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No snow making at Vail Resort ski resorts

granite

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I have skied MT Sunapee three times in the last week. I have not seen any attempt at all to make snow. Every single slope groomed flat to a hard compressed surface of machine groomed boredom. The same at Okemo the few times I've been there recently. I could not find a single run that was left ungroomed. Stowe last weekend, even though the skiing was good there, had no snowmaking and almost everything open groomed flat. I imagine the same at Mt. Snow.

Meanwhile, I see reports and photos form Killington and Cannon being blasted with snow making top to bottom. I was at Cannon on 01-18-20 and skiing whalebacks, under the guns and some ungroomed and natural slopes was really good.

Is it typical for Okemo-Sunapee-Stowe-Mt Snow not to be making any snow this time of year, or is this because of Vail Resorts policy?

Some recent photos from Cannon and Killington-nothing like this at all at the Vail Resort ski areas. Did I make a mistake buying an Epic pass to ski machine groomed boredom?
 

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drjeff

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Mount Snow had the guns on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Base depths are close to, if not at what they typically put down for their anticipated Spring length season

Not sure about Stowe, Okemo or Sunapee's situation.

Killington has yet to make snow on a few trails this season. The regular resurfacing events this season has been challenging for sure

Just making snow for the sake of making snow, when data shows that you likely have enough snow on trails to make your desired closing date is an expensive proposition

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kingslug

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At Stowe you have to drop into front 4 runs for steep moguks..chinclip off the gondi..haystack and centerline..and gulch towards the bottom...other than that..yup..they groom it...ir just jump in the trees where the good stuff is..
 

Edd

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Gunstock has been making snow this week. You have to make snow right now. There’s still Presidents week and school vacations to go.


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bdfreetuna

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keep the faith
Well they've already made all their profits pre-season with EPIC passes... I think the smaller/indie mountains relying on day passes have more incentive.

I'm glad Cannon is making a solid effort -- the intel at Bretton Woods today was that Cannon is skiing nice and not icy right now. I need to get there 3 times before end of season or I wasted money..

They sure did blast front 5 area though (and elsewhere). Probably needed it to avoid going bare too early.
 

Smellytele

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Right where I want to be
People mention hunta and blow but they are still first year epic so as had been said vail doesn’t make changes first year.


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Rogman

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I suspect Vail is still trying to figure out the Eastern Market. POWDR came in to Killington and tried to run it like their western resorts and failed miserably. Went back to what had worked in the past, a bit old school, and haven't looked back. It will likely take Vail a while, too.
 

kendo

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Skied Stowe all week. Conditions are the best of the season. 13" since Sunday. Bumps on most black and all double blacks. Liftline was half groomed as was Hayride leaving a nice long bump run on both.

Even with the snow, Ridgeview and Sunrise were closed for 2 days of snowmaking as were the Inspiration learning area and meadow/easy street on spruce. Stockpiling for the spring sun. They were also blowing lower North run this am.

Stowe is also including snowmaking reports in their daily Twitter feed.
 

kendo

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That's cool but as both a web developer and social media non-user... ALL info needs to be on the website!

They embed their Twitter feed on the website trail report.

Daily snowmaking is included on the terrain commentary note on the webpage.

https://www.stowe.com/the-mountain/mountain-conditions/terrain-and-lift-status.aspx

You can also go old school and call their daily snow phone for snowmaking and mountain reports. Number is on their snow and weather webpage.

https://www.stowe.com/the-mountain/mountain-conditions/snow-and-weather-report.aspx
 
Last edited:

elks

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Crotched has been making snow all week and still going!


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icecoast1

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Not sure what you're basing this on, Mount Snow was making snow this week
 

machski

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Well, with Boyne's resorts, Loon made snow last night and all day today but Sunday River has been quiet (They said on FB they are not done yet but will be strategic with snowmaking moving forward) and reports are Loaf has wrapped up their planned snowmaking barring a complete disaster of weather. And that from an operator with over a decade of New England experience now to work from.

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kendo

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Holy crap, I seriously didn't know those still existed.

Yep. They brought it back last year because the Vail website weather and trail report template was so bad. I actually called it this am to see if a couple lifts were still down.
 

cdskier

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They embed their Twitter feed on the website trail report.

Daily snowmaking is included on the terrain commentary note on the webpage.

https://www.stowe.com/the-mountain/mountain-conditions/terrain-and-lift-status.aspx

You can also go old school and call their daily snow phone for snowmaking and mountain reports. Number is on their snow and weather webpage.

https://www.stowe.com/the-mountain/mountain-conditions/snow-and-weather-report.aspx

None of these items negate the fact that they should still have the snowmaking information in the trail report itself. It cannot possibly be that hard to update their damn template... If Vail wants to be in the eastern market, they need to realize that their western-focused templates do not meet the needs of their eastern properties.
 
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