When is the last day for snowmaking

[prsboogie]

So in the year that wasn't I was wondering what the consensus is on last day of snowmaking? Do you think areas will go later into the winter/early spring if Temps allow since they didn't spend a lot in late fall/early winter?
And go....

 

[yeggous]

Word for the hill at Bretton Woods is they have one more week planned. Typically they would be done already.

 

[JDMRoma]

In NH probably right after Mass Vacation ! That's usually the norm but who knows this year


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[andrec10]

I know Catamount plans on another snowmaking period after the warmup. Hunter...no idea.

 

[hammer]

In NH probably right after Mass Vacation ! That's usually the norm but who knows this year


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This is what I usually remember. Even in good snow years attendance drops off after that time.

 

[Puck it]

Usual is mid Feb. but K blows in March on SS. I have seen Sunapee blow in March also one year. It depends on budgets.

 

[prsboogie]

I just can't see how we will see the end of March this season the way things are right now. What a shame, especially coming off last season which was so damn good. There's always hope for the early March dump I guess, right?

 

[Quietman]

It was an exception to the rule, but in the blowtorch spring of 2012. SR turned the guns back on for many trails in late March, and gained a very large number of Brit vacationers in early April that were turned away from an early closing that year at K.

 

[joshua segal]

It's probably not a specific date, but when the mountain feels that they have adequate base of snow to get them through Presidents' Week. Last year, a lot of places shut down snowmaking by late January. There are of course a few of the late-season areas who keep going much longer. And a few, who have late-season commitments, such as "the British Invasion" for which they need to ensure adequate snow cover.

 

[dlague]

The way this winter has gone I am sure there will be an extension to the normal snowmaking schedule especially will the warm up next week.


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[joshua segal]

The way this winter has gone I am sure there will be an extension to the normal snowmaking schedule especially will the warm up next week.

It's all speculation, but these snowless winters usually have bad skier visit numbers, no matter how much snowmaking is done. In these seasons, late snowmaking pushes (beyond Feb. vacation) often are not justifiable by anticipated revenues. In other words, there are areas whose management is smart enough to stop throwing good money away; suck up the season (with its losses) and move on to the next season.

 

[VTKilarney]

Someone else pointed out that the only real key is to get through President's Day week.

I don't think that the resorts will make any more snow than they need to given the large drop in revenues. At this point I think that they are in survival mode and are reigning in expenses as much as possible.

 

[ss20]

Presisdent's week. Big or small, all ski areas will blow till that week. Then, after that, big or small, all ski areas shutdown after that week. This is pretty much standard across the industry. Unless your name is Sunday River or Killington, you won't see snowmaking past that week.

 

[machski]

Usual is mid Feb. but K blows in March on SS. I have seen Sunapee blow in March also one year. It depends on budgets.

They have not done that for years. They will stack it in February and shut their system off March 1st. SR pretty much the same, but they will turn them on in March in extreme situations.

Back in the 90's, K and SR would make snow right into the beginning of April. Those days are long gone unfortunately. Gas may be cheap to some extent again, but electric rates are just as high.

 

[steamboat1]

K usually sends back their leased diesel compressors around mid-February. They can still make snow & do with their in house electric compressors after that but mostly on Skyelark/Superstar only. If I remember right the Superstar glacier was completed around the first week of March last season when they had the hoses stretched out overhead of the trail at the top. That was the end of snowmaking.

 

[slatham]

As noted above, I find it hard to believe anyone makes snow past Presidents Weekend. Exceptions would be areas building base for late season turns that they have a rep for (SS at K, steins at 'Bush, etc).

As for the comment on no late March skiing - way way too early to call that. Its not even Feb yet. The last two seasons saw most of the snow fall in Feb and March. Heck, 2 years ago the first real Pow day at Magic was Feb 5th (MLK has one run, like this year) and they made APRIL!

 

[ss20]

February is supposed to be REALLY cold after we get some rain next Wednesday. Good snowmaking temps + no melting + active storm pattern. Don't write off good conditions yet.

 

[dlague]

As noted above, I find it hard to believe anyone makes snow past Presidents Weekend. Exceptions would be areas building base for late season turns that they have a rep for (SS at K, steins at 'Bush, etc).

As for the comment on no late March skiing - way way too early to call that. Its not even Feb yet. The last two seasons saw most of the snow fall in Feb and March. Heck, 2 years ago the first real Pow day at Magic was Feb 5th (MLK has one run, like this year) and they made APRIL!

I like the way you think!

 

[cdskier]

I like the way you think!

Agreed! The season is still young!

 

[Smellytele]

February is supposed to be REALLY cold after we get some rain next Wednesday. Good snowmaking temps + no melting + active storm pattern. Don't write off good conditions yet.