The Snowmaking/Operations Outlook Thread

I most certainly do that.  I think it's amazing that ski areas can literally make winter by themselves.  I used to be more into lifts than anything, but connecting with Ethan Snow has made me look into the snowmaking more.

I love making "alternative snowmaking plans" for many mountains that I ski.

Dude, if you don't manage a ski hill someday it will be a waste. Actually, a ski corp is more your level.

For example, my alternative snowmaking plan for Whiteface:

Upgrades needed:  45 acre foot/day plant, more permanent towers and a larger fleet of ground guns to spend less time moving equipment around.  45 acre feet/day allows snowmaking on an additional run about the size of Easy Way-Boreen over what they do now.

1st weekend:  Excelsior-Valley-Fox, Approach-Mountain Run, and a beginner option at the base.  Mountain Run is better than Essex and allows the LWF chair to run right away in case of marginal temps at the bottom.

2nd weekend:  Essex-Lower Northway, John's Bypass-Connector-Victoria, Broadway.

3rd weekend:  Thruway-Draper's, Easy Way-Boreen, some of Kids Kampus.

4th weekend:  Paron's/Follies, Brookside Park, other lower mtn trails including Boreen Headwall bypass.

5th weekend (around Christmas):  Skyward, Wilderness, Mac.

6th weekend: (around New Year's): Wilmington Trail, LBO

7th weekend:  Hoyt's, Lower Sky, Lower Thruway

8th weekend:  (around MLK Weekend) Upper Cloud, Upper Northway, Parkway.  100% open snowmaking terrain.

If the last Lookout trail were cut, I'd do Lookout the 5th weekend with that trail and Hoyt's.  Mac and Wilderness would be done the 6th weekend.  Wilmington and LBO would be done whenever they fit into the snowmaking plan.

Now build a plan and roll a dice for each 2 day block

A 6 = rain
5 too warm to blow
4 marginal temps to below
2 and 3 good to average temps / humidity
Down to a 1 blowing at 0 degrees and low humidity

reality sucks and you can't fully plan for it

Beat me to it Coach. Sno I think you just proved something about your expectations.

Maybe run for governor. It may be easier to change the government to than to change the weather. Maybe.

Is it Christmas yet?

Coach Z wrote

Now build a plan and roll a dice for each 2 day block

A 6 = rain
5 too warm to blow
4 marginal temps to below
2 and 3 good to average temps / humidity
Down to a 1 blowing at 0 degrees and low humidity

reality sucks and you can't fully plan for it

Oh - and try and hire people who don't know when they will work more than 2 days in advance...

He only seem to take weather into consideration..

What about your main pump blows a bearing , 3 guys from the crew went out drinking and are hung over..That's just 2 things that can and will go wrong on a given day..

www.NoSnowmakingOnEmpire.com/Petition
Perfect URL, Harv.

Empire is one of the best trails.  It's like skiing in 1970 - natural snow, narrow, jump a rock here or there.....

Harvey wrote

Beat me to it Coach. Sno I think you just proved something about your expectations.

Maybe run for governor. It may be easier to change the government to than to change the weather. Maybe.

Is it Christmas yet?

FTW

6:  No snowmamking, lose a day to resurface.
5:  No snowmaking
4:  Can only blow one trail instead of 2.
2/3:  My plan is exactly what happens
1:  Get one run ahead of the plan

On a side note, Lower Thruway is now under snowmaking.  Will allow one to avoid most of Valley if the race course only extends to Draper's.  

Re Empire: You've got one(?) old school narrow trail with a big ass rock in the middle. Why does every trail have to be the same?

I actually agree with this.  Since there's multiple other trails off the same lifts, it's fine to leave one natural and not change it.  I agree with Coach Z that pointing one gun down from the top is good if it means the difference between it being open or closed.

I don't like the idea of having an entire lift section with only natural trails, because you can't spend millions on a lift and have it not being used consistently, and you want to be able to put that extra capacity to use during busy weekends and holidays.

I think Whiteface should add plumbing to River Run and have a line on both sides of the Tower 10 hill down to Fox.  There should also be fan guns on Victoria and air/water towers on everything from the Facelift down, plus some key trails on LWF (Excelsior and the ones used for racing).

While eating lunch in Gore's saddle I've dreamed of a POMA up Pete Gay with no trails cut.  Maybe some lopper action.

Or a skin track would be cool too.

No no no no no no no

The last thing Gore needs is south facing natural terrain when they need to upgrade snowmamking and lifts.

If you want to add glades there yourself, start a go fund me and pay for it yourself.  We are not giving up money for snowmaking on useless  south facing glades.

Is ok Senor, Harv's been up there before.

Whiteface just opened Lower Thruway and Lower Skyward after only starting snowmaking Monday night.  Upper Northway is rocky and needs more snow to cover.  I think they'll keep making snow in those areas until they lose the temps some time tomorrow (high in the 30's).

Called the guest services desk to see if they knew anything about Lookout, since they never responded to my most recent email.  I don't think management tells guest services anything about snowmaking plans.  They said they only have one week of snowmaking left, which I know is false because they have always gone up until President's Day before.  No idea what's going to happen with Lookout either.  Figuring they'll either get it done starting this weekend, or it's a loss for the season, which given the weather forecast next week and on, will be an embarrassment and a disgrace.

Welp, a little short of the goal.  Ya gave it the ol' college try.

I haven't promoted it very aggressively as of yet.  I think I'll do so starting Feb 1st if the report doesn't show snowmaking there.