Was this past weekend the peak...

[4aprice]

Of the season crowd wise? Camelback was silly crowded Saturday (est 14,000) and busy Sunday as well (est 10,000). A bunch of fellow season pass holders were on the deck waving a hearty good bye to the tourists on Sunday like the Jersey Shore residents do on Labor Day. It was thier opinion that we reclaim the mountain from here till the end.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[Greg]

It'll probably begin to taper a bit. Unless the snow keeps falling in the metro areas. We get a lot of melting though this time of year so it doesn't hang around down south.

March = best skiing month.

 

[drjeff]

You could still easily see a HUGE crowd with proper weather + recent fresh snow scenarios the next probably 4 weeks or so. What you won't see though associated with that potential HUGE crowd is the local lodges/hotels/condos as full as they were last week(end)

BTW, I heard from a few reputable folks at Mount Snow that this past Saturday was their busiest of the year - if it wasn't, it was pretty close to it IMHO

 

[dmc]

BTW, I heard from a few reputable folks at Mount Snow that this past Saturday was their busiest of the year - if it wasn't, it was pretty close to it IMHO

Heard the same thing about the Pocono's and Hunter definitely had more customers on Saturday too... I guess when there's snow in NYC people want to ski..

We were waving goodbye to everyone from the lifts on Saturday...

 

[RootDKJ]

Blue was busier on Saturday. Cars were parked up and down Blue Mountain Drive by the valley lot. At the top lot, cars were parked all the way down the driveway right up to the road (on both sides).

 

[dmc]

Blue was busier on Saturday. Cars were parked up and down Blue Mountain Drive by the valley lot. At the top lot, cars were parked all the way down the driveway right up to the road (on both sides).

And why not... It was a great day!

But enoughs enough...

 

[4aprice]

Needed to bump this as this past weekend became the busiest of the season. Any one beside me notice more straight skis on the slopes then anytime since the early 1990's. I swear with the snow (Poconos got about 2 1/2 feet) some people must have pulled out their skis from the closet. A solid 3 day weekend for Camelback as Friday was busy as well. Snow is awesome heading into the best month of the year.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[billski]

I am thrilled for the ski areas - put more money in their pockets, visibility to the sport, longevity of operation is a gift to all of us. Let it continue!

I was listening to someone (quack?) on the radio arguing that all this "precipitation" is the result of "global warming." I don't know what caused it, but I'll take another helping, sir!

 

[Euler]

Today was busy at Mt. Snow...even on trails that are normally sparsley populated, I found myself surrounded by lots and lots of folks who came out to enjoy the epic snow. I do think it's going to quiet down from here on out...it's March tommorow. Up here, we're tapping trees and down there folks are thinking about golf, and whatever else one does in CT during the summer.

 

[Smellytele]

Needed to bump this as this past weekend became the busiest of the season. Any one beside me notice more straight skis on the slopes then anytime since the early 1990's. I swear with the snow (Poconos got about 2 1/2 feet) some people must have pulled out their skis from the closet. A solid 3 day weekend for Camelback as Friday was busy as well. Snow is awesome heading into the best month of the year.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

I saw many a yahoo with starter jackets and straight skis, rear entry boots and smoking butts in line at wildcat on friday for the nine dollar day. I thought I was in southern VT. People were still coming in at 1 oclock to ski as well saying they drove 4 hours. I told them they might get 2 runs in before the mountain closed with the crowds (actually only a max 15 minute wait in line). Gunstock was not crowded at all on Saturday with only a max 5 minute wait.

 

[Philpug]

14k on Saturday??? Day-um. What did Blue do?

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Of the season crowd wise? Camelback was silly crowded Saturday (est 14,000) and busy Sunday as well (est 10,000). A bunch of fellow season pass holders were on the deck waving a hearty good bye to the tourists on Sunday like the Jersey Shore residents do on Labor Day. It was thier opinion that we reclaim the mountain from here till the end.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Those numbers are astounding to me for a little place like Camelback. A busy day for Whiteface is over 4,000.

I get what you mean by tourist v regulars/locals. I wonder how many AZers consider themselves tourist. I’m guessing not many.

 

[4aprice]

Those numbers are astounding to me for a little place like Camelback. A busy day for Whiteface is over 4,000.

I get what you mean by tourist v regulars/locals. I wonder how many AZers consider themselves tourist. I’m guessing not many.

Camelback had over 7000 reserved tickets for Saturday by Thursday night. By days end almost every trail had bumps on them.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Camelback had over 7000 reserved tickets for Saturday by Thursday night. By days end almost every trail had bumps on them.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

What would you say the average lift line wait is for a day when they have 14,000 people.

 

[billski]

I wonder how many AZers consider themselves tourist. I’m guessing not many.

considering there are well over 1000 registered AZ forum members, but only a hundred or two are consistently active, it's really too hard to tell. I'm sure we have our share of people who come just to leach information, but share nothing in return.

What makes a "tourist"? Somebody who only skis when all the stars align every few years? I'm a free-agent, no mountain allegiance, but don't require any assistance getting around - am I a tourist? The people who spend more time inside than out?
It almost doesn't matter - there are so many different types. As long as the resort gets their business, I'm happy.

 

[4aprice]

What would you say the average lift line wait is for a day when they have 14,000 people.

They have a good lift capacity somewhere around 18,000 per hour when all lifts are operating. Lines depended on which lift one was skiing off of. The quads probably had lines up to 15 minutes, particulaly Stevenson which is kind of a dead end, while the fixed grips had about a 2-5 minute lines. Asp which is bumped was the least crowded trail wise but there were some others that just had people all over them. I'm glad the mountain made money but I'm ready for the crowds to go home.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[4aprice]

What makes a "tourist"? Somebody who only skis when all the stars align every few years? I'm a free-agent, no mountain allegiance, but don't require any assistance getting around - am I a tourist? The people who spend more time inside than out?
It almost doesn't matter - there are so many different types. As long as the resort gets their business, I'm happy.

You're no tourist Bill. I'd be glad to share the mountain with you anyday.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[billski]

They have a good lift capacity somewhere around 18,000 per hour when all lifts are operating. Lines depended on which lift one was skiing off of. The quads probably had lines up to 15 minutes, particulaly Stevenson which is kind of a dead end, while the fixed grips had about a 2-5 minute lines. Asp which is bumped was the least crowded trail wise but there were some others that just had people all over them. I'm glad the mountain made money but I'm ready for the crowds to go home.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

I can't imagine how packed the trails were.

Let's do some math. Assume optimum conditions- all lifts turning at full speed, wait of 15 mins, let's say the average lift ride to the top is 5 minutes. Assume 14,000 tickets sold, but only 10,000 outside at the same time. 20/60 = 2/3rds of the people on the slopes simultaneously: 6,667 people on trails. So: 265 skiable acres = 25 on-snow people per acre. @55 trails, that's 121 people per trail simultaneously. Patrol must have been wicked busy.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

What makes a "tourist"? Somebody who only skis when all the stars align every few years? I'm a free-agent, no mountain allegiance, but don't require any assistance getting around - am I a tourist? The people who spend more time inside than out?
It almost doesn't matter - there are so many different types. As long as the resort gets their business, I'm happy.

It doesn't matter for sure. Isn't a tourist just someone who travels somewhere for recreation?

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

You're no tourist Bill. I'd be glad to share the mountain with you anyday.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

Do you think tourist are undesirables who you don't want to share the mountain with?