And so it begins 2013

[Hawk]

When I was back in my Sunday River days, the SOP was to have a crew of 2 constantly go down the line inspecting the snow and adjusting the guns positions and flow. The test was actually not very scientific. You held out your glove and watched the crystals hit as they hit. If they were wet and stuck then you adjusted the Air and Water ratio. Depending on the length of the run this occurred every 2 to 3 hours. Seldom did they have a wet gut at these temps. Not sure what it happening here. It is sometimes tricky when you get to your max on air capacity.

[win]

Not sure what one was talking about on Spring Fling. I skied it today an the guns were putting out nice dry snow. The crew this year has done an exellent job of making quality snowand maximizing the water output. We will continue snowmaking on Spring Fling until the southeast winds tonight prevent the towers functioning properly. Next move is likely to Murphy's, Birldland and Stein's and then Sleeper and finishing with North Lynx. That does it for LP, so that all the snowmaking trails will have been covered before Christmas. Then we will hope a winter thaw doesn't take what we have put down away and the free snow comes.

[Ride Delaware ?]

Overall, I think snow quality has been great this season so far. The sustained cold weather over the past week has really helped keep the conditions consistent. It also helps that we have been in a snowy cycle with a foot of fresh this week with up to a foot of fresh through tomorrow. Looks like there may be some more accumulation on Tuesday from snow showers as well. Things are looking really sweet. Should be a terrain explosion soon.

[win]

What a fun day! Snow brings everyone out. Busiest day on this weekend we have ever had. Hope everyone had a fun day. I did and have some leg burn.

[sbskier]

What a fun day! Snow brings everyone out. Busiest day on this weekend we have ever had. Hope everyone had a fun day. I did and have some leg burn.

so the gun at the top of snowball yesterday that covered my goggles was fun the lines they were fun to but the most fun was waiting for havensgate to open 40 mins and have the ski programs show up and cut lines on a powder day thats real fun If patrol had put up and taken down ropes the day before maybe you could of opened the top earlier

[win]

Wind was the delay. Sorry you didn't have fun!

[gostan]

"You can please some of the people some of the time all of the people some of the time some of the people all of thee time but you can never please all of the people all of the time."

Myself, I had some fun being excited and pleased watching folks on the various Lift webcams (it did not take much to imagine their smiles)............while I am still waiting for my delayed season to begin early next year.

[El Bishop]

Fantastic day yesterday -- I have never seen the parking lot that full. My three year old had a blast in micro blazers and my wife and I got our legs crushed. Thanks for all your efforts, Win

[HowieT2]

The snow was playful. Waterfall was a blast. As was ripcord

[Hawk]

Sugarbush made it onto Unofficial Networks. Someone was not happy....and no it wasn't me. I am very happy after skinning both Saturday and Sunday. Lines did not effect me. The best part about the posting is the comments. Way to funny.

[win]

The comments on Unofficial were indeed more interesting. Just a clarification about the three patrollers. It was Birdland and they were not free skiing. They were pulling back the snowmaking gear to make the trail safe for skiing. I did go up early and way amazed at the amount or early morning hiking that got the powder ahead of any of us. A Happy Hawk is good

[southvillager]

The writer make a valid point regarding lift lines. Lines for Bravo halfway up to the Valley House are becoming more common. All the more infuriating when the "in" crowd goes straight to a chair or takes early runs while us lowly season passholders and the day pass guys wait and watch. All skiers are equals, but some skiers are more equal than others.

The marketing efforts have succeeded. On Saturdays the base lodge, bars and lines are packed beyond capacity, like Killington.

[HowieT2]

The writer make a valid point regarding lift lines. Lines for Bravo halfway up to the Valley House are becoming more common. All the more infuriating when the "in" crowd goes straight to a chair or takes early runs while us lowly season passholders and the day pass guys wait and watch. All skiers are equals, but some skiers are more equal than others.

The marketing efforts have succeeded. On Saturdays the base lodge, bars and lines are packed beyond capacity, like Killington.

might not be a bad idea to start the valley house double at 8:30 to lessen the traffic at the superbravo prior to the upper mtn lifts opening at 9. That being said, considering north lynx and castlerock were closed and heavens gate was operating intermittently, i didnt think the lines at the superbravo were that bad. Not good for sure, but not horrible. to beat a dead horse, a valley house triple would be nice.
crowding in the gatehouse is more troublesome. i dont know how many kids are in blazers this season, but even with some of them going to the valley house for lunch, the gatehouse was overrun with kids. something needs to be done.

[southvillager]

Good point, Castlerock and North Lynx lines/chairs/trails absorb a lot of people. And of course Mt Ellen was closed. I say bring back the Spring Fling chair.

[Hawk]

Better get used to it boys. Those 4 packs did exactly what they management wanted. They boosed the skier visits for sure. I think that the opening of Mt Ellen will make things better.

I hope North Linx stays closed for a while. We need the base snow in slidebrook to consolidate. Personnaly I think all the early openings on the trails hammers the little base we have down to dirt and ruins the trails for the year. They never have the chance to build good coverage to hide the rocks and stumps so they show up after every storm. Spills is one thing. It is mostly grassy. But the runs on Castlerock are very rocky. I share this opinion with every one I ski.