23/24 Snowmaking Mega Thread

[skiloaf]

Another year, another race to have "all smowmaking trails open by christmas week"...which I don't think has ever been true. But aspirationally i'm here for it.

This year the early season order seems to be:
1. Tote (from top, love to see it)
2. Kings
3. Hayburner / Candy
4. U Timberline (nice early season addition)

The second tranche is interesting -- mostly that they are going for Spillway over Sluice where they have fixed guns. No doubt folks will be excited as in recent years it was often last on the list.
5. Upper Narrow Gauge
6. Spillway
7. Peavey
8. Comp Hill.

[BubbleCuffer97]

Doing spillway first before they open skyline is so much more logical IMO.

The investments in recent years are clearly paying off, so many guns going the last couple days!

[k2trav]

13 degrees at the summit, 25 at the base, snowmaking only on Comp Hill this morning, Christmas will be here soon. how long will those fan guns sit in front of the WSKI cam?

[cccski]

I will say, other than Tote as the first run, I have never been able to figure out the rhyme or reason for the order of snowmaking trails other than generally going from west to east. Having said that, I rode up the Superquad the other day with an engineer who used to be in charge of the entire system and described it to me in detail. It's a lot more complicated than I ever imagined and there are many variables they have to take into account when making snow. He did note that the new pump house and HKD guns take an enormous amount of mechanical stress from the system.

On another note, don't forget to thank a snowmaker. I have managed to tip two groups so far. They are very grateful.

[T.O.S.]

Somebody is telling stories on the lift ride.

[SpillwayEast]

For many years with early season snowmaking Sluice and Lower Winters Way were open early..........why the move to Spillway? Glad to see Spillway get some love as it seems to have been neglected in recent years. Will they get Wiffletree open by Christmas?

[k2trav]

Currently 8 at the summit and 19 at the base with a few guns on the landing and that is it.

[T.O.S.]

The three important things to remember about a New England ski area: Christmas, Christmas, and Christmas.
This may have been a pivotal week in that regard. Got water, got temps, got base.

[BubbleCuffer97]

Currently 8 at the summit and 19 at the base with a few guns on the landing and that is it.

Look again... they're cranking

[Glade Monkey]

Looks like a nice week long window for snowmaking opening up with the bonus of natural falling from Friday night thru Wednesday!

[k2trav]

Currently 8 at the summit and 19 at the base with a few guns on the landing and that is it.

Look again... they're cranking

They are now, but they were not when i posted, looks like guns on Boardwalk, THe landing, Spillway and slasher, maybe lower winters, possibly 150 guns. They shut almost everything down last night for quite some time

[darkwizard]

I'm still worried about SpillwayEast's debris in the pump station! Did they get that outta there yet? Maybe they have to I don't know I am a hundred miles away.

[SpillwayEast]

I'm still worried about SpillwayEast's debris in the pump station! Did they get that outta there yet? Maybe they have to I don't know I am a hundred miles away.

Where is that?

Today's Mountain Report says snowmaking is 'wrapping up on Spillway, Gauge and Comp Hill'........where are they headed next?

[darkwizard]

I'm still worried about SpillwayEast's debris in the pump station! Did they get that outta there yet? Maybe they have to I don't know I am a hundred miles away.

Where is that?

Today's Mountain Report says snowmaking is 'wrapping up on Spillway, Gauge and Comp Hill'........where are they headed next?

I live in Aurora, ME. East of Bangor about 45 minutes. 130 miles away now that I look at Google Maps

I was just joking really, but I know you asked, and I didn't see an answer. IIRC there was some kind of stall in snowmaking last year for a few days due to some technical complication. I envision some guys in a canoe with a smelt net and rake, but likely its a more significant undertaking.

[k2trav]

Looks warm until Monday night

[Alpiner]

For many years with early season snowmaking Sluice and Lower Winters Way were open early..........why the move to Spillway? Glad to see Spillway get some love as it seems to have been neglected in recent years. Will they get Wiffletree open by Christmas?

Not having Spillway open early is embarrassing. It's depressing riding a lift over a bare trail. Riding Skyline over a snowy and open Spillway makes it feel like winter is here. SQ is different in that at least half of it is not over a trail and one of the trails it does go over is all-natural.

[BubbleCuffer97]

Looks warm until Monday night

Because it's going to snow... Then cold next week with more chances for snow next weekend. Not bad for first week of December!

[darkwizard]

My guess for where they are headed next when snow making fires back up:

Lower Winters Way
Sluice (and Sluice Chute and Sluice Headwall?)

What else?

[Rossignolsoul7]

I'd go with LWW, Sluice, sluice headwall, gauge ext, haywire.

[DoubleBitter]

My guess for where they are headed next when snow making fires back up:
Lower Winters Way
Sluice (and Sluice Chute and Sluice Headwall?)
What else?

Guns are set up on the Birches, although the new Moosecalator hasn't been installed yet. It looks like they've been working on it.

[skiloaf]

I assume the reason that spillway was always so late is it required dragging guns out and the line is so far in the woods I think you need to connect two or three hoses per gun (so 6 a gun).

Saw a photo today of some fixed guns on spillway but was cut off. Any Intel? Unfortunate to interrupt that left line.

[Glade Monkey]

Looking like they will need all the new snowmaking firepower after Sunday-Monday weather rolls through

[darkwizard]

What happened here? I don't think it's gonna be a problem. Hopefully they get it squared away. By tomorrow?

https://imgur.com/DEPRpHo

[DoubleBitter]

What happened here? I don't think it's gonna be a problem. Hopefully they get it squared away. By tomorrow?
https://imgur.com/DEPRpHo

Someone made a similar post yesterday to the Unofficial Sugarloaf Facebook page. Apparently a slide like that is not unusual when lots of snow is blown onto a steep face like Sluice Headwall. I'm sure it will get groomed out.

[skiloaf]

Snowmaking ponds are full again.

[Rossignolsoul7]

Snowmaking ponds are full again.

SL will have other fish to fry before resuming snowmaking... trust me.

[Rossignolsoul7]

Is Sugarloaf taking this recovery seriously? Only 2 trails with snowmaking currently and on a trail that is most of the time closed to public. What's the excuse for not blowing more?

[skier23]

Is Sugarloaf taking this recovery seriously? Only 2 trails with snowmaking currently and on a trail that is most of the time closed to public. What's the excuse for not blowing more?

They have been taking it very seriously, and in all honesty have done an incredible job getting Hayburner, Tote, Kings, Haywire, Boardwalk, etc. back open given the circumstances. As for why they aren't blowing more, I'd assume they've run into some storm-related issues that are preventing them from operating at full capacity (not limited to blockages, pump house issues, power, limited staff, etc etc). Comp Hill is on a different snowmaking system, so I'm thinking there's a different issue out there with the main network that's preventing them from running guns. Just a hunch though....

[k2trav]

Is Sugarloaf taking this recovery seriously? Only 2 trails with snowmaking currently and on a trail that is most of the time closed to public. What's the excuse for not blowing more?

Comp Hill is on a different snowmaking system,

No its not, the only part that is different is the fan guns can be controlled by app. There probably is some blockage with the water intake. but they only ran 240 guns for 3 days otherwise its been about 120 to 150.

[SpillwayEast]

Hopefully temps allow for a full on snowmaking assault........looks like some temps will be marginal this weekend but maybe keep the guns going at elevation.