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The Race is ON!

Huck_It_Baby

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Killington & Woodbury due to open today. Sunday River is blowing snow as is Stowe! Who else is making snow and joining the race?

Are things starting to get competative? I think so. A facebook post from Stowe:

"Guess what we are doing right now? Last night around 2am our snowmakers fired up the snow guns to test the new system. We wanted to see how the new guns work in marginal temperatures, and sure enough we are making snow near the base of the mountain on Lower North Slope at temperatures of 30F to 32F. Anyone can make snow at the summits in 20 degree temperatures this time of year, but we are very pleased to be able to make snow in the base area now at marginal near-freezing temperatures, thanks to our new snow guns!!"


 

Mildcat

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Loon made snow on two trails and say they will open as soon as possible.
 

deadheadskier

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I wouldn't get your hopes up on Stowe. I don't recall them ever opening earlier than maybe a week before Thanksgiving. November business is not a priority for them. Good to hear the new equipment is working as they had hoped though.
 

Gilligan

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Stowe facebook page said:
Anyone can make snow at the summits in 20 degree temperatures this time of year
For a classy place like Stowe, this does not sound very classy. Give the devil his due.
 

steamboat1

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Stowe doesn't need to give credit. They're not in the fight, never have been. They've already announced they don't plan to open till Nov. 17. They will also close before the battle lines are drawn in the spring for the last man standing. Even with a good number of trails still fully covered. Their comment was about their new snow making guns that are able to pump out a quality product in marginal conditions even in warmer, lower elevation areas. I can tell you one thing, when they do open they'll most likely have the best snow conditions on the most open terrain in the east. They will also pump out more man made snow than just about anyone else during their season in addition to the abundant above average natural snow they receive. Their comment was about themselves, I don't really think they give a hoot about anyone else & frankly I can't blame them. They are blessed to have some of the best terrain in one of the most scenic natural environments in the east.
 
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deadheadskier

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For a classy place like Stowe, this does not sound very classy. Give the devil his due.

You seriously think that comment was made to try and mock Killington? Maybe a little a bit, but I don't think Stowe harbors any jealousy towards Killington, Sunday River or other areas that choose to open early. It's never been their M.O. They'll open the week before or week of Thanksgiving and spin the lifts until the 3rd week of April. Same thing they've been doing every year since I started skiing there in 95.

I think it's great that they are installing new snowmaking equipment that will help them during mild spells. For an area that receives 300+ inches of snow a season on a mountain that holds snow very well, they still blow a ton of snow.
 

deadheadskier

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. Their comment was about themselves, I don't really think they give a hoot about anyone else & frankly I can't blame them. They are blessed to have some of the best terrain in one of the most scenic natural environments in the east.

Pretty much. I don't really think Stowe considers much besides Tremblant to be a competitor in the East. I think they're more interested in providing a convincing product that makes people consider staying East instead of travelling out West. That is the reason for offering the lodging product they now offer. The Spruce Peak development really hasn't increased their skier visits that much. They've been in the 300-350K skier visit range every year since the mid 90s. What the lodge has done is bring in people with more money to spend. The only thing Stowe really has done in recent years to compete against other areas in New England is when they gave up on the "Great 48" campaign and increased their trail count to 116. I used to know quite a few of the marketing employees at the mountain. This change was made to attract more European skiers away from other Eastern areas. It had nothing to do with Northeastern clientele. They were losing European skiers to other New England areas because the perception was that Stowe was less than half the size of the Okemos, Sunday Rivers, Killingtons and Strattons.
 

steamboat1

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Pretty much. I don't really think Stowe considers much besides Tremblant to be a competitor in the East. I think they're more interested in providing a convincing product that makes people consider staying East instead of travelling out West. That is the reason for offering the lodging product they now offer. The Spruce Peak development really hasn't increased their skier visits that much. They've been in the 300-350K skier visit range every year since the mid 90s. What the lodge has done is bring in people with more money to spend. The only thing Stowe really has done in recent years to compete against other areas in New England is when they gave up on the "Great 48" campaign and increased their trail count to 116. I used to know quite a few of the marketing employees at the mountain. This change was made to attract more European skiers away from other Eastern areas. It had nothing to do with Northeastern clientele. They were losing European skiers to other New England areas because the perception was that Stowe was less than half the size of the Okemos, Sunday Rivers, Killingtons and Strattons.
The length of one run at Stowe is equivalent to 2,3 or more runs at most other areas. Not to mention they're fairly challenging top to bottom. The new lodging & base area at Stowe/Spruce Peak makes developments like Jackson Gore at Okemo, the Killington Grand or Claybrook at Sugarbush look like just warming huts.
 
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Gilligan

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You seriously think that comment was made to try and mock Killington? Maybe a little a bit.
Not just Killington. I am sure they were trying to take a shot at Sunday River, too. "Anyone can make snow at the summits . . . this time of year." Who else could they possibly be referring to?

Stowe is a classy place, no argument here. This particular piece of marketing drivel, and its timing, are not.
 

deadheadskier

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Not just Killington. I am sure they were trying to take a shot at Sunday River, too. "Anyone can make snow at the summits . . . this time of year." Who else could they possibly be referring to?

Stowe is a classy place, no argument here. This particular piece of marketing drivel, and its timing, are not.

I think you have an active imagination and are trying to read between lines that don't exist. Stowe's never been in the early season game. They don't care one bit that Killington opened.

It got cold. They fired up their new equipment to get their customers excited and posted on their facebook page about it. I really don't see the big deal even with the comment, "Anyone can blow snow at elevation with 20 degree temps." What would you rather Stowe said? "Congrats Killington!!!"???

Magic Mountain fired up their snowguns in September for preseason marketing buzz. It's what ski resorts do in the fall.
 

BenedictGomez

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This change was made to attract more European skiers away from other Eastern areas. It had nothing to do with Northeastern clientele. They were losing European skiers to other New England areas because the perception was that Stowe was less than half the size of the Okemos, Sunday Rivers, Killingtons and Strattons.

When I worked there I was always amazed at the European skiers. I used to think to myself, what in God's name are these people thinking?
 
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