Hunter or Belleayre for Sat. 4/10

[kartski]

I believe the State owns 3 area's Gore, Whiteface and Belleayre. I think I read at the start of the season the Gov't was hemming and hawing about funding so long people held off committing to the season long kids programs.

 

[jtothewang]

sell the bell, give the taxpayers the $$$...

 

[dmc]

I don't know Belleayre's finances, but Hunter never exactly seemed to be hurting: look at all of the investments they've announced for the next couple of off-seasons.

Tell that to the people got laid off early...
Don't forget about snowmaking scrimping.... And the loooong delay at replacing an old lift...

Hunter is frugal. And invests in capital linearly.. They only have one major thing going on at once..

If Bell meets it's budget and has a surplus... Then they should stay open... They're not there to turn a profit - they are there to serve the people..

 

[dmc]

HEY MODERATORS! I thought NO politics were allowed on this forum.

Thats not partisan politics... Which is the issue on this board...

 

[Rambo]

Tell that to the people got laid off early...
Don't forget about snowmaking scrimping.... And the loooong delay at replacing an old lift...

Hunter is frugal. And invests in capital linearly.. They only have one major thing going on at once..

If Bell meets it's budget and has a surplus... Then they should stay open... They're not there to turn a profit - they are there to serve the people..

What is this about Hunter and "snowmaking scrimping"? Seems like Hunter makes tons and tons of snow year after year and puts down deep bases.

 

[180]

I got to call BS on this statement as well. The implication here is one ski area has more ice conditions than others based on temp and altitude with no scientific data to back this up. Did someone ski all 3 mountains on multiple days collecting data? I don't think so. Give me a break.

This years mother nature's storm system produced very significant differences in weather results within only a few miles all over the east coast. One area like my house got 1 inch of snow while 30 miles down the road got 5 feet. Go figure. On top of that the weathermen's projections were all over the place depending on which weathermen you listened to.

Strange weather this year but it was a great season for snow sports in the east. I can't remember a better season for overall high quality snow conditions in the Catskills.

I can't explain it either. The snow on the ground is what it is. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Wow, I didn't expect that reaction, but I must respond. Icy conditions (hard pack) is not a scientific thing. Belleayre's mid mountian lodge and main chairs start at a much higher elevation. Therefore the snow last longer because it's colder. When temps rise close to freezing, Hunters trails will soften fast becasue they are a) lower or b) face the sun.

The same is true of Hunter mountain at the same elevation, but the lifts start much lower, hence it melts and they can't ski. Some of Hunters trails face away from the sun and therefore we get to ski on a patch of snow in June on Hellgate. I am no scientist, but i have seen this repeated over the last 40 years of my ski life.

 

[dmc]

What is this about Hunter and "snowmaking scrimping"? Seems like Hunter makes tons and tons of snow year after year and puts down deep bases.

You'd get a different opinion from the Hunter regulars...
The reason Hunter's closing is they don't have enough snow to move around. they didn't do any farming really.. We begged for snowmaking mid season.. They had to cut back to get that 6 pack.. It was touch and go with the banks until the end from whet I've heard...

The proof is... Bell is still open... Hunter's closed...

 

[jtothewang]

What is this about Hunter and "snowmaking scrimping"? Seems like Hunter makes tons and tons of snow year after year and puts down deep bases.

Guys that made snow at Windham for years have left for the Bell in favor of more hours (insert $$$ here), despite the longer drive to work. I think that is about all the info I need re: snowmaking scrimping. I agree Hunter lays down a ton of snow, but my opinion is Hunter and Windham are giving up on April. And that is just a good business decision. I can't blame them. Outside of spot snowmaking, the guns at Windham have been off since President's Week.

 

[dmc]

Guys that made snow at Windham for years have left for the Bell in favor of more hours (insert $$$ here), despite the longer drive to work.

They also probably love the state supplied benefits...

 

[Rambo]

What happened to the Bears at Hunter?

I was at Hunter on Thurs. April 1st. and asked some skiers if anybody had spotted any of the Bears recently and they said no. I was talking to one guy and he heard that kids and other people had been feeding the Bears and that the Bears had been coming into the village getting into things and getting too close to houses and kids and that the Bears had to be eliminated. In fact the guy thought someone may have been attacked by a Bear.

 

[dmc]

What happened to the Bears at Hunter?

Mother and cubs became "nuisance wildlife" and were killed.. I saw 2 little cubs behind my house a couple weeks ago - so far where I live in Hunter people are existing ok with the bears... They are welcome to my apples, black berrys and mushrooms.

 

[kartski]

sell the bell, give the taxpayers the $$$...

In NYS to do anything with State land requires a change to the Constitution. That requires the issue to pass the Assembly and the Senate, wait a whole election cycle, pass it through the two bodies again, then it becomes a ballot initiative. Thats why the Slutsky's were never able to pull off the land swap to get the peak of Hunter Mtn. I think it was also an issue with merging Highmount and Bell. The state has a lot of Park area and private land within the Park boundaries is also regulated.

 

[faceplant]

"It's déjà vu all over again"

 

[faceplant]

"It ain't over till it's over."

 

[JimG.]

I figured this thread would be reaching lunar orbit now with regards to bitter dispute.

180 said it best...Belleayre is located at higher elevation and faces more away from the sun in spring, hence it holds onto snow longer.

Hunter got burned out completely by the sun and heat the past week and a half.

 

[evantrentful]

Yeah I wouldn't say the reason Belleayre is open is because of snow making, and the reason Hunter is closed is because the lack of. Hunter's snow pack, regardless of what anyone wants to say, takes a much greater beating from the sun than Belleayre. To know this all you need to do is ski there on a sunny day. The sun is in near perfect alignment with the main face throughout the day and that makes a huge difference between the two resorts.

 

[skidbump]

I dont know what planet your from but the snow making capacity at Belleayre is not even close to hunter or windham.We dont have the capacity to blow tons of snow.Trail count is alway much lower for first 2 months of season.There is no way the snow makers work longer hours due to the budget cuts.It takes days to get decent coverage on each trail top to bottom"PS our trials are short"Versus Hunter and windham which takes a 2 week period to get most trails open.We dont blow snow just to blow snow but we do have a great team that makes it consistant and doesnt waste much time or money in doing it.So if ya wanna ski in New York ...quit your whiny ass bitching and come and ski at belleayre.

Guys that made snow at Windham for years have left for the Bell in favor of more hours (insert $$$ here), despite the longer drive to work. I think that is about all the info I need re: snowmaking scrimping. I agree Hunter lays down a ton of snow, but my opinion is Hunter and Windham are giving up on April. And that is just a good business decision. I can't blame them. Outside of spot snowmaking, the guns at Windham have been off since President's Week.

 

[180]

There is no doubt that Hunter can make more snow than anyone. This year they happened to get away with making very little and they were able to use the funds for the new lift.

 

[dmc]

.So if ya wanna ski in New York ...quit your whiny ass bitching and come and ski at belleayre.

huh.... Maybe Belleayre is the new Hunter...

 

[skidbump]

huh.... Maybe Belleayre is the new Hunter...

I just get sick of the belleayre bashing " as you do with the hunter bashing" and the uneducated reasons for it.They do alot for the little money budgeted the last 2 yrs and even if they dont run in the black they keep the economy going in the area.