And so it begins.... 20-21 snowmaking season starts

EMSC, what are you doing pass-wise this season? Ikon again or do you share Tony's concerns about ski areas on the two mega passes?
 
Ikon for me.

My concerns are a bit mitigated by (crosses fingers) my son being on the ski team. I might not get many days elsewhere, but should be able to get on the hill regularly at my home mtn. Details still being worked out of course, but this is true at pretty much every ski area. They have to find a way for season long participants in various programs to be able to get on the hill consistently. Whether ski racing, disabled programs, their own multi-week learn to ski programs, etc...

Not sure that the various reservation systems are able to do this yet, but I figure at least by the end of this calendar year they will have it figured out.

In addition, I'll have to take my chances on trying reservations elsewhere for random days (eg Winter Park & Copper mostly).
 
Also from Al's Blog this week:
Beginning November 9, reservations will be required at A-Basin for Ikon Pass holders. Reservations are not required before November 9. We encourage and want to see Ikon Pass folks this winter. This action is being done to manage COVID-19 conditions. We want to spread out visitation and to make sure that no single day sees too many people. Ikon Pass Friends and Family tickets will still be available although we have not yet finalized the fulfillment method.
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This continues the trend of reservations being required for Ikon passholders at partner (5 or 7 day) resorts. Hopefully EMSC will get in some of A-Basin's prime late season that he missed last year.

I expect the same from Alta and Snowbird. Recall that their local passholders were already whining about Ikon before COVID-19.
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I am hoping that Iron Blosam timeshare owners will be promised reservations during their week. If not, occupancy will take a big hit this season.

EMSC":2dndqrl4 said:
random days (eg Winter Park & Copper mostly)
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These will be interesting cases for Ikon. They are unlimited Ikon resorts but normally high volume that will have to be cut back somehow. My guess is that many of EMSC's "random days," including spring A-Basin, will need to be midweek.

As for the season, yes it's that time of year in SoCal too: predicted to be 100+F for the next week. L.A.'s all time record of 113F was set 10 years ago today.
 
James may be interested that Monarch has posted its 2020-21 ticket policy:
Ticket Sales:
All Season passholders will have access to the lifts any day of the week all season long. No black-out dates and no reservation needed.
Blue Card holders will have access to the lifts any day of the week all season long. No black-out dates and no reservation needed.
Any purchaser of a four pack from a special preseason event will have access to the lifts all season long except for blacked out dates as designated on the ticket: December 26 through January 3, and February 13 and 14.
Any purchaser of an online ticket will have access to the lifts on the day they select, if available, and as designated on the ticket. The number of tickets sold each day will be variable to reduce peak visitation periods.
Purchase of a ticket onsite at the ticket windows will not be available on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the season starting December 12, 2020.
Day tickets for any Saturday or Sunday starting December 12, 2020 will have to be purchased online no later than the night before, if not already sold out. The number of tickets sold each day will be limited to reduce peak visitation periods.
Purchase of a ticket onsite at the ticket windows will not be available December 26, 2020 through January 3, 2021. Day tickets will have to be purchased online no later than the night before, if not already sold out. The number of tickets sold each day during this period will be limited to reduce peak visitation periods.
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I'm guessing from this that Powder Alliance passholders will not need to reserve Monarch in advance.
 
Tony Crocker":1jwmkuj8 said:
I'm guessing from this that Powder Alliance passholders will not need to reserve Monarch in advance.
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Odd that they didn't include the fine print about Powder Alliance. The Loveland season-pass page mentions "3 Free Days at Monarch (3 days TOTAL. Powder Alliance benefits do not apply)."

I've already booked a trip to Colorado during the middle of December to kill off vacation days before the end of the year and plan to ski two days at Monarch. Hopefully, I'll get a repeat of last December's conditions:
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards ... =3&t=14126

I don't know if any of you have been flying recently, but the roundtrip fares for my two trips over the past month to Denver were preposterously cheap: $136 and $116 for a 3.5-hour flight. The December fare was a comparatively expensive $195.
:lol:

The planes were completely full but everyone was very compliant with mask usage -- no knuckleheads protesting about their personal liberty being compromised.
 
It's good to hear James has resumed going to Colorado. Monarch is part of Powder Alliance. Loveland is trying to be clear that its passholders get 3 not 6 days at Monarch, but if they had been silent anyone who looked up Powder Alliance would see the 3 days at Monarch. I suspect Loveland wanted to highlight Monarch and other CO areas for their Front Range clientele.

Liz may well buy a Loveland pass yet not set foot in Colorado on 2020-21. The interior Northwest benefits are great and include the two big names of the region Schweitzer and Whitefish.

I have not been on a plane since March 1, but my guess is that Liz will fly to check on her mother in Florida before the end of 2020. She'll wear a plastic face shield and a KN95 if she does that.
 
Bridger Bowl will require advance reservations from everyone including season passholders per a recent press release.
 
Not Open for the public, but Copper gets first-to-open rights in my book... (for anything above 75' vertical jib parks?)

Of course If I really wanted I could always find a way to get myself invited up to Copper for these race training gigs, but I have enough going on right now anyway. Another month of crazy and then things should become more moderate and I can re-focus on skiing.

1st Colo Open 2020.jpg


Last I saw Loveland is making snow but not even close to half finished on the opening day run. Abasin was NOT making snow anytime recently based on web cams but is probably at least half complete on the opening day WROD. Plenty of others have started on snowmaking too, but won't be opening for a while yet.
 
Al's blog says the recent storm and these week's likely streamflows will be favorable for snowmaking, but makes no prediction for an opening day. It also says the dry summer has slowed the streamflows they need. From 2008-2019 A-Basin's average opening day was Oct. 16 and the latest Oct. 29.

Loveland's average opening day over 22 seasons for which I have data is Oct. 23. It fails to open in October about 1/4 of seasons.

From 1998-2001 Keystone's average opening date was Oct. 22 and they missed October in only one of those seasons. Keystone resumed competing for early opening on Oct. 12, 2019 after A-Basin dropped out of the Epic Pass.

All of these areas in addition to having a dry summer have to consider whether to open with excessive WROD congestion potential in the year of COVID-19. Mammoth has explicitly said they will not do that.
 
Tony Crocker":2jpqebv3 said:
From 1998-2001 Keystone's average opening date was Oct. 22 and they missed October in only one of those seasons. Keystone resumed competing for early opening on Oct. 12, 2019 after A-Basin dropped out of the Epic Pass.
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Last I knew, Keystone pre-announced a Nov 3 opening this year. Still wanting to be early, but not looking to compete as hard with Abasin and Loveland. It has been very strange to see Abasin not making snow during very cold temps. Especially as everyone else is. Seems they may need to find a way to store more water instead of diverting from the creek in real time.
 
Abasin rolls in at a distant 4th for Colorado (Copper, Wolf Creek, Keystone all ahead of them).

abasincam1001m.jpg



Of course the only place worth while is Wolf Creek so far:

18" in 24hrs
34" in 72 hours
73" YTD

85% open (1360 Acres) including parts of alberta peak, waterfall, knife ridge, etc...
 
This is as good a place as any I guess.
Aside from snow and skiing anything else happening that side of the Pacific in the last week?

*Sorry for the cheeky post. :-D
 
Mammoth OPENING DAY UPDATE. With continued cold temps and even more fresh snow in the forecast, we are stoked to announce we will be opening for the season one day early on Friday, November 13th. Weather permitting, we plan to operate Broadway Express (1), Stump Alley Express (2), Face Lift Express (3), Unbound Express (6) with a small terrain park set up, and Discovery Chair (11) on Friday.
 
Big Bear opens for passholders only Nov. 18-19 and to day ticket reservations Nov. 20.

You can thank me now. :bow: We will be traveling to Florida Nov. 16 - Dec. 1 and to Argentina for the eclipse Dec. 10-18.
 
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