trackbiker

Thanks for the report. Too bad they're closing so early. I still have one WNEP ticket I never got to use. Looking forward to seeing what improvements the new owners make for next year.

They're all green trails in front of the lodge. but Highball winds down the side. I think they all have enough slope to get you moving on one of those things. I can see some yahoos crashing into things and people at the bottom already.

Once you are familiar with it, conveyors are the easiest thing to load. It's pretty much lean against the gate and when it opens slide onto the conveyor. I think they could have done a better job posting instructions in the lodge or on a big board in the lift line until people are familiar with it. People either don't lean on the gate and miss the chair or they try to pole onto the conveyor and fall down. You can run the lift faster because the speed is regulated by the loading speed not the line speed. The conveyor effectively lowers the loading speed relative to the line speed.

From the website: Montage Mountain is the only resort in PA (and 1 of 7 in the country) to offer the air boarding experience! An Airboard is an inflatable sled that is lightweight and easy to maneuver, allowing for a fast, fun ride down the mountain! Airboarding is offered on Sundays and Tuesdays from 4pm-9pm, on 3 designated trails (Easy Street, Mainline, and Highball.) First time air boarders must complete the skills seminar during their first session. Your airboarding package includes a lift ticket and airboard equipment rental (airboard, knee pads, and helmet). We recommend riders to wear goggles and waterproof gear to make your experience comfortable and fun!

The new lift is not a HSQ. It is a fixed grip quad with a loading conveyor which theoretically allows it to run a little faster. I was there two weekends ago and it kept stopping so much that it was quicker to take the old double next to it. Nice to see the new owners putting some money into the ski area for the first time in 30 years. Upstairs lodge redo is nice too. They do have some nice glades and skiing was good even two weeks ago.

This is what Blue should do for their lower park. It would keep the people who just want to ride the park from having to take the 6-pack all the way to the top then Lazy Mile all the way to the park.

I was at Elk last week and conditions were the best I've skied all year including 7 days in VT. With the steady cold weather I would still expect the conditions to be excellent.

If you look at skilifts.org lift installations it says nothing about either the quad or 6-pack being used. I have a master copy of the list in an Excel file. The list includes if any of the lifts were used. Used lifts are always listed where they came from and the "manufacturer" is listed as a broker, installer, or refitter in addition to the original manufacturer unless it is a "Frankelift". I don't think any refitters are doing detachable lifts. As mentioned by others, they are complicated machines. I can't post a copy of the North American Ski Lift Survey as I promised that I wouldn't share it. For the doubters I may post the lines for the quad and 6-pack and some examples of used lifts that were re-installed. I'm heading to N. VT tomorrow so it wouldn't be until next week. But in any case, both lifts were new. I'm sure you could google some news articles from when they were installed that confirm that. "Someone" saying that the lifts were used just shows how rumors get started.

? I'm pretty sure both high speeds at Blue were purchased new. The quad from Poma and the 6-pack from Leitner-Poma. Mad River was maybe the broker or did the install? If they were used lifts where did they come from? There is not a lot of 6-packs that have been removed.

Like any other area. Get there early so you're on the slopes by opening and you'll have fresh cord for the first hour and uncrowded conditions until the masses show up around 10:00. It will never get as crowded as Blue. Montage is usually my go-to mountain on a holiday weekend. It will likely be more crowded than previous years but still less crowded than Blue, CB, or JF. I think the $29.00 morning deal is still available on holidays. That's what I'll be doing this weekend if I ski. Get the fresh cord and uncrowded conditions and get out when the masses arrive.

Great place for beginners. Much safer for kids without the crowds of CB or Blue.

What is the Heat Index today?

Conditions were great and crowds low. Left around 1:00 and had lunch at the Chat & Chew. Got on the turnpike around 2:30 at 38F. Rain picked up and temps dropped heading south. After the tunnel the turnpike turned into the demolition derby. They would clear one accident, people would start moving, try to go fast in the left lane and spin out and cause another accident. One hour ride turned into 2.5 hrs.

Weekday tickets are still available. $25 + $3.75 S&H. $28.75 is still a great deal.

News report on the new lights. http://wnep.com/2013/11/21/bright-white-lights-saving-money/#

The trail map is now on the website. http://www.montagemountainresorts.com/Images/Inline/Originals/79_148.jpg Has anyone had a chance to check out the new lighting?

And where is that on the website. It isn't showing up anywhere when I look at the website. Can you post a link.

6 is not too young for a lesson to be of value. The instructors are trained on how to teach beginners and they will advance a lot faster with even the first lesson from an instructor. DO NOT ski with the kids between your legs. An adult's weight falling on top a kid even at a slow speed can cause serious harm. Yeah, I know, we used to ski and bike without helmets and ride in cars without seat belts and we survived. Your kids may not. Stay away from Blue and Camelback on weekends. You don't need your kids getting run over from some yahoo. Alpine is a great little uncrowded place for beginners. i recommend it all the time for beginners. It's uncrowded, the prices are better than most places, and they will be able to ski the whole mountain in no time. Get there at opening and they will likely have a private lesson in a group lesson. Call ahead to make sure someone is available at opening.

They have a conditions report but no trail map on the website yet. I know that the trail layout has not changed but for those who have never been there, there is no map. I don't know about others, but every time I go to a new area, the first thing I look at is the trail map.

If you love places like Plattekill and Magic you will really love Powder Mountain. If you love places like Stratton, don't bother going. You won't "get it".

Thanks for the report and photos. Looking forward to getting up there and checking it out first hand.

Powder Mountain is the place to be on a powder day. You'll have untracked all day. I'd love to get a local to show me around on a powder day. It's big and spread out and you have to know where to go for the steeps. Everything off the Hidden Lake Express is pretty flat. You have to go down to the Pardise lift for the steeps.

Blue is grooming out Main Street so you guys will have a nice bulletproof surface on Friday after todays rain and then the freeze up tonight. Why they wouldn't wait until some of the water drains out is beyond me. But then they may not have their trademark death cookies if they did that.

I'd love to get there sometime when they have a good snow year. Don't think it will be this year. I have too many plans for N. Vermont and the Daks this year.

Wow! Ski Denton has a new trail map. That old one had to be the worst one I'd ever seen. The new one is not James Niehues quality but it is a lot better than the old one. http://skidenton.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Trail-Map.jpg