Why so many closed trails at Gore?

[Lmk92]

I doubt we make it up this year, but I was checking the site just in case. I was shocked to see so many trails were closed. I don't think we've ever seen the ski bowl open, except our first year, but my favorite section, the North Woods...they're ALL closed! Only 69 trails open...in February? Anyone know what's going on?

 

[nopoleskier]

and this is why I drive an extra hour to ski Okemo... LOL.. I am a Gore Refugee I live 50min away
In their Defense: This has been an odd winter with mega thaws followed by sub zero that was perfect snow making_
but perhaps they didn't? The woods are closed because of Rain/Ice we had Last Sat & the meltdowns.. We lost of ton of snow in the woods.

The way many of the trails are cut the wind blows them off (fairview aka scareview)
they don't make as much snow as necessary IMHO.. AND they have free water from the Hudson and lots of NY Tax $ to add snowmakng.
I got tired of going up and trails were closed "saving for the weekend" or entire portions not open..

Yesterday we got 14" and Wednesday they are predicting 12" SOOO Hopefully Ullr will deliver and Gore will
be able to get more open. In the mean time I'm taking the drive to Okemo 110 trails.. packed powder.

 

[Lmk92]

The last few times we've been there we were pretty disappointed in how many trails were closed, but the past couple of years have been awful. I thought this year was pretty good, but you're right - we have gotten more than our share of warm-ups and rain.

It's funny you mention Okemo - the kids and I were just talking about going to Okemo instead of Gore. Sadly, I don't know if we'll make either one this year with their hectic schedules. I wanted to be ready in case we decide at the last minute we can head further north. I suspect Okemo will win!

 

[Randi M.]

Funny, we were at Gore over MLK and are heading to Okemo Presidents Weekend. I loved Gore, though. Trying not to get my hopes up for good snow at Okemo.

 

[newboots]

Funny, we were at Gore over MLK and are heading to Okemo Presidents Weekend. I loved Gore, though. Trying not to get my hopes up for good snow at Okemo.

Come next weekend! Big storm yesterday/today, another big storm Wednesday!

(I realize this is an impractical suggestion. But the snow on Killington today just blew me away!)

 

[Randi M.]

Come next weekend! Big storm yesterday/today, another big storm Wednesday!

(I realize this is an impractical suggestion. But the snow on Killington today just blew me away!)

I just got an alert from Okemo: "14 Inches of Powder and Counting!" We have been skiing the last two weekends and this is our "off" weekend. We have my son's Tae Kwon So purple belt test, a 40th birthday party and brunch plans with friends , though I really want to skip it all and take advantage of the powder! Right now the 10 day forecast shows low high 20's and snow Feb 16-18, and I'm just going to have to pray that the forecast pans out!

 

[2ski2moro]

I can respond to the closed runs at Gore, more or less.

The North Quad is often closed on weekdays. The lift is slow and very cold if it is windy. If there is no natural snow, Powder Pass is closed. Pete Gay took a really bad hit during the rai* event, turning the bottom into acres of boilerplate. So all that's left is a couple of short runs, Sleeping Bear and Tahawus. Gore will often close pods when the attendance is low, but they open it on weekends.

As for the Snowbowl, it has been open on the weekends, but the interconnecting trails have been closed due to the lack of snow and the big rai* event that all but washed them out. There is not a lot of snowmaking on the interconnect trails, so the only way to get to the ski bowl is by the ski bus.

They never did open Pine Knot this year. Didn't even blow snow on it. I have no idea why.

They have been blowing The Rumor (double black) and it just opened up this week.

Twister and Echo are often closed to the public when racers are here.

Some of the easy trails around the Sunway Chair (Little Dipper, Twin Fawns and Ward Hill) are natural snow dependent. They are open now.

I was at Gore twice this week, and the conditions are really good. We got a lot of snow this week, but the weekend isn't looking so good. Gore will bounce back.


If you ever want to meet up and experience Gore like a local, let me know.

 

[Lmk92]

Gore is one of my most favorite mountains. I especially love Sleeping Bear and Tahawus. My boys skied Rumors and Lies for the first time last year. Sadly, it looks like we won't make it up this year. We'll have time for only one big weekend getaway, and they picked Bellearye (Gore is an extra 2 hours away), which is a special place for us.

I hope we make it up next year. It makes me sad to think of making the trip without them, but there will be a day I have to consider that possibility.