Ragged gets a new GM

[Edd]

So, I'm not a Ragged skier, with only a few visits lifetime and this could be off base.... but, instead of blowing 15 feet of snow every year for a decade plus (?), why not spend a bit of summer time to grade and remove the rock garden that supposedly requires 2 weeks of snow. Is it that bad?

Same question, as I’ve no idea how much trouble such a project would be. I’d wonder if the trouble of removing the boulders would pay off in reduced snowmaking costs.

Innocent question, not a Ragged skier/expert either, honestly curious.

 

[Abubob]

Same question, as I’ve no idea how much trouble such a project would be. I’d wonder if the trouble of removing the boulders would pay off in reduced snowmaking costs.

Innocent question, not a Ragged skier/expert either, honestly curious.

Removing all the rocks would cost a fortune and ruin the mountain. That’s not the answer.

 

[Smellytele]

Removing all the rocks would cost a fortune and ruin the mountain. That’s not the answer.

Just wondering if they cover all the rocks how would it ruin it? Unless you are talking about non ski season ruin it.

 

[Abubob]

Just wondering if they cover all the rocks how would it ruin it? Unless you are talking about non ski season ruin it.

Adding fill might not ruin the mountain but it would still cost a fortune. The ravine is a good example. My understanding is that it was not always there. Mismanagement allowed it to form. Now the environmental impact of filling it in permanently is too great. I imagine it’s the same with the scree field. I don’t know if it’s ever been studied.

 

[Newpylong]

Couldn't find a better thread so resurrecting this one.

Looks like they should have a good opening on the usuals plus Newfound this year. I see they added the old HKD towers from Cardigan to skier's right of Main Street/Village Green and they have been using them when wind permits. That should really help get full width there.

 

[Smellytele]

When are they opening?

 

[Abubob]

When are they opening?

Friday Dec 6

 

[Newpylong]

This is my first year without a pass but damn the speed of their rollout has gotten tiresome. All traffic still goes down Upper Chute/Raggedy Andy and they've been making snow on Newfound for a week. I don't get it. I think they really need to make a paradigm shift in their snowmaking strategy and quit making 6 feet of snow everywhere. They have the fixed gear on every trail now if they really need to go back they should just do so.

 

[Smellytele]

I was thinking of heading there but with limited opened decided to wait until both sides are open.

 

[deadheadskier]

Yeah, we have been keeping an eye on Ragged for Indy use and I've been surprised to see how slow their expansion has been compared to the competition. That was my primary complaint 14 years ago that pushed me away from buying a pass there after a couple of seasons. Looks like it is still an issue for them. I hadn't been paying much attention to them for the past ten years or so. I would have expected better.

 

[Abubob]

This is my first year without a pass but damn the speed of their rollout has gotten tiresome. All traffic still goes down Upper Chute/Raggedy Andy and they've been making snow on Newfound for a week. I don't get it. I think they really need to make a paradigm shift in their snowmaking strategy and quit making 6 feet of snow everywhere. They have the fixed gear on every trail now if they really need to go back they should just do so.

Seems to me like they’re not comfortable opening anything unless there’s a couple feet of man made. I always feel they are being overly cautious. On the other hand snow making days have been interrupted by warm temps. For instance we’re back to near 50 by Tuesday.

 

[machski]

Seems to me like they’re not comfortable opening anything unless there’s a couple feet of man made. I always feel they are being overly cautious. On the other hand snow making days have been interrupted by warm temps. For instance we’re back to near 50 by Tuesday.

Yes, but that is mostly a one day blip. Should not throw a major wrench in plans. All other resorts are dealing with the same weather yet they continue to roll out multiple new options regularly during these very decent multi-day windows of snowmaking. As Newpy stated, now that they have the fixed gear on trails they do, opening trails on less than a full season depth should not be a major concern as pivoting back is not huge man hours to move mobile equipment around now.

 

[deadheadskier]

Have they had to be extra cautious due to water limitations?

Function of the cheap passes limiting their budget?

 

[Newpylong]

No, I didn't say they are making less snow at all. They are absolutely pounding the place per usual. But their philosophy is to make snow once in each spot and never go back. That comes at the expense of expansion speed because they don't stop until there is like a 4 foot base. It gets frustrating watching piles already the size of houses continue to grow when you're on the same trails for weeks.

I can understand that philosophy if you have all portable gear, but they don't. It's not ideal, but it's not hard to resurface as needed with their equipment inventory.

 

[deadheadskier]

How many miles of runs can they run simultaneously? Obviously that can vary by hydrant count.

My ballpark for Gunstock is about 2 miles of terrain at a time during optimal conditions like now. Basically two top to bottom runs or in the case of today, 4 lower mountain trails. I would think having a similar expansion capacity as Gunstock or Crotched would be a good target for Ragged.

 

[Newpylong]

They already have that type of capacity. Again, this isnt about capacity, it's about how it's used.

 

[Abubob]

Yes, but that is mostly a one day blip. Should not throw a major wrench in plans. All other resorts are dealing with the same weather yet they continue to roll out multiple new options regularly during these very decent multi-day windows of snowmaking. As Newpy stated, now that they have the fixed gear on trails they do, opening trails on less than a full season depth should not be a major concern as pivoting back is not huge man hours to move mobile equipment around now.

What other areas? I’ve haven’t heard of anyone do that.

And — what deadheadskier said vvv

Have they had to be extra cautious due to water limitations?

Function of the cheap passes limiting their budget?

They already have that type of capacity. Again, this isnt about capacity, it's about how it's used.

I don’t think the capacity is exactly bottomless. Don’t they just pull from the top pond and then refill it? Probably don’t have the capacity to do everything simultaneously.

btw Wildside was fully lit. One cannon at the base of Newfound.

 

[AdironRider]

It is objectively the most cost efficient to blow a trail completely then move on. Even with fixed gear you still need to charge lines, patrol needs to block stuff off, groomers only have to push it out once, etc. Yes, that means they don't expand in terms of trail count as quickly, but the product is better and the cost savings still matter for a place like Ragged.

Frankly, Newpy is not an unbiased voice here. He talked some real shit about Black until they started cutting him checks and now they are the bees knees for example. This really comes off as sour grapes.

 

[urungus]

that means they don't expand in terms of trail count as quickly, but the product is better

How is the product better if they never come back to resurface after thaw/freeze cycles turn everything to solid ice ?

 

[AdironRider]

Because realistically a mountain that size isn't going to resurface most trails, certainly not in any sort of timeframe that would have an impact. What I meant by better is they ensure a long season, which for Ragged, which does not get much natural and is in a location not known for being very conducive temp wise (Upper Valleyish climate is more like CT than you would expect), a solid base is going to give better results operationally overall. They get a freeze thaw cycle literally every week most years.