jtslalom Posted January 2, 2005 Report Share Posted January 2, 2005 Here in northern NJ it rains when it should snow, at least for this year. Every ski resort is entitled to a bad season but for northern NJ it happens alot. This year we've had nice cold temps but as soon as precipitation appears in the forecast warmer weather accompanies it turning possible inches of snow into inches of rain. All is not lost though, we do have the best possible snowmaking equipment and night riding. For the snowmaking, all we need is 30 degrees and low humidity and snow can be made. As far as night riding, well its scraped up real good by night, its not lit well but its still riding. For those who ride in the Eastern Pa and NJ areas don't worry, winter will show its face soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateW Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 It suck here in Washington state as well. I'm a little worried that this season just won't happen. We now have 14 inches at the base of one of the areas where I usually ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastcoasticerider Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 DITTO,S HERE in ice country.....major melt down....one day i was riding some nice stuff next two days rain and melt down....some glazed ice base but not much to ride unless you want to risk injury...might as well watch football....GO STEELERS.....LETS HEAR IT FOR SOUTHSIDE PITTSBURGH.......STEEL CITY......:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Happens all the time. Seems to have happened in late December/early January every year for the past 10 or so. That's as long as I've been taking notice anyway. Some years it involves crazy inversions where it's 40 at the base and 60 at the summit, no exaggeration, and the valley resembles a lake of fog when viewed from the summit. Sometimes there's rivers running down the trails. Last year, Sugarloaf had a four to five FOOT powder dump in late December, then a week later it was as if it never happened. I've reached the point where I don't even consider the season to start until mid to late January, and anything we get before then is pure gravy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tick Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 While I agree that there is typically a thaw or periodic warm spells in January, we in the mid Atlantic have not seen anything like this in a long time. The sutained warm weather for more than a week is a bit bizarre. Byt he way, Heavenly Resort in California has received 8' of snow in the last week. That's not inches, but FEET! Wonder why none of those guys are on the forum now? Time for some California dreaming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncermak Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 11 inches below average out here in western Mass... this sucks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sic t 2 Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 missed you JT! looked for your tracks all weekend. It was pretty good actually. especially Saturday and Sunday. no crowds to speak of. looked more like impending bankruptcy than a busy NYC ski area. even rode the Donek Incline both days. it carves better than my Burton Pipe board, at speed, and the big plus is that its such an uncompromising tank in the moguls that the little Mountain Creek anthills become quite challenging. So I did find some use for it after all. Personally, I think MC "south" is just short on compressor power. I was there earlier in the week when it was 8 degrees and you can count the active guns on both hands. Whereas total guns must be 50 or so. Either that or they are cheap with the energy bill. I think the former. sic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FTA2R Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 it could be worse, like here in the mid atlantic where there's no end to the rain and warm weather for the next 10 days and it's not even cold enough at night to make snow. right on Jack, I agree wiht your "anything before mid jan is gravy" perspective. this place stinks for snow, period. maybe i'll move west. does something look wrong with this picture: http://www.skiliberty.com/aerials.htm i certainly think so Barry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtslalom Posted January 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 I don't get that either. I would think that when temperatures are at a sustained low, a mountain would blow snow like crazy. This is not the case for MC. I don't know why they don't blow snow when weather permits. I didn't go out this past weekend, wife and kid were both sick. I will be out probably twice during the week this week (weather permitting). To address what Jack said above. I was once at Wildcat in New Hampshire. The base temp was 27 and the summit temp was nearing 50. Yes, a 23 degrees difference. That was the year of the bad ice storms (1998?). It was raining on the top of the mountain and frozen rain at the base. Crazy weather!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 The power it takes to blow snow for one night is measured in gigawatt-hours. It's not cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Originally posted by jtslalom I don't get that either. I would think that when temperatures are at a sustained low, a mountain would blow snow like crazy. Not sure if these facts are accurate, but someone once told me that older snowguns cost around $600 per hour to operate and newer guns cost upwards to $1200 an hour. I can't see how East coast mountains that rely so heavily on snowmaking can stay in business. Are there any snowmakers that can verify these figures? Sounds like the entire East coast is wetter and warmer than usual. Didn't the Farmers Almanac predict this? It's pretty frustrating...once again I woke up to freezing rain this morning. My driveway was a skating rink!!! Get those edges sharpened...looks like more mixed precip for the rest of the week. Hoping for snow!! nzo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sic t 2 Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Hunter Mountain doesn't pay attention to the bean counters. This weekend will be awesome up there. sic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest itodd Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 i wish the northeast was like the west. snow, and lots of it. so much snow that they don't need snow making. so much snow that it only costs 35$ a day to ride. what is killingotn these days? double that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Originally posted by itodd i wish the northeast was like the west. snow, and lots of it. so much snow that they don't need snow making. so much snow that it only costs 35$ a day to ride. what is killingotn these days? double that? Lift tix for $35 a day? Where? With the possible exception of Utah and the Tetons, the west is *not* immune to low snow. I've been mired in low snow in both Tahoe and here in Oregon, as well as on a January visit to Colorado about 10 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest itodd Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 well, mt hood meadows was 32 when i went last year. i know it's been horrific this year so far at hood (snow wise). cooper is 35 for a day (so i'm told by a buddy who goes to school out there). crystal was free last time i was out there. i forgot how much it was supposed to be. they never charged my card though :). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike T Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Originally posted by itodd well, mt hood meadows was 32 when i went last year. i know it's been horrific this year so far at hood (snow wise). cooper is 35 for a day (so i'm told by a buddy who goes to school out there). crystal was free last time i was out there. i forgot how much it was supposed to be. they never charged my card though :). $32 was MHM's late spring rate last year. It's $46 - $50 during the winter season. I'd be very surprised if they go back to $32 tix this spring; theri early-season rate was $40 so expect the spring tobe the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Originally posted by Mike T Lift tix for $35 a day? Where? With the possible exception of Utah and the Tetons, the west is *not* immune to low snow. I've been mired in low snow in both Tahoe and here in Oregon, as well as on a January visit to Colorado about 10 years ago. Even Alta, Snowbird, and Jackson Hole have a couple hundred acres of snowmaking to assist in coverage of the lower part of the mountain. Snow droughts hit everywhere. During the '95-96 season in Park City, we had a Thanksgiving Day picnic on green grass outside our house!! We had hardly any snow until mid-January at which point we hit the jackpot....~15 feet in just 2 weeks!!! Kind of like what's happening in Tahoe right now--Weather Channel just mentioned another 12+ inches in Tahoe...possibly 2-3 feet in some areas!! Come East baby!!!! I'm on my way outside for a snow dance!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtslalom Posted January 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 QUOTE]I can't see how East coast mountains that rely so heavily on snowmaking can stay in business. quote by Enzo, Don't kid yourself Enzo. Intra West, the company that owns Mountain Creek, does NOT stay in business by ski lift ticket sales or any type of retail on food or other items. It is a realestate company that makes money on developing the adjacent land. Starting at 250 thousand dollars each, you can buy one of there 70 town house style homes at the bottom of the mountain. They are also building a large hotel at the base of the slopes along with a village that will have retail stores leased to local merchants. Although skiing/snowboarding is high on the priority list, its not where they make their money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Originally posted by itodd well, mt hood meadows was 32 when i went last year. i know it's been horrific this year so far at hood (snow wise). cooper is 35 for a day (so i'm told by a buddy who goes to school out there). crystal was free last time i was out there. i forgot how much it was supposed to be. they never charged my card though :). cooper? Hope you didnt mean copper cuz theres no way its $35. Havent seen a $35 lift ticket ANYWHERE since the early 90s! Brighton is the lowest priced with the best terrain and its how much? Bachelor is only like $47...pretty reasonable for the terrain possibilities. Still kinda low on coverage though. Keep hearin stories about nasty core shots off trail. Im waitin til after the next dump or two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maciek Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Originally posted by jtslalom QUOTE]I can't see how East coast mountains that rely so heavily on snowmaking can stay in business. quote by Enzo, Don't kid yourself Enzo. Intra West, the company that owns Mountain Creek, does NOT stay in business by ski lift ticket sales or any type of retail on food or other items. It is a realestate company that makes money on developing the adjacent land. Starting at 250 thousand dollars each, you can buy one of there 70 town house style homes at the bottom of the mountain. They are also building a large hotel at the base of the slopes along with a village that will have retail stores leased to local merchants. Although skiing/snowboarding is high on the priority list, its not where they make their money. Not only that. In MontainCreek it is about time shared vacations in condos. I have been offered this years ago. It is also an excellent business, but not many know that there are losers between those who do not plan vacations far ahead. Just right to time share for vacation cost was over $10000 in 1997. I beliveve Tremblant (also owned by Intrawest) offered that last years as I got another invitation when visting that place. As far as Startton (another Intrawest resort) they may cover cost of operation with highly expensive lift tickets. After all not many resorts that crowded on weekends and holidays charge you $72 (US) for lift ticket. I bet that in Austrian Alps you could get 2-3 days for that price. Actually I hear more and more that it could be more attractive to catch a plane and get to some French, Austrian, Swiss or Italian resort. They do not make snow... but they have decent snow conditions... and food/wine/beer :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest itodd Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Originally posted by D-Sub cooper? Hope you didnt mean copper cuz theres no way its $35. I meant copper. it's what a friend told me. i know i should have loaded the web site before claiming that but my point was that generally speaking, resorts with snowmaking are more expensive than those without. After hearing the replies, I don't think my point is that valid. I figured that without the overhead of snowmaking, tickets would be cheaper. ahh well. i'm still going to fork over my money to have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 oh THATS what your point was! gotcha. Makes sense to think that, but....heres another counterindication Mt Baldy in SoCal...VERY limited snowmaking, and their ticket prices are equal to the other SoCal areas partly to make up for a lack of business when theres not enough natural snow? Sadly, Ive always seen that place as overpriced really, but hey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 Originally posted by jtslalom Don't kid yourself Enzo. Intra West, the company that owns Mountain Creek, does NOT stay in business by ski lift ticket sales or any type of retail on food or other items. It is a realestate company that makes money on developing the adjacent land. [/b] Wow! I didn't realize that Intra-West was such an enormous billion dollar company!! You're absolutely right--from their financial statement: 57% of IntraWest's revenue comes from real estate. My thoughts were more in reference to a traditionally owned/operated small ski mountain. Although American Ski is also another huge ski corporation, its books are open for public consumption. In contrast to IntraWest, American Ski pulls 45% of there revenue stream from lift ticket sales while only 15% is from real estate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dano Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 2 friends of mine rode killington last wednesday. They said it was cold as hell and the snow was just like a neglected freezer. Lift tickets were a mere $72 ( not including lube.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemcse Posted January 4, 2005 Report Share Posted January 4, 2005 time to lube up. no snow around here and It is making me nuts. Why did I ever move east! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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