Early Season Plans?

They're currently blowing on Hellgate-7th-Kennedy as well as The Cliff and some terrain in Hunter One.  I'm guessing they'll move on to Belt Parkway once Hellgate-7th-Kennedy is finished.  I expect them to spin the 6-pack and C-Lift on opening day.  If more upper mountain terrain is open than lower mountain terrain, I'm guessing they might also run the F-Lift.  Currently, they're not blowing Mossy Brook, so I don't expect the B-Lift to open till later.

I like that 20 new snowguns showed up yesterday at Hunter..  :)  Also super cool that Cliff is going to open..
Go Peak!

It was 60 degrees and sunny here in Potsdam on Saturday.  Now there's 18 inches of snow on the ground and it's still coming down hard.

Unreal.

Enjoy the warm weather (today, not Saturday).  Soon the tundra will be high of zero and windy for 3 months in Potsdam.  

snoloco wrote

What does everyone else plan to do?

I think I'm out for this week. Was thinking of going tomorrow, but I'm not going to use a vacation day for a mediocre early season day.  If there was going to be great skiing somewhere, I'd stick around for the holiday, but I'm going to head down to North Carolina to play golf and eat Thanksgiving dinner with my family.

If I see some good reports, I'll come back Saturday and ski Sunday. But most likely, I won't ski until Platty on December 3rd, then probably Gore on December 4th.

mattchuck2 wrote

snoloco wrote

What does everyone else plan to do?

I think I'm out for this week. Was thinking of going tomorrow, but I'm not going to use a vacation day for a mediocre early season day.  If there was going to be great skiing somewhere, I'd stick around for the holiday, but I'm going to head down to North Carolina to play golf and eat Thanksgiving dinner with my family.

If I see some good reports, I'll come back Saturday and ski Sunday. But most likely, I won't ski until Platty on December 3rd, then probably Gore on December 4th.

Best plan I have seen yet..I'm not trying to be a smart ass..
The thought of going to Hunter on Black Friday is down right scary. The mountain will be a zoo and the traffic on 87 will be a nightmare coming back..

I saw Platt plans to blow after the holiday.  I'm looking forward to their opening..

I already got a few days in at Killington this year, but am heading to the Caribbean tomorrow. From there, it will either be Killington or Greek Peak when I return (depending upon conditions).

JasonWx wrote

mattchuck2 wrote

snoloco wrote

What does everyone else plan to do?

I think I'm out for this week. Was thinking of going tomorrow, but I'm not going to use a vacation day for a mediocre early season day.  If there was going to be great skiing somewhere, I'd stick around for the holiday, but I'm going to head down to North Carolina to play golf and eat Thanksgiving dinner with my family.

If I see some good reports, I'll come back Saturday and ski Sunday. But most likely, I won't ski until Platty on December 3rd, then probably Gore on December 4th.

Best plan I have seen yet..I'm not trying to be a smart ass..
The thought of going to Hunter on Black Friday is down right scary. The mountain will be a zoo and the traffic on 87 will be a nightmare coming back.

Interesting that Jason thinks the best plan is to not go skiing.  I've been to Hunter on Black Friday, and there was never a lift line.  The trail could be busy at times, but it was no worse than it is during peak season.

I've never had an issue with traffic on 87 on that day either.  If you get off at exit 17, you avoid Woodbury Commons (where the traffic is).

I'm down for Friday - shouldn't be that bad.  Lot's of trails open as compared to recent years..  I'll get out late after everyone gets tired..  Crush that shti...

arriving  late is a good idea...By lunch everyone will be toast..

Sno  , please don't question my love for quality skiing and dedication to the sport..How many days in July have you skied?
How many Heli days do you have?  

I have been skiing Hunter since 1976, I have skied more Thanksgiving days then you have been alive. I live by the TZ , no way i'm taking 9w home from the Newburg exit..

I typically use either the Harriman or Newburgh exit.  You've got a longer drive than me, so that complicates things.

I just want to ski again.

I know everyone on here wants me to think of quality over quantity.  I'm already moving far towards the quality side of the spectrum this year.  I essentially gave up all my previous night skiing to go to college early.  I was going to try and do it, as Titus is within reach from here, but there was going to be no way to go night skiing and keep my weekends free.  Keeping my weekends free will allow me to ski Whiteface 2x a week, which is hard to complain about.  I'll also ski during my breaks.  

Grasshopper..living by the North Pole you are going to have many quality ski days this year..It's a marathon not a sprint..

I remember when I used to be super stoked for opening day.. I'm not anymore - but I understand why people are still into it..

Can anyone give me an idea as to how Belleayre expands terrain each year?

This weekend, they open with the triple chair serving Onteora, which is the first trail to open each year.

I believe they usually expand down to the HSQ after that, and then the lower mountain.  The Tomahawk lift is typically last to open.  Does that lift typically open in time for the holidays?  I haven't skied Belleayre for a while, but I remember that one being my favorite lift.

Belleayre will be my dad's primary mountain this year, and it will be the place I ski at most during winter break, so that's why I'm asking.

They try to get Deer Run then Dot ..The race team trains on Dot..

Just saw SkiCNY's post on Facebook saying that Song Mountain opens today.  Can't remember the last time anyone has beaten Whiteface in NY.

After that much snow (40 inches was the claim) all they had to do was groom out skimore's tracks.  :)

We opened up this last Saturday. I think it might be the earliest Snowbowl opening ever and they did a great job considering it was in the mid 60's a few days before that. There is only one run open off our new chairlift and 1550 vert of skiing.



WROD skiing is sketchy, I feel much more safe traveling in avalanche terrain in the back country. Monday we got dumped on with 20 inches, it wasn't enough to open anything else up but it was nice to be on some fresh snow and the WROD was widened.



Yesterday was beautiful blue bird skies and fresh snow but everyone came out to enjoy it, I was stressed out and uncomfortable most of the time. I really don't like skiing around this many people. Still, better than sitting on the couch and watching day time tv.

How did you like the new lift?

T-minus 3 days till my season opener at Belleayre on Saturday.

It's great. The only problem right now is that it dumps too many people into a small area and is only serving one trail. The congestion problem should become better once most of the mountain is open (obviously) but it's not like we have been super busy either. Basically it's unknown right now if the six pack was the best idea for the area, a four pack might have been better but we shall see.