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The Double Dipper "avalanche", and likely the other ones mentioned as well, occurred when they made snow on top of a "thaw/re-freeze" surface.

rogman wrote: ↑Jan 12th, '24, 08:43

newpylong1 wrote: ↑Jan 11th, '24, 13:00 If I had to guess they still need more snow on GE whether they are making it or not. I don't think they got very much run time down low before this past storm.

Very cold weather coming in after tonight’s storm. Since they have enough to open, would make sense to delay the low elevation stuff until then.

I’m wondering if conditions are ripe for a slide due to tonight’s storm. The untracked steeps are slick and smooth. Any avi expert’s care to weigh in?

As others have noted, inbounds slides unrelated to snowmaking at east coast resorts aren’t really a thing except in very isolated cases on the steepest rollovers. I have an old photo of a storm slab fracture at Blandford ski area in Russell, MA, on a steep rollover; of course the slab only moved about 5 ft. Most trails lack the pitch and most storms don’t offer the required amount of snow loading. Steep sidecountry gullies and tree lines can and do slide in VT and elsewhere (look no further than Proctorsville Gulf as an example of natural avalanche terrain after the rare monster storm hits southern VT).

seems like they plan on kicking it high gear as this weather system moves out. guess timberline needs to be done but it a snowmaking black hole. here's the latest:

Our snowmaking team will be lighting up Downdraft, Northway and Timberline tonight into tomorrow. Not only will this help us ensure we have more skiable terrain in the future, but it will also get the ball rolling on our Peace Park build over on Ramshead. The snowmaking team will also try to return to Lower Great Eastern, Bear View and Bear Cub so we can have Sunrise, Bear Mountain and Skyeship better connected.

They definitely did a thin to win job on Great Eastern, so it makes sense that they'll need to go back to it.

Bear Cub and Sun Dog have been open au naturale I take it?

Downdraft makes sense as they tend to always go left to right in the Canyon since the equipment is right there. Hopefully the temps at night this week allow for quick production. The list while getting smaller still has some heavy hitters that have to get covered even if they skip the outliers. I'd say the chance of the Fiddle getting any love by the time it's all said and done is pretty low. They should do it before OL

Bear Cub and Sundog were open on natural. South Ridge also opens for the season tomorrow.

Word is Bear Cub and Sundog this week

Also needed:
Finish lower GE
Downdraft
Double Dipper (sometimes skipped)
Pipedream (T2B)
Vertigo
Dream maker park & Headwall (sometimes)
The Stash
OL
Devil’s Fiddle (at least the part well below the cliff)

This isn’t in any order and I’ve probably forgotten some stuff. They do have a long period of cold weather at least.

After that heavy soaker today, and temps not supposed to get above freezing for the next week at least, the mountain is going to freeze up solid and need a lot of resurfacing. If there was ever a time to max out the system its now.

rogman wrote: ↑Jan 13th, '24, 19:24 Word is Bear Cub and Sundog this week

Also needed:
Finish lower GE
Downdraft
Double Dipper (sometimes skipped)
Pipedream (T2B)
Vertigo
Dream maker park & Headwall (sometimes)
The Stash
OL
Devil’s Fiddle (at least the part well below the cliff)

This isn’t in any order and I’ve probably forgotten some stuff. They do have a long period of cold weather at least.

Lower Ovation, Conclusion

KingsFourMan wrote: ↑Jan 13th, '24, 19:39 After that heavy soaker today, and temps not supposed to get above freezing for the next week at least, the mountain is going to freeze up solid and need a lot of resurfacing. If there was ever a time to max out the system its now.

guessing minimal resurfacing. probably just spots. most of the trails they resurfaced the last round now have a good base which was the idea. they now need to move full steam ahead as the wish list is pretty long.

If we keep to where they made snow last year, then they still need to get to:

Downdraft
Dipper
Upper Chute/Great Bear
Timberline
Swirl
Header (upper and lower)
Ovation
Vertigo
Dreammaker (including headwall)
Grizzly
Stash/Shorty
Bear Cub
Sundog
Pipe Dream

Conclusion was skipped last year. They will also need to add Fiddle this year if they want to make use of the new snowmaking.

Still lots to do, but they're going to have a good 10 days without temps going above freezing, and should be able to make a nice dent in it.

skiadikt wrote: ↑Jan 13th, '24, 20:11

KingsFourMan wrote: ↑Jan 13th, '24, 19:39 After that heavy soaker today, and temps not supposed to get above freezing for the next week at least, the mountain is going to freeze up solid and need a lot of resurfacing. If there was ever a time to max out the system its now.

guessing minimal resurfacing. probably just spots. most of the trails they resurfaced the last round now have a good base which was the idea. they now need to move full steam ahead as the wish list is pretty long.

Yeah, the resurfacing is up to Ma Nature now.

snoloco wrote: ↑Jan 13th, '24, 20:11 If we keep to where they made snow last year, then they still need to get to:

Downdraft
Dipper
Upper Chute/Great Bear
Timberline
Swirl
Header (upper and lower)
Ovation
Vertigo
Dreammaker (including headwall)
Grizzly
Stash/Shorty
Bear Cub
Sundog
Pipe Dream

Conclusion was skipped last year. They will also need to add Fiddle this year if they want to make use of the new snowmaking.

Still lots to do, but they're going to have a good 10 days without temps going above freezing, and should be able to make a nice dent in it.

This list is accurate, there also is:

Launch Pad. Yes, the drag guns in from either end and then carry the snow in to the middle load by load.
Rendezvous
Bear View
Upper Wildfire

20 more trails in total for the whole enchilada.

They already did Launch Pad. I forgot about Upper Wildfire. I consider Bear View and Rendezvous to be part of Sundog.

I meant Ridge View (top of Bear into the base of South Ridge) oops.