The NEW Magic Mountain

[urungus]

No. Your physical Indy pass is a token for schmucks who really wanted a cool pass photo piece of plastic. It’s completely useless except for at a handful of RFID enabled areas.

Are there really any Indy ski areas that have RFID enabled ? I haven’t been able to identify a single one.

 

[jaytrem]

Are there really any Indy ski areas that have RFID enabled ? I haven’t been able to identify a single one.

Only place so far for me has been Little Switzerland. Oddly enough, they do not use Entabeni.

 

[NYDB]

Friggin ghost town here today.

Rolled in about 10:30. Front row spot in lot 1.

There were about 100 people here today it seemed.

Geoff was out front shoveling the deck.

Snow was soft. Limited terrain of course.

Opened trick like midday. Little park on show off for the kiddos and the old guy who still thinks he is a kid (knees beg to differ)

All in all a stellar day. Started rain / misting the end of the day but not bad.

I figured there would be a few more people there today with the recent storm but it was like a private mountain today.

 

[Abominable]

We had a great day! Great conditions for the kids, mountain was beautiful, empty and quiet.

 

[slatham]

Got out for afternoon shift. They have made a significant recovery from poor weather just a couple of days ago. Skiing was really nice and very wintry. 3-4” of sierra cement followed by 5” since then has put snowmaking trails into great shape and opened a few natural trails. They continue to make snow with 10 ratniks on UMC, 2 towers on Medium, 2 rats on Wand, and 3 fans on Hocus Pocus. They have other areas to shore up, and they want to finish Carumba (not open). But the move to the west side should be his week.

Definitely proving they can offer good skiing early and without copious natural snow.

 

[skithetrees]

Skiing has been great. conditions have exceeded expectations.

 

[MG Skier]

I skied yesterday. I was very impressed with the recovery and snowmaking plans moving forward! Keep at it Magic!

 

[ne_skier]

Weather has certainly helped, but they're maximizing their snowmaking this year like they haven't before. Hats off.

Snowmaking on Sorcerer seems to be more controversial, but if there isn't any real snow in the forecast after Wizard/Tali are done, how about making some snow there just to open it up, whether grooming it out or leaving smaller whales to be chopped up into moguls (could be fun with the lack of all-natural runs open)? Or, if they really want to show off, how about doing it on Black Line?

 

[WoodCore]

Weather has certainly helped, but they're maximizing their snowmaking this year like they haven't before. Hats off.

Snowmaking on Sorcerer seems to be more controversial, but if there isn't any real snow in the forecast after Wizard/Tali are done, how about making some snow there just to open it up, whether grooming it out or leaving smaller whales to be chopped up into moguls (could be fun with the lack of all-natural runs open)? Or, if they really want to show off, how about doing it on Black Line?

If I recall correctly they have made snow on Sorcerer recently. As long as the weather and water supply hold up would love to see both Sorcerer and Witch/Blackline hardened with snowmaking in addition to usual west side snowmaking of Wizard/Tali.

 

[Newpylong]

They'll do them all if the weather holds.

 

[slatham]

The snowmaking team is certainly dialed in this year. New guns and having the system ready in mid- November have been a major help.

From what I could gather this past weekend, they are finishing up East side with Carumba and some lower LMC reinforcement. Then they go west with a plan to first hit all of Wizard. Then Tali, with this done by MLK (temps look favorable). Might not be true, and even if so they could change plans.

They have made snow on Sorcerer in the past couple years (not last year) and there are mixed feelings about it (I am opposed, BUT if natural is lacking I would argue a thinner, dryer base just deep enough to open might be warranted).

Whether they do Sorcerer before Witch/Black Line is a good question. Obviously Sorcerer would take a fraction of the time. But Witch/Black Line is a highly visible trail, popular, and hasn’t seen snowmaking in the modern Magic era. It would send a big message IMHO.

But to Newpylongs comment, if temps hold and it doesn’t snow 5’ they do them all.

 

[ne_skier]

Might be a dumb question since I've never seen snowmaking on BL (Have any of us?), but would they just leave snow whales out to be chopped up or groom it out? I could see grooming most of it but you couldn't pay me to drive a cat down the ledges.
Agreed that Sorcerer is better left natural, Talisman is a much better choice to groom out since it has that runout while Sorcerer is steep till it merges with Wizard (so no bumpy hardpack after pounding moguls). That said, whatever it takes to get more terrain open w/o natural snow

 

[Newpylong]

They won't groom up there no.

 

[slatham]

They won't groom up there no.

Generally speaking I agree, but they have in the past come down Broomstick into skiers left of Blackline and then out via Link. I think they need a winch for Lower Witch and the cliff bands on Blackline.

 

[Newpylong]

That is exactly what I am referring to. Since it's not a straight shot to come down without a winch, it won't happen. They can only go up so high on Black.

 

[letitsnow1]

A few years ago they had a winch cat in the yard, I was told they were rebuilding it

 

[MG Skier]

I remember seeing that winch cat.
I don't think link has been open in a bit.
IIRC there may be some washout from past storms. Not sure a groomer could navigate it.