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The "Sugarbush Thread"

benski

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Jun 18, 2014
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They might get there...good temps until the mess on Friday. HG traverse might be the key unless they have been secretly hitting Deathspout.
The trail map labels HG traverse as a natural snow trail, and I don't remember guns last time I was up there in '21.

Winter Park's snowmaking is also a mess of half asses attempted trail openings. They had 4 trails 90% of the way done Halloween and haven't opened any. It seemed like they skipped guns on each trail. But one trail doesn't have guns all they way to the top which is extra baffling. The theory I heard on the lift is they did a major pump capacity upgrade last summer but have pipes that can't handle it. It just looked like they decided to do a lot of things poorly. It sounds like Sugarbush is doing the same thing, unable to commit to a manageable amount of trails focused on without the excuse of a pump too powerful for the system.
 

Lotso

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May 27, 2021
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The trail map labels HG traverse as a natural snow trail, and I don't remember guns last time I was up there in '21.

Winter Park's snowmaking is also a mess of half asses attempted trail openings. They had 4 trails 90% of the way done Halloween and haven't opened any. It seemed like they skipped guns on each trail. But one trail doesn't have guns all they way to the top which is extra baffling. The theory I heard on the lift is they did a major pump capacity upgrade last summer but have pipes that can't handle it. It just looked like they decided to do a lot of things poorly. It sounds like Sugarbush is doing the same thing, unable to commit to a manageable amount of trails focused on without the excuse of a pump too powerful for the system.
I thought they put snowmaking on it. Would be kinda worthless as only Jester could be used unless they got down OG past Downspout. I think they will get the WROD on GH, though that will be horrid with the crowds.
 

jonnyco14

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Mar 10, 2020
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My guess is you will get Jester, Organgrinder, and murphys with heaven's gate traverse tying it all together with pushover off gatehouse. They have a pretty decent window tonight into tomorrow to get the bottom in shape. They have a 12 hour window tonight and a 12 hour window tomorrow night.
 

fulgoreXC

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I thought they put snowmaking on it. Would be kinda worthless as only Jester could be used unless they got down OG past Downspout. I think they will get the WROD on GH, though that will be horrid with the crowds.
Confirmed. There is snowmaking from the top of Steins along HG Traverse (used to be called Reverse Traverse) all the way to the HG lift. btw... groomer sighting in the background of the summit snow stake. It looks like Jester is getting pushed out.
 

tumbler

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I don't think OG will be in play unless they have been blowing Downspout from bottom of OG to HG chair. I think it will be up Bravo then Murphy's to HG traverse then up HG to Jester back to Murphy's and downloading. It will be interesting if they can get Pushover to SB forest. They will also open First Time so there's 4 lifts- more than anyone in the East!!
 

Lotso

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My guess is you will get Jester, Organgrinder, and murphys with heaven's gate traverse tying it all together with pushover off gatehouse. They have a pretty decent window tonight into tomorrow to get the bottom in shape. They have a 12 hour window tonight and a 12 hour window tomorrow night.
I see better that that: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-72.899&lat=44.137

Looks like round the clock until late Thursday night, at least I hope so.
 

cdskier

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The trail map labels HG traverse as a natural snow trail, and I don't remember guns last time I was up there in '21.

Winter Park's snowmaking is also a mess of half asses attempted trail openings. They had 4 trails 90% of the way done Halloween and haven't opened any. It seemed like they skipped guns on each trail. But one trail doesn't have guns all they way to the top which is extra baffling. The theory I heard on the lift is they did a major pump capacity upgrade last summer but have pipes that can't handle it. It just looked like they decided to do a lot of things poorly. It sounds like Sugarbush is doing the same thing, unable to commit to a manageable amount of trails focused on without the excuse of a pump too powerful for the system.

You've missed out on a rather big change...HG Traverse has been completely re-done and now has snow-making. Reverse Traverse from the top of Steins was re-cut and is no longer uphill at all and now includes snow-making (and the entire length from Stein's to HG is now called HG Traverse and considered a single trail instead of 2 separate ones).
 

Hawk

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Mad River Valley / MA
CD is right. They installed the pipe and hydrants when they upgraded the lift on HG traverse from Valley house lift to the HG base. Looking at the base camera they have a long way to go to the bottom. They also shut off the Gatehouse cameras at the top and bottom so we have no idea on that sitting here at home.
Unlike most on here I remember clearly what happened last year...... People forget they advertised opening and then pulled the plug the night before only on the web site. People came up and were pissed. I won't get fooled again. ;-)
 

cdskier

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Super interesting that they were all of a sudden trying to hit Gondolier. Their logic could be to make a thin strip down from the base of HG just for a runout once people are done lapping Jester via HG... That makes some degree of sense if they don't think they have a window to complete enough on GH to have a skiable run on that pod. If you have to run HG, that means you have to run SB (or VH). So may as well focus on a way down without downloading instead of making snow on GH and running a third chair there. And backup plan could be to download on SB if they can't get a skiable runout open from the base of HG. And backup backup plan could be to pivot to ME. I guess we'll see tomorrow as they stated they plan to announce their plans Wednesday afternoon.
 
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