Alta, UT 1/8/12

"As the easterners know, Christmas skier density and an all manmade snow base are a toxic combination for surface conditions." - Per Tony C.

So true but also the thaw/freeze cycle common to the Northeast (especially this year) can be brutal on trails with primarily man-made snow (which is really just ice crystals). Nothing like the man-made "snow" melting and then freezing up into solid ice to make for a very interesting base to ski on. We went through this last weekend. It was almost 50 on Saturday with substantial melting and softening of the snow and then it turned colder on Saturday night into Sunday. Everything turned into solid ice with some loose granular pushed around on top. The skiing was literally dangerous and I quit by mid-day on Sunday.
 
And here's where Hunter's snowmaking is different from just about all other areas. They have installed all new equipment, and gone are the days of solid ice. I've been skiing there every week since they opened..all the freeze thaw cycles including this last one..and no ice. Yes its super hardpack but not that stuff that looks back at you..its a different product. It was 50 degrees Saturday and 20 on Sunday and it still skied ok and got better as it warmed up a bit. I thank them every week that they invest their money in what matters..and not real estate.
 
berkshireskier":j4n3nfwi said:
the thaw/freeze cycle
Click to expand...
Evidently that occurred over Christmas in quite a few places. Certainly at Vail from johnnash's report, and no doubt at Tahoe too.
kingslug":j4n3nfwi said:
And here's where Hunter's snowmaking is different from just about all other areas.
Click to expand...
I can probably give a similar plug to Big Bear, and it would be very interesting to hear from anyone who has skied both places. The bottom line is that these places have to deal with melt/freeze on a mostly manmade base all the time and have developed the expertise to combat it as effectively as possible. How often does Vail or Squaw have this concern? Normally by the time it gets warm enough ~mid-February there's a deep natural base that holds up much better.
 
Sugarbush also got some of these new guns this past summer, though not enough to use for all their snowmaking. The difference in snow quality was immediately noticeable my first day this season. The snow feels and skis a lot more natural, and can actually be "soft". I was impressed.
 
Very entertaining. But I could barely read all the jabbering....at least your mountains are open. MRG closed until the weekend where we once again get to ski the Practice Slope. For those counting, this will be our 3rd opening this season after two closings. Oh, and we are very excited about the "big" Thursday storm coming....which will consist of rain, freezing rain, sleet and if we are very very very lucky, an inch or three of snow at the end. 'nuff said.
 
There is a simple solution to your problem..... :wink:

We still have a number of open positions here in South Jordan......
 
kingslug":xhaj4otj said:
And here's where Hunter's snowmaking is different from just about all other areas. They have installed all new equipment, and gone are the days of solid ice. I've been skiing there every week since they opened..all the freeze thaw cycles including this last one..and no ice. Yes its super hardpack but not that stuff that looks back at you..its a different product. It was 50 degrees Saturday and 20 on Sunday and it still skied ok and got better as it warmed up a bit. I thank them every week that they invest their money in what matters..and not real estate.
Click to expand...

Yea, the new snow guns are definitely better - more energy efficient, more productive, and can make something that more closely resembles "real" snow than the older guns. This season makes you realize that ski areas in the Northeast have to have an extensive snowmaking system along with an adequate supply of water to blow snow whenever the temps allow. My local mountain has 100% of its terrain now open (23 trails although not all trails are completely side to side snow - some are still modified WROD's) on a relatively limited number of snowmaking days and nights here in Massachusetts.
Here's a link to everything you want to know about making snow:
http://www.skibutternut.com/mountain/mo ... nowmaking/
 
My ski trip to Mammoth first weekend in February looks less and less exciting by the day ;) (don't worry, I'm in CA for work and it's free)
 
berkshireskier":c5duyds2 said:
Here's a link to everything you want to know about making snow....
Click to expand...
Here's a link to my tour of Sun Valley's snowmaking:
viewtopic.php?t=8842

Sun Valley may be dry enough to need snowmaking, but it still has the altitude and low humidity advantages of the Rockies, so rain is rare and melt/freezes much less frequent than in the East. Nonetheless they do pay attention to surface conditions by making "top off" snow of 8-10% water content once there is a sufficient base.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top