When do you think you'll start skiing this year?

[MaineSkiLady]

I had no idea so many resorts made snow! I always thought man made snow was something skiers disliked but I can see that if it means an early opener people would like it just fine.

I recall that there was a season (I think it was even more than 1....2??) in the 70's in CO with a pretty serious snow drought. Late 70's?? Early 80's?? (anyone who recalls precisely, help me out here) The resorts that had snowmaking - and I believe Keystone was one of the first with an extensive system - were the ones who survived a couple of truly rough seasons. Right after that, the rush was on to install and implement snowmaking, at least in that region. It's mostly "filler" kind of supplementing (super-high traffic areas, etc) -- also to get an early season base going. Then hopefully the skies "open." :D

However, in the Midwest and everything east of there, snowmaking is de rigeur -- absolutely mandatory. Happily, the technology (more like an art form now!) has come a long, long way -- to the point where the stuff can be absolutely terrific. Does it top 2' of freshies? Heck, no. Does it beat not skiing at all? Ummmm.....dumb question. And yes, it is a very durable surface. In the east, it's so durable that it really doesn't begin to soften until it's downright warm out. The base at Sugarloaf last season was still mid-winter in early April and didn't soften until mid-April.

 

[DawnSuiter]

I watched eagerly last night as the local resort cams showed us that they were making snow! It's downright cold here already 18 degrees at some of our local haunts! So I wasn't expecting ski season to start until December 1/2 but looks like we'll be skiing Beech or Appalachian by Saturday! YAY

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

YES, Sugar Mtn., NC opened this morning and there was only one other skier and 3 snowboarders the first two hours-heaven! I started seeing real snow in the Linville area about 40 minutes before I got there. OOOWEEEE!!!! The top isn't open yet, but it's white up there! From the 3/4 station was particularly good. $25/day, $20 for half. This usually only lasts the first few days....

 

[Jilly]

Tremblant to open Friday with 4 runs. Top to mid-mountain, both sides. I'll be there Saturday.

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

I watched eagerly last night as the local resort cams showed us that they were making snow! It's downright cold here already 18 degrees at some of our local haunts! So I wasn't expecting ski season to start until December 1/2 but looks like we'll be skiing Beech or Appalachian by Saturday! YAY

Dawn: Appalachian is scheduled to open Friday. Cataloochee will reopen Saturday, I haven't seen a date on Beech yet, but temps at Sugar never made it up to freezing today, so I know they've got to be making and probably got some of the real stuff that Sugar did, so watch their website. They've new snowmaking machines this year, new groomers, too, with the new ownership. And ladies ski free days return there this year, but on Thursday. Happy Skiing!

 

[DawnSuiter]

Hey ski/swimmouse, Beech opens on Saturday which is why I said we'd be there or Appalachian on Saturday... Sugar is tempting for tomorrow, but I guess we'll wait until they have some more open, it's 2.5 hours to there for me... I think the whole mtn is supposed to be open at Appalachian on Friday that would be worth it.. maybe sugar will be caught up by then...

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

Hey ski/swimmouse, Beech opens on Saturday which is why I said we'd be there or Appalachian on Saturday... Sugar is tempting for tomorrow, but I guess we'll wait until they have some more open, it's 2.5 hours to there for me... I think the whole mtn is supposed to be open at Appalachian on Friday that would be worth it.. maybe sugar will be caught up by then...

Thanks, Dawn! I'm trying to hit as many "opening days" as I can, before any ice can form. I'm definitely planning on App Friday. Beech is 2.5 hrs for us; Sugar ~ 2.1. Though smaller, Cataloochee is ~1.5 and Appalachian right @ 2 hrs. We're going to the 25th anniversary of Crescent Race camp in Steamboat 12/6-13, so I'm anxious to get in as much as possible before those six solid ski days in a row! We're aiming for Sugar Wed.. Maybe I'll see you @ App Fri? :D

 

[DawnSuiter]

Well... after reviewing all of my choices... we decided to wait until Monday and go overnight to Snowshoe... for $29 lift tickets on Mon & Tuesday... couldn't pass that one up! Can't wait!

 

[Kano]

When the snow comes, and the mountain opens -- which is usually mid-week here, so they can make sure everyone on staff is up to speed before the weekend when everyone in the valley who skis heads up the hill -- I will be there to help them practice!

(got "new" skis to test drive, you know!)

Karen in Boise

 

[SkiGAP]

I am thinking of calling in sick this coming Tuesday...

 

[cinnabon]

I had no idea so many resorts made snow! I always thought man made snow was something skiers disliked but I can see that if it means an early opener people would like it just fine.

I don't think any area in Western Wa makes snow so I know I won't ski before thanksgiving, when Mt Baker should be open. November is super wet here but also kind of warm-ish so we just have to wait.

Almost all Eastern / Northeastern skiing would not exist at all without it, and it's not just for early season. There just isn't enough natural snowfall to build up enough base. And even when they do get a base they get rain and warm spells, and freeze-thaw-freeze cycles, where there would be nothing but a sheet of ice. The snowmaking allows them to recover from this. A lot of places do such a great job, it's really not that bad - although of course you are always hoping for natural snow!

 

[ski diva]

^^^^^This is true.

Some years, we get enough snow in the east that they don't have to make that much. Last year, for example, was a great snow year, so most of the snowmaking was limited to the early season, just to get things going. You also have to consider the size of the resorts -- they're not as large as the ones out west. So it's not unheard of for there to be snowmaking on just about every trail.

I, for one, am extremely grateful for snowmaking. Without it, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to go skiing on Friday!

 

[abc]

I had no idea so many resorts made snow! I always thought man made snow was something skiers disliked but I can see that if it means an early opener people would like it just fine.

I don't think any area in Western Wa makes snow so I know I won't ski before thanksgiving, when Mt Baker should be open. November is super wet here but also kind of warm-ish so we just have to wait.

"western resort", by which you mean "west coast" resorts, don't tend to make snow as much. There're two reasons.

1. There's "usually" so much snow it's simply not neccessary. Not even to build base.

2. When the "pineapple express" comes through, the rain will simply wash any man-made snow away faster than you can say "r...ain"!

Frankly, I'm glad they don't. The chemcal used in snow-making maybe no worse than the industrial sewage we've been having for a century in the east. It would spoil the still semi-prestine environment of the west.

 

[Jilly]

abc - At Tremblant all melt off the mountain has to pass through filters before it is returned to the lake. The chemicals used in the process of making snow are no where near sewage. But add in the odd hydraulic fluid, gas and skiers yellow snow, then you might get a little closer. But not sewage. A little salty, but not sewage.
Most ski resorts have to do this filter system to make sure that clean water is being returned to the environment. Farm waste from fertilizers are worst than snow making chemcials

Now back to topic - Saturday at Tremblant - 10 runs I hear!

 

[abc]

Jilly, I understand those water aren't worse than other source of conteminations. But that's because we have a lot of them here in the east to begin with so snowmaking is comparatively not a big deal.

Having lived out west, even in the more "populated" part of the west, I'm shocked when I come back east, at what our east coast standard of "clean" is... What's consider almost unbearably "dirty" in the west is considered pretty "clean" in the east! No joke.

And don't get me wrong, Canada is much "cleaner" than us below the 49 parallel. But if you've seen what we have to live with, you'll be a lot more motivated to keep your environment as clean as it is.

 

[ski diva]

Mod note: This thread is not to be turned into a pissing contest about who is cleaner than whom. East, west, north, and south all have their share of environmental problems.

That said,

 

[abc]

Back on the "when do you think you'll ski" topic, I'm "thinking" about skiing Christmas day since I can make a 4 day weekend out of it. That would make it a "second" for skiing before Januray.

(Last year was the "first" pre-January, on ESA weekend diva gathering. But that's not likely to motivate me this year since there's no discount tickets any more)

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

For those in the mid-Atlantic region; I see where Snowshoe/Silvercreek got 36" of new natural snow!

 

[dloveski]

"western resort", by which you mean "west coast" resorts, don't tend to make snow as much.

Snowmaking is essential to building a base in most resorts out west these days. The Intermountain resorts rely on early-season snowmaking too; it's a necessity for early-season coverage on high traffic groomers and the terrain parks. The guns are blasting when the temps are low enough to keep at least 1/2 of the water from melting. Even in Jackson, Snow King is blasting like crazy---my son's yard and car are covered in ice from the microenvironment of the snow guns on the runs above him.

 

[cinnabon]

Snowmaking is essential to building a base in most resorts out west these days. The Intermountain resorts rely on early-season snowmaking too; it's a necessity for early-season coverage on high traffic groomers and the terrain parks. The guns are blasting when the temps are low enough to keep at least 1/2 of the water from melting. Even in Jackson, Snow King is blasting like crazy---my son's yard and car are covered in ice from the microenvironment of the snow guns on the runs above him.

Definitely true. I am hoping to start skiing next weekend. To me it's not really worth buying a ticket with so little open, so I'll be stuck with The Canyons where I bought a season pass. They are supposed to open on T-giving but there is little snow up in Park City right now. I know they are making all the snow they can right now, so hopefully there will be something decent, even just to start warming up on.