The 2020-2021 Ski season thread

[powderfreak]

Wishing for this on a very humid evening...

[HIPPYVALLEY]

I may go ahead and buy the Sun-Fri Berkshire East season passes for the family this week.  I don't know what conditions this winter will bring but under $1200 for the 3 of us is a good deal.  If school is virtual all winter I anticipate a lot of afternoon trips to the mountain. 

[Brewbeer]

Damn, that's a good deal for B'East.  If I lived closer I would do that. 

[PowderBeard]

If we are going to be stuck in Mass then Berkshire East is the best terrain we have...unless we all storm Brodie. 

[Whineminster]

Too early.  Close this thread please.  Fire her up Columbus day wknd

[HoarfrostHubb]

1 hour ago, Whineminster said:

Too early.  Close this thread please.  Fire her up Columbus day wknd

Labor Day Sale is in a couple of weeks. 

[Baroclinic Zone]

5 hours ago, PowderBeard said:

If we are going to be stuck in Mass then Berkshire East is the best terrain we have...unless we all storm Brodie. 

Brodie, I think one of the 1st times I ever skied was there.  I have fleeting memories of sleeping overnight there and using a rope tow.  I think I was like 4-5.

[Skivt2]

15 hours ago, Whineminster said:

Too early.  Close this thread please.  Fire her up Columbus day wknd

I have started this thread on August 1st for about 10 years.  It’s tradition. 

[Angus]

Email from Cannon today discussing Covid and upcoming ski operations...

Here are some plans we can share right now, all of which come with a *subject to change:

 

- Opening Day is scheduled for Friday, November 27th;

- Snowmaking will begin as usual in the weeks prior to Opening Day;

- Base lodge spacing and seating will be very different as we will likely be directed to limit capacities and encourage only short-term use of inside facilities to follow social distancing guidelines... you should plan to spend a lot more time outside than you may have in past years;

- We WILL be selling day passes (tickets)... and purchasing said tickets may move to an online-only system;

- We do not plan to curtail season pass usage or require reservations at this time, but we may have to ask for the assistance of our passholders in helping us plan usage from week to week so that we know what our sales capacity may be in a particular week;

- Snowmaking, grooming, and lift operations may be revised to reflect reduced capacities and revenue projections;

- Lift schedules are being discussed, and there will likely be changes in line spacing and on-chair capacities;

- The operation of the Aerial Tramway is certainly a question mark at this time, and there's no telling whether (or when) its operation will be approved relative to social distancing measures and both State of NH and CDC guidelines;

[PhineasC]

We bought season passes for Cannon and Bretton Woods. Weekdays only. 

[powderfreak]

On 8/13/2020 at 7:49 AM, Skivt2 said:

I have started this thread on August 1st for about 10 years.  It’s tradition. 

August 1st is the traditional skiing New Years Day anyway.  The official start of the new ski year for those who count their days and ski on glaciers all summer, ha.  

[mreaves]

I guess this should have been expected but it still sucks.  Hopefully they come back next year.

https://www.wcax.com/2020/08/20/fis-drops-killington-from-world-cup-schedule/?fbclid=IwAR09I03f8YRXIKgm-ZWwEjU25HXQpdc4E6RXqgjNMP8Ph7QE-UJcAD8_4eA

[BrianW]

Just saw Vail has announced its guidelines for Colorado. Seems really excessive. I think most people aren't going to bother going with all these guidelines in place. 

 

Vail Resorts owns five resorts in Colorado, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte. Highlights of the protocols announced Thursday include:

• Guests will be required to wear face coverings on mountains and in every area of resort operations, including lift lines, on lifts and in gondola cars.
• Only related parties (guests skiing or riding together) will be loaded together on lifts, with exceptions: Two unrelated parties will be allowed to load on four-person chairlifts, seated on opposite sides of the chair; two unrelated singles or pairs will be allowed to sit on opposite sides of six-person chairs; two singles will be allowed to sit on opposite sides of gondola cabins.
• A reservation system prioritizing Epic Pass holders will be implemented to limit numbers and ensure that guests will have the space they need while at the resort. Pass holders will be required to make reservations before arriving at the resort. The number of lift tickets sold to the general public on a given day will depend on how many pass holders have made reservations, and they will be sold only online or through Vail Resorts call centers.

https://theknow.denverpost.com/2020/08/27/vail-resorts-ski-season-coronavirus-reservations/244367/

[Angus]

this is the headline ...For your safety, we will be managing how many people are on our mountains this season and implementing a pass holder reservation system. Reservations will be required to access our mountains. For the vast majority of days, we anticipate our mountains will be able to accommodate everyone who wants to ski or ride at our resorts. This reservation system is designed to give you peace of mind knowing that you will have the space you need to feel safe and physically distance, no matter what day you visit. https://www.epicpass.com/info/reservation-details

[powderfreak]

16 minutes ago, BrianW said:

Just saw Vail has announced its guidelines for Colorado. Seems really excessive. I think most people aren't going to bother going with all these guidelines in place.

 

I think that's the point.  They need to really curb it back this winter.  Ski Resorts out in Colorado were the source of their out-breaks last March and the Gov forced them to close.  They need to stay open so they can't run that risk again, and how do you manage the demand when hotels and indoor spaces can only be 50% occupied or whatever?  It's certainly not a normal winter. 

[powderfreak]

For the reservations,. it's going to be a challenge but there's a belief that once early season limited terrain/lifts moves into more mid-winter operations that reservations likely wont be needed at some mountains.  I can't disagree with the idea of developing procedures now that can be dropped if they aren't necessary... vs the other way which is get caught with your pants down and overrun with crowds and then have to implement controls in-season.  Better to prepare for it, communicate it, and then if need be, you can scrap it at some mountains.

This was from Katz on that: “This season we will be implementing a reservation system across each of our mountains. It is possible that at some point in the season, as we evaluate the dynamics of our operations, we may decide that we no longer need the reservation system at certain resorts. However, with so many uncertainties, we believe it is only prudent to have this system in place now.”

[Angus]

I think I will get the epic NE pass. Try to ski mid-weeks at the premium resorts and wildcat or crotched on weekends. If wildcat would run their mid-mountain chair regularly that would alleviate a lot of congestion IMO. Definitely thinking of the touring skis too. Again, hopefully, we get snow and have regular base in metrowest boston so I have a midweek alternative to a man-made, busy loop at weston ski track!

[PowderBeard]

Trying to do reservations is going to be a mess. Lots of skinning for us this winter. Makes it easier with the baby as well.

[Baroclinic Zone]

5 minutes ago, PowderBeard said:

Trying to do reservations is going to be a mess. Lots of skinning for us this winter. Makes it easier with the baby as well.

Will resorts be allow that this upcoming season?

[PowderBeard]

Just now, Baroclinic Zone said:

Will resorts be allow that this upcoming season?

Not sure, luckily there are plenty of spots within 90 minutes and a quite a few in the Berks that get a lot of snow given VT's quarantine procedures. 

[HoarfrostHubb]

I'm hoping to try some driveable places I haven'tskied at yet.  Basically within 2 hours.    Not a big list but hope to knock out a few smaller places

[PowderBeard]

5 minutes ago, HoarfrostHubb said:

I'm hoping to try some driveable places I haven'tskied at yet.  Basically within 2 hours.    Not a big list but hope to knock out a few smaller places

I checked out some videos of Bousquet after Berkshire East acquired it. Their upper liftline looks like the most technical skiing in Mass with big rocks and ledges. Wouldn't mind returning to Catamount after 15 years. Always a fun steep hill. 

 

[HoarfrostHubb]

1 minute ago, PowderBeard said:

I checked out some videos of Bousquet after Berkshire East acquired it. There Liftline looks like the most technical skiing in Mass with big rocks and ledges. Wouldn't mind returning to Catamount after 15 years. Always a fun steep hill. 

Yeah.  Those places intrigue me.  They have a season pass that covers all three areas now

[powderfreak]

4 hours ago, PowderBeard said:

I checked out some videos of Bousquet after Berkshire East acquired it. Their upper liftline looks like the most technical skiing in Mass with big rocks and ledges. Wouldn't mind returning to Catamount after 15 years. Always a fun steep hill. 

 

You’ve got the right attitude dude.  It’s one winter in a global pandemic...people are eating at restaurants in their parking lots and under tents, schools don’t know what to do with children, makes sense that ski season won’t be the same.  It’s a season where you try to enjoy the little things, explore something different.  Things will be functioning but not ideal or “normal.”

It’ll be what people make out of it.  I do think it’s important for the communication to start now to adjust expectations.  

[MBRI]

6 hours ago, PowderBeard said:

I checked out some videos of Bousquet after Berkshire East acquired it. Their upper liftline looks like the most technical skiing in Mass with big rocks and ledges. Wouldn't mind returning to Catamount after 15 years. Always a fun steep hill. 

 

Its really been 15 years since you slid all the way down Catapult. i need to find those video's

 

[snowgeek]

I grabbed an awesome tele setup on Facebook marketplace.  Everything is like new with skins and all.  K2 Shreditor 92's / 22 Designs AXL bindings, Garmont Ener-G boots.  I haven't telemarked since the 80's and I learned on skinny skis with leather boots and 3 pins with no cables.  Haven't tried it in 30 years, but should be much easier with this setup.  Boots fit perfect and just had them heat molded.  Will VT let me in this winter lol?  Their county by county map is something.  Things feel pretty safe here in Albany County right now, yet Albany County is on the mandatory quarantine list this week.  Will ski areas be requiring Certificates of Compliance?  That's why I'm reluctant to get an Epic or Ikon Pass.  If I'm "stuck in NY, I was thinking of getting a Gore / Whiteface / Bellayre Pass, but I'm feeling pretty gun shy about it.  I'm also wondering how the season pass thing will work with mountain capacity limits.  Tough decisions all around.  Let's hope for a ton of snow so that we can ski just about anywhere!

[PowderBeard]

49 minutes ago, snowgeek said:

I grabbed an awesome tele setup on Facebook marketplace.  Everything is like new with skins and all.  K2 Shreditor 92's / 22 Designs AXL bindings, Garmont Ener-G boots.  I haven't telemarked since the 80's and I learned on skinny skis with leather boots and 3 pins with no cables.  Haven't tried it in 30 years, but should be much easier with this setup.  Boots fit perfect and just had them heat molded.  Will VT let me in this winter lol?  Their county by county map is something.  Things feel pretty safe here in Albany County right now, yet Albany County is on the mandatory quarantine list this week.  Will ski areas be requiring Certificates of Compliance?  That's why I'm reluctant to get an Epic or Ikon Pass.  If I'm "stuck in NY, I was thinking of getting a Gore / Whiteface / Bellayre Pass, but I'm feeling pretty gun shy about it.  I'm also wondering how the season pass thing will work with mountain capacity limits.  Tough decisions all around.  Let's hope for a ton of snow so that we can ski just about anywhere!

Idk how they will enforce it but the county sherrifs were pulling over lots of out of state plates in the spring. Not sure if you've hit it but Platty is pretty amazing and cheap option as well. Probably averages more snow than Gore and definitely better conditions than Whiteface. Their elevation saves them and their marked and unmarked terrain is pretty special. 

[snowgeek]

Idk how they will enforce it but the county sherrifs were pulling over lots of out of state plates in the spring. Not sure if you've hit it but Platty is pretty amazing and cheap option as well. Probably averages more snow than Gore and definitely better conditions than Whiteface. Their elevation saves them and their marked and unmarked terrain is pretty special. 

Been to Platty once. Crazy drive, great
mountain. Went after 3’ of powder. Epic day. I think I have to make like 30 turns to get there lol. Can’t get there from here.


.

[snowgeek]

Gore is spectacular with lots of snow. So diverse. Good steeps and endless glades. Pretty mediocre when snow isn’t good. And I’m not impressed with their man made snow. Too much water.


.

[PhineasC]

I bought a vehicle in NH and put NH plates on it in part to avoid any issues if they suddenly decide to tighten the rules with something like plate checks at the resorts. NH has been pretty level-headed with the COVID restrictions, IMO. Some of the restrictions in other states seem a bit random or reactionary. I am not sure what to expect from states such as NY and VT this fall in terms of restrictions. I feel like any hint of a rise in new cases will send them back hard towards full lockdown.