What's happening at Gore?

I read this in the Gore podcast transcript today:

6 lifts scheduled so far, we are feeling good about adding Topridge, just stay tuned, not saying for sure, as that lift has been getting some new parts this week, but looking good, in which case the trail count slated at 31 so far will rise.

Has the Topridge chair been down?  The mountain report says it was planned to open today, and Straightbrook was planned as well, but not the High Peaks chair. Is the upper mountain open today?

mm

Can't be all bad they are reporting 8 inches.

By the latest podcast, Topridge is up an running again.  Apparently it had some operating problems this week which are now resolved.

mm

I was there yesterday. Place was in fine shape before today's snow. I haven't been there for a few years, so very impressed with some improvements, like that cool conversion of the old top gondola building to a warming hut with bathrooms (genius), and the renovated mid mountain lodge, whatever it's called. Very nice. Not too fancy, just right, and good use of funds. Great mountain.

Harvey wrote

Can't be all bad they are reporting 8 inches.

A friend went today and had a ball.  Got a little cold on the lifts.  But the snow made for a powder day.

Benny Profane wrote

 I haven't been there for a few years, so very impressed with some improvements, like that cool conversion of the old top gondola building to a warming hut with bathrooms (genius),

That's been a dream of mine ever since I started skiing at Gore about 6 years ago. I'm impressed that it actually happened.

I wonder what they did for A water supply and a septic system up there. It's such a rocky hilltop that they would have had to build an evaporation system which would have required probably about 50-100 truck loads of sand hauled up the mountain in an off-road dump truck plus a a fair amount of clay to hold it in place.  

For fresh water they could probably have some sort of holding tank that's filled with the snowmaking system, but the septic has me wondering.

I believe they call it a "composting toilet". My daughter said it looked like a really deep porta potty but still much nicer than a porta potty.I do agree that the lodge is a very nice improvement.

tom

Ethan Snow wrote

Benny Profane wrote

 I haven't been there for a few years, so very impressed with some improvements, like that cool conversion of the old top gondola building to a warming hut with bathrooms (genius),

That's been a dream of mine ever since I started skiing at Gore about 6 years ago. I'm impressed that it actually happened.

I wonder what they did for A water supply and a septic system up there. It's such a rocky hilltop that they would have had to build an evaporation system which would have required probably about 50-100 truck loads of sand hauled up the mountain in an off-road dump truck plus a a fair amount of clay to hold it in place.  

For fresh water they could probably have some sort of holding tank that's filled with the snowmaking system, but the septic has me wondering.

Well, to be blunt, my guess is that those rest rooms are going to be used for number 1 much more than number 2, if you know what I mean, so septic needs will be minimal.
Maybe somebody should do a marketing survey!

There is no septic system at the summit of Gore.

Composting toilets sound like a smelly disaster to me in the long run, but I guess I'll have to see for myself. Certainly much more practical than a traditional toilet which uses large quantities of water.

There's no easy answer to the issue of humans needing facilities at the top of a mountain.  Choices were do nothing, add a warming hut with no toilets or add indoor outhouses. True toilets would have been hugely expensive I think.

It seemed that most women choose to leave the summit when nature called. Now at least they have a choice.

Modern day composting toilets are highly efficient when electric is available. It is at the summit, heat and fans are the key.

BRLKED wrote

Modern day composting toilets are highly efficient when electric is available. It is at the summit, heat and fans are the key.

First time I used one was at the little lodge near the top of Snowmass where the poma lift starts.  Great pizza and chocolate cookies.  But having an indoor restroom above tree line is definitely handy.

There a few highway rest areas in VT and MA that have composting toilets.

They need a waffle stand in the Summit Lodge, that would be great