Catskills Cold = Awesome Start

catskills · Nov 24, 2013

Knock on Wood, the 10 day weather report is COLD and is looking to be an awesome start for the ski season here in the Catskills. The 4 Catskill Mountain resorts have been powering up the snow guns and taking advantage of the cold nights for making snow, the ground is freezing, and most important the temperature of the the water in the snowmaking ponds will be dropping. In addition to cold air temps, the colder the water for making snow the cheaper it is to make snow.

This is looking to be one of the better starts to the ski season in recent years from what I can remember. If you haven't already, checked out some of the web cams at Hunter, Windham, and Plattekill you need to check them out. Hunter has a new live video feed cam showing the lodge looking up the mountain with snow blowing off the roof of the lodge this morning. Looks like winter. :-D

Belleayre and Hunter will be opened the day after Thanksgiving Friday Nov 29. According to Snocountry Windham will be opened Satruday Nov 30. Even one our NY City feeder ski areas Mt Peter in the southern Catskills will be opened Saturday Nov 30.

andrec10 · Nov 24, 2013

I have not skied at Hunter on Thanksgiving weekend since 2008, so it is a good start!

ScottySkis · Nov 24, 2013

This is stating to be a great season for sure. It be nice to ski the Cats this weekend hopefully.

dmc · Nov 24, 2013

Will believe it when I see it...

JimG. · Nov 24, 2013

dmc said:
Will believe it when I see it...

Hard to believe that Hunter's stoutest supporter is uncertain. A sign of the times.

ALLSKIING · Nov 24, 2013

JimG. said:
Hard to believe that Hunter's stoutest supporter is uncertain. A sign of the times.

Agreed! Did you get out yesterday?

dmc · Nov 24, 2013

JimG. said:
Hard to believe that Hunter's stoutest supporter is uncertain. A sign of the times.

yup... I'm not really motivated to be a "homer" anymore..

Mountain is on it's own now.. Not stoked to stick up for it anymore.... They have people to do that - why should I?

And I remain skeptical and confused about just about everything up there right now..

But I am psyched to ride.. As usual... So - that's good..

dmc · Nov 24, 2013

It's 26 degrees here in the Hunter valley - perfect snowmaking weather - yet Hunter only has guns blowing on "main line"...

This does not compute.. Every gun should be on... I've seen them do it!!! WTF?!?!?!

And nobody has ever really gotten a straight story as to what the hell is going on with electricity..
Blocks no blocks... Agreements no agreements? Pay as you go?

Which of us - that are paying to be a customers - really knows what the deal is?

not me...

JimG. · Nov 24, 2013

dmc said:
It's 26 degrees here in the Hunter valley - perfect snowmaking weather - yet Hunter only has guns blowing on "main line"...

This does not compute.. Every gun should be on... I've seen them do it!!! WTF?!?!?!

And nobody has ever really gotten a straight story as to what the hell is going on with electricity..
Blocks no blocks... Agreements no agreements? Pay as you go?

Which of us - that are paying to be a customers - really knows what the deal is?

not me...

I figured a cold pre-Thanksgiving would throw a wrench in the new management situation.

I feel like you, glad to be sliding around again wherever it might be.

JimG. · Nov 24, 2013

ALLSKIING said:
Agreed! Did you get out yesterday?

Went to Jiminy. 3 lifts, 11 trails. nothing above Intermediate but coverage was excellent and the snow was hard packed and fun to ski.

Demoed some rockered skis yesterday, first time. Pretty eye opening. I will soon own a pair.

dmc · Nov 24, 2013

I'm just glad they got the guns on after it started dumping yesterday...

ALLSKIING · Nov 24, 2013

JimG. said:
Went to Jiminy. 3 lifts, 11 trails. nothing above Intermediate but coverage was excellent and the snow was hard packed and fun to ski.

Demoed some rockered skis yesterday, first time. Pretty eye opening. I will soon own a pair.

Nice...Might head up there midweek at some point.

catskills · Nov 24, 2013

In my opinion the climate change in the last 15 years is making ski area managers second guess themselves. Analogy is playing the second best hand in a game of Texas Hold'em. Do you go all in or do you just raise the bet. Going all in could be a bad decision especially when your going up against mother nature.

Hunter has a wild Card it can play that most ski areas don't have. They have enough horse power to cover the entire mountain in a few days a few weeks from now.

dmc · Nov 24, 2013

But what of these rumors of them using less rented compressors?

Do they still have the horsepower with less?

Do they really rent compressors?

catskills · Nov 24, 2013

dmc said:
But what of these rumors of them using less rented compressors?

Do they still have the horsepower with less?

Do they really rent compressors?

I have no insider information. I personally have never seen rented compressors at Hunter behind the shop or anywhere else on the mountain. I know Killington rents compressors and I have personally seen them lined up. Its not like you can hide them. For the Modern fan guns they do not require compressed air. Fan Guns require 400v electricity and cold water supply.

We both know that the few times Hunter went 100% they created there own weather cloud above the mountain. Its impressive when Hunter does this and all systems are working.

BenedictGomez · Nov 24, 2013

Scotty said:
This is stating to be a great season for sure. It be nice to ski the Cats this weekend hopefully.

I cant recall a start this fantastic in about 15 years. Abnormally cold temperatures, and they should persist for the time being. The early predictions are for lots of winter blocking too, which = more snow. Cant wait for what 2014 may bring!

catskills said:
In my opinion the climate change in the last 15 years is making ski area managers second guess themselves.

There's simply not a facepalm large enough for the above comment. Good grief.

catskills · Nov 24, 2013

BenedictGomez said:
There's simply not a facepalm large enough for the above comment. Good grief.

I can remember decades ago when it was common for Hunter to open weeks before Thanksgiving.

Shredder of Gnar · Nov 24, 2013

JimG. said:
Went to Jiminy. 3 lifts, 11 trails. nothing above Intermediate but coverage was excellent and the snow was hard packed and fun to ski.

Demoed some rockered skis yesterday, first time. Pretty eye opening. I will soon own a pair.

Which rockers did you try?

JimG. · Nov 25, 2013

Shredder of Gnar said:
Which rockers did you try?

Ramp Woodpeckers...179cm. http://www.rampsports.com/skis/woodpecker/woodpecker-2014.html

ScottySkis · Nov 29, 2013

Catskills Cold = Awesome Start

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