this ultimately is the difference. Sunday River sells a couple 500K slopeside condos by impressing a die hard high roller with early season skiing and they probably break even on the investment. Cannon doesn't have that option for a revenue stream.
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What area has the best layout for early season?
- Thread starter Puck it
- Start date
this ultimately is the difference. Sunday River sells a couple 500K slopeside condos by impressing a die hard high roller with early season skiing and they probably break even on the investment. Cannon doesn't have that option for a revenue stream.
WWF-VT
Well-known member
You're right. Even if Cannon tried to be open earlier there is no marketing machine to get people there.
Puck it
Well-known member
If you blow snow, they will come.
Again, this thread was more about who currently had the best lift configuration to do this. I did not know that they did this in the past. But it would be nice if NH had an early season option like ME and VT have.
Wildcat will open early for freak storms, but that's about it.
Vortex
Member
My point about Waterville was economics based as well as elevation. It would cost very little in snow making dollars to get open and most of the area would be close to 4000 ft in elevation. Trust me I have waited many a times 20 min for that slow lift to ski one trail. Ow yea if that was my option I would be glad I had it .Been there done that. Not perfect but beats raking the lawn again.
Sr is still the one that matters. Hence why I moved. The mid station on locke with the platform on a spring was a very smart move.
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sLoPeS
New member
if ur talking above 2500' then thats the K1 and up, which is quite a few trails...
riverc0il
New member
Sunday River makes it happen early season despite its setup, not because of it. The elevation of Locke is about 3100 feet as I recall. Ideally, locations that have a mid-mountain lift starting at 3k going up to 4k are situated a lot better from an ideal perspective. SR really struggled to get open and stay open this year and had many set backs that kept most skiers riding from the mid-station. Capacity (especially with slow download speeds and frequent stops) are especially an issue at SR. It is great that SR has the setup to do it, but it is far from ideal and Sunday River is successful at it despite their setup instead of because of it. I am glad they do it but there are far better setups in theory... if not perhaps in practice due to finances and other such matters involving capital.
Riverskier
Active member
I am glad someone pointed this out. The elevation of Locke is actually only around 2600 feet, and I am guessing the mid station is-probably about 2000 feet. Hardly ideal at all, and I am sure there are many better setups. Sunday River pulls this off through determination and $$. And I love it! There will always be people critical of the early season product, but I was out there every weekend in October and November and had a blast every time.
Right, but Killington no longer can do it, so this is a moot point.
riverc0il said:
+ 1.
Boyne is smart because they have great resorts for both ends of the season. SR is not ideal, but apparently is the early season place while the 'loaf is the late season destination.
Vortex
Member
SR does have the advantage of being North. That helps a little bit to off set the elevation. In the spring they get nailed with the low elevation and Sun.
A point being missed is the location of the guns. Sunday river has its tower guns stacked right next to each other on T2. sometimes around 15 feet apart. Less Otten got it. When its margnal even on T2 they go to land guns.
Most areas are using the 75 foot spacing of guns. I have seen some exceptions. the fire power makes the difference in small snow making windows.
They bury T2. They move the tower guns in on lower punch to mid trail to nail that area, When it gets real low down they go to Boyne cannon type guns. Yes you need cold weather for all of this.
With all the stories of down loading. There really only were a few early season days where you could not ski down to the exit of Top gun. I walked out from there.
Set up is not pretty, but it worked for 7 weeks. I skied 5 days in october. Said I missed the other three.
A point being missed is the location of the guns. Sunday river has its tower guns stacked right next to each other on T2. sometimes around 15 feet apart. Less Otten got it. When its margnal even on T2 they go to land guns.
Most areas are using the 75 foot spacing of guns. I have seen some exceptions. the fire power makes the difference in small snow making windows.
They bury T2. They move the tower guns in on lower punch to mid trail to nail that area, When it gets real low down they go to Boyne cannon type guns. Yes you need cold weather for all of this.
With all the stories of down loading. There really only were a few early season days where you could not ski down to the exit of Top gun. I walked out from there.
Set up is not pretty, but it worked for 7 weeks. I skied 5 days in october. Said I missed the other three.
drjeff
Well-known member
Bingo! What SR might lack in Altitude over multiple resorts in New England, they make up for in Latitude over many resorts in New England
WJenness
Active member
It's pithy... but they make it up in Latitude AND Attitude...
I'll be here all week...
Tip your waitress
It is true though, not only can they make it happen, they WANT to make it happen, and have shown that the past several years.
-w
riverc0il
New member
The guns didn't help SR in October and November. I skied grass and walked down to the lift 2/3 times I skied there early season. All the guns in the world don't help if you don't have colder temps because you have a low base elevation. Being north doesn't help either if you don't have elevation. Again... SR does it despite its location, elevation, and setup... not because of it. Any mountain with an ideal setup could load up on snow guys on the key trails.
I am not trying to take anything away from Sunday River. I just don't see the merits of their setup being ideal let alone one of the best for early season. If they did not have the mid-station, it simply would not be an option... that is really the only thing that makes it work and barely at that when temperatures do not cooperate.
I am not trying to take anything away from Sunday River. I just don't see the merits of their setup being ideal let alone one of the best for early season. If they did not have the mid-station, it simply would not be an option... that is really the only thing that makes it work and barely at that when temperatures do not cooperate.
Vortex
Member
Rivercoil we will just not agree here on all points, but that is cool. We agree the biggest reason they open early is they want to. They re- did the mid station so they can open early again. Less put the guns on T2 that way so they can open early. Is it idea, no, but functional. Being further North does help with temps not as much as elevation, but it helps.
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