How is Platty going to be Saturday?

Marcski wrote

I will find it sad.

There are so few places in the east where you can enjoy the sensation of natural snow underfoot on ski trails. IMHO, sliding on natural snow is one of the most enjoyable things I do in life.  Personally, I would rather have a smaller selection of trails to ski and wait (or more likely forage for natural snow on a closed trail) for the days when those trails have enough snow to be officially open. The unique, joyous, feeling of natural snow is unmatched.

Said much better than I.

Ah, makes sense.  Same thing happened last February when I tried to hit Plattekill on a powder day LOL!

Well, we're now getting hammered here in Central NY and should have 8"-12" of light powder to play in by morning.  WIll probably exchange a 2-1/2 hour trip to Plattekill for a 20 min. ride to Song Mtn.  Not the same experience, for sure, but it's going to be brutal cold either way.  Will be plenty of powder at Song, some mellow tree skiing as well and will be home by 3pm instead of 7pm.

I think the way Laz is doing things works well.  100% snowmaking would change the character of the way the trails ski.   Once you get that manmade ice cake laid down on a trail, it won't ski the same for the rest of the season.  Even out somewhere like CO...it's very easy to tell  which trails they blow snow on for early season...they just always manage to have an underlying firmness...even if you have lots of good natural snow.  Even in the spring, manmade snow just doesn't ski the same.  

It going to be a epic day for sure!!!😂

snoloco wrote

Ethan Snow wrote

But, I agree with Brownski, put the hydrants in the woods, and use ground guns. Both SnowLogic and now HKD, make a very lightweight and portable ground guns that are low-e technology

Here's the snow gun I would get of I was Laz.

I don't like those guns.  That design was supposed to be used on towers, and it needs the extra hang time to make good snow.  Whiteface has those ground guns and whenever I ski near them, they're always running really wet, so you get ice instead of good snow.  They work well for building up a base before the trail is open, but it's much better to use towers and the older ratnik ground guns when resurfacing.

I know what you're saying. The ones at WF are really quiet, which indicates to me that they are using a nucleation nossle that is way to small. It could also have to do with the water pressure available where they are running them. With higher pressure they will run dryer. Swap out the nuc nozzle with a bigger one, and yes, it will consume more air, but still not nearly as much as a Ratnick, and the snow will be dryer.
Swap out the Nuc nozzle with a bigger size.  Those guns actually have adjustable air flow which is why it is capable of being a ground gun  so I betcha if they turned the air up on them they would run dryer. Those have several hybrid nucleation nossles unlike a single nucleation nozzle found on most stick guns.

Another option, is out that gun on a 10' sled like the ones they have at Hunter.

Adrider83 wrote

I think the way Laz is doing things works well.  100% snowmaking would change the character of the way the trails ski.   Once you get that manmade ice cake laid down on a trail, it won't ski the same for the rest of the season.  Even out somewhere like CO...it's very easy to tell  which trails they blow snow on for early season...they just always manage to have an underlying firmness...even if you have lots of good natural snow.  Even in the spring, manmade snow just doesn't ski the same.

I call BS on this. Would you rather have an underlying firmness of rocks, and shit that's gonna ruin your skis, or an underlying firmness of man-made cake? I'll take the cake over rocks any day.

I think it has more to do with the frequency of grooming and skier traffic on certain trails. If you don't like man-made snow, then move to a place where it fucking snows. NY skiing will never be that way.

Ethan Snow wrote

 If you don't like man-made snow, then move to a place where it fucking snows. NY skiing will never be that way.

I'm with Ethan on this.  The guy has a way with words for sure.

I like Cloudspin which for some reason snow is not made on it any longer even though it has pipes but I would like to ski it more than a couple times a year and god help your skis if you try to go in the middle of that trail where its a reef.

I'm with Coach Z and Ethan.  I like to ski on snow, and not with rocks and dirt sticking through.

I'm gonna go right up the middle on this...I think a little man made to get the season rolling then natural snow,this  goes a long way to insure good conditions..It also is a great defense against the typical North East rains..

Who's going to Platt tomorrow?

I'm bumming
Can't go

JasonWx wrote

I'm gonna go right up the middle on this...I think a little man made to get the season rolling then natural snow,this  goes a long way to insure good conditions..It also is a great defense against the typical North East rains..

Who's going to Platt tomorrow?

I'm in agreement with Jason. Also, I think 100% is not realistic. I can't imagine snowmaking on Chute for instance. I'm planning on being there tomorrow

Every time Laszlo and Macker install snowmaking on a new trail, they widen it. They have the equipment to do so, and they will. If Laz can keep the place afloat like he's been doing the last 20+ years, we should see all the trails widened, and 100% snowmaking In the next 10 years. But don't worry, no plans as of now to make snow in the trees.

Hey now (in my best Howard Stern voice)! Like boobies, I'll take au naturale snow, but fake snow will do if that's all that's around.

Ethan Snow wrote

Every time Laszlo and Macker install snowmaking on a new trail, they widen it. They have the equipment to do so, and they will. If Laz can keep the place afloat like he's been doing the last 20+ years, we should see all the trails widened, and 100% snowmaking In the next 10 years. But don't worry, no plans as of now to make snow in the trees.

This is sad.

Making Platty a McSki experience would pretty much McRuin the place.

Hence another reason to keep them natural or ski between the trails:





Woods were sweet today.

campgottagopee wrote

 but fake snow will do if that's all that's around.

Don't say such things, it's not fake snow. IT'S REAL SNOW.  Once the skiers knock the air out of it, and the groomer runs over it at the end of the day, it's all the same shit-- frozen water.

Just an FYI, it is possible to make man-made powder that almost resembles natural powder.  It just requires tons of compressed air and a good hang time. It's more expensive and slower to produce this way, and it's less durable in a r*in event.

Ethan Snow wrote

campgottagopee wrote

 but fake snow will do if that's all that's around.

Don't say such things, it's not fake snow. IT'S REAL SNOW.  Once the skiers knock the air out of it, and the groomer runs over it at the end of the day, it's all the same shit-- frozen water.

Just an FYI, it is possible to make man-made powder that almost resembles natural powder.  It just requires tons of compressed air and a good hang time. It's more expensive and slower to produce this way, and it's less durable in a r*in event.

It's not the same Ethan. It is just never as airy, effervescent or exhilarating as natural snow.  

Wait, are you describing natural snow or your most recent DIPA?

Marcski wrote

Ethan Snow wrote

campgottagopee wrote

 but fake snow will do if that's all that's around.

Don't say such things, it's not fake snow. IT'S REAL SNOW.  Once the skiers knock the air out of it, and the groomer runs over it at the end of the day, it's all the same shit-- frozen water.

Just an FYI, it is possible to make man-made powder that almost resembles natural powder.  It just requires tons of compressed air and a good hang time. It's more expensive and slower to produce this way, and it's less durable in a r*in event.

It's not the same Ethan. It is just never as airy, effervescent or exhilarating as natural snow.

I concur. There's no replacing what God gives us

IMO: no matter how compressed snow gets you can still tell the difference between natural and manmade.