Mount Sunapee suspends operations until Sunday, December 20 2015

giantfan · Dec 16, 2015

From the conditions report:

"As you are well aware, temperatures have been way above average in the East for the past month. We have not had one productive night of snowmaking since November 30. As a result we are suspending operations until Sunday, December 20. There is a window of cold weather coming in Friday night through Saturday night and we will be using that window to resurface and build base on everything that we have had open. We have just leased additional compressed air so we can increase our snowmaking output going forward. We will take advantage of every opportunity to provide as much skiing and riding as we can for the upcoming Christmas/New Year’s holiday. Please check the snow report for updates."

RISkier · Dec 16, 2015

I'm not surprised. Cover at Stowe last weekend was pretty think in places and you could almost see some of the trails shrinking as the weekend went on. There's been no opportunities for snowmaking in the interim. Tough situation for the ski areas.

VTKilarney · Dec 16, 2015

It looks like they are doing everything possible under extraordinary circumstances. Something tells me that we will see more announcements like this.

deadheadskier · Dec 16, 2015

I can't even imagine what that place is going to be like on Christmas week. They and Wachusett must have the highest skier density in New England, so both places are going to be complete zoos. It will be interesting to see how fast they can expand terrain by bringing on more compressor capacity.

drjeff · Dec 16, 2015

deadheadskier said:
I can't even imagine what that place is going to be like on Christmas week. They and Wachusett must have the highest skier density in New England, so both places are going to be complete zoos. It will be interesting to see how fast they can expand terrain by bringing on more compressor capacity.

My hunch is that the extra compressor capacity at first is all going to be about getting as much base down on the open terrain in that short window coming up this weekend to ensure that the following weekend, when the masses of Christmas week show up that they'll be able to be open given the UGLY temps that it looks like will be around for a couple days centered on Christmas//Christmas Eve.

After that, I'm sure it will be about how much extra available water their system has available to supply that extra air, which I'm guessing is maybe enough for 1 extra trail and/or their going to re-tool a couple of their trails and grab some of the older "air hog" guns which tend to work better in marginal temps, even if their efficiency is awful

MG Skier · Dec 16, 2015

I am glad to see someone is being proactive about getting more air "fire power" to hit the slopes hard when the mercury drops. With it being so warm leading up to the "cold-wave" maybe those snow ponds will re-fill quickly. I guess I'l keep raking leaves in the meantime....

WoodCore · Dec 16, 2015

MG Skier said:
I am glad to see someone is being proactive about getting more air "fire power" to hit the slopes hard when the mercury drops. With it being so warm leading up to the "cold-wave" maybe those snow ponds will re-fill quickly. I guess I'l keep raking leaves in the meantime....

Sunapee will never run out of water!

Abubob · Dec 16, 2015

Ragged's website snow report shows they're closed until the 18th. With night time temps just dipping below freezing this weekend before next weeks almost tropical warmup I'm a little worried this weekend might be it until after the new year.

machski · Dec 16, 2015

Sunday River even resorted to harvesting whales made on RoadRunner by bucket loader to refill Express Lane (the link from Barker to South Ridge). This may be unprecedented this season.

giantfan · Dec 16, 2015

Showshoe has suspended operations as well. From the trail report:

"Due to the weather, on-slope operations have been suspended until Saturday, December 19th at 9AM. Please check out This Week On The Mountain for alternate activities such as RZR Tours, Sporting Clays, Yoga, and more."

Newpylong · Dec 16, 2015

It is mind boggling there haven't been more announcements like this!

yeggous · Dec 16, 2015

Newpylong said:
It is mind boggling there haven't been more announcements like this!

Cranmore just pulled the plug until Dec 26

Jully · Dec 16, 2015

yeggous said:
Cranmore just pulled the plug until Dec 26

WOW. That's aggressive. Understandable though!

drjeff · Dec 17, 2015

Newpylong said:
It is mind boggling there haven't been more announcements like this!

If it wasn't the week before Christmas, my guess is that you'd see way more of this - I'm sure that some resorts are just hoping to keep it pieced together and get through this weather pattern to provide the "illusion" to so many of the holiday reservations booked crowd that they shouldn't cancel their reservations because the mountain had to close due to lack of snow. It's really a loose - loose situation in this case - stay open and have a product that is far from what they want or close and see even more of a hit to their revenues via cancellations during a key business week... ugh!!

We need some cold air and snow!!

dlague · Dec 17, 2015

This is all unbelievable - just looked at Killington's report and noticed this gem "we do still expect to have some walking required today.". Also they have not be able to expand from where they were at the end of November which tells a lot.

steamboat1 · Dec 17, 2015

dlague said:
Also they have not be able to expand from where they were at the end of November which tells a lot.

While it's true they've lost terrain since the end of Nov. & are in worse shape now then they were then they were able to expand the 1st week of Dec. I know after my last day there Dec.4 they opened upper Chute, upper Superstar & lower Skyehawk in addition to re-opening upper Downdraft which weren't open when I last skied. I think they opened the day after I left because they were blowing them while I was there. Pretty sure they lost those trails again earlier this week.

slatham · Dec 17, 2015

Bromley was to open this weekend but just threw in the towel. Likely not open until 12/26. They rented an additional compressor for December and it will be interesting to see how they do this weekend. Rumor is that the record is 87 guns operating simultaneously and that with the added compressor they can run approx 110. Hope so!

dlague · Dec 17, 2015

It is getting this bad!

elks · Dec 17, 2015

This thread sponsored by Prozac.

Bostonian · Dec 17, 2015

kelly001 said:
This thread sponsored by Prozac.

Yup... Think happy snowy thoughts..

Mount Sunapee suspends operations until Sunday, December 20 2015

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