Some Observations From This Week

[summitchallenger]

Not complaints, just observations for comment I guess and maybe remedying.

1. North Ridge is down again....that lift is showing its age. Any plans on at least a new coat of paint? Why is it so troubled? Age? Doppelmayr and company's retrofit problems linger?

2. Slide Brook: was listed as opening last week, but we had that bad thaw. I know we don't have much cover, but word had it that Lincoln Peak was FLOODED with skiers and riders, some of who were desperate enough to drive over to Ellen. I thought that it would be nice to have it as an option. Many chairs are not even on the line and are probably now perpetually frozen into the tundra of 'Ellen. What is up with this?

3. GMVS bump arena thing on Elbow. Is this part of the bumps promo Ellen is doing? Why was it put at a pinch point on one of the mountain's busiest trails with a narrow escape route that is ice in one hour?

4. Snowmaking: we have a whole thread on it, but only a handful of guns running at Ellen. None on FIS or Exterminator. No hoses. Nothing being set up or taken down beyond what is running. Heard from a member of the "guns and hoses" team that one of Ellen's water pumps is down and "will not be repaired this season." Is this true? What is going on with the snowmaking or lack thereof? I also heard that snowmakers were going to be laid off...seems odd.

5. Went to the ski shop at Ellen to get the boards tuned. I asked the guy for a full tune, and he pointed to the machine and hung his head. "She's broken, still in pieces and not going to be fixed anytime soon. I wouldn't run rental skis through it." So I left. Lost business....seems odd for a holiday week.

All in all looks like there are some bugs that need working out.

[shadyjay]

SBX was down due to repairs from the ice/wind storm earlier in December. Haven't heard a definitive timetable, other than 1/1. Now that date has come and gone, and I don't see it on our schedule. Perhaps snowpack is an issue. Keep in mind the lift probably wouldn't have run these past couple days regardless because of the cold (think stranded).
Hopefully we'll see it, and another 2-3 feet of freshies soon.

Can't comment on the rest, as I'm stationed only at LP but do hope to get over to ME as a rider soon.

[freeheel_skier]

SBX not running could be due to the cold temps (Thurs/Wed). In the past being able to safely evacuate has been an issue too (snow depth at the lower elevations?).

[HowieT2]

I would think the reason sbx isn't running is the deficient snow pack for evacuation purposes.

I echo the sentiment about snow making at mellon. I was there wed. and I didn't see any snow being made.

[BushMogulMaster]

3. GMVS bump arena thing on Elbow. Is this part of the bumps promo Ellen is doing? Why was it put at a pinch point on one of the mountain's busiest trails with a narrow escape route that is ice in one hour?

That is a mogul course for a USSA mogul competition tomorrow and Sunday. That's the only available spot with enough snow and the appropriate pitch.

4. Snowmaking: we have a whole thread on it, but only a handful of guns running at Ellen. None on FIS or Exterminator. No hoses. Nothing being set up or taken down beyond what is running. Heard from a member of the "guns and hoses" team that one of Ellen's water pumps is down and "will not be repaired this season." Is this true? What is going on with the snowmaking or lack thereof? I also heard that snowmakers were going to be laid off...seems odd.

Guns were online in base area, and on Sugar Run. Recoating Mainstream tonight.

[Last Tracks]

i skied slidebrook from ME yesterday...

top section was nice but once we got to the workroad under the SB exppres there was no snow at all except the 2 inches that had fallen that afternoon.

not too kind on my skis and I wouldn't do it again until there is snow on the runout..

exterminator woods were skiing nice.

[win]

Yes SBX needs more snow underneath before it can be run. We have already made more snow at ME than all of last year. We will continue though, but I am not going to just blow where we have sufficient cover.

[Tin Woodsman]

Yes SBX needs more snow underneath before it can be run. We have already made more snow at ME than all of last year. We will continue though, but I am not going to just blow where we have sufficient cover.

Does that rule out resurfacing after major thaw/freeze events if there is sufficient, yet bulletproof, cover? If so, that's.....unfortunate.

[vonski]

If they have made more at Ellen already what about cliffs and which way and lower exterminator? are they going to have snow made on them?

[summitchallenger]

If they have made more at Ellen already what about cliffs and which way and lower exterminator? are they going to have snow made on them?

My thoughts exactly...seemed like resurfacing was nil. Even FIS, which I had heard was "the focus of much snowmaking" was almost bare. Was there more snow spread around--i.e. more trails covered with less snow? Or did that thaw really do that much damage?

[Plowboy]

Last year was a great natural snow year, I THINK that the statement "We have already made more snow at ME than all of last year" says very little for a year with major thaws so far.

When are they going to replace the pipe that goes from German Flats to ME. It seems for the past couple of years there have been multiple breaks in that line. There was water coming out of the side of the road near the school a few weeks ago and from my observations it has not been fixed yet.

[freeheel_skier]

So is ME snowmaking system able to operate @ 100%? Or is there something wrong? Just curious

If someone has already pointed this out sorry for being lazy. I am @ work in the middle of a freaking boring conference call.....Thank the gods I am working out of my "house" for the rest of the week.....ummmm I mean Mt. Ellen!

[BushMogulMaster]

Alright. Let's consider a few things. Snowmaking is not a "snap your fingers" type of operation. And it is very expensive and wasteful to resurface trails that have good cover, and have (as of today) recovered very very nicely. For example, the cord on Rim Run, Elbow, Lookin Good, North Star, Cruiser, Straight Shot, and Sugar Run was soft and very edgeable today. There were still some cleat marks and icy spots, yes. But overall, the groomed runs skied very nicely. Why shoot money out the end of a gun when you don't need to?

Resurfacing and new snowmaking, however, has in fact continued. Sugar Run and Riemergasse each have fresh snowmaking on them. Both very important. Sugar Run for beginner terrain, and Riemer for terrain park. Mainstream was resurfaced and skied great. It even covered lower Which Way. Parts of Inverness were resurfaced. Northridge Xpressway was resurfaced. The base area has been resurfaced multiple times.

Now, I know... I know (a general message for everyone). That's not might not be the terrain YOU want to ski. But guess what? It's not all about you. It's about each and every paying customer. Each person who pays for a ticket or pass is equally important to the operation. Inverness is important, because that's where GMVS trains and holds races. GMVS is extremely important to the operation. Not to mention the upcoming FIS race. Riemergasse is important because that's the park. Nope, I don't ski the park. But some people do, and it's another important piece of the puzzle. Sugar Run was key because it was the first nice and mellow beginner terrain opened up. And it skied great today. Mainstream needed resurfacing badly, because it was solid ice and it is the only easy way down from North Star. Lower NStar is pretty steep.

What you need to understand is that the mountain ops crew is making intelligent decisions about snowmaking, and they understand where the snow needs to be made, and how much they need to make. That's what they're trained to do. And they're doing a good job.

Are you going to see additional trails online soon? I think so. Wait and see.

But for those of you in doubt... there was snow made on FIS, albeit a small amount. Pre season, they were online with towers for a day or two to lay down some base. I have the photos to prove it!

Exterm has not had snowmaking, and I hope it doesn't this season. That trail skis 10000000% better on natural snow. The middle section was good today. The top needs some snow, but it looks like that's on the way.

As to why the mountain can't be online all over the place, take a step back and look at the big picture. There are limits on water consumption based both on water availability and pumping capacity. There are limits on electricity usage, and the mountain gets hit with curtailments at unfortunate times. There is lots of piping on the mountain, and you can only pump so much water around the hill. If Inverness, Northridge Xpressway, and Riemer are online... you simply can't get enough water up to FIS and Baldy. Snowmaking is a very complex subject, and the way snowmaking systems work is also very complex.

The decisions that are being made are well thought out, and are intelligent mountain ops decisions. You are all certainly entitled to have a different opinion, but remember... the people making the calls are professionals in this industry. Are you? If so, great! If not, consider strongly what I have pointed out, and give the team some credit for trying to do the best job they can.

Plowboy... the break in the line by the school WAS repaired. Regardless of the current condition of that line, IMO... there's no point in even thinking about replacing during the winter months.

[win]

No, Tin. I did not mean to imply we won't resurface. We will where and when it makes sense. Cliffs, Whichway and Reimergasse for the Terrain park on on the list for snowmaking next.

We are resurfacing Snowball, Spring Fling and Racer's Edge and Birdland and then moving back to the GH side and moving up the hill.

Hope to get Birch open this weekend as well with snowmaking up there. Will the storm coming in tonight and tomorrow we might have an even better chance of that! Will also reopen CR as soon as it is safe.

[HowieT2]

Alright. Let's consider a few things. Snowmaking is not a "snap your fingers" type of operation. And it is very expensive and wasteful to resurface trails that have good cover, and have (as of today) recovered very very nicely. For example, the cord on Rim Run, Elbow, Lookin Good, North Star, Cruiser, Straight Shot, and Sugar Run was soft and very edgeable today. There were still some cleat marks and icy spots, yes. But overall, the groomed runs skied very nicely. Why shoot money out the end of a gun when you don't need to?

Resurfacing and new snowmaking, however, has in fact continued. Sugar Run and Riemergasse each have fresh snowmaking on them. Both very important. Sugar Run for beginner terrain, and Riemer for terrain park. Mainstream was resurfaced and skied great. It even covered lower Which Way. Parts of Inverness were resurfaced. Northridge Xpressway was resurfaced. The base area has been resurfaced multiple times.

Now, I know... I know (a general message for everyone). That's not might not be the terrain YOU want to ski. But guess what? It's not all about you. It's about each and every paying customer. Each person who pays for a ticket or pass is equally important to the operation. Inverness is important, because that's where GMVS trains and holds races. GMVS is extremely important to the operation. Not to mention the upcoming FIS race. Riemergasse is important because that's the park. Nope, I don't ski the park. But some people do, and it's another important piece of the puzzle. Sugar Run was key because it was the first nice and mellow beginner terrain opened up. And it skied great today. Mainstream needed resurfacing badly, because it was solid ice and it is the only easy way down from North Star. Lower NStar is pretty steep.

What you need to understand is that the mountain ops crew is making intelligent decisions about snowmaking, and they understand where the snow needs to be made, and how much they need to make. That's what they're trained to do. And they're doing a good job.

Are you going to see additional trails online soon? I think so. Wait and see.

But for those of you in doubt... there was snow made on FIS, albeit a small amount. Pre season, they were online with towers for a day or two to lay down some base. I have the photos to prove it!

Exterm has not had snowmaking, and I hope it doesn't this season. That trail skis 10000000% better on natural snow. The middle section was good today. The top needs some snow, but it looks like that's on the way.

As to why the mountain can't be online all over the place, take a step back and look at the big picture. There are limits on water consumption based both on water availability and pumping capacity. There are limits on electricity usage, and the mountain gets hit with curtailments at unfortunate times. There is lots of piping on the mountain, and you can only pump so much water around the hill. If Inverness, Northridge Xpressway, and Riemer are online... you simply can't get enough water up to FIS and Baldy. Snowmaking is a very complex subject, and the way snowmaking systems work is also very complex.

The decisions that are being made are well thought out, and are intelligent mountain ops decisions. You are all certainly entitled to have a different opinion, but remember... the people making the calls are professionals in this industry. Are you? If so, great! If not, consider strongly what I have pointed out, and give the team some credit for trying to do the best job they can.

Plowboy... the break in the line by the school WAS repaired. Regardless of the current condition of that line, IMO... there's no point in even thinking about replacing during the winter months.

I have a couple of questions since you seem to actually know what you're talking about.
I saw the demo fan gun parked by the maintenance building at LP between new years and 1/4. Why wasn't it being used? Is it because the conditions made the other equipment more efficient?
When I last skied on 1/4, they had been blowing snow on Stein's for 3 days straight. Don't get me wrong, Stein's was great and I know it needs to be built up for the spring, but it was great after day one. Why wasn't that capacity utilized to get some snow on north Lynx and get that area open? With Castlerock and North Lynx closed on friday the crowds were bad (by SB standards). I also don't understand why they haven't put some snow down on lower Ripcord leading to the HG which was in terrible shape.

I think we can all accept reasonable limitations and tradeoffs that have to be made in deciding where/when to make snow. What is not acceptable, having done our part and paid for our passes, houses, blazers etc., is if the snowmaking is being limited to save a few bucks (I am not saying that that is the case).