When (and who) Will Test the Guns First?

[ss20]

Time to get serious about stoking the stoke...

Last year, Sugarloaf and Sunday River both tested their snow guns on Spetember 19th! Who (and when) will be the first to test their snow guns and throw out a frozen product. This has really become an advertisement point for resorts. No longer is it just a race to be the first to open, it's become a race to get frozen product on the ground for the hype.

I'm saying October 1-10. Last year was a cold fall. Hard to get sub 32 temperatures in September south of Canada.

 

[Not Sure]

Maybe not first but not to shabby !
http://www.skisugar.com/sugar-mountain-stats/

 

[Abubob]

What do I win if I guess right?

 

[skiNEwhere]

If we're talking US, then I gotta go with Arapahoe basin in late September/early October (I hope)

I doubt it will be Loveland, they haven't seemed to put up much of a fight the last 3 years

 

[ScottySkis]

K I say Sept 15

 

[Not Sure]

What do I win if I guess right?

An engraved Official Alpine Zone Snowball made from said resorts snow shipped in an uninsulated box.

 

[Newpylong]

Whaleback October 1, duh.

 

[Bostonian]

Sunday River September 26 at 4:00AM on T2...

Tell you what, if I am right - the first person that I meet up this year from the boards to ski will get a beer for free!

 

[xwhaler]

Whaleback October 1, duh.

Ha! Would love to see that---here's really just hoping they have a few decent runs open for the full Xmas week.
That would go a long way to starting the season off right.

 

[Tin]

I'm saying October 1-10. Last year was a cold fall. Hard to get sub 32 temperatures in September south of Canada.

Fall can be cold but it needs to be cold for an extended period. Last fall would be cold for 3-4 days and the guns could be used but then it would not get below freezing or it would rain for two days and ruin whatever was made.

First product...SR on September 21. K should come out swinging given they got their ass handed to them last fall.

Wildcat for the win again this year! T2B by November 6th.


(Hope I'm wrong and it is much earlier)

 

[drjeff]

My guess is that it will be Sugarloaf with the 1st test this year - They NEED some good press lately!!

 

[Vortex]

SR actually fired up the guns two days earlier than the big promo they did last year. There were pictures, and a few friends saw it. It was pretty cool to see the loaf and the River do it together technically still in summer. Quite a buzz

Sometime during fall festival will be the first test this year. My guess is 7 am on Oct 10th.

 

[thetrailboss]

Going with Sunday River.

 

[machski]

Sunday River. But we could already say they tested the system July 25. The amount of guns they had running across South Ridge, North Peak, Spruce Peak and Barker basin for the tough mountain challenge was impressive. And I can tell you it was the whole system, air and water.

 

[steamboat1]

K should come out swinging given they got their ass handed to them last fall.

How's that? They opened 2 hours later than SR. Also once they opened they stayed open unlike SR.

 

[dlague]

Last year WMUR reported on September 19th that Breton Woods, SR and SL were blowing snow. In fact Bretton Woods had 32 guns going. However ...... it got warm after that for quite sometime. In fact, people posted on here that they were swimming in the ocean in the middle of October last year. So really hard to say.

 

[yeggous]

Last year WMUR reported on September 19th that Breton Woods, SR and SL were blowing snow. In fact Bretton Woods had 32 guns going. However ...... it got warm after that for quite sometime. In fact, people posted on here that they were swimming in the ocean in the middle of October last year. So really hard to say.

Yes, Bretton Woods likes to put on a gun show very early in the season as soon as wet bulbs drop below freezing. Usually just a fan gun at the base lodge to take pictures.


Sent from my iPad using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[machski]

How's that? They opened 2 hours later than SR. Also once they opened they stayed open unlike SR.

True steamboat1, but SR only closed for 4 days. When they reopened, they stayed open with TTB and terrain expansion faster than K. I'm guessing that is what others are referring to.

 

[catskillman]

I can tell you it won't be Hunter - they are in the process of putting in new lines and the mountain is torn up from the top of the mountain half way down hellgate and also down the parkway. There is a two foot wide trench and an incredible amount of boulders and rock on the trails that will take forever to move. You also see new guns in place here and there.

 

[Tin]

How's that? They opened 2 hours later than SR. Also once they opened they stayed open unlike SR.

BW, Wildcat, and others offered more vert and T2B runs before K last fall.