Opening Day Predictions?

[paul45]

Looks like it's been a double digit day (i.e. 13, 15..) in December for a few years now. But damn they've been cranking since shortly after the turkey settled Thursday night and have 24/7 temps this entire week! Any predictions for a week earlier than recent years? Seems like they'll have the mountain half covered by next Saturday at this pace. Hopefully won't all get washed away by weekly warm rain storms this year! 

[paul45]

Also.. they really just don't even try to hire marketing people do they... How has no one told them it's maybe a bad idea to leave the reminder of what a disaster the end of the season last year was on they homepage all year long??

[Shadows]

Top main this is shadows.

All night. It was dope

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

42 minutes ago, paul45 said:

Also.. they really just don't even try to hire marketing people do they... How has no one told them it's maybe a bad idea to leave the reminder of what a disaster the end of the season last year was on they homepage all year long??

What happened at the end of last season?  I think Elk is just happy with the way things are.  

[JFskiDan]

im still waiting on the big news as to who bought the place.  it keeps me up at night not knowing.  

[paul45]

Just that March fizzled to such a lackluster ending. Weekends only. Lift areas had nearly nothing left on them to even load on those March weekends. The calendar reminding people they barely made it past the end of February last year other than some crummy weekends just seems like something they wouldn't want front and center on the homepage. 

[Old Geezer]

3 hours ago, JFskiDan said:

im still waiting on the big news as to who bought the place.  it keeps me up at night not knowing.  

There's a long running thread (four years) on AZ on this question. To cherry pick one quote in there, we need to hear from any long time season pass holder, because "... those guys always know everything, first."  Link.

[Jn959]

Website says opening day 12/13. 8-9 trails 2-3 lifts. 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

6 hours ago, Jn959 said:

Website says opening day 12/13. 8-9 trails 2-3 lifts. 

Way to go Elk!!!!!

[paul45]

They got to 11 by yesterday (with spurs, still 4 ways from the top all weekend). Place was "God I hope they stay in business" kinda empty all weekend. Very weird, conditions and weather were incredible. Was there opening weekend last year and it was definitely more crowded.  Schuylkill and slalom both look ready as soon as they feel like bulldozing the whales and starting the quad. 

[Old Geezer]

Elk is like a lot of family-centric ski areas in that they get very light crowds before the holidays. No matter how early in the season they open. 

Their ski school, bar/restaurant/cafeteria, rental shop, ski shop (if they still have one) all cost more to keep open than they take-in during the slow days in early season.  I'd put Elk in the same category as Platty, Timberline, Bellayre, Blue Knob for this. They're all more out of the way of big population areas, somewhat family centric, and there are other options closer to the population centers, all of which make a difference when people have especially busy lives leading up to the holidays.

The one upside is if the ski area has good snow making and top notch grooming early in the season, e.g., the groomers and snow makers aren't green and don't have to newly learn their skills as the season progresses, then the empty slopes and great snow conditions can be really excellent.