What the heck is going on at Magic?

[Newpylong]

I spoke with a NH lift inspector last year and he had no idea how Black ever could pass inspection.

Can someone list all of the trails Magic actually has the ability to make snow on? I mean with an unlimited budget - I know it's not realistic. When I was there a couple years ago it seemed that actually the majority of the trails had pipe including all of those never/rarely used. I was surprised.

What are the ones they typically do make snow on?

 

[drjeff]

I spoke with a NH lift inspector last year and he had no idea how Black ever could pass inspection.

Can someone list all of the trails Magic actually has the ability to make snow on? I mean with an unlimited budget - I know it's not realistic. When I was there a couple years ago it seemed that actually the majority of the trails had pipe including all of those never/rarely used. I was surprised.

What are the ones they typically do make snow on?

I'll let the Magic regulars add any I'm missing, but the last 3 season when I've gone to Magic for my kids races, it's basically just been 7 trails or at least parts of (Trick, Magic Carpet, Showoff, Wand, Hocus Pocus, Wizard and Talisman) that I've seen snowmaking on. I've seen pipe on other trails, my hunch is that pipe isn't in working condition anymore :-(

 

[JoeB-Z]

Kind of interesting that season passes are on offer with no information about the management. Plenty of time to pick up a pass at the July price once some details emerge.

 

[slatham]

Drjeff is pretty spot on. One year they also hit Medium. Some years it's only wizard into/out of Tali, others it's the full trail. And last winter they had issues making snow even on upper wizard. And typically it's only upper carpet.

The issue is leaks in the pipes from years of no maintenance. So they have pipes on several other trails - vertigo, lower carpet, witch, blackline, sorcerer, caruma/lower red line, mystery. Which ones work? Got me. I have heard witch to blackline and sorcerer, but never seen a gun.

 

[MMP]

So just comment with no clue what you're talking about.

 

[Tin]

So just comment with no clue what you're talking about.

What's wrong with blowing snow on Red Line and Black Magic?

 

[MadMadWorld]

MadMadWorld, agree with your Witch/Black line comment. One thing though is that it might make sense to make snow on top section of Witch because it gets windblown to assure access to Gonif, Red and lower Witch/Blackline. If I recall these were closed several times this past winter due to coverage issues on upper Witch.

The coverage on Witch isn't really ever an issue near the entrance for Goniff or really Red Line for that matter. Magic patrol just says if Witch is close then you can't ski Red or Goniff. But all you have to do is put a sign at the top to say Witch/Black is closed and warn people sufficiently. I mean even if someone misses the sign and was planning on skiing W to B, I am fairly confident they will do just fine on Goniff or Red. The shit that Magic ski patrol is absolutely baffling to me....

 

[slatham]

Sorry, to vague in my comment. Upper Witch - just the section above Goniff - was closed this past season numerous times. While it technically had coverage (i.e. something frozen vs something earthen) it was so polished by the wind that patrol kept it closed (which we can debate but that's what they did). IF they could blow some snow on that small section they would then be able to groom it and keep it open and thus keep Red and Goniff open. IMHO.

 

[JoeB-Z]

Sorry, to vague in my comment. Upper Witch - just the section above Goniff - was closed this past season numerous times. While it technically had coverage (i.e. something frozen vs something earthen) it was so polished by the wind that patrol kept it closed (which we can debate but that's what they did). IF they could blow some snow on that small section they would then be able to groom it and keep it open and thus keep Red and Goniff open. IMHO.

I found the closures of Witch this year to be quite odd. Not fun to ski but not boilerplate ice either. And considering it is double black diamond there is fair warning. I am not much of a ducker of ropes but I set a record this year as Goniff was often excellent.

 

[Tin]

I found the closures of Witch this year to be quite odd. Not fun to ski but not boilerplate ice either. And considering it is double black diamond there is fair warning. I am not much of a ducker of ropes but I set a record this year as Goniff was often excellent.

One day I was there Witch/Goniff/Twilight were closed but had the best snow and amount of coverage on the mountain. They were also listed in the trail report as open. They really need to re-evaluate their trail closures.

And absolutely, the double diamond is fair warning.

 

[dlague]

When I was there Witch was open and got scraped off quickly. And they closed it by 11 am. The other trails below it had great coverage. I think people put the brakes on too much on witch for some reason.

 

[MadMadWorld]

Ugh don't get me started with their snow reporting or their trail inspection. It's a sham.

 

[deadheadskier]

You would think it would be the total opposite at a place like Magic; that trails that would be closed at your average ski area would be open there.

 

[Newpylong]

On the Save Magic site maybe 5 years they had a good amount of articles regarding repairing pipes on various trails: Vertigo, Witch to Black, Wizard, Talisman and Sorcerer. Seems like they have only taken advantage of Upper Wizard to Tali since then?

Would a correct statement be that at one time the entire place has snowmaking outside of the trees and: Black Magic, Magician/Broomstick, Heart of Magician, Upper Red Line, Kinderspeil, and White Out.

 

[Tin]

You would think it would be the total opposite at a place like Magic; that trails that would be closed at your average ski area would be open there.

It's a good thing everything is accessible through woods. We got asked how we got onto a few spots last year by patrol and just said we went in the woods and this is where we came out. They skied away without saying anything.

 

[slatham]

Hiked Magic today. There was activity around the work yard and Timber Quest was open. Looked like all of the lower mountain had been mowed, including all the way up Wizard to the bottom of the last (or first when hiking) steep section; the bottom of Sorcerer and Tali, lower magician. And also the bottom sections of all the main east side trails, basically from Wand down. A new work road was built I assume to support the work to build the new cell tower. It goes up the old beginner area and then lower magician then wand and upper carpet. Looked like decent drainage work done. There had also been some trail work done on upper wizard - almost seemed like an effort to widen it a bit - most was on skiers left. Didn't seek anyone out to try to get latest news on operating status etc. But I did duck into a section of glade that I saw last winter needed trimming and it is now ready - hope all goes well this winter with Magic season!

 

[MMP]

Hiked Magic today. There was activity around the work yard and Timber Quest was open. Looked like all of the lower mountain had been mowed, including all the way up Wizard to the bottom of the last (or first when hiking) steep section; the bottom of Sorcerer and Tali, lower magician. And also the bottom sections of all the main east side trails, basically from Wand down. A new work road was built I assume to support the work to build the new cell tower. It goes up the old beginner area and then lower magician then wand and upper carpet. Looked like decent drainage work done. There had also been some trail work done on upper wizard - almost seemed like an effort to widen it a bit - most was on skiers left. Didn't seek anyone out to try to get latest news on operating status etc. But I did duck into a section of glade that I saw last winter needed trimming and it is now ready - hope all goes well this winter with Magic season!

None of that matters without flags. Flags feel good.

 

[prsboogie]

None of that matters without flags. Flags feel good.

Are you always a douche or just stayed at a Holiday Inn Express?

 

[slatham]

Wow, I am so sorry. Apologies billski. I did make note of the Swiss flag flying in a good wind. It looked great and just needs the two other flags up. Made the place look alive!

 

[MMP]

Are you always a douche or just stayed at a Holiday Inn Express?

Always keep it real. But I can see how you would think that.

That Swiss flag summit the pole or still down below it?