Except for Killington-very weak effort to get open

[Glenn]

This year's Thanksgiving is late. (nearly bought flights for the wrong week! )

So expect most mountains open as "usual", which is a few days later than most years, but just right time for Thanksgiving.

I kept thinking the mountains in SoVT were opening early with a tentative 11/23 first chair date. Then I realized Thanksgiving was later this year.

 

[kingslug]

I'd rather ski on something good than waste time and money on marginal. I know..we all can't wait to get out there..

 

[granite]

Oh yea, now this is what I'm talking about. Bretton Woods blasting it out, the new gondola spinning and 7 inches of snow. They look like they could open tomorrow-Saturday.

 

[thetrailboss]

I've been checking the Wildcat website snow report and live web daily. It seems they are not making an all out snowmaking assault to open, you can hardly see any snow making going on. They are very slow to update their web site too.

[....]

Overall, disappointed that Mount Snow-Okemo-Wildcat opening day is a long way off, since I have an Epic pass this year.

That's Vail's MO. Welcome to the Epic family.

 

[Smellytele]

Wildcat is performing as they usually do. They blew in upper lynx and said they finished up and then they started on middle and lower lynx and were blowing at the base. Nothing less than they usually do.

 

[crazy]

Wildcat is performing as they usually do. They blew in upper lynx and said they finished up and then they started on middle and lower lynx and were blowing at the base. Nothing less than they usually do.

Last year was truly an exception with the early season snowfall that they got. They only opened early because they had a lot of natural snow to augment the man made stuff.

 

[thebigo]

There is no profit with early season walk-up tickets

Maybe but I have assume there is profit in season passes, seasonal programs, booze, pizza and lodging.

With the notable exception of condo owners, people are not tied to a mountain and the ikon mountains are destroying epic early season. I suspect my family will spend more this year on early season k/sr tickets, peak passes and k spring pass than on a ragged/ikon combo. At some point we need to run the numbers and make a decision on next year.

 

[slatham]

I think this statement sums it up best. There are a lot of people with unrealistic expectations here. The argument that "well K has been open so why can't others get open yet" is a silly one too. K has an ideal setup to allow them to open a few hundred feet of vertical near the summit where you have the best snowmaking temps.

And thus far this fall this elevation advantage has paid off in spades. Others areas can’t compete.

But now it’s cold, and this week it is mid winter cold. Every ski area north of Hunter can open next weekend, IF they chose to.

 

[So Inclined]

Every ski area north of Hunter can open next weekend, IF they chose to.

I'd put a dollar down on them (Hunter) kicking off next weekend, too.

 

[thetrailboss]

Maybe but I have assume there is profit in season passes, seasonal programs, booze, pizza and lodging.

With the notable exception of condo owners, people are not tied to a mountain and the ikon mountains are destroying epic early season. I suspect my family will spend more this year on early season k/sr tickets, peak passes and k spring pass than on a ragged/ikon combo. At some point we need to run the numbers and make a decision on next year.

Vail's accountants set the season to open on a certain date and close on a certain date, regardless of weather and conditions. That's how they plan to maximize revenue.

Park City folks were pretty pissed last season when they closed in early-April with plenty-o-snow. Vail took the money and ran. Unfortunately, that is what to expect when you buy a "discounted" Epic Pass, at least in their POV.

 

[crazy]

Maybe but I have assume there is profit in season passes, seasonal programs, booze, pizza and lodging.

With the notable exception of condo owners, people are not tied to a mountain and the ikon mountains are destroying epic early season. I suspect my family will spend more this year on early season k/sr tickets, peak passes and k spring pass than on a ragged/ikon combo. At some point we need to run the numbers and make a decision on next year.

Season passes is where it can get important to open early or close late. Look how A Basin leaving the Epic Pass affected Vail in Colorado: Vail was forced to open up Keystone early, and is now planning on closing Breck late. I'm sure that they lose money on the days on the edges of the season, but by doing so they keep people on the Vail pass products.

The question is: do skiers on the east coast also consider early openings and late closing when deciding who to buy their pass from? That will determine how Vail plays this game.

While the Ikon pass clearly wins the early opening game with Killington and Sunday River, keep in mind that even many who do have the Ikon Pass are reluctant to use one of their 5 or 7 days during the early season. This isn't the case with Vail's unlimited days for its mountains.

 

[deadheadskier]

Wildcat is performing as they usually do. They blew in upper lynx and said they finished up and then they started on middle and lower lynx and were blowing at the base. Nothing less than they usually do.

yup

last 15 years opening days

10/27
11/11
11/24
11/25
11/9
11/23
11/22
12/18
12/11
12/11
11/28
11/30
12/8
10/28 - freak 4 foot storm, closed again after a few days
12/8

People forget that even with the snowmaking upgrade five years ago, they don't really have the capacity to blow a full trail top to bottom. They also have about the smallest snowmaking reservoir in New England. It refills pretty quick though.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[urungus]

keep in mind that even many who do have the Ikon Pass are reluctant to use one of their 5 or 7 days during the early season. This isn't the case with Vail's unlimited days for its mountains.

Killington already has a spring pass, they should come out with a fall ”early bird” pass that is good from opening until the day before Thanksgiving. And a fall + spring pass.

 

[spiderpig]

I kept thinking the mountains in SoVT were opening early with a tentative 11/23 first chair date. Then I realized Thanksgiving was later this year.

Wouldn't you have thought they were opening late in that case?

 

[thebigo]

Killington already has a spring pass, they should come out with a fall ”early bird” pass that is good from opening until the day before Thanksgiving. And a fall + spring pass.

I would first in line for a k blackout pass but there are capacity issues early season. With the exception of free t shirt day in june, there are no spring issues with capacity. Killington knows they offer a premium service early season and expect you to pay for it.

Sr offered an early season pass at one point, only lasted one season if I recollect.

 

[drjeff]

Killington already has a spring pass, they should come out with a fall ”early bird” pass that is good from opening until the day before Thanksgiving. And a fall + spring pass.

In the modern pass era, where the IKON holders now have the option of using their limited K days from day 1 of the season, why would K want to potentially put more people on the limited acreage than they already have now?

The Spring market demand falls off quickly as "the masses" start to engage in other, non ski activities. The Fall market is a whole different animal with lots of pent up demand, and not a bunch of other family sports obligations going on

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[thebigo]

yup

last 15 years opening days

10/27
11/11
11/24
11/25
11/9
11/23
11/22
12/18
12/11
12/11
11/28
11/30
12/8
10/28 - freak 4 foot storm, closed again after a few days
12/8

People forget that even with the snowmaking upgrade five years ago, they don't really have the capacity to blow a full trail top to bottom. They also have about the smallest snowmaking reservoir in New England. It refills pretty quick though.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using AlpineZone mobile app

Solution is a new catapult chair but it will never happen.

That october weekend in 2005 was incredible, one of my best in 40 years on skis.

 

[Rogman]

Feel bad for the Mt Snow peeps. Previous years they'd make top notch early season effort. Yesterday from Killington Peak it was clear there was a lot more snow on the north face of Stratton than Mt Snow. I get that its a business, but Vail may need to learn the ways of the locals. POWDR had to, and after some serious missteps, have become excellent stewards of the mountain.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

good times at Killington yesterday

great northern was open from the start so no hike down

good snow on upper dipper and east fall all day. rime got a bit slick. reason was generally too crowded with park kids to bother skiing the edges of it.

dj at the bottom of the chair, spinning music that was just all over the place. Dead, stones, weird early 90s corny stuff, some electronic music. weird mix but nice to have music and a party atmosphere. outdoor grill set up for burgers and dogs.

lines were long, but it’s a the first Saturday of the season, nothing else in the state is open, it’s a beautiful day, and it snowed 2 days ago. lots of people complaining about the lines and crowds, and it’s like “hey man you’re a part of the line and crowd you’re complaining about, what did you expect, just enjoy the day and relax”

new k-1 parking and lodge situation is a bit of a pain, but that’s the price of progress. I shudder at the thought of the World Cup crowd amongst this infrastructure. Dressing and undressing in the lodge is less attractive now since you need to trudge across the snow to get to the parking lot. Will be easier this year to dress in car and then just walk straight to lift. I’ll be parking at Bear a lot.

We stopped at basin sports and got my girlfriend set up with boots, worked with Steve. She’s a true beginner in her 2nd season and last year her seasonal rentals gave her hell. i think this was an investment in her comfort that will have a big ROI for me

Welcome back to ski season.

 

[abc]

Wouldn't you have thought they were opening late in that case?

Good long term forecast?

Ive never understood opening in October! But it happens, when the weather allows it.

So my guess is they expect people coming!

Someone mention no other competing activities. I quite agree. I find myself in that camp. Too cold to bike (I mean ENJOY biking). I wouldn’t pay to ski, as the skier/inch-of-snow too high. But now I have a pass, it changes the calculation.