Snowmaking Plan?

[KingsFourMan]

Disappointed with the lack of resurfacing. Okemo is much better in that department.

cascade, upper bitter, lower skyeburst and lower o in addition to blowing the snot out of dreammaker and the superpipe and you're disappointed?

Yea, forgive me, I'm a product of the long gone glory days of Pres Smith's snowmaking philosophy which was an absolute thing of beauty, ask anyone who lived it. But I get it, the season is young and they have to plan for rebuilding after the inevitable, more common than ever, east coast mid winter meltdown. Still, Okemo's snow surfaces are almost always better than Killington's but they have a different clientele and charge more for it. That being said, PWDR blows, would kill to have K in the Vail portfolio with Mike still at the helm, he has done a great job with one testicle tied behind his back.

[skiadikt]

Superpipe is in the on-deck circle.
Hoping all 20 of you that can scale a 22' wall are good with that.

Guns have been basting that for a couple days.

Is there some sort of competition that will use it.

If not, how do they justify wasting all the resources needed to create it.

Look at the report. They are about done snowmaking, just a bit of resurfacing on spots that pop up, and a few small gaps to fill in. If they don't get a major thaw until March, it will be one of their least costly snowmaking seasons in a while.

They must be praying heavily for a couple more feet of natural to show up soon though.

what report you looking at? they just opened ol, wildfire & great eastern to rt 4. finished the bump venue on highline. expansion continues with dreammaker & superpipe. resurfacing on lower o, cascade, bitter & lower skyeburst. vertigo is in the queue. double dipper and probably downdraft. resurfacing & base building will continue and there's supe & skye lark builds for the spring. last year they made snow well into march.

[ME2VTSkier]

what report you looking at? they just opened ol, wildfire & great eastern to rt 4. finished the bump venue on highline. expansion continues with dreammaker & superpipe. resurfacing on lower o, cascade, bitter & lower skyeburst. vertigo is in the queue. double dipper and probably downdraft. resurfacing & base building will continue and there's supe & skye lark builds for the spring. last year they made snow well into march.

They've got it all open. They'll fill in the thin spots and a few small connections, but anymore massive base building probably won't happen. Just they usual resurfacing and spring builds. I'd be willing to bet the compressors go back early this year. It would make great sense, especially to help recoup some of what the World Cup costs them.

Even Stitchline is open today...

Bear:
All trails open with the exceptions of:
Dreammaker (active snowmaking for park features)
Skye Peak Liftline (no snowmaking)
Superpipe Trail (active snowmaking for pipe)

Canyon:
All trails open

Killington Peak:
All trails open other than Juggernaut (which probably will not open until temperatures moderate, so they don't have to worry about newbies getting frostbit. Forecast looking to be at least another 10-15 days brutal temps)

North Ridge:
All trails open

Ramshead:
All trails open (They didn't blow top-to-bottom on Header... AGAIN, for base depths, and once again probably won't if they can get by not doing it.)
Neffland park only remaining park to blow on for features.

Skyepeak:
All trails open with the exceptions of Touchdown & Valley Plunge down by Skyeship base. Doubt they will charge that loop just to blow on those two trails,

unless something else on the loop needs a re-surface.
Re-surfacing in progress on Upper Bittersweet and Middle Ovation.

Snowdon:
All trails open
Re-surfacing in progress on Lower Chute and Lower Great Northern.

Snowshed:
All trails open

South Ridge:
All trails open other than Sassafras & Solitude (see Juggernaut, too cold for the novices)

Sunrise:
All trails with snowmaking open, Juggernaut Too & Rendezvous closed awaiting more natural snowfall.

[ME2VTSkier]

Tomorrow is the last day of Holiday Break for most. I'd bet they will coast as much a possible, and hope for some more natural, until they need to ramp-up for MLK weekend.

They've gotten pretty darned lucky so far with only 62" snowfall total so far.

[daytripper]

There is still massive base building need on Superstar.

[deadheadskier]

Disappointed with the lack of resurfacing. Okemo is much better in that department.

cascade, upper bitter, lower skyeburst and lower o in addition to blowing the snot out of dreammaker and the superpipe and you're disappointed?

Yea, forgive me, I'm a product of the long gone glory days of Pres Smith's snowmaking philosophy which was an absolute thing of beauty, ask anyone who lived it. But I get it, the season is young and they have to plan for rebuilding after the inevitable, more common than ever, east coast mid winter meltdown. Still, Okemo's snow surfaces are almost always better than Killington's but they have a different clientele and charge more for it. That being said, PWDR blows, would kill to have K in the Vail portfolio with Mike still at the helm, he has done a great job with one testicle tied behind his back.

Lots of things go into the quality of snow surfaces besides amount of snowmaking resurfacing. Generally speaking more mellow pitched areas with less wind exposure will have better surfaces than steep, windy mountains. With the same amount of traffic, steeper terrain simply gets skied off faster.

[brownman]

There is still massive base building need on Superstar.

and .. Okemo's snow surface is way easier to maintain. They have no pitch and way less traffic.

[ME2VTSkier]

There is still massive base building need on Superstar.

That goes without saying, but it's early for spring building just yet.

[SnoBrdr]

There is still massive base building need on Superstar.

That goes without saying, but it's early for spring building just yet.

Never too early.

[rogman]

Over? Did you say over? Nothing is over 'til Mike decides it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?...

[Guy in Shorts]

They still blowing snow on the first day of spring last year.

[ME2VTSkier]

They still blowing snow on the first day of spring last year.

And how many thaws did they suffer thru compared to this year? How slow and how long did the trail roll out take last year?

[skiadikt]

They still blowing snow on the first day of spring last year.

And how many thaws did they suffer thru compared to this year? How slow and how long did the trail roll out take last year?

sounds they're not done yet. from the conditions report:

Tonight, the snowmakers head to Downdraft and continue making snow on the Chute while the grooming team will hit 67 trails carving out fresh corduroy.

[hillbangin]

Finally - I hate that this is the last trail they do. Wish they came right down the stairs, down Dipper to the Canyon chair in the fall.

They'll take advantage of the slightly warming temperatures to coat Lower Double Dipper in fresh snow, as well as finishing up the Superpipe, slated to open this week.

[skiadikt]

oh yeah and they're still not done. dipper, vertigo & timberline. vertigo skied great today. putting down a big base there.