Drove by Cannon today (2/5/06)

[RISkier]

What I could see from the road looked pretty beat up, lots of bare spots. Are those front 5 trails natural snow trails, or do they make snow on them? A dump is needed badly.

 

[ga2ski]

What I could see from the road looked pretty beat up, lots of bare spots. Are those front 5 trails natural snow trails, or do they make snow on them? A dump is needed badly.

I thought the same thing yesterday aftenoon and that was before the NCP last night.

The front five are snowmaking trails but no snow was made on paulie's folly this year. The other recieved snow though

 

[MichaelJ]

I saw around 6 or 7 skiers and at least one boarder on the front five when I drove by today ... in the fog and rain. I can't imagine being out in those conditions.

 

[thetrailboss]

So conditions aren't good? And we're going to be there on Saturday? Snow, pulllleeeeeaase. I don't think that Cannon will be blowing any snow this week...maybe they will, but I doubt it.

 

[trackbiker]

Why wouldn't they blow snow?
I know that they usually don't have it in the budget for this time of year. But the forecast this week is calling for cold temps but no snow.
No snow equals no skiers.
I would think that most NE ski areas have to think about minimizing losses this year as opposed to maximizing profits. In other words calculate the cost of blowing snow verses lost lift ticket revenues for not having snow.
Any comments from ski area operators?
I know it's never good to saying you're having a bad year in any business, regardless. But we promise; we won't tell.

 

[riverc0il]

trackbiker, i notice you are from PA so you may not be familiar with cannon. cannon generally blows hard on the snow making trails during the early season until the trails are well covered and then turns off the snow making for the rest of the season regardless. even some of the larger ski areas likely won't blow snow past presidents day weekend because they would be throwing money away. not blowing snow after presidents day IS minimizing their loses as snow making is one of the largest expenses for a ski area.

 

[MichaelJ]

In addition to the work done by the groomers, snowmaking will crank up tonight. They will likely fire up guns on the Links, Middle Ravine, and a few in the base area. These guys are not done yet!

 

[riverc0il]

wow, that is amazing. a testament to just how bad things are that they are still snowmaking, most especially on trails that are the first to open and historically have a lot of coverage no less!

 

[skibum1321]

Unrelated to Cannon, but I was talking to the head of snowmaking at Smuggs the other day. He said that they will be blowing until President's Day, which is abnormally late for Smuggs.

 

[thetrailboss]

wow, that is amazing. a testament to just how bad things are that they are still snowmaking, most especially on trails that are the first to open and historically have a lot of coverage no less!

I thought you said this season was a good one? :wink:

 

[skibum9995]

Cannon's snowmaking budget is set by the legislature in Concord up to two years in advance. That budget stays the same no matter what the weather does.

This year I'm sure that they still have money left due to the fact that they haven't been able to blow a lot because of all the warm temperatures.

 

[drjeff]

You do need to remember this year has been a very weird snowmaking year to say the least. Novemeber while it said some good snowmaking day, we didn't really see a solid prolonged stretch to make snow so those areas that make snow in November were probably under budget. December, everyone made tons of snow, and used all of there December snowmaking "budgets" to get set up for the big $$ X-mas week. Then the R$%^ shows up mid x-mas week, many people that noramlly would day trip don't, revenvues fair at best. MLK weekend, washout, less drive up $$ for the ski areas, and with January having many of the day trippers think golf than skiing do to the warm month, revenues as a whole I'd guess would be atbest fair. Now Pres week in fastly approaching, no snow in the backyards of many day trippers (remember the day trippers is where the mtns make their big $$, not the diehard season passholders), and finally some cold air arriving, all the $$ from the January snowmaking budget that didn't get used is going to be used big time, since if Pres week doesn't bring in good $$, many ski areas will have a very, very tough fiscal year.

 

[billski]

You do need to remember this year has been a very weird snowmaking year to say the least. Novemeber while it said some good snowmaking day, we didn't really see a solid prolonged stretch to make snow so those areas that make snow in November were probably under budget. December, everyone made tons of snow, and used all of there December snowmaking "budgets" to get set up for the big $$ X-mas week. Then the R$%^ shows up mid x-mas week, many people that noramlly would day trip don't, revenvues fair at best. MLK weekend, washout, less drive up $$ for the ski areas, and with January having many of the day trippers think golf than skiing do to the warm month, revenues as a whole I'd guess would be atbest fair. Now Pres week in fastly approaching, no snow in the backyards of many day trippers (remember the day trippers is where the mtns make their big $$, not the diehard season passholders), and finally some cold air arriving, all the $$ from the January snowmaking budget that didn't get used is going to be used big time, since if Pres week doesn't bring in good $$, many ski areas will have a very, very tough fiscal year.

Hooey! Take all the unappropriated snowplowing funds and pour(er, blow) them out onto the mountain :beer:

Any ski area that has been fiscally on the ropes is gonna show out their laundry this year. I sure hope we don't have any more go belly up.

 

[LVNLARG]

Hooey! Take all the unappropriated snowplowing funds and pour(er, blow) them out onto the mountain :beer:

That's awesome logic....I like your thinking :beer:

 

[riverc0il]

wow, that is amazing. a testament to just how bad things are that they are still snowmaking, most especially on trails that are the first to open and historically have a lot of coverage no less!

I thought you said this season was a good one? :wink:

i said, all and all, it is better than average so far... 66% pow day is damn good despite only 10 days of skiing. i that is still more days than a few folks on here have gotten so it is legit. i will admit i put my foot in my mouth regarding cannon snow making. and a crappy january and beginning of february does not dictate what it soon to come! the season isn't even half way over so while this is a startling setup back in regards to snow pack, it ain't over till, well... the fat lady chocks on powder, or something.

 

[NHpowderhound]

I couldnt imagine any ski area using snowmaking at this point in the season to try and open new terrain. From here on out snowmaking is going to be used to maintain what the haven't lost. Mo nature is going to have to fill in the blanks on the closed trails.
On the positive side, when I was at Cannon friday in the r@!n, coverage was excellent on the open trails. A foot and most things will be doable. Three feet and we'll be in prime shape. And three feet of snow doesnt(usually :roll: ) take very long to fall in february. Tramline even looked like you would only break a couple bones if you tried to ski it rather than two weeks ago when it would've been certain death. Seriously though, the glade that starts Tramline looked excellent. Too bad you cant get out before it opens up to the boulders.
I still think there are some epic days ahead. :beer:
((*
*))NHPH

 

[salida]

Epic indeed, there will be more snow, and its coming in the next 8 weeks, lots of it!

 

[ckofer]

I just heard Cannon advertising on the radio this morning and on their daily email they report a little new snow.

We deserve an 18" dump or two.

 

[airhed316]

Cannon has one of the smallest snowmaking systems in the area when you compare it's size(acreage) to the system capacity. Most ski areas have reached their snowmaking budgets due to the marginal temperatures and poor output when they did run.