drjeff
Well-known member
To quote my daughter, who rode the Jordan Double out on Sunday.... " the folks hiking and skating on the work road looked like a line of people as long and as frustrated as the line for the Bluebird on a Holiday weekend!"
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Sunday River 22-23
- Thread starter Smellytele
- Start date
To quote my daughter, who rode the Jordan Double out on Sunday.... " the folks hiking and skating on the work road looked like a line of people as long and as frustrated as the line for the Bluebird on a Holiday weekend!"
machski
Well-known member
Ops is pounding out the snow, Vortex and Airglow/Black hole were fantastic under the guns. WH is coming along, needs about another 24 hours or so and I heard a rumor that Patrol is concerned about a shelf forming and letting go so may need to be winched first before it opens. Could have done without the freezing rain ending today.
Newpylong
Well-known member
Did they not finish Upper Downdraft? Heard they started but it looked closed when I looked. Impressive what they've done. Coming in on the home stretch.
parahelia
Active member
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- Jul 24, 2018
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Nope, no snowmaking on Upper Downdraft over the last weekend and it's still closed. I hope it's on the list soon.
They were blowing snow all over the mountain this weekend and it turned what could have been a pretty marginal weekend into a lot of fun. Airglow/Black Hole and Vortex were my favorites, too - giant snowmaking bumps that kept growing. Rogue Angel and 3D were also getting some attention and 3D in particular was a good time. Lost Princess was great in parts and sketchy in others, I think its snowmaking was before the mixed event late last week.
The increase in snowmaking capacity is very obvious. They had guns going all the way down many trails simultaneously all weekend long. While they were blowing the aforementioned trails, they were also lighting up White Heat (all weekend long), Cascades (it needed it), and patching up bits and pieces of the mountain here and there. It really made a difference.
In completely unrelated news, we stopped into the lodge on North Peak with our kids and bought our first on-mountain food of the season. The individual cheese pizzas are $9, just over $7 with the passholder discount, and are pretty large (10"? 12"?). Maybe I've just had high prices beaten into my head so long I'm drinking the Kool-aid, but I thought that wasn't bad at all. Two of us split it and called it lunch.
Newpylong
Well-known member
Yeah, meanwhile Killington (who I love and obviously will defend as appropriate) is struggling to get 3 trails total going total across the entire resort. The River's investments are showing.
Smellytele
Well-known member
No longer the Beast! The beast has been toppled.
Hawk
Well-known member
When are going to blow the Heater and Shockwave? Getting late for those two.
Newpylong
Well-known member
White Heat is done. Shockwave along with a few others need to be done still.
Hawk
Well-known member
I was checking the trail report and is was closed. That is why I asked.
I was there yesterday and was surprised how much was not open this late in the season. I fully understand their weather challenges, but this is supposed to be the Beast!
Newpylong
Well-known member
I'm not sure what's going on but after coming out of the gate strong in '22 things have really slowed down over there. They're being outclassed in that department. Even their undersized and long in the tooth system should be capable of much more.
From what I was told by a good source the snowmaking budget has taken a beating and the Superstar glacier may not be as high as in the past. They were rolling up the hoses and pulling the guns back on Skyburst yesterday as we rode the first chair at 9.
machski
Well-known member
I heard it opened today. They were making Heat in rather marginal wet bulb Monday and heard they put a very heavy slab on top of drier beneath. I think many of us understand the problem there so patrol insisted on multiday cure to stabilize. Then they had to set rope line on the gunside, etc. I'm fine with them delaying to now on WH and for sure Shockwave, weather has sucked to now. Want to see Upper Downdraft since they lined it with Klik Impulse sticks this summer. Will be interesting to see how it comes out. We have those 2, Quantum Leap, Wildfire, Bear Paw, Eureka, Rocking Chair, South Paw and Top Gun to go. Agony won't see gunsmoke this year, the air hydrants have been pulled and capped. Oh yeah, Double Dipper in South Ridge which would be nice to avoid Sundance midweek when having to ski to South Ridge for Chondi off North.
Hawk
Well-known member
I have actually seen the results of a slab breaking free on White heat. I can understand the concern.
I am visiting soon before I go to Italy. I need to catch up with old friends.
I am visiting soon before I go to Italy. I need to catch up with old friends.
Newpylong
Well-known member
Happened on Double Dipper at K one year, took our a bunch of snowmaking hydrants and towers. Luckily no injuries or damage to the lift.
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machski
Well-known member
Oh, they slide BlackHole about every three years or so. They have slid Shockwave a bunch as well, including a 150' slide or so while it was open that swept at least 1 skier down with it several years ago now. Not very deep and skier was ok but obviously startled quite a bit. With all the new snow, Shockwave will be suspect now when they start making it.
drjeff
Well-known member
Guessing that there are far more Eastern Resorts that have had snowmaking trails occasionally slide, than most folks realize
Happened at Belleayre a few years back, Yahoo slid and took out the front of the Overlook lodge.
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