Crotched Mtn. 2016-17

[joshua segal]

Sat., Nov. 26, 2016
I returned to ski country yesterday after a 2.5 week absence.

Wachusett opened and they have similar weather and less fire-power than we have! I wondered: Why aren't we open?

At any rate, I put on my boots and hiked Super Nova to Milky Way and finally Moon Walk to the top. Cover on Moonwalk was excellent from the summit right to the top of the Valley Chair. From the top of the Valley Chair, I headed down Meteor. It was well covered and the few thin spots cold have been filled in from some of the large whales.

At the junction with Galaxy, I walked back up Galaxy including Cosmic Blast. It too was well covered and skied nicely. The lower part of Meteor had lots of snow, but the water bars weren't filled in and the "chicken heads" were more like stalagmites.

So now I understand. CM's management made an economic decision not to open. I suspect CM has as much (or more) snow than Wachusett has. If CM had opened management could have called it 4-runs!

Mine were not the first tracks on the hill, but as far as I know, this is the first trip report on it.

 

[deadheadskier]

Pics Joshua! Pictures please!

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[joshua segal]

Pics Joshua! Pictures please!
...

Sorry about that. Photos just aren't my thing.

 

[Quietman]

Joshua, looks like I missed you by an hour or so. I am probably a little less positive about the coverage, especially down low. I'm thinking that they need another 12-24 hours to cover the bottom and the water bars, but maybe Joshua is right and they might have enough to spread around. Still looking much better at this time than last year!


From the base



From the top, main pond is full, secondary is 70% +/-



Moon Walk



Galaxy



Galaxy

 

[Quietman]

Upper Meteor



Upper Moon Walk

 

[joshua segal]

Joshua, looks like I missed you by an hour or so. I am probably a little less positive about the coverage, especially down low. I'm thinking that they need another 12-24 hours to cover the bottom and the water bars, but maybe Joshua is right and they might have enough to spread around. Still looking much better at this time than last year!
...

Sorry I missed you! No doubt another 12-24 hrs. of SM would help (and it would also be enough time to open Satellite Summit which just had a short bare spot).

You may be right, but IMO, there were some gigantic whales that could easily have covered all of the thin spots, although there would have been a relatively narrow lane through a few waterbars.

 

[Quietman]

From the web cam it looks like the cover took a hit this week. Web site is saying the 10th for a target date for opening. Sunday and Monday nights are looking good for making some snow!!

 

[joshua segal]

It took a bad hit. Today, there were still many deep whales, but with large bare spots between. The skiing is still nominally continuous from the top to the lift line (Pluto's) and there is probably 300 or so feet of continuous vertical on Meteor. The bottom area is pretty much washed out.

The plan according to their FB page is to open on Dec. 10.

 

[doublediamond]

Sat., Nov. 26, 2016
Wachusett opened and they have similar weather and less fire-power than we have! I wondered: Why aren't we open?

Not anymore. Wachuset doubled their snowmaking capacity this summer. They can now pump 8000 gpm for 110 acres, or 72.7gpm/acre. Crotched is 6000 gpm for 100 acres, or 60.0 gpm/acre.

 

[Quietman]

Hiked up the hill today for the sunset and ski down and got a bonus as they had just finished grooming Moonwalk and Galaxy. Fresh corduroy was a nice surprise. Up top the cover is good, down low they need make more before they open. Not sure if they can get upper Meteor ready for Saturday, good luck to them!

 

[joshua segal]

Hiked up the hill today for the sunset and ski down and got a bonus as they had just finished grooming Moonwalk and Galaxy. Fresh corduroy was a nice surprise. Up top the cover is good, down low they need make more before they open. Not sure if they can get upper Meteor ready for Saturday, good luck to them!

i went up in the AM and it was difficult with a thin breakable crust and cat tracks to negotiiate. Sounds like you hit the jackpot with the corduroy. I suspect the 36 hour snowmaking window which should begin by 8PM tonight, will offer more than enough time to fill in the thin spots to allow a Saturday opening.

 

[snoseek]

When they open on Saturday are they planning on being open regular night schedule as well. Would love to get up there Monday night

 

[joshua segal]

When they open on Saturday are they planning on being open regular night schedule as well. Would love to get up there Monday night

Saturday, Dec 10 and Sunday, Dec 11: 9:00 am-5:00 pm.
Monday, Dec 12-Thursday, Dec 16 1:00 pm-9:00 pm.
Starting Friday Dec 17 we'll begin operating on a normal schedule, 9:00 am-9:00 pm daily.

Check http://www.crotchedmtn.com/snow-report/ for Trails and pricing.

 

[deadheadskier]

Joshua,

What trails do you think they will work on next and how soon? Thinking of heading over Sunday morning. It would be nice to have another route down from the summit in addition to Meteor and Galaxy

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[joshua segal]

Joshua,

What trails do you think they will work on next and how soon? Thinking of heading over Sunday morning. It would be nice to have another route down from the summit in addition to Meteor and Galaxy

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While I can't say for sure, they put some large whales on Satellite Summit before the big thaw. Still, I don't think it would take long to bring it on line. I would be surprised if there is more than that by this weekend. [although for trail count, they'll include Launch Pad (the Magic Carpet Hill)]

 

[thebigo]

Got in a dozen runs today before responsibility beckoned. Meteor, moonwalk and sat summit all skied well, definitely closer to death cookies than anything soft. Skied galaxy once, there were a few features. Guns running all day on magnitude, carpet area and under the triple - all looked ready to go. Guns may have also been running on the green above the double. The quad stopped an inordinate number of times, minimum once per run, often multiple times. Hopefully, just opening day issues. Never skied Crothched opening day before but it does become monotonous without plutos, jupiter and ufo.

Did get the first draft beer of the season, mug club not ready until the new year.

 

[joshua segal]

Got in a dozen runs today before responsibility beckoned. Meteor, moonwalk and sat summit all skied well, definitely closer to death cookies than anything soft. Skied galaxy once, there were a few features. Guns running all day on magnitude, carpet area and under the triple - all looked ready to go. Guns may have also been running on the green above the double. The quad stopped an inordinate number of times, minimum once per run, often multiple times. Hopefully, just opening day issues. Never skied Crotched opening day before but it does become monotonous without pluto's, jupiter and ufo.

Did get the first draft beer of the season, mug club not ready until the new year.

Moonwalk and Satellite Summit got pretty skied off by 2PM, but a good first day. Looks like a reasonable start to what I hope will be a good season.

The mountain personnel were also making snow on Velocity and Super Nova and with some snow due this week and a lot of snowmaking weather, CM may reach 100% open by Christmas.

 

[deadheadskier]

Crotched was pretty good today. Just a quick morning session cranking out 15 laps off the Rocket. It seemed like they had every employee on the mountain training today, so there were moments where there was swarms of skiers to avoid, but overall not bad. Never more than a five chair wait for the quad.

Looks like a couple of runs off the double and the terrain park trail should open as soon as tomorrow. Hopefully there's enough water left in the pond to tie the main mountain over to the double. Per usual for this time of year it was looking a bit low.

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[Bostonian]

Hey DHS, I must have missed you got there around 11 for 6 runs myself and a quick lunch..

 

[Edd]

Um, beer selection? Guys, include important details please.