world cup sucks

[bruceol]

Sorry...but...WORLD CUP SUCKS !!!! We can't ski Superstar because of the stupid world cup !!!! We can't ski under the guns,,,,instead...we gotta "walk the plank",,,,after the stupid world cup. Superstar skis like a r*in infested ice cake !!! We should be skiing Superstar, under the guns...but we "are not allowed".....Soooooo...let me have it.....

[Guy in Shorts]

Short memory there. Pre World Cup Superstar was never open before Turkey Day. First week in December was the norm. We lost nothing but gained a World Cup Race. Pretty much a win-win IMHO. You want to ski Superstar now change your sex and qualify for the race.

[bruceol]

Your right....when it did open in December..or whenever..we got to ski it under the guns....now we get to ski the leftover world cup ice....WORLD CUP SUCKS !!!!!

[alanlw9]

The World Cup doesn’t suck. But yes many people feel your pain.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately given the “facts” that have come out around general snowmaking capacity and the timing of top to bottom.

I think the pain we feel the most is while other mountains are making a genuine push and succeeding at delivering top to bottom. It is so far away from Killingtons mind they could honestly care less.

I think as passholders we’ve shown our loyalty to Killington. What’s unfortunate is we still have two way stairs when other resorts are going to be top to bottom. Take away the resorts that got 12” and there are still others doing a better job.

I fully understand the World Cup. I fully understand the massive construction projects taking place. I’m not saying we absolutely should be top to bottom.

What I miss is the “push” or the “march down great northern”. Those things would be happening immediately and we would be hearing about it. Even if it wasn’t fully successful. If it were not for the World Cup and now this year the construction.

I think we just need to hear that they’re trying. Or understand what the real plan is. Get someone in marketing on a camera and explain these things.

You sold season passes on the promise of new gondolas, bubble chairs, tunnels, early and late season skiing. All of which are in the air right now.

Walking the stairs is not and never will be a pleasurable early season experience.

[Guy in Shorts]

Many hours of gun operation will be required to build the Superstar Glacier. Lots of time to get lost in the Superstar Whiteroom. I’m not a racer but I do get a thrill out making turns on the same snow that best female skiers of the world were on. Sorry that Killington is making your life a living hell. World Cup will probably head back to Aspen in the future and the balance will be restored to you universe. After the World Cup is gone then will you be able to bitch about them not blowing snow on Superstar in October like they used to.

[alanlw9]

Many hours of gun operation will be required to build the Superstar Glacier. Lots of time to get lost in the Superstar Whiteroom. I’m not a racer but I do get a thrill out making turns on the same snow that best female skiers of the world were on. Sorry that Killington is making your life a living hell. World Cup will probably head back to Aspen in the future and the balance will be restored to you universe. After the World Cup is gone then will you be able to bitch about them not blowing snow on Superstar in October like they used to.

That's what gets your rocks off? Seriously, like driving a Pinto around Indianapolis speedway?

[bruceol]

Great topic !!!! Keep it coming !!!! Hey "guy in shorts"....bring it on !!!!! WORLD CUP SUCKS !!!! I hope at least the mountain is making big $$$$$$$$ !!!!

[DrJeff]

World cup or not, I doubt that you'd have seen much, at all of a push to the base right now anyway. The mentality has seemed to have shifted a bit the last few years to make sure that before any push to the base happens that ski/ride in access from the peak to Northridge AND then adequate base depth production on basically the entire Northridge pod happens to allow for continuous daily operations in all but the longest and warmest weather "hiccups" that likely will show up in the coming weeks for a bit, happens before any snowmaking lines down through Snowdon and to the base happen. It seems like the snowmakers have just about accomplished those tasks. It's still late October. While modern snowmaking capabilities are impressive there are still limitations that they can't overcome, and while they've certainly been able to make some snow in the last 10 days or so, it's not like it's been 10 straight days of temps in the teens or lower with dry air 24/7, which is when the system's production capability really starts to get IMPRESSIVE and the acreage they can cover rapidly with significant base depths produced in a relatively short amount time in a cost effective way

[snoloco]

A couple facts:

The World Cup significantly reduces the amount of terrain open to the public in November. Compare last year to 13-14 and 14-15 which were also cold Novembers.

Superstar would not be seeing the aggressive snowmaking this early if it weren't for the World Cup.

Since the stairs were built, the earliest top to bottom date was 11/09/2013 and the latest was 11/25/2015. Earlier openings have longer stairs seasons on average. We're still 2 weeks away from November 9th and going ttb on the 10th is still a good possibility at this time.

Before last year, K was only really competing with Sunday River for very early season. They almost always go top to bottom before K as the Locke Mountain Triple download is not really workable for more than a few days. Peak Resorts was not nearly as aggressive at Mount Snow and Wildcat as they are now. Based on the weather, I believe it is unlikely Mount Snow and Wildcat will stay open continuously.

[DrJeff]

A couple facts:

The World Cup significantly reduces the amount of terrain open to the public in November. Compare last year to 13-14 and 14-15 which were also cold Novembers.

Superstar would not be seeing the aggressive snowmaking this early if it weren't for the World Cup.

Since the stairs were built, the earliest top to bottom date was 11/09/2013 and the latest was 11/25/2015. Earlier openings have longer stairs seasons on average. We're still 2 weeks away from November 9th and going ttb on the 10th is still a good possibility at this time.

Before last year, K was only really competing with Sunday River for very early season. They almost always go top to bottom before K as the Locke Mountain Triple download is not really workable for more than a few days. Peak Resorts was not nearly as aggressive at Mount Snow and Wildcat as they are now. Based on the weather, I believe it is unlikely Mount Snow and Wildcat will stay open continuously.

Mount Snow at least already announced that they're not starting with 7 day a week operations. That will likely start mid November when their more traditional opening date has been

[snoloco]

I define continuous as open at least every weekend. Miss a weekend and you melted out and reopened. I'm saying I expect them to melt out.

[DrJeff]

I define continuous as open at least every weekend. Miss a weekend and you melted out and reopened. I'm saying I expect them to melt out.

Looking at the possible temps later next week, I wouldn't be surprised either if after this weekend, it's another couple weekends where K is the only open area in VT

[Highway Star]

WORLD CUP SUCKS!

[da Pimp]

If it was your money - Would you open your pocketbook deeply to make real expensive snow and watch it melt away in the inevitable fall warmups? Look at this weekend into next week. I don't see any snowmaking after today for a number of days. So how do you expand to top to bottom when its warm at the peak?

A real small quantity of customers seem to feel entitled to get whatever they want, RIGHT NOW, instant gratification, playing with someone else's money. They expect the mountain to be stupid with their money in order to satisfy their thirst. We do have great October skiing & riding right now, but that seems to be not enough. There won't be snowmaking for a bit until colder weather returns. But we know that top to bottom will come when the weather allows it. The yearly numbers show the commitment to that by Killington.

Fortunately we have open markets and competition. Anyone who feels entitled to a certain level of service is free to choose where they spend their money. This weekend there are choices of Killington, Sunday River, Wildcat, Mt. Snow that I am aware of. Anyone can go and buy a ticket and get their top to bottom.

What - you have a pass at Killington and don't want to buy a ticket elsewhere? I guess you are being wise with your money, but expect Killington to be stupid with their money. Killington is staying open every day when you know they are losing money weekdays right now. That is a big commitment to the loyal throng, but is not enough for some.

Everyone has an opinion and the right to share it. Sometimes people share with big crocodile tears and anger. Want some cheese and crackers with that whine?

[newpylong1]

While the armchair management is entertaining, many have short memories, so let me put out some facts about the Killington snowmaking system.

Since the World Cup began they have had 24 Doosan/IR IQ1600 diesel rentals (split between the Snowshed and Bear pads) totally 38,400 CFM and 35,000 more CFM from their in house Centacs. All of this combined gives Killington around 73,000 CFM of air. Prior to the World Cup, each pad varied but was usually less than half full since the Efficiency VT program.

For water, with both Snowshed and Bear pump houses online they can pump around 12,000 GPM total. Both can be configured to send water anywhere on the hill. Air is already everywhere regardless without isolation.

Each K3000 will use up to 600 CFM / 10 GPM in the most marginal wet bulb, down/up to 200 CFM / 80 GPM in the coldest wet bulb.

They would need to run 120 K3000s on Superstar alone in a 26-28 degree wet bulb to completely exhaust their air supply. They do not come close to hitting water limits this early.

I've never counted more than 60 or so used on SS when it's absolute marginal and at their highest air/water ratio, they have to run up high or lose the temps.

In summary, it is October - the weather is up or down. They are making a business decision (not infrastructure) to build depths up higher to weather the early season before putting snow on the ground just to watch it wash away down lower. However, they have the capacity to do so if they wanted. If they wanted to run the World Cup at your expense they would not have doubled their rental fleet.