The Wind Hold Streak

[summitchallenger]

Since last Saturday (2/13), my unofficial tally indicates that Heaven's Gate has run 2 maybe 3 days or partial days. I just opened the snow report and saw that Heaven's Gate is once again on wind hold.

Does anyone remember such a long streak of consistent high winds? Is this because of a change in the weather pattern or something?

[Jacksun]

Given the dead calm of today, it was very very hard to believe that HG was shut down due to wind. The ski ambassadors kept saying that the issue was very strong winds at the very top - no way for us skier folk to really know. Then these strong winds magically disappeared at 1pm and it opened. The other days the wind was apparent and wind holds seemed justified. Today it just seemed unfair.

[shadyjay]

It does seem like there have been a lot of wind holds lately. I wouldn't call it a pattern shift or anything, but rather just more "potent" storms. The winds affect has been interesting this year. In years past, Mt Ellen has been the victim, but it seems HG and North Lynx last week got the shaft several days, lasting into the weekend. Kind of makes me glad I'm not assigned to HG every day. And then a couple of days early in Feb with the wind only affecting Bravo. It's been strange, indeed!

On a bluebird morning such as this morning, it is really tough to judge the wind at the summit, when looking up. I agree, it was dead calm at the GH plateau, but the wind was blowing at higher elevations. A lot can change as you increase in elevation so a dead calm at the top of Bravo or at the plateau doesn't necessarily mean its dead calm at the summit.

But we all here know all that!

And HG did open today, it was just after 1pm.

[HowieT2]

Given the dead calm of today, it was very very hard to believe that HG was shut down due to wind. The ski ambassadors kept saying that the issue was very strong winds at the very top - no way for us skier folk to really know. Then these strong winds magically disappeared at 1pm and it opened. The other days the wind was apparent and wind holds seemed justified. Today it just seemed unfair.

i was at mellon today and there was no wind at all until we got up to the summit where it was howling. i was surprised.