Snowmaking on Lower Moonshine.

[Hawk]

...well that's what the report says. Did they drag the guns through the woods?

[vonski]

my guess is just on the run out section at the bottom and dragged them from Spring fling over. Cause there is no pipe over there that I know of.

[Treeskier]

They have done this in the past! Which has allowed it to be open in the spring!

[Lostone]

Yes, the snowmaking is off at the bottom of Spring Fling, and the hosed run thru the woods and onto Moonshine.

[Hardbooter]

Now if they could just figure out how to do that on the last turn before the lift on Castlerock.

[gone.skiing]

Now if they could just figure out how to do that on the last turn before the lift on Castlerock.
And eliminate all the fun in Chinese downhill? No way.

[Hardbooter]

I don't care about the Chinese downhill. I just want an extra month of skiing the rock in the spring.

[vonski]

Now if they could just figure out how to do that on the last turn before the lift on Castlerock.

Cannot Resist, FAN GUN in this area!!!

[Hardbooter]

I'm a big fan of fan guns actually, but I think the nearest water supply is on lower downspout so they the best they could do with some hoses is to blow a big whale somewhere near the lift and push the snow over the bridge and up the hill. I'm not sure how feasible that would be but it's probably a long shot since they've been solving the problem with shovels and elbow grease for the last few years.

[gone.skiing]

I don't care about the Chinese downhill. I just want an extra month of skiing the rock in the spring.
Good point. Forgot about that part...

[Tin Woodsman]

I'm a big fan of fan guns actually, but I think the nearest water supply is on lower downspout so they the best they could do with some hoses is to blow a big whale somewhere near the lift and push the snow over the bridge and up the hill. I'm not sure how feasible that would be but it's probably a long shot since they've been solving the problem with shovels and elbow grease for the last few years.

I'm pretty sure Win has addressed this issue in the past on this board. They'd have to invest in a spur line of new pipe coming off the line running up Lower Downspout. Yes it would cost a nice chunk of change, but given that you could keep CR going another few weeks with that investment, it could be one worth making. Not for me to decide. You'd need 2-3 guns off that line - one on the run-in, one near the lift shack and one at the bottom of the last pitch on Liftline that could perform double duty on both that pitch and the last turn. Alas...

[007]

They have done this in the past! Which has allowed it to be open in the spring!

In the past, have they ever made it to Lower Twist with the hoses and guns?

[Tin Woodsman]

They have done this in the past! Which has allowed it to be open in the spring!

In the past, have they ever made it to Lower Twist with the hoses and guns?

How could they? That's a long way from Spring Fling or Steins.

[007]

They have done this in the past! Which has allowed it to be open in the spring!

In the past, have they ever made it to Lower Twist with the hoses and guns?

How could they? That's a long way from Spring Fling or Steins.

Necessary PSI and Water Flow rate should be available at both those points of connection and elevation; it's just a labor intensive project to run out and coil up very long hoses.....

[summitchallenger]

FWIW I believe that a couple seasons ago they did blow some snow in the CR entrance.

[007]

Now if they could just figure out how to do that on the last turn before the lift on Castlerock.

Answer:

http://gearjunkie.com/videos?v=ski-gliding-the-eiger

This may be habit forming...

[Hawk]

They have done this in the past! Which has allowed it to be open in the spring!

In the past, have they ever made it to Lower Twist with the hoses and guns?

How could they? That's a long way from Spring Fling or Steins.

Necessary PSI and Water Flow rate should be available at both those points of connection and elevation; it's just a labor intensive project to run out and coil up very long hoses.....
You shouldn't drink and post. :wink:

[Hardbooter]

http://gearjunkie.com/videos?v=ski-gliding-the-eiger


Am I missing something? Or are you comparing the last turn on Castlerock to ski-gliding the Eiger? Personally, I've always though that gondoliar is our Eiger.

BTW, I have a pretty good video of a paraglide ride that I took across from the Eiger in the summer. Not quite as thrilling as that video but it was thrilling enough for me and spouse (strapped to a different swiss para-dude.)

[Tin Woodsman]

They have done this in the past! Which has allowed it to be open in the spring!

In the past, have they ever made it to Lower Twist with the hoses and guns?

How could they? That's a long way from Spring Fling or Steins.

Necessary PSI and Water Flow rate should be available at both those points of connection and elevation; it's just a labor intensive project to run out and coil up very long hoses.....

I should have been more precise. It's likely so labor intensive as to be financially impractical and highly unlikely in practice. By the logic you provided, they could make snow all over Castlerock by running hoses across from Lower Ripcord.

[Tin Woodsman]

FWIW I believe that a couple seasons ago they did blow some snow in the CR entrance.

They've done that a few times over the last 6-7 years by dragging the hoses down the run-in. It's a rare event though.

[shadyjay]

While Upper Moonshine/Upper Twist are close together, Lower Moonshine/Lower Twist have quite the separation, and that Lower Twist dumps out at the Mall and Lower Moonshine onto Spring Fling. So running guns over to Lower Twist would involve also covering a portion of the Mall, which theoretically could be done from Coffee Run, again with some very long hoses. But is that worth it? I'm guessing the decision to make snow on Lower Moonshine was that it needed it and could be done with relative ease, plus there may have been excess capacity, and rather than firing up a trail on the other side of the mtn, why not use the excess to blow on Lower Moonshine.

As for the 'Rock, yes a couple years ago they did make snow but I think only as far as the hoses would reach from the Lower Downspout entrance. Cats can do amazing things with pushing snow around. But installing a line all the way up the Runout or off Downspout, would it really be worth it to gain the extra couple weeks it could buy you? I thought part of skiing/riding Castlerock is the adventure. Oh yeah... DID WE MENTION ROCKS?

Snowmaking power seems to be pretty good this season at LP... with multiple trails being fired up at once, and being able to groom out Sleeper after a couple days of snowmaking. It was riding really nice today... even the chutes!

[Plowboy]

They have done this in the past! Which has allowed it to be open in the spring!

In the past, have they ever made it to Lower Twist with the hoses and guns?

I think Twist and Lower Twist are piped. I think the lower part of the Mall is piped too.

[Lostone]

They hit the C_Rock entrance, this year, but that last turn is a long way from the entrance. (Seems pretty quick on skis. :wink: )

[vonski]

OK Portable Fan Gun could be moved around at the Rock base!

[shadyjay]

OK Portable Fan Gun could be moved around at the Rock base!


Any fan gun requires power, which is lacking at each "station". However since the pole line does pass right by the entrance to Castlerock from Downspout... I suppose it could be possible. But you still gotta run all your hoses and the power down there from the closest station. And that'd be a lot of hoses to deal with.

[summitchallenger]

I wonder if they could get a permit to draw water for a fan gun from the stream that is right there? Most likely not, but that would only require the installation of power instead of extending a water line....since most fan guns have onboard compressors.

[Hawk]

OK Portable Fan Gun could be moved around at the Rock base!


Any fan gun requires power, which is lacking at each "station". However since the pole line does pass right by the entrance to Castlerock from Downspout... I suppose it could be possible. But you still gotta run all your hoses and the power down there from the closest station. And that'd be a lot of hoses to deal with.

Actually there is 480V power and a transformer right at the castlerock lift base. Running temp cables and a waterline from one of the hydrants on lower downspout would not be that hard and would not cost that much. All they really need to do is blow a huge pile on the other side of the bridge and push it up around the corner.

[MntMan4Bush]

The last two years I skied the Rock on it's last day open. In fact I usually do, but the last two are fresh in my mind. I remember skiing down Middleearth hopping huge patches of mud hoping I didn't land short and double eject. I recall trying to piece a trail together by dropping into the woods to get around a large bare patch that jumping over was not an option and I remember taking my skis off or leaving them on and walking over gigantic patches f grass that brought back memories of hiking the Long Trail in the summer.

So I'll ask. How much later do you want the Rock to be open? You're welcome to "ski" it all summer long if you hike it and enjoy that kind of thing. I think having that rugged mud and rock chute to get to the lift sends a message to all attempting, giving little to no false hope. There is thin cover. Beware.

As for snowmaking I say since the Bush is so stingy of where they make it, why waste it there. They made snow last weekend on Sleeper Chutes and the quality and quantity were great. I almost never ski over there because it doesn't ave much sustained pitch or anything to keep m e interested, but I did laps on that just to enjoy the good quality of snow. See what we're missing? Now how about some of that on the big boys. The guns were going before on Ripcord. Let's keep them going. Or Organgrinder. The bumps on the "headwall" of Sleeper Chutes were so soft and fun I can only imagine if it was a sustained line. I'd set up camp there. Hell snow like that might even inspire some people to come on down off the Tobin Bridge after last weeks Pats fiasco. I certainly hope so. The parking for the bridge is getting outrageous. They're charging admission now. Cash only though so bring correct change.

[Hawk]

Blow a big enough pile and you could push snow all the way up to the Castlerock connector. It's One fan gun that they already own I am talking about. The water is already being pumped up the hill. The hoses they already own. The only cost is hooking up a power cable into the existing panel in the lift house and the cable it self. i would think the mountain employs an electrician in the maintenence crew so its the cost of materials. In years past I have only seen the problem at the bottom from where Cotillion meets the connector. From there up was not bad.

[gone.skiing]

Keep in mind that runout to the base is usually gone by then as well.

[007]

Soooooo, if possible, is it a better idea to blow tons of snow at the base of Moonshine and possibly Lower Twist and lower Mall to keep more trails off of VH Lift open for spring skiing after the CR lift shuts down?
I know, I know, Upper Snowball is tough to keep snow on after April 15, but maybe the groomers can create a little magic carpet up there.

BTW, I agree with MM4B on the C-Rock Spring (Summer?) terrain/skiing, and conservative snowmaking.

[vonski]

Keep in mind that runout to the base is usually gone by then as well.
Most would be willing to hike up to down spout if needed or one could take the traverse to heavens gate area to leave Castlerock!

[gone.skiing]

Keep in mind that runout to the base is usually gone by then as well.
Most would be willing to hike up to down spout if needed or one could take the traverse to heavens gate area to leave Castlerock!

I beg to differ... Most fanatics and skimrv readers maybe. I am perfectly happy to ski bumps on ripcord and steins when it gets to that point.

[Plowboy]

My info says snowmaking is pretty much done at ME for the year.

And........... they are going to bury Stein's and Coffee Run.

[Hardbooter]

And........... they are going to bury Stein's and Coffee Run.

Sounds good to me. That's a higher priority for spring but I'd like to see some fan gun action at the rock before the snow making elves hang up their hats for the season.

[vonski]

My info says snowmaking is pretty much done at ME for the year.

And........... they are going to bury Stein's and Coffee Run.

Really still have not blown on Cliffs, if I am not mistaken.

[freeheel_skier]

My info says snowmaking is pretty much done at ME for the year.

:shock:


Awesome! Totally Awesome!

I love being a second class citizen ME plus pass holder. :D That is exactly why I bought the cheaper ticket :wink:

[John Walden]

MTman- I skiied Sleeper on Sunday as well and had a ball. Went back on Monday, forget about it! It was all windblown and hard as hell.

[Lostone]

I worked Wednesday, and our ambassador check and report (not mine) called it the trail of the day.

I hit it yesterday, very late, and it was great. Not a lot of frowns, there.