Loon Thanksgiving Weekend

[Johnskiismore]

Sorry, no pics, I know, boooooo

But, am happy to report that Loon is having a strong opening! On Thanksgiving Day the East Basin Chair served Upper Picked Rock, Flying Fox, Exodus, Crosscut, and Grand Junction. Like opening day downloading was on the gondola.

By Friday it was top to bottom via Picked Rock, with primary surface conditions MM and PP. Snow was being made all over the mountain leading to North Peak opening on Saturday. Today was great, surface conditions held strong with East Basin and North Peak open and T2B could be done with Lower Picked Rock, Brookway, and Lower Bear Claw. Lines were minimal. The singles line for the gondola took me 3 minutes max to be on, and North Peak maybe 30 seconds, and skied right onto East Basin.

Snow was made all day on Lower Walking Boss, and there's a lot being blown over at the Governor's area, soon to be open. Strong, strong opening! Will be there tomorrow and SR Tuesday, sweet times!

 

[hammer]

Was there for a while on Sunday, 11/28...open T2B with several ways down. Stuck to the greens for the most part and I didn't get to North Peak but there were a lot of trails open. Was firm in spots and a bit scraped in the afternoon, but nice coverage and they had snow guns going. Good start for Loon.

 

[snoseek]

I was there on t-day and thought it was really good, way better than I expected. Loon is really stepping up with the snowmaking these days imo, certainly hanging with the big boys in the last week. I'm up there today with my father, ahhh Mondays I love them

 

[thetrailboss]

Sounds like those new snowguns are being put to use.

 

[speden]

Pretty impressive early season start for Loon.

I'm bummed that the southern New Hampshire hills have been so slow to get open. So far just Pat's Peak was open this past weekend and now they've shut for the weekdays. All the others have been quiet, so nothing from Gunstock, Sunapee, Crotched, or Ragged. If Wachusett could get open, I don't see why those others couldn't get open.

Looks like Sunapee is going to open up tomorrow.

 

[deadheadskier]

Ragged has been blowing and hopes to open Dec. 3rd. I'm looking forward to things getting going at Ragged, but will probably seek out more terrain until they have a few routes down from the summit.

and in regard to Wachusett, I think it's purely a function of them servicing a much larger season pass clientele than the Southern NH areas. So, basically they have more $$$$

 

[hammer]

Pretty impressive early season start for Loon.

I'm bummed that the southern New Hampshire hills have been so slow to get open. So far just Pat's Peak was open this past weekend and now they've shut for the weekdays. All the others have been quiet, so nothing from Gunstock, Sunapee, Crotched, or Ragged. If Wachusett could get open, I don't see why those others couldn't get open.

Looks like Sunapee is going to open up tomorrow.

Feel the same way but the weather has just not been cooperative.

I am a little surprised by Crotched, but IMO they haven't been as aggressive about their snowmaking as they were a few years ago. Have wondered if the owners aren't paying as much attention because it's not their "flagship" ski area anymore.

In any case, I thought that Loon's start was quite good all things considering. Just wish the place didn't get so crowded during the season.

 

[snowmonster]

^ I avoid the crowds during the season by skiing at North Peak.

I was up at Loon on Sunday. Flying Fox - Cross Cut - Basin Street to the East Basin chair was the run of the day. You can just let it rip! I skied North Peak Express: Sunset - Haulback - Lower Walking Boss. Tremendous snow making effort on Walking Boss. Skied under the guns. Only problem I had was that, after skiing with my weight forward because of the hard surface, I didn't manage the transition to soft "new" snow and almost went over the handlebars. It also means I need wax on the skis.

Great effort to open T2B, Loon! It's right out of the SR snowblowing playbook. I may be visiting it more often this season!

 

[St. Bear]

Does anybody how long Loon runs Early Season Pricing? I'm hopefully going to be starting my season on Sunday, and if Loon is still "Early Season", I'll most likely head there.

 

[rocojerry]

Thanks for the reports, I'm not sure when -- but I'll probably end up at Loon sometime in December at least once...

 

[snoseek]

Today was another nice day at loon for me. Sunny, no people, super consistent snow. I haven't skied quite that fast in some time now lol

 

[thetrailboss]

Impressive for both Loon and Pats Peak. The latter has been working on implementing an "upside down" snowmaking system with a large reservoir at the top of the ski area that will fill the lines much faster (using gravity of course). It is much smaller than Loon, who has invested in the new guns.

 

[Johnskiismore]

Today was another nice day at loon for me. Sunny, no people, super consistent snow. I haven't skied quite that fast in some time now lol

Oh yeah, today rocked! Rode the gondola six times and only once was there a passenger with me! You could just rip Sunset to Upper Picked, Grand Junction to North Peak, did that over and over and over and over! Also, saw something at Loon that just cracks me up.

Two skiers and two riders at the top of Sunset, one of them called for the 'cannonball run.' His buddies agreed, and there they went bombing down Sunset, straight down, attained great momentum, enough that they went UP Bear Claw Extension and almost made it! I mean 20 or so more feet and they would've been on Loon's summit!

The snow that has been made is being flattened out, I'm sure that side will be open this weekend.

Snoseek, if you're going to Loon next Monday, let's see if we can do a few runs!

 

[snoseek]

^^^^^

I will be up at some point next week, during the week. My schedule SUCKS for the next 15 or so days then gets much much better. I'm thinking wed or thur next week. Not sure what days you have off....

 

[riverc0il]

Pretty impressive early season start for Loon.

I'm bummed that the southern New Hampshire hills have been so slow to get open. So far just Pat's Peak was open this past weekend and now they've shut for the weekdays. All the others have been quiet, so nothing from Gunstock, Sunapee, Crotched, or Ragged. If Wachusett could get open, I don't see why those others couldn't get open.

Looks like Sunapee is going to open up tomorrow.

It ain't a matter of 'could'.

You can't really hold the smaller ski areas to the same expectations as the larger resorts. Larger resorts always shot to open by Thanksgiving. Smaller areas typically open in December. They just don't have the demand and have more risk for washed away snow making. The ground might not be frozen further south than up north. WaWa is kind of an exception given their metro population base. But the market place can only support so many smaller and mid-sized areas open, and the further those small and mid-sized areas are from a metro area, the less likely it is for it to be worth it for them to blow for Turkey Day.

Just look at the wash out coming on Wednesday. Good call by smaller and mid-sized SoNE areas not blowing yet.

 

[Johnskiismore]

^^^^^

I will be up at some point next week, during the week. My schedule SUCKS for the next 15 or so days then gets much much better. I'm thinking wed or thur next week. Not sure what days you have off....

Generally I have Sunday through Tuesday off, but still make it to Loon the other days before or in between work, minus Saturday