fcksummer
Member
Looked good when I drove past yesterday. Saw a couple people skinning up early AM
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Whaleback Mountain Updates
- Thread starter Whaleback-Mountain
- Start date
Keelhauled
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2015
- Messages
- 204
- Points
- 28
Closed for the season yesterday.
Smellytele
Well-known member
too bad seeing they could get some snow next week
Keelhauled
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2015
- Messages
- 204
- Points
- 28
Well they did say that if they got enough snow they would reopen, but I would think it'd have to be measured in feet to get enough, so I don't think it's gonna happen.
Newpylong
Well-known member
Early last week prior to the second torch. You can imagine what that did. It's going to take a good dump to be worth an encore, but you never know.
medfordmike
Member
Drove by today and aside from the main route from the summit it was looking rough. They made the right decision to close early. Rough two seasons weather wise but in the couple of years I have been going there on occasion they have made noticeable improvements. Definitely a great place to support.
Savemeasammy
New member
The base is toast, so it would take a significant amount of snow to get more than just the one run we had (Spout) back open. And if only one run is open, the mountain isn't selling any day tickets and making money. Closing up shop is a pretty good call.
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Well said.
Newpylong
Well-known member
Reopening today 2-8PM.
Whaleback-Mountain
New member
Hi AZ,
Greetings from the Upper Valley. As we did last year we wanted to give the forum an update on both mountain happenings and season pass pricing in case anything interests people.
As far as passes, they will officially go on sale on 9/1 but they are available for purchase online now: https://www.whaleback.com/passes/ Early Bird pricing will be in effect between now and 9/30. We have some great benefits for pass holders: https://www.whaleback.com/season-pass-benefits/ Please note that as of this writing Magic and Ragged are not confirmed partners, but we are anticipating that will once again be. We are also likely going to be part of the Freedom Pass program this year – even more benefits for our pass holders. Pricing in general has come down a bit this year and we have added a new pass – the Young Adult Unlimited (18-29 years). For $249 you can ski and ride with us any day any time and also receive full partner mountain benefits. The Military pass has been extended to include not only active but all veterans.
As for as mountain updates, this off-season has been and will continue to be extremely busy for us. We kicked off this spring with a comprehensive snowmaking system audit by a leading engineering firm in the industry. The results of that report, peer reviewed by another firm, has helped guide us towards improvements for this year and future:
Snowmaking:
- Our snowmaking pump house was levelled to the slab and is in the process of being rebuilt. The new building has more space, will be safer to operate and heat, and is being built to accommodate future pumps.
- Our existing 250 HP pump motor was sent out for rebuilding – rewound with inverter duty windings, bearing replacements, baked, etc.
- Our fixed speed drive is being replaced with a Variable Speed Drive and as such our manual pressure controls in the pump house are being eliminated. They were undersized for the volume and required much guesswork. New automatic pressure controls will allow us to pump 25-40% more water on the hill.
- All on hill water distribution valves are either being replaced or rebuilt. This will help alleviate a lot of the pains for our crews in switching water between trails.
- Our air cooler is being brought back online after being out of service for numerous years. Having this will allow us to cool our compressed air further in marginal temps to increase output.
- We are adding fan gun plugs to the Scrimshaw/Canyon trails. These have large acreage and the fans will cover it quicker and more efficiently.
- We are adding 2 additional Demac Lenko Titan 2 fans to our fleet, which will consist of 4 Titan 2.0 fans, 2 older ST 940 fans and 10 HKD viper air/water guns. We have never had this much equipment to utilize and the water to use much of in combination with each other.
West Side T-Bar:
- Forms for the towers began to arrive today and will be set in the holes early next week. We anticipate beginning to pour the forms mid next week. The lift is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of October. This is a very exciting project for us as it will allow for a more dependable opening for the season and increased terrain or our Learning Programs. All of the trails with exception of the glade serviced by the T-Bar will have lights and snowmaking. Much of which was last used 17 years ago. We are excited to bring this area of the mountain back to life.
See you soon!
Greetings from the Upper Valley. As we did last year we wanted to give the forum an update on both mountain happenings and season pass pricing in case anything interests people.
As far as passes, they will officially go on sale on 9/1 but they are available for purchase online now: https://www.whaleback.com/passes/ Early Bird pricing will be in effect between now and 9/30. We have some great benefits for pass holders: https://www.whaleback.com/season-pass-benefits/ Please note that as of this writing Magic and Ragged are not confirmed partners, but we are anticipating that will once again be. We are also likely going to be part of the Freedom Pass program this year – even more benefits for our pass holders. Pricing in general has come down a bit this year and we have added a new pass – the Young Adult Unlimited (18-29 years). For $249 you can ski and ride with us any day any time and also receive full partner mountain benefits. The Military pass has been extended to include not only active but all veterans.
As for as mountain updates, this off-season has been and will continue to be extremely busy for us. We kicked off this spring with a comprehensive snowmaking system audit by a leading engineering firm in the industry. The results of that report, peer reviewed by another firm, has helped guide us towards improvements for this year and future:
Snowmaking:
- Our snowmaking pump house was levelled to the slab and is in the process of being rebuilt. The new building has more space, will be safer to operate and heat, and is being built to accommodate future pumps.
- Our existing 250 HP pump motor was sent out for rebuilding – rewound with inverter duty windings, bearing replacements, baked, etc.
- Our fixed speed drive is being replaced with a Variable Speed Drive and as such our manual pressure controls in the pump house are being eliminated. They were undersized for the volume and required much guesswork. New automatic pressure controls will allow us to pump 25-40% more water on the hill.
- All on hill water distribution valves are either being replaced or rebuilt. This will help alleviate a lot of the pains for our crews in switching water between trails.
- Our air cooler is being brought back online after being out of service for numerous years. Having this will allow us to cool our compressed air further in marginal temps to increase output.
- We are adding fan gun plugs to the Scrimshaw/Canyon trails. These have large acreage and the fans will cover it quicker and more efficiently.
- We are adding 2 additional Demac Lenko Titan 2 fans to our fleet, which will consist of 4 Titan 2.0 fans, 2 older ST 940 fans and 10 HKD viper air/water guns. We have never had this much equipment to utilize and the water to use much of in combination with each other.
West Side T-Bar:
- Forms for the towers began to arrive today and will be set in the holes early next week. We anticipate beginning to pour the forms mid next week. The lift is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of October. This is a very exciting project for us as it will allow for a more dependable opening for the season and increased terrain or our Learning Programs. All of the trails with exception of the glade serviced by the T-Bar will have lights and snowmaking. Much of which was last used 17 years ago. We are excited to bring this area of the mountain back to life.
See you soon!
Abubob
Well-known member
jimmywilson69
Well-known member
Well that doesn't suck! Way to get after it!
Jully
Active member
Exciting stuff! Really exceptional benefits especially. Glad the t-bar is coming together nicely!
Whaleback-Mountain
New member
Our new snowmaking pumphouse going up and pouring the T-Bar base terminal and towers 1 and 2 this week.
MEtoVTSkier
Active member
Looking good!
Whaleback-Mountain
New member
Season Passes are on sale at Early Bird rates today until 9/30: https://www.whaleback.com/season-pass-benefits/
New this year - we are a member of the Freedom Pass. Anyone who purchases today through end of 9/4 will entered into a drawing for a pair of new Nordica Enforcer skis MSRP $700.
With some of the passholder perks you don't even need to ski at WB to come out ahead quick.
New this year - we are a member of the Freedom Pass. Anyone who purchases today through end of 9/4 will entered into a drawing for a pair of new Nordica Enforcer skis MSRP $700.
With some of the passholder perks you don't even need to ski at WB to come out ahead quick.
Last edited:
dlague
Active member
That's real nice! Great deal for Veterans.
Keelhauled
Active member
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- Dec 13, 2015
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- Points
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The chairlift has apparently been down all season so far. Combined with the garbage weather, things are probably looking grim at best. Hope they pull through.
Newpylong
Well-known member
Yes it has not been a fun start with that and major snowmaking issues. Despite that we still had top to bottom coverage ready for opening that is now sitting there. At least there have been some decent traffic using the Learning Area and T-Bar. The weather needs to improve with at least some decent snowmaking windows to get back on track, not 28 degrees with 90% humidity. Storrs hill isn't even close to opening yet 
Last edited:
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