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The "Sugarbush Thread"

cdskier

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One option is to possibly complete part of the work. For instance add snowmaking across Heaven’s Gate Traverse up to Murphy’s and complete the rest next summer. Having an alternative to Downspout would be a big plus.
Yea...doing at least that part first if there's no time for the entire project would make a lot of sense. That's probably the much easier part to get done as well with limited time since you don't need to cut an entirely new trail like you do with the Reverse Traverse realignment part.
 

teleo

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One option is to possibly complete part of the work. For instance add snowmaking across Heaven’s Gate Traverse up to Murphy’s and complete the rest next summer. Having an alternative to Downspout would be a big plus.
I'd be happy if that's all they ever did of this project.
 

thetrailboss

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FWIW Jay is doing a similar event for $30. Same deal--12 samples and a glass.


Alterra just did a similar event at Deer Valley and it was also on the $75 range. Five years ago it would have been a no-brainer to go as it was the full Deer Valley experience. Now it is just average at best and overpriced. No thanks. I told my wife we would pass. We went to a Deer Valley Concert this summer. We usually go to one every year as it was always fun and the food was amazing and reasonably priced. This year the service sucked, we saw event staff getting into fights with the audience (this was NOT a heavy metal show--it was the fucking Utah Symphony Orchestra) the beer was $14 for an 8oz pour in a cheap plastic cup, and the event was just not the same. They are a complete shadow of what they once were.
 

Hawk

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I have not check around with my people lately but there has been a buch of work going on. it looks like they dug a huge trench across the bottom of Spring Fling going over to Racers Edge. Maybe a new snowmaking line? I guess all will be revealed on Saturday at the meeting. I saw all the guns. I like the look of all the new tower guns.
 

ceo

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50. They're packaged in alternating directions, you can see the heads at both ends. One rack of 30, one of 20.
 

IceEidolon

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Most of those look like Klik semiauto hydrant setups based on the small valve blocks and the rack of Klik hydrants. Those start up as fast as a guy can walk from one gun to the next, and they're the nicest manual gun IMO on the market.

Looks like some portables hiding in the back, too, and obviously the fan arm. That's a right respectable amount of firepower.
 

Newpylong

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I wasnt always suprised their fans haven't made more inroads they were my favorite by far. The simplicity and ability to change the throw from fire hose to traditional plume is amazing.
 

IceEidolon

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Guys I worked with demoed one and liked it until it got marginal. If a tower can't make half decent snow at 27 degrees pointed up to the sky with the wind behind it, a lot of places aren't interested - the Diablo has that glaring weakness in an otherwise darn impressive package.

I got to try a 30 Amp Halo model at Roundtop and was impressed by the throw, but I hear there are icing issues with that ring and nozzle combo.

Then there's the cost of buying another several grand if you get both nozzle setups.

I wish you could valve the main bulk nozzle all the way off, with the nuc water supply running a few very small primary bulks... But that's more to fabricate and drain.
 

Newpylong

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That is true. We were an all air/water hill with only a few carriage fans so it was not noticable because they all were making slop in those temps lol.
 

cdskier

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Mr Skiology know-it-all "broke" the news on FB that Sugarbush is adding snowmaking to Reverse Traverse and plans to replace HG next year. He claims these have not yet been announced by Sugarbush (false at least on the Reverse Traverse part for sure as that was announced in May by John Hammond).

He also apparently thinks SB will move the base of HG down to the bottom of Lower DS by the entrance to CR because "the only way that Reverse Traverse can get to Heaven's Gate is to extend that lift down to where Castle Rock's bottom terminal is, and they do line up pretty nicely!" I guess he's never looked at a trail map of SB and hasn't seen the actual proposed plans for the RT/HGT project which would clearly show the snow-making being added to HGT with no change in alignment to that part. I see absolutely no value in extending HG that much further downhill. It would just make a longer ride time and serve no additional useful terrain. You'd also have to clear quite a bit of space to make a new base terminal and loading area. I think he's wrong on that assumption...
 

Hawk

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We will know all tomorrow. If they plan to replace HG they had better get going on approvals and ordering things. I would bet it is too late for next year if they have not started as of yet.
 

slatham

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The guy puts it out there like it’s a fact, yet not publicly known. When in actuality it’s a guess, based a few facts combined with little knowledge of the hill in question (or of the approval process).
 
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