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The "Sugarbush Thread"

Smellytele

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Right where I want to be
It was easier when most resorts provided Ski Key racks. Those things are fantastic, not the least of which because the locking mechanism is so small it's easily carried while skiing. Sadly, many places got rid of them.

Smuggs still has them. Whiteface still has them. Jay Peak got rid of them several years ago. Some places like Gore, still maintain 1 or 2 racks for them, but far fewer than they once had.

Bretton Woods still has them


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skiur

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Been skiing since 02, never locked em, never had a problem......let me go find some wood to knock on.....my skiing is all in New England though, if I was skiing the Poconos I don't think I would leave my skis unattended.
 

deadheadskier

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I think the problem with something like Ski Key is end users are often reluctant to buy a product unless they know it's available most places.

I'm fine with the pocket sized $15 cable lock I purchased years ago. I don't really have a need to buy something else that can only be used in a specific product.

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tumbler

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Ski at SB and I never lock anything. Surprisingly we have had multiple sets of poles taken over the years. Some we chalk up to kids taking the wrong pair in their ski groups but our adult size ones have walked. They are nothing fancy. But I will not be the person walking into the lodge with my poles, that cracks me up every time.
 

WinS

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Win, with Heavens Gate and the Castlerock hike-to access reopened, was the snowmaking repair successful?
Unfortunately, the contractor could not get up the slopes so we are going to get a different wide tract excavator and try again. HG and CR were open today. Hopefully, we can get this done before the Friday rain softens everything up and making it much harder to get up. This is a very challenging place to repair.
 

ThinkSnow

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Oct 25, 2005
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Bad Liver Valley
Unfortunately, the contractor could not get up the slopes so we are going to get a different wide tract excavator and try again. HG and CR were open today. Hopefully, we can get this done before the Friday rain softens everything up and making it much harder to get up. This is a very challenging place to repair.
As always, thanks for the updates. Good luck, we're all rooting for success!
 

HowieT2

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Unfortunately, the contractor could not get up the slopes so we are going to get a different wide tract excavator and try again. HG and CR were open today. Hopefully, we can get this done before the Friday rain softens everything up and making it much harder to get up. This is a very challenging place to repair.

interesting. I guess those excavators have different tracks than the snow cats. Kind of like summer vs. winter tires.
 

IceEidolon

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Aren't leaks always in the absolute worst possible spot?

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slatham

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I am by no means an expert, but it seems to me groomers have wider tracts, lower center of gravity and are probably lighter than an excavator. And the Jester work road is pretty steep and with with snow, very much the challenge for an excavator. Soften the snow and forget it. Sunday won't be soft!
 

tumbler

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I am by no means an expert, but it seems to me groomers have wider tracts, lower center of gravity and are probably lighter than an excavator. And the Jester work road is pretty steep and with with snow, very much the challenge for an excavator. Soften the snow and forget it. Sunday won't be soft!

Cats have around 3" metal tracks that dig into the snow plus sharp points that give traction on ice. They are also connected with rubber bands that let snow through. Excavator tracks are solid metal with maybe 1/2" square raised tracks for traction. I operated both on a hill and the excavator is not fun.
 

tumbler

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On another note- who is picking the trails to be highlighted in the snow report? "Start your morning off with clutch turns on Spring Road and Birdland." Love the Spring Road fresh 'roy! (Yes, I get that it was supposed to be Spring Fling)
 

cdskier

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Mar 26, 2015
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Operating an excavator snow and ice is a challenge. Been operating a 49k excavator on snow and ice for the past 2 weeks. Best is to dig down to dirt, but that is not an option on a ski trail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjNnstHCpZk

On ripcord itself they did dig a path down to dirt from the top down to the break. Today they had covered that path back up and groomed it flat (somewhat of a pleasant surprise as I wasn’t expecting that and got to be the first one down it). I have a feeling they didn’t fix the pipe yet though as I didn’t see any signs of dirt being dug up unless they covered it back up really well


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WinS

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Unfortunately, the contractor could not get up the slopes so we are going to get a different wide tract excavator and try again. HG and CR were open today. Hopefully, we can get this done before the Friday rain softens everything up and making it much harder to get up. This is a very challenging place to repair.

This was my earlier post. We will not get up to Ripcord with a different excavator until after the New Year. We had an incredibly challenging set of conditions for snowmaking last night. The temps were all over the place with warmer layers hitting the mid-mountain and fluctuating temperatures everywhere throughout the night. We shut down in the early am and will be off until later on Saturday when temperatures allow snowmaking once again. Sleeper came in very well and Hot Shot is close to being final. It is likely that after the Warm-Up and rain we will move up to North Lynx and finish Hot Shot. Then we will look to see where we need touching up so we have the mountain in the best shape possible when it starts to get very busy on the 27th. At ME we will need work at the Top of Rim Rum, Elbow and Northstar and then assess the damage to the other trails. We will also want to get on Looking Good and Clifffs as soon as we can. As you all can see from the weather stations we are in for some nasty weather beginning early tomorrow morning and lasting into Saturday. Likely it begins will some freezing rain before turning to all rain and very high winds. We will be closing the natural terrain tomorrow and maybe Saturday to preserve it as best as possible. We could see a bit of snow at the end of this event as it cools down later Saturday and anything would really help. It really has been a great five weeks, and we will be back with 80% of the season remaining. Rain of Shine ME is opening tomorrow morning at 8am (wind permitting).
 
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