base depths

[BLESS]

I never really understood them. I mean, what purpose do they really serve? Do you think they're really accurate? And, is that even a good measure as to what the depths are on the rest of the mountain? I don't understand. It's like, say there's a base depth of 36 inches, isn't most anything not fresh, or under the first, say couple of inches just pretty much concrete anyway? I think I'm missing something here. I guess my real question is, why do they matter? I guess to people like me, who pay attention to snowstorms, they don't. I dunno, I've had a few and am rambling, lol.

 

[ajl50]

they mean more out west.
In the east they don't really matter.

 

[severine]

More protection for your gear from rocks???

 

[Warp Daddy]

to me it only means the differance between skiing your "rock skis" or one your favorite pair(s)

 

[tcharron]

to me it only means the differance between skiing your "rock skis" or one your favorite pair(s)

Yea, but when base depths are basically, 6" - 48", that's a pretty massive differential. So which ones have good coverage, and which don't? :-D

 

[Warp Daddy]

I really don't sweat it too much>

bring both rock/good skis if you are concerned but frankly i've found that i've VERY seldom needed rock skis in the Dacks cept EARLY or Very late in the season . Prolly dumb luck but thats been my experience

 

[riverc0il]

Base depths could actually be a really useful statistic. I think it lost almost all of its meaning with the widespread use of snowing. Snow making trails usually have at least two feet blown before they are opened. Natural trails are where base depth matters more. To a limited extend though. You can have three feet of blower base depth and still hit the ground but you can also have 4 inches of frozen solid rain/freeze cycle solid base depth that covers up most of the junk and not touch the ground.

The most interesting use for base depth measurement is something like the Mansfield stake in which it is comparable year to year as a general statistic for how well the season is doing. The range on base depths is purely asinine.

 

[Greg]

All skis are rock skis.

The mighty Sundown is reporting a 70-90" base. That's probably a max range, but the bottom line is the mountain is buried right now. I've never seen them make so much snow.

 

[riverc0il]

The mighty Sundown is reporting a 70-90" base.

Compare that to a reported 22-39 at Jay and we quickly see how irrelevant these numbers are, especially in terms of comparisons between different resorts. I do not post that against your quote to put down Sundown but rather to draw a comparison of how irrelevant the numbers are. Now I am going to pick on Sundown specifically 70-90" base is 6-7.5 feet which is enough to cover small trees. I doubt most areas have ever seen a base of six feet, even man made. That would be a base depth taller than I stand.

 

[Greg]

Now I am going to pick on Sundown specifically 70-90" base is 6-7.5 feet which is enough to cover small trees. I doubt most areas have ever seen a base of six feet, even man made. That would be a base depth taller than I stand.

Well, I agree. 70-90" sounds pretty inflated. I would say 4-5 feet overall is pretty believable though and the terrain park does indeed have mounds of snow that could cover small and in some cases medium sized trees. Pound for pound Sundown is right up there with the likes of Killington and Hunter as far as snowmaking goes.

 

[Powdr]

I would think that a place like MRG would have a far more relavent reading than places with extensive snowmaking. After all, 3' can be made on single pile on one trail and you have the same report as a place that made 3' on all its trails.

Western resorts place snowstakes off trail on purpose to exclude snowmaking effects. Snow depths are reported on natural bases only.

 

[kcyanks1]

I think natural-snow base depths, like the stake at Stowe, are useful. They give you an idea of what coverage will be like on natural trails, and probably more importantly, off trail and in the woods. It also as Steve mentioned allows for objective comparisons between years (and even within a year).

 

[drjeff]

Well, I agree. 70-90" sounds pretty inflated. I would say 4-5 feet overall is pretty believable though and the terrain park does indeed have mounds of snow that could cover small and in some cases medium sized trees. Pound for pound Sundown is right up there with the likes of Killington and Hunter as far as snowmaking goes.

Mount Snow right now has some pretty impressive base depths. The mountain itself is just about down with each and every snowmaking trail receiving ATLEAST it's 2nd major round of snowmaking this year, and they've been having ALOT of fun playing with the fan guns on a few trails in particular. Snowdance just has ridiculous amounts of snow on it. If you've ever skied it early season, you know that down almost the entire length of that trail that you're skiing/riding over 6 to 10 foot high "rollers". Well, right now, they've blown so much snow on that trail that the rollers are gone! At one point during a particularly heavy, cold temps snowmaking assault, those 18 fan guns that line Snowdance were being "fed" 1800 gallons of water a minute, and at the close to zero degrees it was during that assault, that's ALOT of snow being made.

I'm just trying to figure out where Mount Snow is planning on making a run at going DEEP into April, off Canyon Express or Heavy Metal Double. Both have absolutely burried skiing trails AND absolutely burried park trails off them right now! Heavy Metal would let them keep the pipe going longer, but Canyon Express would give extra life to the bumps of the Northface.

It really wouldn't suprise me at all with the new management if Mount Snow gets the Vermont title this year of first to open AND last to close!

 

[ALLSKIING]

Well, I agree. 70-90" sounds pretty inflated. I would say 4-5 feet overall is pretty believable though and the terrain park does indeed have mounds of snow that could cover small and in some cases medium sized trees. Pound for pound Sundown is right up there with the likes of Killington and Hunter as far as snowmaking goes.

Looks even better...Right now Killington is only reporting 38 inches...:wink: