Mt Snow 21-22 Season

[slatham]

What a difference a few hours, and an over performing snow squall makes!

Really firm and slick in places until about 10. If it didn't get groomed, it looked glacial.

Then it started snowing about 10. And kept snowing until about 1, with about 6" falling. Then another squall went through just before 2, dropping another inch!

Sure it's firm underneath, but I definitely won't complain about a surprise 7" or so powder day! And mtn ops is still making a bunch of snow! Ridge, Plummet, Thanks Walt, and what looks like from my condo, Fool's Gold still getting hammered by the guns.

Crowds were what I would describe as a typical weekend from what I experienced today

Thats great to hear. I was impressed when I saw the report of all 20 lifts running. And guns went on yesterday by like 10am? Vail may suck but from afar looks like Mt Snow rocked it for ultimate Presidents weekend recover.

 

[TyWebb]

@slatham - Yea I read online that they've been blowing tons of snow yesterday and today to try to recoup

 

[drjeff]

I read online that they've also been blowing tons of snow yesterday and today to try to recoup

The whales from phase 1 of their recovery effort are BIG! Phase 2 going on now.. Ridge, Plummet, Thanks Walt and either Nitro or Fools Gold (tough to tell from the angle my back deck provides).

Their snowmaking system is cranking right now. And mother nature feeling a bit generous today didn't hurt things either!

 

[Pez]

So far I've only been to snow once int he early season. what's the paid parking situation like? How are they charging? is there a booth?

Anyone going to give me grief if I park at the snow barn and walk?

 

[RichT]

Should of been doing that ALL season. They're trying to make everyone forget about Dec/Jan. Kinda like politicians on an election year!

 

[MikeDeJ]

Hearing Mt snow will fire up the guns on Carinthia ( Nitro, fools, Inferno and gulch) tonight thru Saturday and bury it. Looking to extend the season thru 4/24??

Also hear a rumor with no confirmation that with the new lifts going in they are planning to close the main base and Main Mtn March 18th or so?? I really cant believe this as that is early even for lift projects. With the snowmaking happeing on the Carinthia face I guessed we would finish the season over on that side but mid/late march would be rough with limited terrain and 2 charilifts for a month plus. Did anyone else hear this??

 

[drjeff]

Hearing Mt snow will fire up the guns on Carinthia ( Nitro, fools, Inferno and gulch) tonight thru Saturday and bury it. Looking to extend the season thru 4/24??

Also hear a rumor with no confirmation that with the new lifts going in they are planning to close the main base and Main Mtn March 18th or so?? I really cant believe this as that is early even for lift projects. With the snowmaking happeing on the Carinthia face I guessed we would finish the season over on that side but mid/late march would be rough with limited terrain and 2 charilifts for a month plus. Did anyone else hear this??

Haven't heard that one yet.

When the installed the Bluebird 11 Summers ago, they did cut and drop the old towers of the Summit Local and drag them down over snow, with a cat, to an area infront of the Sundance Lodge until they were finally hauled away on flatbed trailers later in the Spring.

They did close over at Carinthia last year, as well as a couple of other years in the past, so that wouldn't be unprecedented.

They have made a bunch of snow lately on main face, and Northface trails that in all likelihood wouldn't be used to drag the old towers over on their way to a base area staging zone.

In reality they could take down the haul rope and towers in Sunbrook while the main and Northfaces are open. They'd need to close off Long John, Ridge and Southbowl and Cooper's Junction for a day when they drop the haul rope on Tumbleweed, and Ridge, Southbowl and Cooper's Junction when they drop the haul rope on Sundance.

Tower transport to the base likely could be done after operating hours.

Given that March 19/20 weekend is often the last weekend for Sunbrook in many years, if they started their 1st, and strategically did a bunch of the other lift deconstruction on midweek days, I could see the main and Northfaces operating into April.

I know for a fact that they do have events scheduled for the general main base area the last weekend in March.

Guess we'll find out in a few weeks! And if the snowmakers start hammering Carinthia trails the next few days, who knows how that plays into it??

 

[machski]

Haven't heard that one yet.

When the installed the Bluebird 11 Summers ago, they did cut and drop the old towers of the Summit Local and drag them down over snow, with a cat, to an area infront of the Sundance Lodge until they were finally hauled away on flatbed trailers later in the Spring.

They did close over at Carinthia last year, as well as a couple of other years in the past, so that wouldn't be unprecedented.

They have made a bunch of snow lately on main face, and Northface trails that in all likelihood wouldn't be used to drag the old towers over on their way to a base area staging zone.

In reality they could take down the haul rope and towers in Sunbrook while the main and Northfaces are open. They'd need to close off Long John, Ridge and Southbowl and Cooper's Junction for a day when they drop the haul rope on Tumbleweed, and Ridge, Southbowl and Cooper's Junction when they drop the haul rope on Sundance.

Tower transport to the base likely could be done after operating hours.

Given that March 19/20 weekend is often the last weekend for Sunbrook in many years, if they started their 1st, and strategically did a bunch of the other lift deconstruction on midweek days, I could see the main and Northfaces operating into April.

I know for a fact that they do have events scheduled for the general main base area the last weekend in March.

Guess we'll find out in a few weeks! And if the snowmakers start hammering Carinthia trails the next few days, who knows how that plays into it??

Are they even going to go with new towers on Sunbrook? I mean, it's a FGQ now, they very well could reuse the towers as that terrain profile isn't some crazy, steep line. SR did this with the North Peak Express, half the towers are the Triple's with new top tube mount points from Dopp. Killington did this with Skye Peak Express, with a few towers at the top getting extensions to increase the height profile to accommodate the detach summit terminal.

 

[drjeff]

Are they even going to go with new towers on Sunbrook? I mean, it's a FGQ now, they very well could reuse the towers as that terrain profile isn't some crazy, steep line. SR did this with the North Peak Express, half the towers are the Triple's with new top tube mount points from Dopp. Killington did this with Skye Peak Express, with a few towers at the top getting extensions to increase the height profile to accommodate the detach summit terminal.

Guessing that they will be brand new towers as the original Sunbrook lift is a 30+ year old CTEC and the new lift will be a Doppelmayr and even though they're now under the same corporate umbrella, if you go out through the expected life span of a lift, then you'd be looking at towers and footings that would likely be 60+ years old

Plus if I remember corerctly, new towers were specified in the Act 60 documents that were filed for the lift

 

[MikeDeJ]

Haven't heard that one yet.

When the installed the Bluebird 11 Summers ago, they did cut and drop the old towers of the Summit Local and drag them down over snow, with a cat, to an area infront of the Sundance Lodge until they were finally hauled away on flatbed trailers later in the Spring.

They did close over at Carinthia last year, as well as a couple of other years in the past, so that wouldn't be unprecedented.

They have made a bunch of snow lately on main face, and Northface trails that in all likelihood wouldn't be used to drag the old towers over on their way to a base area staging zone.

In reality they could take down the haul rope and towers in Sunbrook while the main and Northfaces are open. They'd need to close off Long John, Ridge and Southbowl and Cooper's Junction for a day when they drop the haul rope on Tumbleweed, and Ridge, Southbowl and Cooper's Junction when they drop the haul rope on Sundance.

Tower transport to the base likely could be done after operating hours.

Given that March 19/20 weekend is often the last weekend for Sunbrook in many years, if they started their 1st, and strategically did a bunch of the other lift deconstruction on midweek days, I could see the main and Northfaces operating into April.

I know for a fact that they do have events scheduled for the general main base area the last weekend in March.

Guess we'll find out in a few weeks! And if the snowmakers start hammering Carinthia trails the next few days, who knows how that plays into it??

I was there for the bluebird install and agree with you maybe just a midweek (or a few days during the week) shut down, then the 18th makes sense.

 

[MikeDeJ]

Guessing that they will be brand new towers as the original Sunbrook lift is a 30+ year old CTEC and the new lift will be a Doppelmayr and even though they're now under the same corporate umbrella, if you go out through the expected life span of a lift, then you'd be looking at towers and footings that would likely be 60+ years old

Plus if I remember corerctly, new towers were specified in the Act 60 documents that were filed for the lift

I also think those towers are a mortar in tower, not a bolt on (concrete base). No way they are using those, plus I have to believe they are going to do something different at the unload. Lower the approach so they dont need that huge ramp and lower the chairs so less wind holds? Both lift projects should really move people to under skied areas.

Next to add capacity to the carinthia area lifts and remodel/rebuild the Sundance lodge? Adding a lift at Sundance is great but the base area is tough and really not much parking? So people will ride but still go to main to eat, park etc...

 

[jaytrem]

The base of Sunbrook will be over near the bottom of beartrap, so it will run up a slightly different line. Would be shocked if they moved the old towers.

 

[Newpylong]

They must not have liked what they saw with the towers, because they have could reused the majority and redone the top and bottom approaches to the terminals and kept the rest.

Has there been any indication of the snowmaking being expanded in the Upper Sundance area? Having a 6 pack dumping that many skiers out onto essentially Long John (with Ridge a short way downhill) is going to be something I want a webcam to enjoy.

 

[MikeDeJ]

They must not have liked what they saw with the towers, because they have could reused the majority and redone the top and bottom approaches to the terminals and kept the rest.

Has there been any indication of the snowmaking being expanded in the Upper Sundance area? Having a 6 pack dumping that many skiers out onto essentially Long John (with Ridge a short way downhill) is going to be something I want a webcam to enjoy.

Under Peak there was talk of adding snowmaking on Shootout and Hop. Never heard anything about Uncles. I have not heard anything since Vail, but it only makes sense. Im thinking they may even blast and /or widen Shootout and make it an easy Blue?? With the NFS permission.

 

[slatham]

The talk from Peak around West Lake justification and upside was Cleary 100% snowmaking. Whether Vail follows through is a good question. Personally I think there are some trails that should be left alone, Uncles and Jaws being top of my list......

 

[jaytrem]

I'd be shocked if they didn't do Hop and Shootout soon. But I agree, leave Uncles natural, and don't ever widen (it's been in some plans).

 

[drjeff]

I'd be shocked if they didn't do Hop and Shootout soon. But I agree, leave Uncles natural, and don't ever widen (it's been in some plans).

Hop, Shootout, the short top part of high traverse that goes from the top of the Sundance lift over to Southbowl on the main face, and then shooting star, big dipper, moonbeam and moonwalk in Sunbrook should be no brainers to add snowmaking to with these new lifts

 

[jaytrem]

Yeah, with the new Sundance lift, Shooting star should be one of the top priorities. Keep people from trying to get to Milky Way to access Sunbroook.

The more I think I about it, the more I don't want a high speed on the North Face. Should be even less crowded next year with the 2 new chairs keeping even more people occupied.

 

[drjeff]

Yeah, with the new Sundance lift, Shooting star should be one of the top priorities. Keep people from trying to get to Milky Way to access Sunbroook.

The more I think I about it, the more I don't want a high speed on the North Face. Should be even less crowded next year with the 2 new chairs keeping even more people occupied.

Honestly I hope when it's time to replace the lifts on the Northface that a highspeed is the last thing they consider!

It's not a long ride as it is, and much better for wind and de-icing purposes to keep things fixed grip on the Northface IMHO!

 

[ThatGuy]

Uncles doesn’t need snowmaking or widening its one of the few trails on the Main Face with character. Also with the new six pack and Sunbrooks new high speed as well, the lower half of Long John is going to be an even bigger disaster than it already is. Huge chokepoint at the knuckle past Carinthia. They really have to prioritize having both High and Low Traverse open to spread people out.