When is the last day for snowmaking

[Smellytele]

I may opt for Crotched on Sunday instead of Wildcat. Between the bit of natural and their ability to resurface quickly, it might be the better play.


I fly home from being in Seattle all week later today. It will be strange seeing snow on the ground at home.

The Crotch probably got 3-4" today. Wildcat an inch maybe 2

 

[dlague]

Rumor has it that Ragged may be throwing in the towel on this season. They do not have plans to make any more snow. Visits have been way down and they are losing money. My source is a friend of mine who knows one of the management staff.

 

[xwhaler]

Rumor has it that Ragged may be throwing in the towel on this season. They do not have plans to make any more snow. Visits have been way down and they are losing money. My source is a friend of mine who knows one of the management staff.

Their snow report lists snowmaking on Exhibition as of today. Maybe they get that open and then call it good.

 

[deadheadskier]

Doesn't surprise me, at this point if they can make February break fine it's about stemming the bleeding.

I don't know. I think such a decision for a place like Ragged would be penny wise and pound foolish. They're just getting started on a large scale real estate development. Who the heck would buy any of that property armed with the knowledge that the mountain will throw in the towel during lean years?

I think they need to operate at least until the end of March. I could see them cutting down to a 4-5 day a week schedule March 1st to save some cash, but I really think they have to push forward to the end of that month otherwise their real estate values would take a huge hit.

 

[Robbski]

Just got an email from Ragged titled, "Snowmaking Resumes!" Apparently they are going to blow snow on upper and Lower Exhibition. It's going to need a fair amount of the stuff to be skiable though, might be OK if they pick up a few inches of natural over the next few days. By way of comparison, Showboat is going to need a blizzard or two.

 

[deadheadskier]

This isn't a lean year, this is an unprecedented lean year. All other industry people I have talked to say revenue is in the tubes on all profit sectors. At some point you have to admit defeat, perform triage, and look ahead to next year.
.

Likely true for most. Sugarloaf actually surprised me. In speaking with them, they said if you threw out the rainy week just before Christmas, they are on plan for an average season

 

[Newpylong]

Seems like Maine got off much better than the rest of the region. It's good not everyone suffered.

 

[Quietman]

The Crotch probably got 3-4" today. Wildcat an inch maybe 2

Crotched got a solid 5" yesterday, and made snow on 13 trails last night. I'll be there tomorrow at some point. Webcam showed a decent crowd today, looked like a 2 minute wait.

 

[drjeff]

Mount Snow is likely going to go at max, or near max capacity through next weekend to get ready for Pres Week and beyond!

I heard from a VERY reliable source that one of their main base lodge bars had their busiest day EVER (Not just this month/season, but EVER - and that's a 7 or 8yr history as memory serves me) last weekend.

I don't doubt that Mount Snow will be down off historical averages this season unless there is a HUGE last 8+ weeks of the season, but they have been decent to solid the last month from what I've experienced, both in on hill volume and Food + Beverage crowds

 

[ScottySkis]

Platty making snow so are hunter and Bell.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[Harvey]

2/20 or 2/21 would be the traditional last day for many. I guess we could hope that the money "saved" in December would extend it, but somehow I doubt it. Smaller mountains will be done after the Feb meter reading.

 

[NYDB]

All mountains will have superb snowmaking conditions by 2/11 through 2/15. I say most shoot their load during those days and then pack it up.

 

[drjeff]

Mount Snow was making snow on Lodge, Rollercoaster, Ridge, Exhibition, Fallen Timbers, Nitro, Inferno, the half pipe and 1 old school air hog gun set up outside the pumphouse at the corner of Drop this morning! Still running on the upper half of the mountain, they shut down for marginal temps on the lower half mid/late morning.

I would anticipate that by next weekend they will have resurfaced ALL snowmaking terrain that hasn't been done the last few days and likely finally make snow on the top 2/3rds or so of Exhibition which hasn't seen much snowmaking over some of it to no snowmaking over other parts of it this season to date

 

[Newpylong]

That's my favorite part of Exhibition too it's definitely taken the back seat the past few years...

 

[SIKSKIER]

This weekends forecast will allow for the greatest output and the best bang for the buck for the first time this season.I think most areas will take advantage of this week and maybe we will finally see some of these after this weekend.

 

[Smellytele]

Heard rumors that Cranmore has used up their snowmaking budget not sure they will make any more. Not sure of my source but just thought I would throw it out there.

 

[mbedle]

Heard rumors that Cranmore has used up their snowmaking budget not sure they will make any more. Not sure of my source but just thought I would throw it out there.

Source might be wrong - they are still blowing snow today and this week.

 

[yeggous]

I heard from a very trustworthy source that a certain northern NH mountain with a strong early and late season presence has already pumped twice the amount of water as last year.

 

[Smellytele]

Source might be wrong - they are still blowing snow today and this week.

could be over budget and saying f it we need to blow any way.

 

[dlague]

Just because mountains are making snow does not mean that they are in it for the long haul. I think Presidents day weekend will be it. And many that are making snow until then do not want to but need to so they appear fully operational. Look like you have given up now would not good. Plus the daily operating cost for staying open with no people is killing them. Not a lot of midweek traffic.