Whiteface projecting 11/29 as opening day.

Just found on the website that Whiteface is projecting Friday 11/29/13 as opening day.  They also said "stay tuned for snowmaking."  http://www.whiteface.com/

I was going to react a new topic, but saw that WF has a projection day of Nov 29.

My daughter's ski racing club near Ottawa has a potential 3-days at WF for that weekend. I'm personally not convinced that WF would be the best place at that time - what is to be expected and normal terrain wise for that weekend?

It'll be great publicity when they say "open early!"  They'll be skiing thanksgiving IMO

They seem to always shoot for the Friday after TDay for opening.  But Thanksgiving is as late as it can possibly be this year so an "early" opening would seem to be a possibility.

MPS:

The skiing will be very limited but I can't imagine it would be much better anywhere else.

Noah John wrote

The skiing will be very limited but I can't imagine it would be much better anywhere else.

That's what I figured. It is Thanksgiving also? What runs would be open? I've never been in the 2 weeks of a WF season. Not sure what the first terrain to open would be?

Of course, I'm not making the call on this, I personally wouldn't have consider it.

Probably Excelsior, Upper and Lower Valley (which is 2500' of vert by the way.  Not the steepest terrain but still.).  I think last year they only had Upper and Lower Valley open the first weekend but that was not typical in my experience.  

Who knows, if the weather cooperates maybe they get open the weekend before Thanksgiving.  But right now they're projecting to open the day after Thanksgiving.

SJ, Pants and HPD are wired in a lot tighter to these things than I am; I'm sure they'll have news in the next few weeks.  November looks to at least start off cold - so that's nice.

MadPatSki wrote

Noah John wrote

The skiing will be very limited but I can't imagine it would be much better anywhere else.

That's what I figured. It is Thanksgiving also? What runs would be open? I've never been in the 2 weeks of a WF season. Not sure what the first terrain to open would be?

Of course, I'm not making the call on this, I personally wouldn't have consider it.

They used to start from the top of the Gondola and make snow down Excelsior to Upper Valley to the mid-station, and then they'd add Essex. If conditions were favorable, they'd continue down the rest of Lower Valley, otherwise, from the mid-station, you'd ride the Little Whiteface chair back to the top of the Gondola. At the end of your day, you'd download on the Gondola.

Last year, they changed things up and started at the top of the Face Lift and made snow all the way to the bottom.

It will be interesting to see what they do this year.

Obviously these things are subject to change - especially 4 to 5 weeks out - but an emailed press release from Whiteface as of Friday (10/18) stated Friday, 11/22 as the projected opening date:
"The opening day of the 2013-‘14 skiing and riding season at Whiteface is slated for Friday, Nov. 22; conditions permitting."

Adk Jeff wrote

Obviously these things are subject to change - especially 4 to 5 weeks out - but an emailed press release from Whiteface as of Friday (10/18) stated Friday, 11/22 as the projected opening date:
"The opening day of the 2013-‘14 skiing and riding season at Whiteface is slated for Friday, Nov. 22; conditions permitting."

Well there you have it.  Good to hear.

Face4Me:  Memory is a weird thing but I seem to recall there being more years in the last decade where you could ski from the top of LWF all the way to the base on opening weekend with just a year or two where you had to download.  I'm probably wrong though.  It's only one weekend out of the year so it really doesn't make a big impression on me and as a result my memory is probably distorted.

About 7 or 8 years ago we had a skiable dump late October.  I've got footy of H-Bomb and I hiking/skiing lower cloud.  It was right about exactly this time of October - maybe a week later.   About ten years ago we had the 43" dump a week or so after opening.  Remember that one SJ?  Yeah Boyyyyy!!!

I'm getting psyched.

Noah John wrote

Face4Me:  Memory is a weird thing but I seem to recall there being more years in the last decade where you could ski from the top of LWF all the way to the base on opening weekend with just a year or two where you had to download.  I'm probably wrong though.  It's only one weekend out of the year so it really doesn't make a big impression on me and as a result my memory is probably distorted.

Typically they do get it open to the bottom, but I recall a couple of times when they couldn't.

In last year's case, I wonder if the fact that the Little Whiteface chair wasn't ready for the opening had anything to do with the decision to start at the top of the Face Lift.

Either way, I would assume that weather forecasts will play a role in how they decide to proceed. Let's hope Mother-Nature takes the decision making out of it and drops 3 or 4 feet on us in November ... I can dream can't I?

Last year they took advantage of some inversions to make snow at the bottom and got running a week early with just the Face Lift.  That was the only time in my memory the Bottom opened before the Top of the Gondola.  There were a few years when we did download but if they can get the bottom open it saves running an extra lift.

Normal opening days are the Gondola with Excelsior to Summit Express to Valley to the bottom.  It's one real way down possibly with a few options in sections.  When you look at it compared to other Eastern ski areas likely to open no one has even close to 2500 Vertical feet that this run represents.  Crowds are not the issue that they would be at Killington becuase Whiteface's vert and length of this arrangement really spreads people out well.

Its certainly cold enough now to make snow but I would think that they would not start for at least a few more weeks

RECREATIONAL FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
1010 AM EDT WED OCT 23 2013

.THE HIGHER SUMMITS FORECAST FOR THE NORTHERN ADIRONDACKS OF NEW YORK...

.REST OF TODAY...SUMMITS IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S. WEST WINDS 10 TO
15 MPH.
.TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS UNTIL MIDNIGHT.
LOWS IN THE LOWER 20S. WEST WINDS 10 TO 25 MPH...INCREASING
TO 20 TO 35 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND CHILL VALUES IN THE SINGLE
DIGITS ABOVE ZERO AFTER MIDNIGHT.
.THURSDAY...CLOUDY IN THE MORNING...THEN BECOMING OBSCURED
IN CLOUDS. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 20S. WEST WINDS 25 TO 40 MPH. WIND
CHILL VALUES AROUND 10 ABOVE.

Noah John wrote

About ten years ago we had the 43" dump a week or so after opening.  Remember that one SJ?  Yeah Boyyyyy!!!

I'm getting psyched.

O, yeah.  That was the Pearl Harbor dump!  Super late start due to poor weather.  Grass on Victoria's on Saturday - then boom 40 plus of ADK dry on Sunday!!  Amazing unpredicated storm!  

I recall ripping up a new pair of skis on rocks - blower pow over litterally no base looks great but does not feel so good when you hit bottom.  

well that's the trick coach...  dont hit bottom!  You know stay light, use the core to help float, dont over turn, dump speed in the powder pockets....  

Easy for a little fella to say that

hey!  I'm medium sized!  

ScottyJack wrote

Noah John wrote

About ten years ago we had the 43" dump a week or so after opening.  Remember that one SJ?  Yeah Boyyyyy!!!

I'm getting psyched.

O, yeah.  That was the Pearl Harbor dump!  Super late start due to poor weather.  Grass on Victoria's on Saturday - then boom 40 plus of ADK dry on Sunday!!  Amazing unpredicated storm!  

That was my first powder day at whiteface..that might have been my first season skiing there...victorias sucked on skinny skis..i dont recall it being so dry

Your right, my bad. I always get you and that TJ character mixed up...bwhahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa

campgottagopee wrote

Your right, my bad. I always get you and that TJ character mixed up...bwhahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa

LOL!

ScottyJack wrote

hey!  I'm medium sized!  

compared to Brett, yes