Tuesday, January 17, 2012
What a great MLK weekend! After some really nice snowmaking, we received a special present from Mother Nature, with 18" of fresh powder at the summit on our mountains. (Our neighbor MRG shared in this as well).
The snow came in two waves. The first had a bit more moisture, which is great for base-building on the trails, and the second came as temperatures fell and gave us some really nice light powder for Saturday morning. Traveling on Friday was challenging for many but, looking at the number of cars coming over the gap Friday evening, the snow did not seem to deter anyone.
Saturday morning I took some Powder-Morning First Tracks guests out at 7:30 AM and we had two runs before the lifts opened. Our first was down a just-groomed Lower Organgrinder with a few inches of fresh light powder on top. It was hero skiing. Our second run was on Twist -- one of my favorites that seems to be a secret to others -- and we rushed down in knee-deep powder. It was awesome.
The day found freshies everywhere. And for those who hiked across to Castlerock, the experience was worth the short hike. Trails at Mt. Ellen were equally good. I got there in the afternoon with just enough time for a couple of quick runs before the ceremony at GMVS dedicating their new T-Bar. This T-Bar and our new Snow Logic guns have allowed them more days of race training this season and the T-Bar allows for more laps through the gates.
We had a lot going on Saturday -- from football parties to family dinner to fireworks. The whole resort and entire Valley were rocking. It was a near-record day but because we were nearly 100% open, lift lines were less than 10 minutes and people were spread out all over the mountain. The woods were (and still are) really too thin for safe skiing but another foot of snow and they will be ready.
On Sunday we were 100% open as was Mad River Glen, and I am not sure if any other resorts in the continental USA could say that. At a minimum, we were among a very select few. Unfortunately, many feared the minus-degree temperatures and elected to stay indoors. Those of us who dress warmly had another fabulous day on the slopes. There was still fresh powder to be found and perfectly groomed trails at both mountains.
Monday the temperatures moderated, rising into the 20's by afternoon, and we had a good, busy Martin Luther King Day.
Today, Tuesday, it has warmed-up a bit more. We are expecting temperatures in the low 30's for awhile today and possibly a few showers or snow flurries before it starts to turn colder again tonight. The forecast is for some more snow flurries and maybe some squalls. The rest of the week is looking good. We will shut North Lynx for a couple of days this week in order to make snow up there and, because we will have hoses pulled across the trails, we don't want people skiing there for safety reasons. But North Lynx will be reopened by the weekend so we will again be 100% open and will have all lifts running. And the weekend weather forecast looks great!
Winter is here and we are all excited about the next three months. Help us spread the word that Sugarbush is the place to be right now.
Win
So what would you expect a former Executive Vice President of Merrill Lynch to do when he retires? Lay low in the islands? Nope. He moves north and works seven days a week right here at Sugarbush. Check out what he's been thinking.
