Catskill Weekend Wildcard ?

[catskillman]

Status for April 13 & 14 -

Platikill is opening

Hunter originally said they would be open however on Sunday they told the patrol that they would call them on Thursday and let them now if they would be open or not. Checked their website and they now added the word "tentatively" opening this weekend. No updated email was rec'd with this news.

Belleayre - originally said the same as Hunter. Closed mid-week and opening for the weekend. NOW - thier website sports their 1st ever slush cup (pond skimming) and 80's weekend. Bring your straight skis & retro clothing & $47 lift tickets.

So ----
Will Hunter open?

Will Belleayre get the Hunter non-passholder crowd due to the event? Or just the uncertaiity of Hunter mgt in decission making.

Platekill is planning something, but what? Their site say stay tuned......

Where would you go? or where are you going??

 

[ScottySkis]

Hunter is going to have the most snow I would think.

 

[catskillman]

Of course 10 minutes after I post this I get this email -

As most of you already know, we are closed during this week with tentative plans to re-open the weekend of April 13th and 14th if the weather permits. There is still plenty of snow out there so if you want to close out the winter with a few more turns this is your chance to do it! Check back to HunterMtn.com for the most updated information. Midweek value passholders are also welcome to use your passes for this closing weekend.


which true to form is misleading.


Open if weather permits, the forcast for the weekend is good....... They say they have plenty of snow - which is true but there is rain in the forcast thru Thursday.

Then they say "There is still plenty of snow out there so if you want to close out the winter with a few more turns this is your chance to do it!" That sentance sounds like they are open
Midweek value passholders are also welcome to use your passes for this closing weekend. This sentance sounds like they are open also...

Always keep you guessing and scratching your head...... Gottal love the place

 

[x10003q]

Hunter is going to have the most snow I would think.

Hunter and Belleayre have tons of snow. The problem is there are not tons of skiers.

 

[marcski]

All three of have a lot of snow. There is a chance of rain pretty much daily later this week. I think all three will be open. Platty is shooting for his latest close day ever, so if the snowmaking trails weather the NCP later this week, which they definitely should, I suspect, he'll be open at least on Saturday.

 

[legalskier]

Belle says they're re-opening on Thursday & going til Sunday.
http://www.belleayre.com/

 

[catskillman]

Belle says they're re-opening on Thursday & going til Sunday.
http://www.belleayre.com/

It sure does say that now & $29 tickets vs $47 earlier today!!!

That is a great deal..... I would pay that if Hunter is closed for sure. Actually if my ski group decides to go to Belleayre Saturday I just may join them. If it is a clear & warm day as it sounds like a good party.

I can't wait to see what Hunter does... How do you beat Bell's deat, or do they irrate their passholders and regulars by not opening???

Interesting........

 

[JimG.]

I skied Hunter this past weekend...great conditions both days. TONS OF SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 44 was still poachable top to bottom.

I predicted that Hunter would hedge its' bets this week after stating they would be open the 13th and 14th. Now it's tentative?

Pretty typical of Hunter nowadays. If they don't open this coming weekend it will have nothing to do with snow amounts...there is plenty there to open. It will simply mean they just don't want to open.

Which would certainly annoy and irritate this season passholder.

 

[4aprice]

Is Hunter following Killington and going back to its old roots or is it just a good spring? Would love to see them go back to Nov-April skiing.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[ScottySkis]

Is Hunter following Killington and going back to its old roots or is it just a good spring? Would love to see them go back to Nov-April skiing.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

+1

 

[JimG.]

You will never see Thanksgiving skiing again at Hunter...it does not fit their current business model. They will not blow snow unless they know it will last and there will be enough skiers to be profitable. They built the Zipline to try to pick up the slack.

The cold and snowy March has thrown a huge wrench into their end of season management. I know they want to be closed, but if they don't open this coming weekend, especially after announcing last week they would be open, they will alienate many season passholders.

The new word "tentative" is telling. They will not be open if they can help it.

If I were a conspiracy theorist, I would stake out the mountain and look for signs of snow sabotage.

 

[dmc]

I think the "tentative" is about if it rains... If it's raining - nobody(except Ed) will be out...

 

[catskillman]

I think the "tentative" is about if it rains... If it's raining - nobody(except Ed) will be out...

From thier site now - There is rain the next couple of days forcasted. But face it - they don't want to open. They are on to summer stuff where they apparently are pretty successful.

Saturday Partly sunny, with a high near 45. Breezy. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.
Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 48.
Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.

 

[dmc]

Everyone I talk to at the mountain is psyched for it to open...

I am too... We are going to RAGE the mid station deck!!!! BOOOM!!!

 

[abc]

It sure does say that now & $29 tickets vs $47 earlier today!!!

That is a great deal..... I would pay that if Hunter is closed for sure. Actually if my ski group decides to go to Belleayre Saturday I just may join them. If it is a clear & warm day as it sounds like a good party.

I can't wait to see what Hunter does... How do you beat Bell's deat, or do they irrate their passholders and regulars by not opening???

Interesting........

I think i'lI depend onhow much rain falls on Thursday. Some forecast is predicting quite a downpour. If that's the case, maybe none of them will get to open. :-(

but if conditions are favorable and both Bell and Platty opens, Hunter will have to open so as not to piss off it followers/passholders.

 

[JimG.]

I think the "tentative" is about if it rains... If it's raining - nobody(except Ed) will be out...

But the forecast does not call for rain...it calls for a return to cold weather if anything. Which means they would have to groom also.

Unless you believe that it will rain enough this week to kill the snowpack.

 

[JimG.]

Allow me to add that from a business standpoint I respect why Hunter chooses to do business this way. It makes sense.

But they should have the flexibility to allow for opening this next weekend.

 

[skiking4]

I don't understand. Why can't a huge snowmaking capital like Hunter just keep running the lifts until, like, 50% of their terrain has no snow on it? Or even better, until it's all gone? Is the financial losses that large that they far outweigh
1. the bragging rights
2. the fact that people are still lift-served skiing
3. pleasing skiers from around the area
4. pleasing passholders and therefore maybe increasing season pass sells

and a ton of other things?

 

[catskills]

If I were marketing manager, on Saturday, I would offer reducing your bar tab by $50 if you purchase a season pass for next season.:beer: . :lol:

 

[abc]

I don't understand. Why can't a huge snowmaking capital like Hunter just keep running the lifts until, like, 50% of their terrain has no snow on it? Or even better, until it's all gone? Is the financial losses that large that they far outweigh
1. the bragging rights
2. the fact that people are still lift-served skiing
3. pleasing skiers from around the area
4. pleasing passholders and therefore maybe increasing season pass sells

and a ton of other things?

Ski area don't exist to show off.

So 1, 3, 4 are only done in the hope of increasing lift ticket sale this season or next!

But it's not clear bragging right lead to more ticket sale, and the several season holders I happened to know are no longer skiing everyday in April because they've started golfing and biking! There goes your point 1 and 4.

I count myself as a dedicated spring skiing fan. But I had tried repeatedly and failed just as reliably to recruit others to join me skiing into the early part of summer. So I must accept the numbers who still want lift served skiing in April are small. And it may not make financial sense for Hunter to lose money on us.