Opening Day

[adrian]

remember our last powder run on whistler? that is likely my best montage memory. im out of town, but i might come on monday.

when you see me in my green pants, throw your hands in the air.

[bigdaddyk]

... You'd go deaf then freeze to death if they had them turned on under the Iron Horse...

 

I think they are quieter than the other snow guns. The one in the pic looks really low to the ground, or is that just an illusion? I noticed at JFBB, if the temps are marginal, the fans don't seem to make snow as good as the tri-pod guns. I noticed on marginal days, they already lined parts of east mt, with the tri-pods, even though it has the fans. I guess that's the only down side to them. Next week shouldn't be an issue though....hopefully.

[Sno Mountain Skier]

Although I only took three runs, it wasnt bad. I have a few problems with SNO, the food setup is rediculous and dont tell me im there to ski. Also, that new scanner thing is pretty stupid, and imagine if it ever gets crowded, that will be a shit storm.

[CaptDave]

On the upper mountain, they blew on most slopes, but need at least 48 hrs. of great temps to open more.

 

Looks like they should get plenty of that the next two weeks.

 

I think I am gonna make a trip up next weekend. I need it. lol

[Schif]

remember our last powder run on whistler? that is likely my best montage memory. im out of town, but i might come on monday.

 

when you see me in my green pants, throw your hands in the air.

 

That was the first thing I thought of when i started down whistler yesterday. Definately my best Montage memory too. That was such a fun night.

 

I'm gonna be headin back to school on monday, but this season has just started, we've got to ride a few times before its over.

[ski14]

Although I only took three runs, it wasnt bad. I have a few problems with SNO, the food setup is rediculous and dont tell me im there to ski. Also, that new scanner thing is pretty stupid, and imagine if it ever gets crowded, that will be a shit storm.

 

the food setup is just temporary, the cafeteria shud be open in a week or two

[Skiier1212]

It's like a scavenger hunt trying to find season passes. People have them on the ankles, knees, elbows, arms, pockets, and hidden by folds in the pants. You get accustomed to just waving the wand over the wrist and wonder why it's not working and then about about 10 tries the person finally tells you they have a season pass on their boots. WTF . Absolutely rediculous. I did nothing but listen to people bitch the entire night about them, rightfully so. But it's a pain in my damn balls too, remember that. Just cross your fingers and hope the batteries die like happened twice to us on shuttle lift tonight, then we see your pass and you keep on going. This system won't last long, if it does (which there isn't a chance of happening), they are going to lose tons of business. They should have tested it before opening day, hell they had a month. There is only one sensor on the wrist bands so if it's on the bottom of the wrist and you are waving the top, no go. Not to mention you have to guess where exactly the band is on the wrist. Under the glove? nope try again. On the wrist? nope try again. Ohh half way up the 4 year olds arm, bingo. Not to mention i feel like a pedophile leaning over to scan kids passes when they are on their boots. Nobody is going to be yanking there gloves off every lift ride when the temps drop in the teens, and i sure as hell won't be taking my glove off to push the stupid button on the machine.

 

 

i just spent the whole last week at killington, and they use that system. and this is how things are done in all the other mountains such as Sugarloaf, Jay Peak, Stowe, you name it, they all use that system.

[Margaritaville Skier]

I think they are quieter than the other snow guns. The one in the pic looks really low to the ground, or is that just an illusion? I noticed at JFBB, if the temps are marginal, the fans don't seem to make snow as good as the tri-pod guns. I noticed on marginal days, they already lined parts of east mt, with the tri-pods, even though it has the fans. I guess that's the only down side to them. Next week shouldn't be an issue though....hopefully.

 

Happened to be talking to someone in the know (not Papa) and as advised the new guns run into problems when the temps are over 28. Evidently, the new computerized guns can't be tweaked like the older guns with water/air ratios to match temps and humidity. Was at CB on Friday and as temps climbed, the new guns were turned off and the snow crews worked with the older tripod guns. Maybe the old guns can't turn it out like the new ones but snow is snow.

 

Best of luck to the new team running SnoMo.

PAX

[Ski]

There are good and bad things about the type of guns Sno bought. Skifreak and Yumm know a crapload more about it than me, but our hill also went with that style gun after comparing sales pitches. The Pole Cats may need a lower wet bulb, but they also fire the droplets much higher in the air, allowing for more cooling time. And they also spread the snow out in a greater area, so there's less work after blowing---not just a bunch of whaleback piles. I recall being told they made more snow that was of a higher quality.

 

If our area just got average temps from late-November on, it wouldn't be an issue. Normal temps would give plenty of time for ANY type of guns to cover the slopes.

 

 

Happened to be talking to someone in the know (not Papa)

[bigdaddyk]

There are good and bad things about the type of guns Sno bought. Skifreak and Yumm know a crapload more about it than me, but our hill also went with that style gun after comparing sales pitches. The Pole Cats may need a lower wet bulb, but they also fire the droplets much higher in the air, allowing for more cooling time. And they also spread the snow out in a greater area, so there's less work after blowing---not just a bunch of whaleback piles. I recall being told they made more snow that was of a higher quality.

 

If our area just got average temps from late-November on, it wouldn't be an issue. Normal temps would give plenty of time for ANY type of guns to cover the slopes.

 

 

 

 

I guess each gun serves it's own purpose and if you have both types, you can't go wrong.

[Ski]

I guess each gun serves it's own purpose and if you have both types, you can't go wrong.

I had joined a snowmaking website to get the definitive answer, Big, and waded through dozens of threads...and still didn't come up with an exact comparison. Maybe 'Freak or Yumm could offer one up...we just listened to sales pitches, so all the info was biased. Funny, but when I was going through the message board sign-up process, they asked me what kind of valves and other things I preferred...and after a few hours of reading, I discovered hardcore snowmakers are some seriously strange ass clowns.

[bigdaddyk]

I had joined a snowmaking website to get the definitive answer, Big, and waded through dozens of threads...and still didn't come up with an exact comparison. Maybe 'Freak or Yumm could offer one up...we just listened to sales pitches, so all the info was biased. Funny, but when I was going through the message board sign-up process, they asked me what kind of valves and other things I preferred...and after a few hours of reading, I discovered hardcore snowmakers are some seriously strange ass clowns.

 

Yumm' actually explained the differnces in a couple of threads, one of them is http://www.paskiandride.com/forums/index.p...c=7010&st=0 and he gave a link to butternut's snowmaking explanation that is good. http://www.skibutternut.com/mountain/snow-making.html

[Ski]

Yumm' actually explained the differnces in a couple of threads, one of them is http://www.paskiandride.com/forums/index.p...c=7010&st=0 and he gave a link to butternut's snowmaking explanation that is good. http://www.skibutternut.com/mountain/snow-making.html

 

The Butternut link in particular doesn't address the height issue, though. Butternut seems to use either pole mounted HDK's or SMI's on the ground. From what I've read, raising the fan guns makes a big difference. Maybe I'm just missing the obvious...

[Sno Mountain Skier]

Whatever they use they need some snow at the top of mainline.

[riderossi]

i just spent the whole last week at killington, and they use that system. and this is how things are done in all the other mountains such as Sugarloaf, Jay Peak, Stowe, you name it, they all use that system.

 

i guarantee that none of those places have even the smallest fraction of errors that we do at Sno. The type of scanner that is being used is deigned for use in warehouses. The owner of the company made excuses for errors saying that it was because of the cold and it was busy. haha right. It was 40's yesterday and no more than 200 people. Give me a break. They will be gone faster than you can say "these scanners effing suck". None of the patrons, lift operators, or supervisors want them,

 

as for the snowguns i was wasn't paying much attention when the talk was going on but there are polecats, super polecats, and wizard guns. The wizards are on the park and produce big piles at a short distance, that's all i really listened to. Also i think he said the guns that are on whistler are the supers.

[Sno Mountain Skier]

guarantee that none of those places have even the smallest fraction of errors that we do at Sno. The type of scanner that is being used is deigned for use in warehouses. The owner of the company made excuses for errors saying that it was because of the cold and it was busy. haha right. It was 40's yesterday and no more than 200 people. Give me a break. They will be gone faster than you can say "these scanners effing suck". None of the patrons, lift operators, or supervisors want them,

I skied into the lift area, and had my pant up so he could get to my pass, and the kid goes, put that down fuck the scanners.

[riderossi]

I skied into the lift area, and had my pant up so he could get to my pass, and the kid goes, put that down fuck the scanners.

for the first part of the day they told us just to let the season passes through, but around 2:30-3 they were starting to make us scan everyone. Today they even had us sending the people whose wristbands weren't working back up to the lodge to get a new one. The success rate on those bands is about 1 in 4,working to not working. Season passes work like a charm for the most part.

[Sno Mountain Skier]

for the first part of the day they told us just to let the season passes through, but around 2:30-3 they were starting to make us scan everyone. Today they even had us sending the people whose wristbands weren't working back up to the lodge to get a new one. The success rate on those bands is about 1 in 4,working to not working. Season passes work like a charm for the most part.

Yesterday my pass wasnt working too well. It was coming up not readable or something like that. But, today it worked everytime they checked me.

[Ski]

We just went over and took a quick run through the fog...the scanner at Shuttle wasn't working.

 

The fog is really hitting it hard up top, as Sno said. It's not really bare spots, but there are some gnarly rocks showing through.

 

Here's what it was like skiing:

 

[riderossi]

Here's what it was like skiing:

 

That's some pretty thick fog..you couldn't even see the lights from 81 when i drove by..i actually called to see if they were still open.

[xNick11]

Ya the fog was horrible.We built a nice jump on whistler today and it was really foggy at times,but other times it would clear up,then at night it just got so bad. I think I took like 3 or 4 runs with my goggles on lol.

[Sno Mountain Skier]

How about today, GM Rich Schwartz was at the Iron Horse, and he was working the pass checker thing. Hopefully he also feels they are shit.

[Ski]

That's the best way to get things changed---once things f*ck up for the boss, then they'll see the problem isn't just with the lifties...but they'll still do everything they can to hang onto the system. I saw a tv news clip with one of the ticket sales girls saying how amazing it was...

[riderossi]

That's the best way to get things changed---once things f*ck up for the boss, then they'll see the problem isn't just with the lifties...but they'll still do everything they can to hang onto the system. I saw a tv news clip with one of the ticket sales girls saying how amazing it was...

 

Unfortunately on a night like tonight where the majority of the skiers are pass holders, it's going to appear that the system is almost flawless since the season passes usually scan fine. We encourage every skier who mentions their dislike of the scanners to go and complain to the ticket window, especially the ones that have to go get a new wrist band. This upcoming week will be a big test with low temps getting into the teens..

[xNick11]

Lift lines really are going to suck.

 

It takes like sometimes a minute just to scan the ticket...like cant they just get a huge scanner above the lift or something so that people wont have to scan and it will just scan when you ski through it?