Hunter Conditions

Thanks for an update Brownski! Can't wait for tomorrow.

How long are the lift lines?

Love seeing Platty stickers at Hunta.
Is the base 60" yet?
Way to get out early season!

Some long lines on the six pack but not all day. They had the triple running too, no lines there

Thanks Hoff. Check this out

Cool stools.
I'am going to build a snow board bench tomorrow.

Happy season opening to all who skied or going to ski this weekend on the BeastCoast!

Nice soft snow today at Hunta. Lucky to get in a little snowfall at the upper mtn.

Nice. I was driving up and down the thruway today, wondering what form of precip the mountains were getting; glad to hear it was snow.

Can't say I'm a fan of the terrain expansion scheme that Peak has been doing.  They have covered Hellgate-7th-Kennedy as well as Cliff and Jimmie Heuga, and are working on Minya, but nothing has been done on Belt yet.

The previous management always blew on Hellgate first and then expanded to Belt.  They also opened beginner terrain at this time.  There was terrain for all abilities, and intermediates had a full route down from the summit.

Peak is running the D-Lift midweek because they don't have Belt open, and 7th to Kennedy is the only intermediate terrain open.  Only advanced skiers can go up the 6-pack at this time.  They also have more terrain open on the upper than lower mountain, and aren't running the F, so everyone funnels down onto a single runout on Kennedy.

Maybe this is somewhat opportunistic as upper elevations have had more favorable snowmaking weather, but I don't see any reason Belt can't be open now.

I agree with Sno..It is important to open Belt..It disperses the crowds and gives a the lower end skier a trail from the summit. Now they will all be sliding on their butts down Hellgate..
No concern to me..I will be skiing Platt this year...

Right now, Hunter is running the D to provide a route for intermediate skiers, but we all know that everyone is just going to get on the 6-pack regardless.

I was never a fan of how the previous management always did a half ass job with snowmaking on the West Side.  They made it clear that their priority was the beginners and low intermediates coming on the tour buses, and if experts didn't like that, they could drive further north.  Peak actually opened Annapurna last year which scored big points with me, and they days it was open, people actually skied the West Side.  Not sure if they'll cover it this year.

Yeah I agree.  I was there Saturday and had a blast, but everybody funneling to one trail got reckless.  The 6-pack had a consistent line but nothing crazy.  Although I never hit the triple I noticed it had no line ever.  I was expecting belt parkway when I arrived but not even close.  The trails they did have open were covered side to side though.

Now this rain needs to move out to get back to the cold pattern.  The 10-day looks pretty good

Hunter is planning to blow snow tonight.  If anybody goes let me know how it is.  I plan to be there Sunday regardless

I like the way the new management has opened up terrain...makes sense... belt must take way more snow to cover than huega and cliff and much of it is lower elevation . Saving belt until we get more reliable snow making weather seems like a no brainer . Been skiing Hunter for along time(35yrs.)...40-50 days a year...talked to a lot of the "regulars" and they all liked it too ! Better for experts for sure....especially if you don't have to ski on weekends . Not that many beginners out early season any way . They'll get there terrain soon enough.The belt may be the easiest way down from the top but I wouldn't call it a beginner trail. An intermediate skier should be able to handle huega and hellgate. On another note heard conditions were pretty good at Hunter today (Friday).

Opening more terrain on the upper mountain makes sense, as snowmaking temps are more favorable, but not when all the trails funnel down to a single runout.  They don't open F-Lift until Minya is blown, so you don't have the option of lapping that lift to stay up high and must go all the way to the bottom and take the 6-pack.  Kennedy isn't a particularly wide trail, and funneling everyone on that every run just doesn't work.

My expansion plan would call for opening the 6-pack with Hellgate and Belt for opening day.  Also try and get Mossy Brook open off the B so there's terrain for all abilities.  After that, open Cliff and Heuga as they have favorable exposures and are higher up.  Dropoff and Eisenhower should come next to have more routes to the bottom.  Minya and East Side Drive face south and would be the last trails trails to open on the front side before expanding to the West Side.  Hunter One also needs to be worked in there, but that can be covered quickly.  This year, my goal would be to open the West Side by 12/17 with Clair's and Wayout.  D-Lift would open when Eisenhower and Dropoff open, and F-Lift would open when Minya opened.

F-lift is open today...considering the marginal snow making conditions still think waiting on the belt was a good move. I skied on Monday and I'm pretty sure 90% of the people there wouldn't have been on the belt even if they had opened it!

That's good to hear.  I don't think they ever opened it in the past until Minya was blown.

Hi Folks. New to the forum but not to NY skiing. Enjoyed Hunter last Sunday. Remarkable how good their conditions were through mid day, given the weather we have been having.

I was there yesterday and they had a bunch of new trails open and they were going hard blowing snow! It was hardpack but great considering how cold it was at 9am.  I wish I could have gone today but had to work.  Anybody know how much snow they received?  In monticello, where I live, the storm ended as rain so the snow was heavy.  I wonder if Hunter faired better

Skied a couple hours this morning . Was warmer in Hunter compared to my house with more dense snow on the mountain. While not a pow day it skied really well. I even ventured off trail whithout hitting too many rocks on lower angle stuff

scottski63 wrote

Skied a couple hours this morning . Was warmer in Hunter compared to my house with more dense snow on the mountain. While not a pow day it skied really well. I even ventured off trail whithout hitting too many rocks on lower angle stuff

Monday turns. I'm pretty jealous