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View Full Version : Mount Ellen Opening.



vonski
12-15-2009, 05:12 PM
So, does anyone have any thoughts or insite into what will be open at Ellen on Friday? For instance, will they make snow down Straight Shot to get to the bottom in the next few days. Snowmaking is back on Cruiser and onto Mainstream according to the trail report. Cold temps to the base the next few days. What about the Natural or trails without snowmaking? Will they be open.

And in general some one report on how frozen the mountain becomes overnight after todays warm up. ( thankfully brief with limited NCP if any) :D

Strat
12-15-2009, 06:00 PM
Yesterday's Win's Word explains the game plan: http://www.sugarbush.com/about-vermont-resort/president-blog
T2B Ahoy!

vonski
12-15-2009, 06:26 PM
Thanks, I had not looked at Wins Word the last few days. Now we just need to hope the mountain is not going to be rock solid with the little thaw freeze! Bring on some more Lake effect. Doing my Dance!

Colorado Dirt
12-15-2009, 07:34 PM
Any ballpark guess as to what time one (me) would have to be at the lift for first chair on mt ellen?

Lostone
12-15-2009, 08:14 PM
if you are talking first chair on Friday, it starts at 9:00. On Saturday, 8:00, for the GMX. If, instead you were asking what time you would have to get there to insure you were on the very first chair, I think that depends on who decides to show up, and wait.

win
12-15-2009, 08:26 PM
If you get there by 8:30am you might be first in line. Unfortunately, I will miss first chair this year at ME, so I won't see you. Since I am coming back from out of town there is a really good chance of snow between now and then!

Colorado Dirt
12-15-2009, 08:56 PM
If you get there by 8:30am you might be first in line. Unfortunately, I will miss first chair this year at ME, so I won't see you. Since I am coming back from out of town there is a really good chance of snow between now and then!

First or second in line is what I'm shooting for, thanks guys. Looking forward to my first turns of the season. Win, if that's the trend, I appreciate you taking one for the team!

Tin Woodsman
12-16-2009, 02:25 AM
Yesterday's Win's Word explains the game plan: http://www.sugarbush.com/about-vermont-resort/president-blog
T2B Ahoy!

Speaking of that link - considering Birch Run before Snowball/Spring Fling? Wow. That's aggressive.

Go Figure
12-16-2009, 07:17 AM
Yesterday's Win's Word explains the game plan: http://www.sugarbush.com/about-vermont-resort/president-blog
T2B Ahoy!

Speaking of that link - considering Birch Run before Snowball/Spring Fling? Wow. That's aggressive.

Blowing Birch before Snowball, SF, RE is just plain stupid. The amount of traffic that flows through Snowball Christmas week cannot be replaced on birch run.

Fishwife
12-16-2009, 08:16 AM
Yeah, but you can't get into slidebrook from snowball- just sayin' 8)

ski_resort_observer
12-16-2009, 09:15 AM
Yesterday's Win's Word explains the game plan: http://www.sugarbush.com/about-vermont-resort/president-blog
T2B Ahoy!

Speaking of that link - considering Birch Run before Snowball/Spring Fling? Wow. That's aggressive.

Blowing Birch before Snowball, SF, RE is just plain stupid. The amount of traffic that flows through Snowball Christmas week cannot be replaced on birch run.

Not stupid. Alot more than just the amount of traffic is taken into account. One other factor that is part of this is that North Lynx faces the sun directly and is one of the most sun affected pods at LP. Spring Fling is northeast facing which means it is much less affected. Win did advise that having Snoball and Spring is planned to be open for the holidays. "Then to Snowball and Spring Fling so that those are deep and groomable for the holidays". All I am saying is that many more factors are considered than just traffic regarding snowmaking decisions.

Maybe I'm crazy but I feel very comfortable in saying that Mtn Opps is well aware that "The amount of traffic that flows through Snowball Christmas week cannot be replaced on birch run".

HowieT2
12-16-2009, 09:35 AM
snowball, spring fling, and racers edge are all open already, so why blow more snow on them before getting birch run open? As previously discussed, having NL open really expands the terrain and spreads out the skiers. Not that the others are not important, but they are open, and building the base should be deferred until the rest of the mtn is open.

WWF-VT
12-16-2009, 10:05 AM
snowball, spring fling, and racers edge are all open already, so why blow more snow on them before getting birch run open? As previously discussed, having NL open really expands the terrain and spreads out the skiers. Not that the others are not important, but they are open, and building the base should be deferred until the rest of the mtn is open.

Snowball, Springfling and Racers Edge are open but they still need a lot more snow. As of Sunday there is still a lot of thin patches, waterbars, grass and rocks exposed.

ski_resort_observer
12-16-2009, 10:13 AM
snowball, spring fling, and racers edge are all open already, so why blow more snow on them before getting birch run open? As previously discussed, having NL open really expands the terrain and spreads out the skiers. Not that the others are not important, but they are open, and building the base should be deferred until the rest of the mtn is open.

All good points but keep in mind just cause they are open now does not guarantee they will be open in 10 days from now. To get to Spring Fling you have to have Snoball or at least the piece gets you there. So you can't just forget about it. As Shady mentioned on another thread the GateHouse pod has been getting hit hard with snowmaking and is looking really good. In addition, Mt Ellen is planned to be open in 3 days so alot of snowmaking resources are over there to ensure as good a quality of product as possible is available.

HowieT2
12-16-2009, 10:22 AM
snowball, spring fling, and racers edge are all open already, so why blow more snow on them before getting birch run open? As previously discussed, having NL open really expands the terrain and spreads out the skiers. Not that the others are not important, but they are open, and building the base should be deferred until the rest of the mtn is open.

Snowball, Springfling and Racers Edge are open but they still need a lot more snow. As of Sunday there is still a lot of thin patches, waterbars, grass and rocks exposed.

My comments were based on the trail report. Personal observation to commence saturday, thank the lord.

win
12-16-2009, 01:31 PM
I always love Go Figures's emphatic words. I didn't realize that our team was stupid, so it's always good to learn something.

The reality is that our snowmaking plans are just that, plans that get modified based on conditions to put out the best product possible for the guests we expect. We might follow the plan to go to North Lynx first or we might as we are considering now going to Snowball and Spring Fling if we can have a high probability of getting North Lynx by December 27th which is when the biggest number skier visits are expected from that point through January 3rd. The goal is to have both ready. Spring Fling and Snowball are really important vacation trails and the North Lynx chair takes a lot of pressure off of the Gate House chair and it gets people into SlideBrook.

The snowmaking on Gate House is coming in well, so we should move over to Middle Jester and Lower Organgrinder late Friday or Saturday.

One thing we are also going to be doing this year is grooming Birch middays on Saturdays and Holidays. We will close it for an hour and let those you don't get up early experience some fresh afternoon grooming.

summitchallenger
12-16-2009, 01:49 PM
One thing we are also going to be doing this year is grooming Birch middays on Saturdays and Holidays. We will close it for an hour and let those you don't get up early experience some fresh afternoon grooming.

NICE!

MntMan4Bush
12-16-2009, 02:20 PM
Personally I hope Upper Panorama will be open. I like skiers left, but occasionally will drift over to the right if it's not too bumped up.

In any case I'm glad they're blowing on NL. Keep them guns going.

One question. Will SBX be going this weekend?

Tin Woodsman
12-16-2009, 02:24 PM
I always love Go Figures's emphatic words. I didn't realize that our team was stupid, so it's always good to learn something.

The reality is that our snowmaking plans are just that, plans that get modified based on conditions to put out the best product possible for the guests we expect. We might follow the plan to go to North Lynx first or we might as we are considering now going to Snowball and Spring Fling if we can have a high probability of getting North Lynx by December 27th which is when the biggest number skier visits are expected from that point through January 3rd. The goal is to have both ready. Spring Fling and Snowball are really important vacation trails and the North Lynx chair takes a lot of pressure off of the Gate House chair and it gets people into SlideBrook.

The snowmaking on Gate House is coming in well, so we should move over to Middle Jester and Lower Organgrinder late Friday or Saturday.

One thing we are also going to be doing this year is grooming Birch middays on Saturdays and Holidays. We will close it for an hour and let those you don't get up early experience some fresh afternoon grooming.

Wow. Interesting.

I've been a loud advocate for prioritizing Birch ahead of building big base depths on Steins, but I wouldn't go so far as to consider blowing on Birch ahead of getting Snowball/SF/RE reliably open for the holidays. Given the limitations of the system, it will be an interesting race, as discussed in this forum several times this fall (and last fall, and the fall before that....). Even with optimal temps, it will be until Friday/Saturday before you can move off GH pod back into the cruising terrain off Bravo. Lower Jester is long, as is Lower OG. That's another 3-4 days right there, bringing us to Tuesday/Wednesday. Then you have to hit VH Traverse, Snowball, Spring Fling, which is just as big a task if not bigger. That's another 3-4 days. Everyone better pray for snow, b/c best case scenario has Snowball/Spring Fling ready just as the holiday crowds arrive, and that means ignoring Birch, Murphy's and Upper Birdland to get there.

It's about the capacity.

Fourwide
12-16-2009, 03:10 PM
Our wonderful owner writes: "One thing we are also going to be doing this year is grooming Birch middays on Saturdays and Holidays. We will close it for an hour and let those you don't get up early experience some fresh afternoon grooming."

What a great idea! I personally don't mind how it bumps up during the day, but it can get a bit "Downspout" on that trail later in the day--this approach will prolong Birch's role as a pressure-valve escape for Gatehouse! I'd recommend the same treatment for OG, but don't want to seem greedy!

HowieT2
12-16-2009, 04:13 PM
Our wonderful owner writes: "One thing we are also going to be doing this year is grooming Birch middays on Saturdays and Holidays. We will close it for an hour and let those you don't get up early experience some fresh afternoon grooming."

What a great idea! I personally don't mind how it bumps up during the day, but it can get a bit "Downspout" on that trail later in the day--this approach will prolong Birch's role as a pressure-valve escape for Gatehouse! I'd recommend the same treatment for OG, but don't want to seem greedy!

Agreed. While I like Birch any way I can get it, a midday touch up, will be much appreciated by the wife and other more recreational skiers.

As far as getting a good dumping of snow, there doesn't appear to be much of any significance on the horizon.#$%^&
Maybe a little LES or upslope, here and there, but no big storm.

gone.skiing
12-16-2009, 04:52 PM
I think they need a winch for OG, which would be a problem for people going to Jester.

atkinson
12-16-2009, 07:54 PM
Lake effect is currently cranking in Moretown. Snowed all day at the mountain. Keep the faith.

Treeskier
12-16-2009, 08:12 PM
Thanks as always John for keeping us really in the loop or should I say snow!

MntMan4Bush
12-17-2009, 08:58 AM
I'll assume that everyone was just rolling with gut busting laughter so they couldn't see my actual question, but will the Slidebrook Express Chair be open this weekend to ferry back and forth?

vonski
12-17-2009, 09:29 PM
So, enjoy the first day of Ellen! Leave a few lines for us weekend warriors!

shadyjay
12-17-2009, 10:00 PM
I'll assume that everyone was just rolling with gut busting laughter so they couldn't see my actual question, but will the Slidebrook Express Chair be open this weekend to ferry back and forth?

Good question... I'm not positive but don't think so. Plenty of snow in the basin, though. As has been stated here in the past, the other lifts are priority #1 before SBX and with limited inspectors in the state, everyone has to wait their turn.

Last year, its opening was delayed due to lack of snowpack, then due to high winds which did some damage. Hopefully we'll see it turn during holiday week.

HowieT2
12-17-2009, 10:26 PM
I'll assume that everyone was just rolling with gut busting laughter so they couldn't see my actual question, but will the Slidebrook Express Chair be open this weekend to ferry back and forth?

Good question... I'm not positive but don't think so. Plenty of snow in the basin, though. As has been stated here in the past, the other lifts are priority #1 before SBX and with limited inspectors in the state, everyone has to wait their turn.

Last year, its opening was delayed due to lack of snowpack, then due to high winds which did some damage. Hopefully we'll see it turn during holiday week.

Whatever. there is no way that thing is running this weekend.

looks like we are getting the shaft on the storm this weekend. should make for an interesting drive home.

summitchallenger
12-18-2009, 04:08 PM
Got first chair at Ellen....amazing snow over there. First tracks on Hammerhead and Lower FIS. Exterminator, Bravo, and Encore were amazing. Did I mention Tumbler and Cliffs? And pretty much the entire upper mountain was awesome. Elbow was great.

shadyjay
12-18-2009, 07:28 PM
Got first chair at Ellen....amazing snow over there. First tracks on Hammerhead and Lower FIS. Exterminator, Bravo, and Encore were amazing. Did I mention Tumbler and Cliffs? And pretty much the entire upper mountain was awesome. Elbow was great.


Was there from 11-2:30... runs on groomed terrain were fast. A fellow employee joined me and I was able to check off Exterminator/Lower Exterminator/Way Back for the first time ever. We also hit up Tumbler and The Cliffs, in addition to Cruiser, Northstar, Which Way, Rim Run, Elbow, and Lookin' Good. Coupled that with the bluebird skies and unlimited visibilities made it one fine day to open Mt Ellen for the season. Only "iffy" spot was on Straight Shot, but the 2nd time I went to the bottom I did so on Crackerjack.