Anticipated Skiing for this Saturday

**random_ski_guy** · 12-04-2006, 09:06 PM

What's everyone's guess for what trails will be open this Saturday?

My guess:
Mt Ellen -
Upper and Lower Rim Run
Panorama (whew-who!)
Elbow
Cruiser
Mainstream
Straight Shot
Looking Good

Lincoln -
Downspout
Lower Jester
Gondolier
Organgrinder
Upper Birdland - maybe?
Lower Organgrinder - maybe?
Murphy's - maybe?

**BushMogulMaster** · 12-04-2006, 10:03 PM

Hmm, I'm not quite ready to assume lower mountain at ME by Saturday. I know that was the goal, but I think it might be a stretch. However, I could be wrong; I assure you I have been before

I think your first four on Lincoln Peak are right, and maybe Lower Organgrinder. I don't follow the goings on at Lincoln Peak nearly as closely as ME, so I'm really not sure.

**Mike_451** · 12-04-2006, 10:15 PM

Top to botom at M/E saturday seems reasonable, it all comes down to how soon the guns come on line on Cruiser, and certainly, all the natural snowfall we can get will help. The temps are great as far a capicity up top, but the colder it is at the botom the more snow they can make in a shorter ammount of time. I seems to me that it will take at least 4 days of snowmaking to bring things down to the botom from scratch, so Probably by Sunday or Monday. If it snows enough, mabey friday. It all depends on Natures Snowgun, and how much they have made up top, as that would dictate when they start moving things down.

We will see tomorow morning if they have started on Cruiser........
Hopefully temps will be in the teens consistantly on the lower mountain.

At Lincoln Peak, it looks like they are working from the botom to the top

It seems to me they are happy with the base at the top, because they were runing servile guns at the botom, if there were thin spots at the top, it seems to me they would have been runing those guns up there instead.

Again, Hope for more natural snow, one nice lake effect dump that lasts a night, could leave enough snow to open quite a bit of terrain, or inspire snomaking efforts on more terrain.

**Tin Woodsman** · 12-04-2006, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by random_ski_guy

What's everyone's guess for what trails will be open this Saturday?

My guess:
Mt Ellen -
Upper and Lower Rim Run
Panorama (whew-who!)
Elbow
Cruiser
Mainstream
Straight Shot
Looking Good

Lincoln -
Downspout
Lower Jester
Gondolier
Organgrinder
Upper Birdland - maybe?
Lower Organgrinder - maybe?
Murphy's - maybe?

I think you've got ME nailed, if the pics from BMM are any indication, they're already working on Straight Shot.

As for LP, I'd add Lower Downspout, subtract Upper Birdland, and probably Murphy's Glade. Lower Grinder is likely, IMHO.

**Bubba** · 12-05-2006, 08:01 AM

Can't imagine they would open LP without upper Jester.

**freeheel_skier** · 12-05-2006, 09:42 AM

It wouldn't feel right if the trail formerly known as "zip" wasn't open to help spew all that traffic from lookin' good onto L.Rim Run!

**Tin Woodsman** · 12-05-2006, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Bubba

Can't imagine they would open LP without upper Jester.

Doh! Good catch.

**ski_resort_observer** · 12-05-2006, 10:48 AM

Actually there is no Upper Jester, it's Jester/Lower Jester

**Lostone** · 12-05-2006, 02:43 PM

It wouldn't feel right if the trail formerly known as "zip" wasn't open

The mountain isn't open until Zip is open!

**Strat** · 12-05-2006, 03:27 PM

My predictions:
Downspout, Lower Downspout, Organgrinder, Lower Organgrinder, Gondolier, Lower Jester, Jester is a possible open Sunday, I'm not so sure about Saturday... tough to cover all those twists and turns, need a lot of guns... I really can't think they can do much more than that, it's definitely frosty up there but I'm not sure that the natural we had is enough... can't say I'm not looking forward to South's opening, always feels like the season's really coming in when Lincoln Peak opens for business...

Oh, and Mt. Ellen:
Rim Run, Lower Rim Run, Elbow, Spread Eagle, the trail formerly known as Zip, potentially Lower Elbow and that little cut through that comes out back at Mid Flats... I remember they opened that last year for a bit of variety and it was an ice sheet... T2B seems just a little far off at this point, but I don't really know...

**Mike_451** · 12-05-2006, 03:53 PM

Ok here is what is going on at Mt Ellen as far as snowmaking.

They had guns on on Upper Rim Run, down to Lower Rim Run to Looking Good, No guns on the rest of lower rim run at this point. Then they were blasting away at Looking Good, and FIS, yes they had every gun on FIS cranking.

Then Down arround the glen house, they had a gun going, and then servile more on the traverse over to Cruiser.

When I downloaded, they were working up Strait Shot, bringing more guns on, and I guess (I don't know as a fact) they were shutting off a few on upper rim run.

At the base they have 4 or 5 guns blasting the very botom of Strait shot, and the Fan gun is running.

Looks like when they are done on Looking Good, they will move on to the bottom of rim run, or start bringing guns on on Cruiser.

I am wondering if they have made the choice of FIS over, Lower Rimrun, It seems to me that if they were thinking that T2B WOULD be close, they would be runing those guns on strait shot now.

Honestly, it was a nice surprise riding up the summit chair, and seeing the tower guns on FIS cranking awawy.

From Wins Indications, it didn't seem like FIS wasn't in the plan.

**Tin Woodsman** · 12-05-2006, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by Mike_451

Ok here is what is going on at Mt Ellen as far as snowmaking.

Honestly, it was a nice surprise riding up the summit chair, and seeing the tower guns on FIS cranking awawy.

From Wins Indications, it didn't seem like FIS wasn't in the plan.

No, it certainly didn't seem like it wasn't.

Thanks for the update. Good news on FIS. How did the coverage look on the runs they were hitting?

**BushMogulMaster** · 12-05-2006, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by Tin Woodsman

How did the coverage look on the runs they were hitting?

Upper Rim is mostly good... sketchy in a few spots. Elbow cover is generally good. Lower Rim needs a little more, but is getting there. Another day or two on Looking Good, and it'll be ready. FIS needs a few days (duh...). Mid-flats (by Glen House) has decent cover near Summit lift, but needs some attention down toward Which Way/Cruiser, et. al. The bottom of Straight Shot is coming along, but still needs a few days.

Sorry I don't have any actual measurements, but I gave you the best info I could.