Snowmaking underway at Killington

[Geoff]

I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt with the day-by-day thing. They've got a nice window this week so it's cool they're going for it. Doubt they would have this early in the past few years. What 10 day are you looking at Geoff? Looks like night-time opportunities for snowmaking down to the base according to the NWS 7 day.

I glanced at the Weather.com 10-day since the NWS only goes out 7. Next week looks like "normal mid-October". 50-ish. Some nice days. Some cloudy days where it spits a little. No huge warmup. No huge deluge. Lower Bunny might not freeze up overnight on some of the nights.

This one is going to be fun to watch. They could open but the odds are low that they could stay open. We'll see how important season length is with their new marketing strategy.

 

[Glenn]

Can someone attach a pic or two? Flikr is firewalled..... :-x

 

[ta&idaho]

Can someone attach a pic or two? Flikr is firewalled..... :-x

Here are two (with their Creative Commons attribution)

<div xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/killington/4007609437/"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/killington/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/killington/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">CC BY-NC-ND 2.0</a></div>

 

[Highway Star]

The long range forecast for next week looks like a return to more seasonal weather beginning Sunday. Lower Bunny is unlikely to last the week. Like the Preston Smith days, this one comes out of the marketing budget. It will be interesting to see whether they are serious about returning to the whole "Beast of the East" thing.

I personally would appreciate more candor from them. "We want to open this weekend but we need temps of Xxxxxx and humidity of Yyyyyy on Lower Bunny for Zzzzzz hours for that to happen." or "We looked at the 10 day forecast and we don't think we'll get more than 2 or 3 days before lower Bunny melts out. The best we can do is stockpile snow on the upper mountain and open on the next cold snap."

This bothers me. If they aren't going for an opening, there's nothing stopping the weather from taking a turn for the worse and completely melting out the snow they are making right now, before anyone has a chance to ski it.

At least if they get open...........

 

[Greg]

This bothers me. If they aren't going for an opening, there's nothing stopping the weather from taking a turn for the worse and completely melting out the snow they are making right now, before anyone has a chance to ski it.

At least if they get open...........

Thanks.

Seriously, preaching to the choir. Nothing more we can do at this point than hope for the best, which is what I'm doing. This is nothing new. We go through this every year. It just adds to the stoke level.

 

[andyzee]

This bothers me. If they aren't going for an opening, there's nothing stopping the weather from taking a turn for the worse and completely melting out the snow they are making right now, before anyone has a chance to ski it.

At least if they get open...........

If you're to believe present forecasts, conditions look good into Monday.

 

[Glenn]

Here are two (with their Creative Commons attribution)

<div xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/killington/4007609437/"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/killington/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/killington/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">CC BY-NC-ND 2.0</a></div>

Excellent! Thanks for posting those!

 

[SpinmasterK]

I was hoping for exactly that kind of response from SpinmasterK!

It's a neat marketing trick but I'm curious to know what they're planning this for exactly.

The short-term plan is to stockpile at the peak. We'll have to see if the forecast allows for snowmaking down Lower Bunny in this window. If not, looks like another good window for snowmaking temps begins on the 24th. Right now though, we're taking it day to day.
BTW, this is not a marketing trick!

 

[Greg]

BTW, this is not a marketing trick!

Says the "Spin Master"!!

Keep pounding away. Post some pics as the whales grow up there! :beer:

 

[SpinmasterK]

Forecast looks real nice!
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...6757812&site=btv&smap=1&marine=0&unit=0&lg=en

 

[Greg]

Forecast looks real nice!
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...6757812&site=btv&smap=1&marine=0&unit=0&lg=en

Indeed. Gotta watch this one too (the Bunny Buster forecast): :lol:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...3250732&site=btv&smap=1&marine=0&unit=0&lg=en

What's the gun status right now Tom? Still firing, or a midday break?

 

[Highway Star]

 

[Johnskiismore]

Wow, looks great!!

 

[danpop]

The picture is from 10/30/2008... last season's snowmaking..

 

[Highway Star]

The picture is from 10/30/2008... last season's snowmaking..

.....point being, that was the day (Thursday) they STARTED making snow at the base of the K-1, and they were open on that Sunday. They could have been open that Saturday.......

 

[deadheadskier]

Are the guns going on Fiddle yet?

 

[drjeff]

.....point being, that was the day (Thursday) they STARTED making snow at the base of the K-1, and they were open on that Sunday. They could have been open that Saturday.......

Based on that clear blue sky, with the clouds draped from the West heading East off K-peak in that pic, I'm guessing that the snowmaking conditions that day were just a smidge better than today's close to freezing/high humidity condtions, and I'll guarentee that the ground in that pic from last year was a heck of a lot more frozen than it is right now. HS, you seem to being trying to compare apples and oranges in that pic vs. today.

Will they have a good window of dry air and DECENT temps the next 36-48 hours, looks like it. While there then likely be some humdity thrown into the equation later this week, probably so.

I'd also be that from a marketing standpoint, K would LOVE to have the Techno-Alpin at the Chute/Mouse Trap intersection fully operation and temps permitting pumping out some snow (even if it's only been doing so for 10 minutes) on opening day. Maximize the marketing bang for the buck of that 1 lovely yellow machine

 

[mister moose]

I'd also be that from a marketing standpoint, K would LOVE to have the Techno-Alpin at the Chute/Mouse Trap intersection fully operation and temps permitting pumping out some snow (even if it's only been doing so for 10 minutes) on opening day. Maximize the marketing bang for the buck of that 1 lovely yellow machine

There were three of those lovely yellow machines in the KBL parking lot this weekend.

 

[jerryg]

BTW, this is not a marketing trick!

Trick or not, early season snowmaking and openings are always about marketing. You want to show that you are dedicated to the customer. As opposed to trying to make money with early tickets, a resort makes a great impression and people come back because they know they can depend on the product.

 

[andyzee]

Forecast looks real nice!
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...6757812&site=btv&smap=1&marine=0&unit=0&lg=en

OK Spin, here's the story, I just reserved a hotel room, Friday into Sunday. Don't mess up my weekend!