VTKilarney
Well-known member
That is hilarious!
-
Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!
You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!
Big Burke announcement
- Thread starter the original trailboss
- Start date
MEtoVTSkier
Active member
Ummm... No. Burke dumped the compressors long before they installed the fan guns.
didn't they fail to rent compressors last year? and the fan guns were a summer 2015 thing......is my timeline right on that?
buellski
New member
I'll go if they do!
Bailey Mountain Bike Park - open year round - they use a shuttle for now, but they're planning a lift.
If memory serves me right, they dumped the compressors the first season that Q assumed the helm of the mountain...in 2013 or so.
wtcobb
New member
Saw a guy on a fat bike and two others on MTBs at Cannon Sunday. Might as well roll if you can't slide.
One of Dick Andross's last moves was to oversee the install and operation of Big Bertha- the very large compressor in the snow-making building down by the pond. I would have to look it up, but I think it first ran in the winter of 12-13. This compressor is very efficient, but it alone is 50% of the air capacity they had before it's purchase. For the past 2 seasons they have made due without the diesel powered compressors in the pole barns. The official word from the Q-kingdom last spring was that they knew they lacked air and water pumping. Water pumping was partially solved with a new installed up in the meadow this fall. Lack of air was supposed to be partially cured by the addition on fan guns on the training hill this past summer. Theoretically, the plan was, that they could still blow the same 30+ guns that big Bertha can supply air to AND blow snow on lower training hill with the fan guns. This requires A) water and with marginal temps it also requires LOTS of manpower. Water seems to be an issue & manpower (especially trained manpower) is not in Q-jr's ability set. He treats emps like trash and resents every dollar that is spent lining their filthy, greedy pockets (shame on anyone for wanting to be paid a living wage for toiling in the q-kingdom). Thus he runs a very lean and green crew. OHHH, and once you have the lower training hill done? you can only blow snow like you did last winter- very slowly.
MEtoVTSkier
Active member
Why would they need anymore manpower than they did last year? I thought the new equipment (fanguns, pumps, ect) were supposed to be AUTOMATED. Isn't that why they brought in snowmaking specialists to design a NEW system for them?
I'd guess, that it would still take about the same manpower anywhere else on the mountain though.
VTKilarney
Well-known member
I was at a gathering tonight and heard someone talking about an electrical problem at the mountain that has affected snowmaking. This is the first I have heard of this. Has anyone else heard anything about this? I'm not saying that it is actually true... just that I overheard someone talking about it.
VTKilarney
Well-known member
See today's condition report from Mt Sunapee (pasted below). Read carefully to the end and you find this nugget- we have just leased additional compressed air.. This is called a PROACTIVE move when you know the weather gods have you by the balls. I see no trucks from Sun Rentals headed up Mt Rd with compressors. Given the lack of cold in this next punch I think it possible that they will not get lower training hill. No kidding. I actually feel for Ary and his crew because this situation sucks. That said, there was more that COULD have been done and was not.
"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."
"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."
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what the reason is for the snow making so far, Mother Nature is being a bitch, the proof will be when she turns the corner and gives us winter temps January - March. Let's see how fast Q can get terrain open starting from bare ground vs. every other ski area in the region.
I think we know how this will play out. They will crank and get something open top to bottom, get about 30-40% of the mountain up and running while everyone else will be double that within a couple weeks of winter conditions arriving. There will be a pass holder meeting or two where they blame the weather and the river and the state and George Bush etc. until finally someone rolls out Stenger and he makes a concession that yes part of it was placing bets with poor odds on some things that didn't go their way blah blah blah....
We saw this movie last year right? Different ending this year?
I think we know how this will play out. They will crank and get something open top to bottom, get about 30-40% of the mountain up and running while everyone else will be double that within a couple weeks of winter conditions arriving. There will be a pass holder meeting or two where they blame the weather and the river and the state and George Bush etc. until finally someone rolls out Stenger and he makes a concession that yes part of it was placing bets with poor odds on some things that didn't go their way blah blah blah....
We saw this movie last year right? Different ending this year?
110% agree.
There were plenty of tactical errors made up to this point, however if their water supply will hold up, there is still something they can do to at least show they are aware of the pickle and trying....
If they sit on what they have currently and just try to blow snow with what they have now and get up and running from bare ground.....they will be left in the dust by darn near everyone.
VTKilarney
Well-known member
Let's give them the benefit of the doubt. Let's say that cold weather returns in earnest as of January 1st. Once that happens, they will need to refresh the upper mountain and open trails on the lower mountain. Only then will they start making snow on a second top-to-bottom run, the Dippers. The Dippers require a LOT of snow. So even if there is very good snowmaking weather, it will be all Burke can do to get two top-to-bottoms runs open for MLK weekend. And this is if the weather cooperates.
You can see why the need natural snow.
You can see why the need natural snow.
Rhetorical I guess....
VTKilarney
Well-known member
Bretton Woods made snow last night but Burke did not. That's a bummer.
But now for some good news from today's snowmaking update:
"Given the conditions the entire New England area is experiencing right now, Jay Peak will be honoring any Q Burke season pass holder free skiing at their resort until we are able to open."
I think that this is a great gesture. Well done, Ary.
But now for some good news from today's snowmaking update:
"Given the conditions the entire New England area is experiencing right now, Jay Peak will be honoring any Q Burke season pass holder free skiing at their resort until we are able to open."
I think that this is a great gesture. Well done, Ary.
Similar threads
