2024-2025 Ski season Thread

[NW_of_GYX]

10 minutes ago, bwt3650 said:

I immediately thought of him too…def sounds like NIMBYism.


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I dunno. This latest iteration of the backcountry touring community is pretty insufferable and they typically lack the capacity to do any self reflection beyond their relentless pursuit of stoke. Locals were skiing there long before the arcteryx crowd from Boston showed up and GBA slapped their name on it. Locals got fed up with it and took it back, good for them. I will never share my backcountry spots with GBA, defeats the purpose. 

[powderfreak]

22 minutes ago, bwt3650 said:

I immediately thought of him too…def sounds like NIMBYism.

Reading the comments from those in favor of the closure, they are all folks to live there.  And ones who wish for the old days of a private unknown zone.  The Crescent Ridge Glade zone at the top of Randolph was developed/cut and marketed as a fun backcountry zone.  Then when people showed up from that marketing, those who loved it wanted to keep it timelessly quiet.

That's not how things work though in this age of social media.  Randolph thought it was far enough out there to not get the visitation... but people proved that wrong, they will drive for a fun backcountry day.  This shook people, so they shut it off to everyone.  It does feel like NIMBY when you dig into it.

[qg_omega]

Amazing we can’t buy a good Xmas week, literally can predict the warmth a year in advance, every year

[nj2va]

Spending New Years at Bretton Woods, hoping for some cold and snow.

[bwt3650]

Going to be one of those weekends where you just get the water to the guns and max out the systems. There’s some Vermont mountains that really need to make up some ground…sugarbush, Burke, even Mt Snow seem really behind. Jay is ahead of where they usually are and Stowe and Killington seem pretty on track. Stratton is another spot that seems to be doing very well this year with snow making and terrain expansion.


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[GCWarrior]

Mount Snow is a bit behind.  They have one of the better snowmaking systems in New England though so I can see them catching up pretty quick. Going to be needed with Christmas on a Wednesday, all next week is going to be crazy! 
 

Personally lacking motivation for anything more than local turns.  The holidays always have a way of taking my ski vibe away! After new years, bring on the nfl playoffs, more daylight and of course better skiing! 

[tamarack]

On 12/17/2024 at 6:38 AM, qg_omega said:

Amazing we can’t buy a good Xmas week, literally can predict the warmth a year in advance, every year

Only 26 years' record, but the average departures from 12/21-12/28 are illustrative:
21:  -1.3
22:  +0.2
23:  +3.2
24:  +4.0
25:  +1.1
26:  +0.2
27:  +0.8
28:  -0.4

[powderfreak]

Had a good day today with 5-6” of dense snow at the snow plots.  With the Gondola open, the long term High Road plot is back and it was about spot on with the Snow Cam… High Rd came in with an even 6”.

The dense snow skied phenomenally.  It covered the slick variable rain crust and was very surfy.  Skied like a healthy half inch of SWE.

[MRVexpat]

And just like that, Sugarbush goes from severely lagging behind to the most open trails in the East. Mountain operations is a funny thing. 

[bwt3650]

And just like that, Sugarbush goes from severely lagging behind to the most open trails in the East. Mountain operations is a funny thing. 

Good for them..they took a beating publicly on the slow start so it’s good to see them hit their groove..it’s the most inconvenient mountain for me to visit personally, but when it’s on, it’s such a great spot I try and get there at least once a year.


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[bwt3650]

Pretty cool getting such a detailed plan..everyone knows I’m bias toward Jay, but their snowmaking has been kicking ass this year. Maybe go after killington this year for latest season with the superstar project?



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[rimetree]

Little feature on New England skiing from BBC...
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20241219-an-extreme-skiing-champions-guide-to-the-best-slopes-in-new-england

Although, no love for Maine?

[mreaves]

3 hours ago, rimetree said:

Little feature on New England skiing from BBC...
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20241219-an-extreme-skiing-champions-guide-to-the-best-slopes-in-new-england

Although, no love for Maine?

I’m surprised too. Write a letter and tell them!

[Lava Rock]

surprised at the reduction in open terrain at SB, SL and SR. I thought they made it through that rain without much damage. SB had over 60 trails open 2wks ago, now down to 19.

[TrueBlue]

41 minutes ago, Lava Rock said:

surprised at the reduction in open terrain at SB, SL and SR. I thought they made it through that rain without much damage. SB had over 60 trails open 2wks ago, now down to 19.

Last weeks rain was as devastating as the week before. SL has been pounding the snow guns all weekend. 

[mcglups]

Day three, four, five and six (21,22,27,28) on the mountain at Wildcat and conditions remain in the good category, however the crowds are picking up a bit quicker than the natural snow accumulation. Morning laps from 830 to 1000 seem to work best for me until there is more terrain. The weekend of 21st and 22nd was quite cold, and the past couple days were pleasant with Saturday afternoon loosening up with some cold mash. Except for the steepest terrain, the natural snow-only trails are now in play. There are now a few paths down the mountain, and it will be nice when Polecat is the entire length, and that should deliver within a week or so. 

[bwt3650]

Very soft and slow out there on anything other than snowmaking. Some of the naturals up top held up ok, but your quads were screaming from the deep mashed bumps. This rain will wipe most natural terrain, but Thursday really starting to look like a major upslope event to me. I’d bet we’re back in the woods and 100 percent open by Friday. Woods were skiable and there’s def base, but an acl waiting to happen in my opinion…






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[nj2va]

Checked into the Mt Washington hotel earlier today and planning on skiing Tuesday/Wednesday at Bretton Woods.  Wednesday is trending better up here and could get some natural snow which would be nice.

[DavisStraight]

Losing the ice on the ponds just when it was getting to a good thickness, can probably get it back once the cold comes back.

[HIPPYVALLEY]

1 hour ago, DavisStraight said:

Losing the ice on the ponds just when it was getting to a good thickness, can probably get it back once the cold comes back.

The pond ice in W MA is pretty solid, 4”+ of black ice.    We definitely won’t lose it all but there will always be that layer of “punk ice”, even with a deep refreeze.

 

[amarshall]

Sugarloaf yesterday was acl blowing mashed potatoes. 35 trails open. Taking today off . Tomorrow hopefully skiable .


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[tunafish]

After the rain moves out here in Maine later this morning, will groomers go out?  Or will they let it harden up some overnight first?

 

Trying to decide if I want to use these gifted lift tickets tonight at Pleasant (cc @NW_of_GYX).  They are date-specific, unfortunately. 

[bwt3650]

After the rain moves out here in Maine later this morning, will groomers go out?  Or will they let it harden up some overnight first?
 
Trying to decide if I want to use these gifted lift tickets tonight at Pleasant (cc [mention=17017]NW_of_GYX[/mention]).  They are date-specific, unfortunately. 

Probably let it drain for a bit and firm up…but pf is the expert on this. Snowmaking trails actually won’t be terrible in this, but anything natural is done until Thursday.


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[NW_of_GYX]

1 hour ago, tunafish said:

After the rain moves out here in Maine later this morning, will groomers go out?  Or will they let it harden up some overnight first?

 

Trying to decide if I want to use these gifted lift tickets tonight at Pleasant (cc @NW_of_GYX).  They are date-specific, unfortunately. 

Tonight will be better than tomorrow. Once it sets up it will take at least 1 or 2 grooms for them to work the surface into something decently skiable and then that will only last a couple hours each morning. Pleasant hasn’t don’t a pre night skiing groom for years. The timing of this warm up could be worse from a mountain ops perspective. Pleasant still has all their rented generators on site and will be able to keep blowing lots of snow later this week. 

[qg_omega]

XMAS week special

[Prismshine Productions]

XMAS week special

I got a feeling this post is not going to go over well...

Sent from my SM-S146VL using Tapatalk

[bwt3650]

Tonight will be better than tomorrow. Once it sets up it will take at least 1 or 2 grooms for them to work the surface into something decently skiable and then that will only last a couple hours each morning. Pleasant hasn’t don’t a pre night skiing groom for years. The timing of this warm up could be worse from a mountain ops perspective. Pleasant still has all their rented generators on site and will be able to keep blowing lots of snow later this week. 

This is a unique one from a mountain ops perspective. I don’t think it really even set up that much before the snow on weds. It should be right side up so this may actually just kind of fix itself by the weekend. The damage was major though; the difference between 35 and rain and 45 and rain for 2 days decimated it…but if there was going to be a grinch, one that is fixed 48-72 hours later is probably best case scenario in my opinion.


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[NW_of_GYX]

3 hours ago, bwt3650 said:

This is a unique one from a mountain ops perspective. I don’t think it really even set up that much before the snow on weds. It should be right side up so this may actually just kind of fix itself by the weekend. The damage was major though; the difference between 35 and rain and 45 and rain for 2 days decimated it…but if there was going to be a grinch, one that is fixed 48-72 hours later is probably best case scenario in my opinion.


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And the upslope signal for Jay is looking decent later this week into the weekend. That’s what makes Jay the best mountain in the east IMO. Sure it can rain there in the winter but it’s generally just a memory within a few days. The big seasonal totals are impressive, but the lack of long recovery periods for the natural terrain is what makes it unique for the region 

[powderfreak]

This was a tough thaw.  The hill got smoked.

I’d imagine it was widespread to other regions for melt with these temps and dew points.  The steep natural snow runs that were open (no snowmaking yet) need a good 1” of frozen QPF to be ok again.

Stake looked to have lost up to a foot.

 

[hazwoper]

12 minutes ago, powderfreak said:

This was a tough thaw.  The hill got smoked.

I’d imagine it was widespread to other regions for melt with these temps and dew points.  The steep natural snow runs open (no snowmaking yet) need a good 1” of frozen QPF to be ok again.

Stake looked to have lost up to a foot.

 

Damn!  I’ll be at Stowe Thursday through Saturday.  Thoughts on natural runs opening this weekend @powderfreak?