal is fine with me, as long as its followed by below normal in November. Not much production in October anyhow ("normal" is still pretty warm when it comes to snowmaking). November is the key month with normal temps dropping sharply, so below normal temps are highly productive, mid-winter like temps, and benefit just about all ski areas vs a very few.

That is the forecast from several long range mets.