What ever happened to....

[Treeskier]

While it was a mix of snow and r--- yesterday. I understand there was up to 4 inches new on upper Snowball. We may have gained depth. It was good to see a bunch of the Bush Pilots making turns yesterday. So I had to ask them an others, so how much snow is there. A resounding response was enough to be open at least one more week and beyond. Coffee run and Steins have lots. Snowball, Springfling will require continued moving around. "But if it is a cold snowy week we should be able to stay open." Which a lot of people where hoping for. Plus it saddened a bunch of people to close not on a sunny weekend. So.

What ever happened to closing mid-week and re-opening a few weekends. Waiting the "closed for the season decision" till mid-week to see what happened to the snow depths and see if the weekend is going to be another sunny warm weekend.

It looks like snow is in the forecast for a lot of this week.

[Treeskier]

And look it turned out to be a beautiful weekend! Next year it will be ~ Easter Weekend.

Plus there is snow in the forecast for mid week. Go figure.

[summitchallenger]

What are you talking about? Stein's was open via the slow speed quads. ;) I found tons of snow and nobody around. And I could ski pretty much top to VH easily with only two grass patches.

[HowieT2]

HAVE HOISTED
WINTER STORM WATCH FROM 12Z TUE THROUGH 20Z WED. PRECIPITATION
WILL BEGIN AS A RAIN AND SNOW MIX ON TUESDAY...CHANGING TO ALL
SNOW AS COLD AIR FILTERS INTO THE REGION. HEAVIEST SNOW WILL
LIKELY FALL TUESDAY NIGHT AS TEMPERATURES DROP BELOW FREEZING
ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...MAINLY ABOVE 1000 FEET...AS PERSISTENT
NORTHWEST FLOW CONTINUES. SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY
ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN AS COLD AIR ADVECTION KEEPS
TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING AND PRECIPITATION WILL STAY MAINLY
ALL SNOW...THEN MIX WITH RAIN BEFORE ENDING DURING THE AFTERNOON.
BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON SNOW ACCUMULATIONS MAY EXCEED 9 INCHES
ABOVE 1000 FEET...WITH MORE THAN A FOOT POSSIBLE IN THE JAY PEAK
AREA.

[arc1]

And look it turned out to be a beautiful weekend! Next year it will be ~ Easter Weekend.

Plus there is snow in the forecast for mid week. Go figure.

I'll take a stab at this. Just guessing they may have decided not to hemmorage money. Just a guess though.

[gone.skiing]

And look it turned out to be a beautiful weekend! Next year it will be ~ Easter Weekend.

Plus there is snow in the forecast for mid week. Go figure.

I'll take a stab at this. Just guessing they may have decided not to hemmorage money. Just a guess though.

It is probably hard to predict, but I am curious if that is going to be a consistent theme next year. Should we make plans to be around early/late? It seems like some money was saved early in the season (not making snow in October) which led to opening in December. Now closing while there is still snow to be skied on. I am not questioning the economics argument or whatever the reason is, just trying to figure out what to plan for next year.

For comparison, this is last year and we still skied on it... There has to be more snow than this out there.
http://searcher.smugmug.com/Sugarbush/Sugarbush-closing-May-09/MG8668/679078915_ZfumK-M.jpg

[HowieT2]

And look it turned out to be a beautiful weekend! Next year it will be ~ Easter Weekend.

Plus there is snow in the forecast for mid week. Go figure.

I'll take a stab at this. Just guessing they may have decided not to hemmorage money. Just a guess though.

It is probably hard to predict, but I am curious if that is going to be a consistent theme next year. Should we make plans to be around early/late? It seems like some money was saved early in the season (not making snow in October) which led to opening in December. Now closing while there is still snow to be skied on. I am not questioning the economics argument or whatever the reason is, just trying to figure out what to plan for next year.

For comparison, this is last year and we still skied on it... There has to be more snow than this out there.
http://searcher.smugmug.com/Sugarbush/Sugarbush-closing-May-09/MG8668/679078915_ZfumK-M.jpg

But last year there wasn't any construction going on at the base. It's one thing to push closing an extra week when there is 'nothing else going on, but when there is heavy machinery bounding about, not to mention the necessary closure of a good part of the base area, it only makes sense.

[gone.skiing]

They managed to land a heli midseason in parking lot and there are no services to speak of in the lodge at this time of year. Use the service road on the other side of CB to walk up to the VH lodge. I am sure that is what people will have to do when summer activities start.

[summitchallenger]

It is probably hard to predict, but I am curious if that is going to be a consistent theme next year. Should we make plans to be around early/late? It seems like some money was saved early in the season (not making snow in October) which led to opening in December. Now closing while there is still snow to be skied on. I am not questioning the economics argument or whatever the reason is, just trying to figure out what to plan for next year.

For comparison, this is last year and we still skied on it... There has to be more snow than this out there.
http://searcher.smugmug.com/Sugarbush/Sugarbush-closing-May-09/MG8668/679078915_ZfumK-M.jpg

I can tell you from my firsthand experience on Saturday that there was more snow than that....there were only two areas that were grass/dirt...both less than 25 feet long and near snow that could be pushed over it.

[HowieT2]

They managed to land a heli midseason in parking lot and there are no services to speak of in the lodge at this time of year. Use the service road on the other side of CB to walk up to the VH lodge. I am sure that is what people will have to do when summer activities start.

Not saying it's impossible, just in balancing factors, the decision makes sense to me.

[Tin Woodsman]

They managed to land a heli midseason in parking lot and there are no services to speak of in the lodge at this time of year. Use the service road on the other side of CB to walk up to the VH lodge. I am sure that is what people will have to do when summer activities start.

Not saying it's impossible, just in balancing factors, the decision makes sense to me.

Of course, they could have avoided the problem altogether and extended the season for another month by simply making some more snow on the upper mtn at North and switching to that venue for this year. That would avoid any interference with construction AND extend the season, all in one fell swoop. :twisted:

[vonski]

They managed to land a heli midseason in parking lot and there are no services to speak of in the lodge at this time of year. Use the service road on the other side of CB to walk up to the VH lodge. I am sure that is what people will have to do when summer activities start.

Not saying it's impossible, just in balancing factors, the decision makes sense to me.

Of course, they could have avoided the problem altogether and extended the season for another month by simply making some more snow on the upper mtn at North and switching to that venue for this year. That would avoid any interference with construction AND extend the season, all in one fell swoop. :twisted:

Tin, I think we lost that battle a long time ago. What we need to do is get the warranty deeds on the Claybrook owners solicit them and get them to Solicit the mountain that they want to ski early and late at North. But that will also mess up the Mt. Ellen pass prices then. Which I am appreciating this year cause I am broke!

[Tin Woodsman]

They managed to land a heli midseason in parking lot and there are no services to speak of in the lodge at this time of year. Use the service road on the other side of CB to walk up to the VH lodge. I am sure that is what people will have to do when summer activities start.

Not saying it's impossible, just in balancing factors, the decision makes sense to me.

Of course, they could have avoided the problem altogether and extended the season for another month by simply making some more snow on the upper mtn at North and switching to that venue for this year. That would avoid any interference with construction AND extend the season, all in one fell swoop. :twisted:

Tin, I think we lost that battle a long time ago. What we need to do is get the warranty deeds on the Claybrook owners solicit them and get them to Solicit the mountain that they want to ski early and late at North. But that will also mess up the Mt. Ellen pass prices then. Which I am appreciating this year cause I am broke!

No doubt that is a lost cause at this point. Perhaps it would have made sense this year only due to the LP base area construction.

[atkinson]

The base area construction does not interfere with anything from Clay Brook over towards Valley House. This is not a factor.

I was looking at some pictures from the last open weekend recently and thinking about how different things are with the early and late at Lincoln Peak. Frankly, Steins is so much more of a cool trail than FIS/Lower Rim Run. FIS was already showing major holes this week too, while Steins is holding strong. You can argue based on your emotional attachment to Mount Ellen, but not on the facts of much longer bump lines and snow that lasts just fine.

As for why we aren't open now, that's for Win to decide.

Yes, it is currently dumping harder than it did all March.

John

[Plowboy]

FIS was already showing major holes this week too, while Steins is holding strong.


If they made as much snow on FIS as they did on Steins.................... FIS would last till June :!: :!: :!: :!: :wink:

[summitchallenger]

The base area construction does not interfere with anything from Clay Brook over towards Valley House. This is not a factor.

Well....from what I saw there was a service road plowed out by the base of Bravo to the Claybrook Access Road for equipment to move back and forth. Probably minor, but equipment is still moving around.


I was looking at some pictures from the last open weekend recently and thinking about how different things are with the early and late at Lincoln Peak. Frankly, Steins is so much more of a cool trail than FIS/Lower Rim Run. FIS was already showing major holes this week too, while Steins is holding strong. You can argue based on your emotional attachment to Mount Ellen, but not on the facts of much longer bump lines and snow that lasts just fine.

Hold on there.....

As said, FIS saw very little in the way of snowmaking so it is not fair to compare the two. Plus, in the past Ellen in early and late season included the upper mountain runs, not just the mentioned FIS and Lower Rim Run. You have to include Panorama, Rim Run, Elbow, Exterminator, Lookin Good, Way Back, as well as the natural options that might be open (Bravo, Black Diamond, Upper Lookin Good). With that said, I'd take those runs over just Stein's.

And I don't think there is any emotional aspect that is being offered. Some nostalgia, maybe, but logically Ellen is still a better option because 12 trails or so is more than 2 and 4,083 is higher than 2,800 feet or so :wink:

It is moot to discuss why LP is the early and late season place....and SB has admitted that it is money.

[Treeskier]

Ok now it is getting silly From NOAA: Late Afternoon: Snow. High near 38. North northwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

Tonight: Snow. Low around 30. Northwest wind around 8 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Wednesday: Snow, mainly before 2pm. High near 35. North northwest wind between 8 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Which in the past history if you take the higher number totals 4"+5"+5"=14" and realize that it is actually quoting Montpelier and often doubles. We could be looking at a lot of snow. What ever happened to the 2' rule? I sure looks like the fat lady has not sung yet. And it's going to be sunny weekend to boot.

Would it be funny if Mad River pulled the 2 foot rule card out of it's hat. Which Betsy did in the past.

[Tin Woodsman]

The base area construction does not interfere with anything from Clay Brook over towards Valley House. This is not a factor.

Well....from what I saw there was a service road plowed out by the base of Bravo to the Claybrook Access Road for equipment to move back and forth. Probably minor, but equipment is still moving around.


I was looking at some pictures from the last open weekend recently and thinking about how different things are with the early and late at Lincoln Peak. Frankly, Steins is so much more of a cool trail than FIS/Lower Rim Run. FIS was already showing major holes this week too, while Steins is holding strong. You can argue based on your emotional attachment to Mount Ellen, but not on the facts of much longer bump lines and snow that lasts just fine.

Hold on there.....

As said, FIS saw very little in the way of snowmaking so it is not fair to compare the two. Plus, in the past Ellen in early and late season included the upper mountain runs, not just the mentioned FIS and Lower Rim Run. You have to include Panorama, Rim Run, Elbow, Exterminator, Lookin Good, Way Back, as well as the natural options that might be open (Bravo, Black Diamond, Upper Lookin Good). With that said, I'd take those runs over just Stein's.

And I don't think there is any emotional aspect that is being offered. Some nostalgia, maybe, but logically Ellen is still a better option because 12 trails or so is more than 2 and 4,083 is higher than 2,800 feet or so :wink:

It is moot to discuss why LP is the early and late season place....and SB has admitted that it is money.

Quoted for truth.

There's no emotional attachment, John. I prefer LP in most conditions mid-winter. That has nothing to do with which mountain is a better early and late season venue.

There's no need to distort the facts in order to make the current reality seem like the superior outcome from a pure skiing perspective.

[ski_resort_observer]

Well....from what I saw there was a service road plowed out by the base of Bravo to the Claybrook Access Road for equipment to move back and forth. Probably minor, but equipment is still moving around.

That road has been there for years. You never notice it in the winter as it's covered with snow. The present road was put in during the LP construction 4 years ago and follows the road that was there before but was raised by the new grade of the new village between Bravo lift and the plaza, where the metal stairs are. During the non-snow months it's used for delivery/access to the back of Gatehouse Lodge for events/maintenence and people who work in Mtn Opps use it to park at the Valley House in the fall/summer/spring. It's also the start of the service road up Lincoln Peak via Racers Edge all the way up Jester, same as it's been for many years

As John said, the construction and equipment will be north of Claybrook. We have the first tee of the base disc golf course near the fence above the construction area and might have to be moved alittle. Overall very little effect on the summer/fall operations, don't think anyone will miss the stairs either. :lol: