The "Sugarbush Thread"

[Kingslug20]

Organ grinder best shape in a while..

 

[Kingslug20]

It's snowpocalypse on spring and snowball

 

[foofy]

It's interesting because, as we've discussed before, snow reports are crucial on the east coast with the weather and conditions constantly changing. Accuracy makes a big difference and boasts credibility, especially when terrain offerings are so limited.

MRG snow reports remain a refreshing shot of reality and good humor.

 

[tumbler]

Look at all that cloud seeding

 

[JimG.]

i just called it and cancelled my waitsfield and maine hotels for this weekend. back to Canada.

This is a smart move.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

This is a smart move.

it is a smart move. but its also annoying. it is 100% weather's fault, but i got the full ikon and the indy plus specifically so that i could use them on crowded holiday weekends, and i am now spending xmas and mlk at the alterra crown jewel of crowded unblackedout holiday skiing.

this is a first world white person's problem of the highest degree.

the full ikon will get is value via sun valley, jackson, snowbasin, and using 7 killington days

the indy plus seems to already be kind of a bust after failing to use it over xmas or mlk. i am using it at powmow when it would be blacked out (a Saturday). maybe I'll also get to cannon on a sat in feb when the regular indy is blacked out.

 

[1dog]

it is a smart move. but its also annoying. it is 100% weather's fault, but i got the full ikon and the indy plus specifically so that i could use them on crowded holiday weekends, and i am now spending xmas and mlk at the alterra crown jewel of crowded unblackedout holiday skiing.

this is a first world white person's problem of the highest degree.

the full ikon will get is value via sun valley, jackson, snowbasin, and using 7 killington days

the indy plus seems to already be kind of a bust after failing to use it over xmas or mlk. i am using it at powmow when it would be blacked out (a Saturday). maybe I'll also get to cannon on a sat in feb when the regular indy is blacked out.

I am hoping you made a mistake - and we get a foot Thurs-Sat. Correct on the 1st world problem tho. Predictions in weather are similar to the market, no one really knows the future but its where we will all be so good to plan on it.

“The future interests me – I’m going to spend the rest of my life there.”

— Mark Twain

 

[jaybird]

it is a smart move. but its also annoying. it is 100% weather's fault, but i got the full ikon and the indy plus specifically so that i could use them on crowded holiday weekends, and i am now spending xmas and mlk at the alterra crown jewel of crowded unblackedout holiday skiing.

this is a first world white person's problem of the highest degree.

the full ikon will get is value via sun valley, jackson, snowbasin, and using 7 killington days

the indy plus seems to already be kind of a bust after failing to use it over xmas or mlk. i am using it at powmow when it would be blacked out (a Saturday). maybe I'll also get to cannon on a sat in feb when the regular indy is blacked out.

Any indy bust would be heavily offset by what you cite as ikon destinations.
Power to all 1st world beneficiaries

Revelstoke .. 3 weeks and counting
Their early season weak layer has stabilized
Gnorme about to get blanketed again.
Peace out.

 

[Getskied]

Agreed... There have been some really weird mistakes this year too. I've seen several cases where the wrong trail name was mentioned in the narrative (as in trail names that don't even exist...maybe an auto-correct error when typing that the reporter didn't catch before posting or just mixing and matching pieces of names from various trails). For example the other day the narrative said they were making snow at ME on "Sugar Run Forest".

On another note...we need snow quickly so I can stop being so cranky and critical...

The written report is laughably bad this year. It’s like it’s being written by an AI bot given limited prior information. Not only rose colored glasses but just plain wonky descriptions of trails and conditions. I believe skiers are generally reasonable people who also watch the weather conditions (generally) and can be trusted to digest real information and not just fluff. Especially when so many of us already bought seasons passes and gave Alterra most of the money we will spend for the season many months ago.

Fortunately Sugarbush has an A+ webcam game because one can surmise 100x more information from live video feeds than any written report this year. Add that to the MRG report and you have a well rounded idea of what’s actually happening.

 

[tumbler]

So no snowmaking terrain expansion for the holiday weekend or bouncing around for trail refresh. Thanks to favorable temperatures, our snowmakers are going full tilt on several trails; building deep bases to ensure a long season Been running on Snowball > Fling for 3 days. I shouldn't be surprised, it's not what they do.

 

[Hawk]

It's time for Steins. Also upper Birdland needs some. I bet the switch to Steins next.

 

[cdskier]

They've been making snow on Birch and Sunrise...so that's at least a bit of expansion.

Stein's would be nice though.

 

[Hawk]

On the topic of slightly wonky, I noticed a ways back in the Trail reports section they have all the trails and woods listed with status by what peaks they are on. They have Gangsta's and Eden listed as Lincoln Peak and not Gadd peak where they list Steins, Egans, moonshine, Spring fling, etc. You would have thought someone would have caught that. Small but still wonky for an experienced sugarbush web manager.

 

[Getskied]

So no snowmaking terrain expansion for the holiday weekend or bouncing around for trail refresh. Thanks to favorable temperatures, our snowmakers are going full tilt on several trails; building deep bases to ensure a long season Been running on Snowball > Fling for 3 days. I shouldn't be surprised, it's not what they do.

Well they've sure refreshed Spring Fling.

I dont understand it, getting Steins open for the holiday weekend would seem to be a higher priority item than stowing away a slush fund on SF. SF was definitely getting thin in spots but didnt exactly need 96+ straight hours of snowmaking to be skiable again.

If I'm reading the report correctly however they've refreshed Sleeper Chutes, which does count as a refresh! (albeit on 80 vertical feet)

 

[Kingslug20]

They need to groom murphys..frozen bump wasteland...unless you like that sort of thing.
Spring and snowball were very fun yesterday..extended my day by a few hours flying through them.

 

[cdskier]

On the topic of slightly wonky, I noticed a ways back in the Trail reports section they have all the trails and woods listed with status by what peaks they are on. They have Gangsta's and Eden listed as Lincoln Peak and not Gadd peak where they list Steins, Egans, moonshine, Spring fling, etc. You would have thought someone would have caught that. Small but still wonky for an experienced sugarbush web manager.

Yup...we discussed that weirdness last year in here as well. This year I think they moved a couple of the woods from Lincoln to Gadd...but still nowhere near all the ones that should be. Really seems like that would be a simple fix to update which mountain section a trail is located in. Based on the breakdown of trails themselves, I'd say Grandstand is probably the only wood trail that makes sense to stay in the Lincoln Peak section. All the others should be in Gadd based on the trails surrounding them.

 

[Hawk]

Well they've sure refreshed Spring Fling.

I dont understand it, getting Steins open for the holiday weekend would seem to be a higher priority item than stowing away a slush fund on SF. SF was definitely getting thin in spots but didnt exactly need 96+ straight hours of snowmaking to be skiable again.

If I'm reading the report correctly however they've refreshed Sleeper Chutes, which does count as a refresh! (albeit on 80 vertical feet)

They always bury it because that is what they ski last as an alternative to Steins when they only have Vally house open for a lift. Upper snowball faces the sun so it melts out quick. That is where they really need big piles to make is last.

 

[tumbler]

I recall they left upper birdland natural with bumps last year, I hope that is not the plan going forward, that is one of my favorite groomer runs. No Steins is surprising and no upper FIS with the new pipe that went in. I was surprised last weekend with the big grooming plan that Murphy's was not groomed. The people I saw were not enjoying their time on it.

 

[Getskied]

They always bury it because that is what they ski last as an alternative to Steins when they only have Vally house open for a lift. Upper snowball faces the sun so it melts out quick. That is where they really need big piles to make is last.

I get the purpose, just seems like this time of year there might be some other priorities too. If there arent a few more cold snaps in the next month or so to build out spring depths off Valley House we have bigger problems.

 

[Hawk]

I hear you. I have been complaining about snowmaking for years coming from one of the best in the east. I now just deal with it. No more complaining. They will do what they think is best. They have a reason for everything.