Mount Snow: Inside Track

[ss20]

I've never worked operations at a mountain, but how much of a scramble is it to open for a place like Snow? They announced a decent bit ago.

I'm not saying it isn't a TON of work, which I'm sure it is, I'm actually saying i feel like they would be more on top of it. Maybe its the sorta thing you can never be on top of though.

I can't say for Mount Snow directly...but I don't think any mountain goes into a season fully "ready". It's always a scramble the last few weeks. The root always seems to be there's very little talented labor on staff in October/November to prep things given the size of the operation.

 

[MountSnow]

Mt Snow, you have one of the best CAM setups of any area. Yet right now when everyone who cares is looking at them, then are a wet, icy mess (which I know is overall good because it means snow is being made). Couldn't someone do a pass every once in a while to clear them? The base CAM at least shouldn't be inconvenient for the marketing staff.....

We're working on it, but the guns are hammering right now. We've been up to clean them about twice a day, but their heaters can't keep up with the snowguns.

Here's an example of what we're looking at. This was our Somerset Cam yesterday.

 

[MountSnow]

I've never worked operations at a mountain, but how much of a scramble is it to open for a place like Snow? They announced a decent bit ago.

I'm not saying it isn't a TON of work, which I'm sure it is, I'm actually saying i feel like they would be more on top of it. Maybe its the sorta thing you can never be on top of though.

We'll give you a little peek behind the curtian.

We annouced opening about a week ago and it's a whole month earlier that we were planning on opening for the season. This means that there's been about a month's worth of work to fit into just under a week. Lifts need to be tested and inspected, food and bev operations need to prepare to open for winter operations, the resort needs to transion from summer to winter (we actually just held a big mountain bike race here two weeks ago). Add on top of that the need to find staff and get them in a month earlier than planned, and you can start to see what's been going on.

We'll be ready though. See you on Saturday.

 

[tumbler]

I can't say for Mount Snow directly...but I don't think any mountain goes into a season fully "ready". It's always a scramble the last few weeks. The root always seems to be there's very little talented labor on staff in October/November to prep things given the size of the operation.

They don't start until Aug 1 when the new fiscal year starts. Very little money in Q4 unless there are previously budget capital projects.

 

[FBGM]

To bring this thread back to Mt Snow, still nothing but patches on the base area cam, the green patches are bigger than the white ones.

Sounds like Saturday will be epic. Rain, grass and mis-management. What else could a customer ask for.

I don’t get this push to open. Open when the product is good. Don’t rush to open just because with crap. Bragging rights are done, killington won those. Wait to open with a full and proper product.

 

[GregoryIsaacs]

Sounds like Saturday will be epic. Rain, grass and mis-management. What else could a customer ask for.

I don’t get this push to open. Open when the product is good. Don’t rush to open just because with crap. Bragging rights are done, killington won those. Wait to open with a full and proper product.

I don't consider Free Fall top to bottom in October crap at all... Have fun not skiing though

 

[FBGM]

I would rather do what my username monogram implies rather then ski in the rain and mud.

Wealth of all related ski knowledge out!

 

[ss20]

I would rather do what my username monogram implies rather then ski in the rain and mud.

Wealth of all related ski knowledge out!

I can't wait to post pics from my trip report of lapping the AM powder on Freefall.

If you like grass and mud that's gonna be next weekend, unfortunately. Get it now folks! Imo K will be the only game in town next weekend unless SR and Wildcat have blown DEEP.

 

[njdiver85]

I would rather do what my username monogram implies rather then ski in the rain and mud.

Wealth of all related ski knowledge out!

The fact that you are always on this board posting stupid comments indicates to me that you are doing neither.

 

[urungus]

I’ll be there for first chair, hopefully will be able to get a few laps in before it turns to sleet. Wonder what the crowds will be like? Last year was no issue, but this year no Long John or The Gulch to spread people out. Hopefully the Ops team will be able to get Canyon open all the way to the bottom.

 

[urungus]

Official snow report from 8:18 this morning:

Last night, our snowmakers were able to make some major gains from the top of Canyon down right into the base area, with our fan guns hammering the trails as the temps dipped into the low 20s. Today we plan to continue making snow on Canyon, Cascade, Free Fall, and River Run ahead of tomorrow's opening, as long as we have a window to do so, and then we'll be switching back to opening day prep. We'll be releasing details later today as to which lifts we'll be utilizing this weekend, but I can say that we'll for sure be on Challenge over on The North Face. I was up on the summit last night for sunset and the piles have started to reach 8-10 feet in places. It's really amazing what our team can do in such a short time.

 

[sull1102]

Sounds like Saturday will be epic. Rain, grass and mis-management. What else could a customer ask for.

I don’t get this push to open. Open when the product is good. Don’t rush to open just because with crap. Bragging rights are done, killington won those. Wait to open with a full and proper product.

In the interest of being fair, I actually agree with you here. They fudged this up a bit. It is a gorgeous bluebird day up here today and Freefall was ready to go. Tomorrow and Sunday look like a total wildcard weather wise. I was up there two weeks ago today for a beer at the Bullwheel with the lady friend and there was a lot to be done but the hoses we're already out, they knew they were going to have a chance. Then there was the crap about announcement coming "soon" when "soon" was five days away. I get you want to open, but go look at Wildcat. They are doing it right and will open with the best terrain available in the East while K is on Day 7 and open midweek.

Sent from my Pixel using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[slatham]

Mount Snow, thanks for the info and the pick. Not to mentioned the attempt to keep the cams clean. Wish I could be there for first chair, in the snow no less (hope changeover is after 3:30!).

 

[Newpylong]

In the interest of being fair, I actually agree with you here. They fudged this up a bit. It is a gorgeous bluebird day up here today and Freefall was ready to go. Tomorrow and Sunday look like a total wildcard weather wise. I was up there two weeks ago today for a beer at the Bullwheel with the lady friend and there was a lot to be done but the hoses we're already out, they knew they were going to have a chance. Then there was the crap about announcement coming "soon" when "soon" was five days away. I get you want to open, but go look at Wildcat. They are doing it right and will open with the best terrain available in the East while K is on Day 7 and open midweek.

Sent from my Pixel using AlpineZone mobile app

Not really a fair comparison. Wildcat got a foot of snow and will open Lynx with one lift. Mount Snow, at much different elevation and geography is fighting with questionable weather, and has to have more qualified staff available with their configuration.

 

[slatham]

In the interest of being fair, I actually agree with you here. They fudged this up a bit. It is a gorgeous bluebird day up here today and Freefall was ready to go. Tomorrow and Sunday look like a total wildcard weather wise. I was up there two weeks ago today for a beer at the Bullwheel with the lady friend and there was a lot to be done but the hoses we're already out, they knew they were going to have a chance. Then there was the crap about announcement coming "soon" when "soon" was five days away. I get you want to open, but go look at Wildcat. They are doing it right and will open with the best terrain available in the East while K is on Day 7 and open midweek.

Sent from my Pixel using AlpineZone mobile app

Uh, your kinda of forgetting that Wildcat reported a FOOT of natural snow (more up top) so not exactly apples to apples.

And forgetting that Killington's open terrain is all above 3,400'. Mount Snow's summit is only 3,600'. Not apples to apples.

I think its pretty impressive Mt Snow will be open TTB, on two faces, with expert terrain available, with a vertical of 1,600'.

Personally I'm just happy 4 mountains are open, and bummed I can't be at any of them!

I agree that all things equal they should have opened today with the good weather (I bet they feel that way too) , but given the accelerated open I would hazard to guess that while the trails might have been ready some other necessary functions were not.

 

[ss20]

They're farming at the base area...good sign...realllllly hoping for TTB

 

[SnowRock]

Effort vs reward question... Wife is heading out of town tomorrow early for work. I was thinking about getting up at 4 AM and getting on the road from NJ for Mt Snow opening since I have no other commitments. Would just shoot back home after with some VT beer in tow.

Or do I get up at 4am and trek to Wildcat, get some turns Saturday, grab a cheap room somewhere near Conway and get in some turns Sunday as well??

 

[WJenness]

that is a solid pile of snow up top:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpZxLsKFOKk/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

 

[Jully]

Effort vs reward question... Wife is heading out of town tomorrow early for work. I was thinking about getting up at 4 AM and getting on the road from NJ for Mt Snow opening since I have no other commitments. Would just shoot back home after with some VT beer in tow.

Or do I get up at 4am and trek to Wildcat, get some turns Saturday, grab a cheap room somewhere near Conway and get in some turns Sunday as well??

As someone coming from Boston willing to drive 40 extra minutes to Wildcat compared to Snow tomorrow, I do not think the extra reward of Wildcat is worth it compared to the extra driving distance (I imagine on the order of hours longer) from NJ.

If you want to ski Sunday, I'd grab a room in VT and do 2 days at Snow rather than the Cat.

Just my 2 cents though!

 

[SnowRock]

Thanks and yeah I'm leaning that way as well... significantly more effort involved in the wildcat option!