Well, looky what we have here.....

[Highway Star]

I am not in anyway qualified to answer that, but I am guessing no. Sure, Sunday River is further north, but their early season trail runs (very approximately) from 2000-2600 feet in elevation. Doesn't Killington's upper mountain lift run from something like 3500-4000 feet in elevation? If so, I would think the elevation advantage would equal or even surpass any advantage Sunday River has in latitiude. Just a guess though, not an expert in weather or the stats.

This is pretty much correct. I've been comparing the NOAA point forecast for SR @ 2000 ft, and Killington @ 3500 ft.........Killington is consistantly colder.

Maybe they're already done some testing during the night up high and don't want to tip their hat. It's no secret that SR will go for it early and the mid-November thing is clearly BS. Why they would even say it is silly unless they've seen a long range forecast and want to play it safe. I think Brent (Larson) has every intention of laying down snow whenever possible.

POWDR's and Nyberg's MO is to not do public testing. I'm sure they have no problem checking the lines without actually making snow. Any start to snowmaking is for real production and an eye on opening. It's too bad they didn't start over the weekend, the overnight weather this week is turning out cooler than forecast.

 

[JerseyJoey]

Was any snow actually made during the SR test? I see water coming out of the guns, but nothing white on the ground. Can someone please post some pictures of actual snow on the ground? I'm jonesin bad and I need to see actual white snow on the ground from this test.

Someone please post some. Thank you.

 

[jerryg]

Was any snow actually made during the SR test? I see water coming out of the guns, but nothing white on the ground. Can someone please post some pictures of actual snow on the ground? I'm jonesin bad and I need to see actual white snow on the ground from this test.

Someone please post some. Thank you.

I think you know they don't exist! Just a little frosting.

 

[JerseyJoey]

I think you know they don't exist! Just a little frosting.

But I need to see snow right now or I'm going to freak out!!! Help!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[billski]

But I need to see snow right now or I'm going to freak out!!! Help!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stop by my office fridge. It's old and doesn't defrost.

 

[jerryg]

But I need to see snow right now or I'm going to freak out!!! Help!!!!!!!!!!!!

A few hours ago on South Ridge...

 

[mondeo]

Huge difference. Sunday River has a history of under promising/over delivering. Killington's history shows quite the opposite. Sunday River skier know they will open as soon as they can, while that remains to be seen for Killington.

Not on opening, they've underpromised the last two years.

You SR people need to get your facts straight on how K opens.

 

[mondeo]

I am not in anyway qualified to answer that, but I am guessing no. Sure, Sunday River is further north, but their early season trail runs (very approximately) from 2000-2600 feet in elevation. Doesn't Killington's upper mountain lift run from something like 3500-4000 feet in elevation? If so, I would think the elevation advantage would equal or even surpass any advantage Sunday River has in latitiude. Just a guess though, not an expert in weather or the stats.

Going from historical weather averages in Rutland and Newry then adjusting for altitude, Killington's lift base now has a 5 degree advantage over SR, both with Northern exposure. Previously they had a 1.5 degree edge at thebase, more than negated by the eastern exposure.

 

[Riverskier]

Not on opening, they've underpromised the last two years.

You SR people need to get your facts straight on how K opens.

You want facts, ok- Killington's projected opening date was November 1st last year. They opened November 7th. That is a fact.

 

[jerryg]

You SR people need to get your facts straight on how K opens.

Shouldn't be hard, there are like 4 of us in here and 10k K skiers! :wink:

 

[mondeo]

You want facts, ok- Killington's projected opening date was November 1st last year. They opened November 7th. That is a fact.

http://insider.killington.com/

All I see is early November, even when they were positioning themselves for mid-October.

I can't find the 2008 projected date, but I remember seeing a picture of a sign at the K-1 base giving a date sometime in mid-November.

All everyone who isn't a K skier thinks about is the early close dates in the spring. Early season, they've gone as soon as they thought they could, just a more conservative assessment of "could" then some would like. They have been second to spin lifts the last couple years, right on the heels of SR in '08 and a forecast degree away last year. It's not like they're getting beat by anyone else.

 

[RustyGroomer]

Magic Sunday morning. Taken from Magic's website.

Just a test to make sure some repairs were fixed.

 

[Greg]

I would guess Killington's system is charged and ready to go. Forecast looks marginal all week. Maybe over the weekend?

 

[JerseyJoey]

Stop by my office fridge. It's old and doesn't defrost.

Oh man. Thank you. It helps. Thank you!!

 

[bvibert]

Magic Sunday morning. Taken from Magic's website.

Just a test to make sure some repairs were fixed.

If only Magic were in contention to open in Oct, might save me the extra drive time to k-mart...