Crowd factor Sunday River on Saturdays - advice please

[Bumpsis]

How crowded does it get at Sunday River on a Saturday?
I’m actually more concerned about trails being scrapped down to ice by noon, which is what typically happens at any NH, VT ski resort on any given weekend but I’m hoping that this is less of an issue at SR, perhpas? Their snow making is renowned and being further up north, may be not so crowded?

I have not skied there in years and usually avoid skiing on Saturdays in general, but family trip is being scheduled. More than likely we won’t get there until noon next Saturday. Is scraped ice all over the place the likely scenario up there too?
I’m debating an alternative way of spending that Saturday aftrenoon up there (hike up Grafon Notch instead)and hitting the slopes first thing on Sunday.
Opinions of SR regulars will be greatly appreciated.

 

[MEtoVTSkier]

As in this coming Saturday in the rain?

 

[shwilly]

Certain spots on the big groomers definitely get scrapey. How big the scrapey spots are and how quickly they get scraped depend on conditions and how much is open. Usually it's just specific spots, not everything. If the whole place is hardpack I quickly call it a day, but that almost never happens.

Looks like this Saturday will be a meltdown, then we'll see how quickly they can rebound from that.

Some scrape zones are the last pitch of Risky Business before the lift, most of Right Stuff, and the top of Lollapalooza.

Overall SR handles crowds very well when it's fully open, but it isn't yet.

 

[Bumpsis]

As in this coming Saturday in the rain?

next weekend, 12/21

 

[Smellytele]

Not much different than any other large NE ski area when it comes to being scrapped off by noon. Like any other large NE ski area if it has snow it’s fine. All I am saying is their snow making isn’t renowned. There are better there are worse on any given day.


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[Killingtime]

December is such a crapshoot with the weather, even that far north. Was there about the same week you are going a few years back and it sucked. I've never had an issue with the crowds though, like at K or Mt Snow. Even on a Saturday it seems fine. Go and make the best of it.

 

[machski]

Based on the 10 day forecast, after this Saturday's R@!n, temps look to dive early next week. They are still in expansion mode but should push some capacity to recovering on open terrain too. The stuff that has been open will likely be a bit scratchy by afternoon outside of any trails recently or that day being resurfaced. Anything opening newly that Saturday or immediately before should ski very nice all day. So I'd say keep an eye on the reports and Target recently opened trails. Jordan has yet to open this season, so I would expect whichever of the primary 3 over there are open to ski well all next Saturday if weather pans out. Beyond that, mostly just the Double Blacks and Oz have yet to see any snowmaking, so if any of those are open by then, they would also be good all day bets.

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[ss20]

Not much different than any other large NE ski area when it comes to being scrapped off by noon. Like any other large NE ski area if it has snow it’s fine. All I am saying is their snow making isn’t renowned. There are better there are worse on any given day.


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Huh? You sure about that...

It's on more % of trails and largely more modern (as far as pipes) than Killington's snowmaking...

 

[Bumpsis]

Based on the 10 day forecast, after this Saturday's R@!n, temps look to dive early next week. They are still in expansion mode but should push some capacity to recovering on open terrain too. The stuff that has been open will likely be a bit scratchy by afternoon outside of any trails recently or that day being resurfaced. Anything opening newly that Saturday or immediately before should ski very nice all day. So I'd say keep an eye on the reports and Target recently opened trails. Jordan has yet to open this season, so I would expect whichever of the primary 3 over there are open to ski well all next Saturday if weather pans out. Beyond that, mostly just the Double Blacks and Oz have yet to see any snowmaking, so if any of those are open by then, they would also be good all day bets.

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I like the outlined tactics.
Thanks for everyone’s input. I hope that the the slopes will get through the rainy weekend with minimal damage and the following week’s cold temps are looking promissing.

 

[machski]

Huh? You sure about that...

It's on more % of trails and largely more modern (as far as pipes) than Killington's snowmaking...

Not sure about the pipes, Killington has been on an aggressive pipe replacement path for a couple of seasons. Other resorts have blown by SR in terms of GPM water pumping capacity. SR is finally catching back up and if they complete the planned doubling of water capacity, they would be up to around 16000 GPM onto the hill. They were renown back in the late 80's and 90's when no one else could touch their 8000 GPM, but they sat on that too long and got passed.

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[Smellytele]

Not sure about the pipes, Killington has been on an aggressive pipe replacement path for a couple of seasons. Other resorts have blown by SR in terms of GPM water pumping capacity. SR is finally catching back up and if they complete the planned doubling of water capacity, they would be up to around 16000 GPM onto the hill. They were renown back in the late 80's and 90's when no one else could touch their 8000 GPM, but they sat on that too long and got passed.

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Thanks for the backing. I didn’t have the numbers.


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[Hawk]

I would say that Sunday Rivers Snow Making product exceeds probably 95% of any other resort in New England. They blow big and they blow often. There is no debate.

 

[machski]

I would say that Sunday Rivers Snow Making product exceeds probably 95% of any other resort in New England. They blow big and they blow often. There is no debate.

Until this year's pump boost, Wachusett could pump as many GPM as SR. Stowe and Okemo are right up there around 9000 GPM I believe and Snow blows that away and K probably too. Loon has to be upwards of that number as well. When you based at SR Hawk, no one was even close back then. Times have changed and SR has been slow to respond in my opinion while their terrain has vastly increased from what it originally was with the water capacity in the system. Yes they still make a ton over a season, but they have needed the greater push in a window that is finally coming to fruition.

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[pauldotcom]

Will be crowded a bit with not much open. Once the back bowl area is open, the lines let up a bit. It's like everywhere else - if you know the mountain you can avoid the crowds. Be smart at lunch time - eat at 11:00, then things should be light when you're done.

 

[Smellytele]

There are backbowls. Wow gotta ski there then. I know you mean Jordan, oz and aurora.


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[pauldotcom]

Yea, those are them. I actually consider them to be the only New England bowls that I've been to in the North East.

 

[Smellytele]

Yea, those are them. I actually consider them to be the only New England bowls that I've been to in the North East.

I don’t want to be a jerk but those are not even close to bowls. Those are ridges with trails cut in them


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[pauldotcom]

Well no shit - but considering this is NE, it's as close as it gets. And this is why I only have 48 posts - forum trolls.

 

[ss20]

Well no shit - but considering this is NE, it's as close as it gets. And this is why I only have 48 posts - forum trolls.

He's not trolling- he's stating fact. They're botched wide-cut scars on the mountain. Idk what Otten was thinking with that...it was the mid 90s iirc and snowmaking+glades had been confirmed as a poor combination.

It was a sad day when the last tree fell on Upper East Fall at Killington a few years ago.