Winter 2016/2017 Plans?

raisingarizona wrote

I have zero knowledge on the area or the events leading up to the expansion to Snowbowl but I imagine that there are lots of other factors that were part of the process that are being overlooked.

Basically the state came to ORDA and said "here's $10 million for a HSQ, and a fixed grip to be used to connect North Creek to Gore Mountain."  There was really no leeway about how the money would be spent. It was a political move by (surprise) politicians looking to score economic development points.

It's not like Gore is building glades INSTEAD of buying snow guns. That stuff is done with employee labor which doesn't require any additional funding.  The kind of money for those two lifts comes along once every 10 or 20 years, and it's my position that you take it when offered.

Think about it from Mike Pratt's point of view. His life would be WAY easier if that $10M was spent on snowmaking.  Far less whining about this and that to have a smaller mountain that could be fully covered in 10 days. Think Hunter.

Sno believes that the money should have been refused because the project couldn't be done all at once. To me that is nuts.

Where did the money to build the Hudson trail come from and why couldn't it have been used on a proper connection trail from Burnt Ridge?  It's my opinion that if you're offered money to do mountain improvements, you spend it on the things that are most beneficial.  Building that connection is very valuable, Hudson trail, not so much.

Hudson Trail was a (former) existing trail.  All that was required was a chain saw. Don't know it for a fact, but I'm guessing it was done with employees.

I'm sure you've posted it before, but can you show me your proposed route on a topo?  How long is it?

Gonna ski greek daily until we have enough natural then I'm all about skinning up aqua terra.  I will chase big snow in vt.  Then in march drive out west for 2 weeks and hopefully chase powder.  This will be my first trip west.

It's rated green and is about a 14% grade (Sunway is 16%).  Design allows it to be used as a full run with Eagle's Nest at the bottom.  Gives skiers of all abilities the option to ski between the base areas.

If you're talking about the green line in the middle of that image it is on the master plan. (I bet a donut they cut they additional glades on that side because that trail will happen eventually.)

If they cut that trail this summer and didn't install snowmaking for 5 years would you flip out? No cutting before you have guns right?

I think the guns they installed this summer (East Side) are more important.

Apologies to all. Most.

Harvey wrote

If they cut that trail this summer and didn't install snowmaking for 5 years would you flip out? No cutting before you have guns right?

Yes, because a vital connection like that must have snowmaking.  Windham's recent new trails all had snowmaking right away and they are not major runs.

I want my connector trail with snow making and I want it now Daddy!

snoloco wrote

Harvey wrote

If they cut that trail this summer and didn't install snowmaking for 5 years would you flip out? No cutting before you have guns right?

Yes, because a vital connection like that must have snowmaking.  Windham's recent new trails all had snowmaking right away and they are not major runs.

And Wind-ham still sucks.

One more, one more. Whenever my daughter gets a little Salt-ish I like to sing this one to her......

Here's what I have lined up for the coming season destination trip-wise:

South Tirol, Italy: Jan 28 - Feb 4
Road Trip Through the Vinschgau Subregion


While not necessarily a marquis destination (no superlatives in snow or terrain by Alps standards), Vinschgau looks like a fun under-the-radar visit in an interesting culture. South Tirol was annexed by Italy after World War I, but 2/3 of the population still speak German as their first language. The plan is to visit ski areas 1-8. Most are small to not even medium-sized for the Alps; a handful will be half-day stops. This was supposed to be my early-March Alps trip last season, but I bailed due to the snow drought during the first half of the season there and redirected to the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland, which turned out well. Of course, within days of changing plans, Vinschgau got buried for the next month.


Valais, Switzerland: Mar 4-11
Road Trip Through the Val d’Anniviers and Val d’Hérens Subregions


This is a highly rated off-the-beaten-path part of southwestern Switzerland surrounded by the far more well-known Verbier, Crans-Montana, and Zermatt ski areas. I wasn't even aware of it until a year ago when I noticed lots of stunning trip reports on a couple Euro forums, all of them raving about fantastic terrain, snow aplenty, no crowds, and gorgeous traditional villages. There's also the possibility of me checking off one of my bucket-list ski items, but I won't risk a potential jinx it by mentioning it further.



Colorado I-70 Usual Suspects: Mar 25-29
A combination ski trip/family visit with four days split between Winter Park, Loveland, and Copper. We planned this during late March to take advantage of Colorado's propensity to get a fair amount of late-season snow and not needing to worry about hordes of destination skiers.

I look forward to the TR's

what is the euro ski forum you mentioned?  

Jamesdeluxe wrote

Here's what I have lined up for the coming season destination trip-wise:

South Tirol, Italy: Jan 28 - Feb 4
Road Trip Through the Vinschgau Subregion


While not necessarily a marquis destination (no superlatives in snow or terrain by Alps standards), Vinschgau looks like a fun under-the-radar visit in an interesting culture. South Tirol was annexed by Italy after World War I, but 2/3 of the population still speak German as their first language.

I'm looking forward to this TR.  I have a bunch of family in Trentino (the other autonomous province along with Sud Tirol that makes up Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol).  I was just there this past July to visit, and we spent a night up in Val Gardena, which is also in Sud Tirol, more east of Bolzano.  I was really surprised at how German/Austrian feeling Val Gardena was.  We definitely felt like we had almost left Italy.  I've yet to ski in Italy because we have visited in summer the times I've been over there.  I've already told my family the next time they see me there, it will be snowing.  Major bucketlist item for me.  Luckily, they live about an hour from both Val Gardena region and also the Madonna di Campiglio region in the Brenta Group, which is more "Italian feeling" than Sub Tirol region.  Also they are very close to the region you've highlighted, so I'll be really interested to see your feedback.

Cortina while in this same area feels very Italian

Arabba is actually not in sud tyrol but feels very German to me but maybe not much as Alta Badia

Arabba has some of the best above tree line open bowls in the Dolomites.  Avy control is not what we are used to say at Alta or Snowbird so skiing with a guide and avy gear is a good idea.

http://www.skiarabba.com/skiing.php

Check out the photos on here for some idea of the alpine terrain potential

Coach Z wrote

what is the euro ski forum you mentioned?

The one that's the most useful is the German-language Alpinforum: a fantastic resource that's helped me discover regions I would've never heard of otherwise. I think I've posted links from a few TRs in the past. The people there take beautiful pix, but you have to adjust to the fact that they're almost always scenic shots, never any in-action pix like we prefer in North America.

Here's are representative TRs from the two regions I'm visiting: Vinschgau in Sudtirol and one from St. Luc/Chandolin in the Valais.

Goes to show how freaking huge the Alps are when we have not likely ever heard in the US of the places in those photos in the two links you provided.  They sure like photos of t bars don't they.