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Epic resorts and snow condition reports

Christy

Angel Diva
Does Vail Resorts have a policy about not providing condition reports? The Stevens page just give the weather facts, and Whistler has a really bland weather summary. I think an honest conditions report is so helpful! Both Crystal (Alterra) and Snoqualmie (Boyne) make it a point to have very honest conditions reports.

There's no commentary whatsoever there. ^^

Meanwhile at Crystal we get:
2/27/24 9:03 AM
Good morning, skiers and riders! Yesterday’s storm continued to freshen up our mountain with 8" of new snowfall overnight at the summit. Bundle up today as temps are colder than usual. The sun may pay us a visit this afternoon but expect some precipitation throughout the day. Continue to ride with caution – challenging conditions and low coverage may persist in some pockets of your favorite off-piste runs.
Lastly, while we’ve been able to re-open a considerable amount of terrain, it’s important to remember that closed terrain is closed for a reason even if it looks delightful. Don’t duck ropes, don’t jump ropes, and respect all closures. We put gates leading into Exterminator and Bull Run by the end of the day yesterday and are hoping that the new overnight snowfall will have padded those runs a bit more. Be vigilant of rocks, tiny trees, and stumps lurking under the surface. And rejoice in the grand re-opening of Kelly's Gap today!
Closures: Northway and Gold Hills will remain closed. Keep an eye out for updates as we continue to re-open as much terrain as we can!
DRIVING NOTES:
SR 410 may be snowy and icy this morning, please ensure your vehicle is properly equipped with snow tires and 4wd if you are coming up today. We advise to always use caution driving through 410 and up the Boulevard. Stay up to date by visiting WSDOT.


And Snoqualmie:
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Good day everyone!
It's Phat Tuesday today, and we're looking forward to a great day of skiing and snowboarding at The Summit at Snoqualmie. We've received more snow, and there's more terrain for you to enjoy today. The Groomer wasn't able to get to the top of the Armstrong Lift last night due to the new snow, so if you're looking for groomed runs, you can find them over at Summit Central where runs like Hogwild and Silver Nugget received some corduroy last night.

Alpental is open from 9 am to 9 pm, with Edelweiss closing at 3:30 pm. However, due to the new snow that has fallen since Sunday, the Patrol will be doing Avalanche Control work, and there could be delays in opening terrain and lifts. Summit Central is open from 9 am to 9:30 pm today, and Silver Fir closes at 5 pm.

The forecast for today is calling for increasing clouds and snow by midday. The temperatures are perfect for PNW powder today, with the current temperature at 17° on the top of Alpental and 23° at the base area. So, grab your gear and head up here. However, please remember to check the WSDOT Road Report as conditions can change quickly in the mountain passes. You can also check our website or Summit App for the latest operational information.

Respect Closed Areas / Ropes We have moved to a zero tolerance policy, there are no warnings or freebies. If you're found in a closed area or ducking a rope, your pass privileges will be suspended for a minimum of one month. Access privileges may be revoked for the remainder of season or life depending on the nature of the violation, repeated violations, and behavior toward staff. The same applies for tickets and Ikon. Suspension of privileges/access is without refund.

Girls With Grit Brings their two day advanced skiing clinic to Alpental this week 2/29 and 3/1 click on the link for more
information https://www.girlswithgrit.fit/skiing on how to register
 

Ski Sine Fine

Angel Diva
I can tell you what happened to the 3 Snowtime Resorts in PA (Liberty, Whitetail, Roundtop) after Vail took over. The website got standardized and condition reports were gone. Previously, each gave an honest account and was fun to read. Sometimes I’m not even sure if the banner photo wasn’t of some other resort.
 

TiffAlt

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm on Ikon, so I don't regularly check a lot of Epic/Vail run resorts, but I'd be mighty sad to see these reports go away!
 

alpinegal

Certified Ski Diva
Whistler has a one page pdf they release every early morning. I enjoy that they had a recommended run for whistler and blackcomb listed, but miss the commentary that Crystal and Snoqualmie provide!
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Fair to say that the snow conditions reports for the PA resorts that are now part of Epic are not what they used to be under Snow Time (Roundtop, Liberty, Whitetail) or Nutting (7Springs, Hidden Valley, Laurel).

When I was checking for opening dates, it was rare that there was useful info until about a day or two before the actual date. Part of the reason was the weather. But I've noticed the same situation in recent years.
 

Christy

Angel Diva
We need a mole. I'm genuinely curious as to why they forbid? discourage? their resort staff from doing this.
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
This is a real sore spot for me. Okemo's snow reports have gone substantially downhill (no pun intended). First, they often post them really late -- like well after the lifts have opened. So forget about making plans. Or they might leave the same report up for days; it could be Tuesday, and Sunday's report is still hanging around. And the actual conditions are ALWAYS fabulous. Years back the mountain had snow reporters that actually went out before the lifts opened and let people know what was going on. Not anymore. There are also (well, rarely) updates later in the day. And don't get me started on the trail and lift report, which is equally dreadful.
 

Lizzybliss

Diva in Training
Fully agree, the PCMR website offers minimal info on anything re weather/wind (get more on the 6pm news) and occasionally has lifts listed as 'closed' when they are in fact open. The general sentiment is that Vail just doesn't care, none of it matters to them. All the people i know have just moved to 'Opensnow' app for the weather info but it is fee based and i decided i didn't need it. It's a shame.
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
Fully agree, the PCMR website offers minimal info on anything re weather/wind (get more on the 6pm news) and occasionally has lifts listed as 'closed' when they are in fact open. The general sentiment is that Vail just doesn't care, none of it matters to them. All the people i know have just moved to 'Opensnow' app for the weather info but it is fee based and i decided i didn't need it. It's a shame.

Yes. I mean, most of the people coming to the mountain already have passes, so what's the incentive to attract skiers based on a snow report? They're already committed. I also know that Okemo, for example, dismissed its communications/marketing staff. Everything's been centralized to an off-site location, so I don't think they're as keyed in to the individual mountains as they should or could be.
 
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3beeches

Certified Ski Diva
As someone who drives several hours to ski for the day, I find the reports important. I think Epic does care about $. It is not good business to post an accurate weather report if the forecast/conditions are not good.
 

QtrHrs3

Certified Ski Diva
Totally agree: I'm in the same boat. My gripes with Epic go far beyond the useless ski conditions report and lack of updates on lifts running/closed. When I tried to get information about ski lift prices at Park City and Whistler for those with a Tahoe Value Pass, I got three different answers. The "chat" customer service didn't even know there was a website with minimal information, I had to copy and paste it for her/him and I still couldn't get a straight answer. Vail Corp has overextended themselves in pursuit of $$$ for stockholders. Customer service and value are not a priority.
 

Christy

Angel Diva
It's a real missed opportunity when conditions are great too, e.g....

3/2/24 11:45 AM

Good morning and happy Saturday! What a week it has been everyone, with over 4 feet of new snow that fell last week our mountain has gone through a total transformation! If you haven't heard the great news, Northway opened yesterday for the first time in 6 weeks and it is skiing great! Northway and Southback are now open which means all 2600 acres are skiable today! With all this new snow we are expecting a busy day out there so remember to ski and ride safely, give each other plenty of space, and of course, enjoy some long overdue powder skiing! Be sure to scroll down and take a look at our weather forecast below, its going to be a chilly one out there today so make sure to dress appropriately.

But also, what area are closed for a U-12 race or freeride competition, what's going on in the lodge, what lift didn't start up this morning but might be fixed by noon, etc etc. There's a lot to know!
 

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