summitchallenger
01-27-2010, 09:17 AM
Well, figured while I am on a break (I can't ski this weekend), I'd write some impressions on how things are going so far this season at "North."
I will say that I have seen a lot of promotional ads and deals for 'Ellen. City Market is running the "Lookin' Good" deal while there are ads in newspapers and even at the movie theater in Williston. The January $39 ticket deal was a good idea. I hope it is paying off.
So far I have seen solid crowds at the mountain on the weekends. Finding a seat at lunch can be a challenge. MLK Weekend was the busiest I have seen it in a while. On this past Sunday, while crowds at LP were moderate to light, I rode SBX over to find that the lot at ME was quite full...probably due to the race. From what I have seen, the locals are coming in droves to the mountain. Lots of green plates and lots of happy folks. I talked with one guy on the lift Sunday who has a corporate pass and said he may do the straight ME pass. Still, some other folks who are a new family and came down from one of Mount Ellen's nearby competitors (http://www.boltonvalley.com) had mixed reviews. I spoke with them in early January and they asked, "gee, where is the snowmaking?" I told them that we lost all of November. Certainly last season the trails had a more solid base thanks to the head start. Other than that, they had mixed reviews and said that the deal they got was good, but they were not sure if they would be back.
Overall, we have been lacking in the snow department. I think that the crew has done a good job with what they have. Runs such as Elbow, Rim Run, and Cruiser have been reliable. Grooming has been good. Inverness is now in good shape. The resurfacing of FIS in early January has worked wonders. On MLK weekend I have never seen as many folks on that run. The snow on it has been good overall. Exterminator and Which Way however have not seen any snowmaking, which confuses me. And though last season a lot of us were skeptical of the 50/50 plan for Lookin' Good and other runs, I will say that I miss those bumps and hope we will see them.
Cliffs is another trail that has not seen any snowmaking, but the bump lines look very good and it is fun to see the freestylers hitting the jump. The terrain park is impressive and the crowds waiting for the Sunny D lift last weekend showed that there is much interest.
Kudos to the mountain ops for getting the Lower FIS runout in good shape thanks to a culvert or two. The new woods areas are also tops. Semi-tough woods is probably a favorite with a certain other undisclosed “new area” a very close second. Bravo Woods also is quite nice as is Moose Run Woods, which delivers a nice long frolic through the woods to Lower FIS via the SB liftline and a narrow old logging road. For those who say that ‘Ellen “is too small,” my buddy and I spent an entire day just scoping out the wooded areas, on and off the map. It was a good way to escape the crowds on MLK Weekend.
The lifts have been reliable. North Ridge has delivered with little trouble. There is never a line for Inverness as always and the crew at GMX move the lines along.
I hope that we get more snow. The waterbars on Walt’s Way have been treacherous, but the snow on Brambles has been very good. The cliff band on Bravo needs some cover (no snowmaking I guess). I’d also hope that the tree crew will finish Exterminator Woods next summer—my buddy and I were skiing along when our line “suddenly” disappeared. We followed the ribbons out.
I also hope that SB takes my advice regarding closing Main Stream. On Saturday I was riding up NRX and saw that ski patrol was tending to a serious accident on Cruiser/Main Stream where it appeared a skier collided with another skier who was standing below Main Stream. Let’s say that a backboard was involved…not good. I suggested in the AZ Challenge last year that the trail be closed so that skiers continue skiing down the fall line rather than cutting across on Main Stream, creating some bad intersections.
So very positive reviews so far. Hope that the goal of increasing interest is working out.
I will say that I have seen a lot of promotional ads and deals for 'Ellen. City Market is running the "Lookin' Good" deal while there are ads in newspapers and even at the movie theater in Williston. The January $39 ticket deal was a good idea. I hope it is paying off.
So far I have seen solid crowds at the mountain on the weekends. Finding a seat at lunch can be a challenge. MLK Weekend was the busiest I have seen it in a while. On this past Sunday, while crowds at LP were moderate to light, I rode SBX over to find that the lot at ME was quite full...probably due to the race. From what I have seen, the locals are coming in droves to the mountain. Lots of green plates and lots of happy folks. I talked with one guy on the lift Sunday who has a corporate pass and said he may do the straight ME pass. Still, some other folks who are a new family and came down from one of Mount Ellen's nearby competitors (http://www.boltonvalley.com) had mixed reviews. I spoke with them in early January and they asked, "gee, where is the snowmaking?" I told them that we lost all of November. Certainly last season the trails had a more solid base thanks to the head start. Other than that, they had mixed reviews and said that the deal they got was good, but they were not sure if they would be back.
Overall, we have been lacking in the snow department. I think that the crew has done a good job with what they have. Runs such as Elbow, Rim Run, and Cruiser have been reliable. Grooming has been good. Inverness is now in good shape. The resurfacing of FIS in early January has worked wonders. On MLK weekend I have never seen as many folks on that run. The snow on it has been good overall. Exterminator and Which Way however have not seen any snowmaking, which confuses me. And though last season a lot of us were skeptical of the 50/50 plan for Lookin' Good and other runs, I will say that I miss those bumps and hope we will see them.
Cliffs is another trail that has not seen any snowmaking, but the bump lines look very good and it is fun to see the freestylers hitting the jump. The terrain park is impressive and the crowds waiting for the Sunny D lift last weekend showed that there is much interest.
Kudos to the mountain ops for getting the Lower FIS runout in good shape thanks to a culvert or two. The new woods areas are also tops. Semi-tough woods is probably a favorite with a certain other undisclosed “new area” a very close second. Bravo Woods also is quite nice as is Moose Run Woods, which delivers a nice long frolic through the woods to Lower FIS via the SB liftline and a narrow old logging road. For those who say that ‘Ellen “is too small,” my buddy and I spent an entire day just scoping out the wooded areas, on and off the map. It was a good way to escape the crowds on MLK Weekend.
The lifts have been reliable. North Ridge has delivered with little trouble. There is never a line for Inverness as always and the crew at GMX move the lines along.
I hope that we get more snow. The waterbars on Walt’s Way have been treacherous, but the snow on Brambles has been very good. The cliff band on Bravo needs some cover (no snowmaking I guess). I’d also hope that the tree crew will finish Exterminator Woods next summer—my buddy and I were skiing along when our line “suddenly” disappeared. We followed the ribbons out.
I also hope that SB takes my advice regarding closing Main Stream. On Saturday I was riding up NRX and saw that ski patrol was tending to a serious accident on Cruiser/Main Stream where it appeared a skier collided with another skier who was standing below Main Stream. Let’s say that a backboard was involved…not good. I suggested in the AZ Challenge last year that the trail be closed so that skiers continue skiing down the fall line rather than cutting across on Main Stream, creating some bad intersections.
So very positive reviews so far. Hope that the goal of increasing interest is working out.