High Ball wrote:Wow....I'm surprised at that stat. You're right, it didn't feel like it. I thought it was one of the worst winters in the 30 years I've been up here.
I'm convinced that's because the Bucksaw area has spread snowmaking and grooming resources too thin. And then there was the unexplained and utterly mystifying "snowmaking pause" in January, right when it was needed most.
Frontface wrote:I agree. Weird weather. Even though the temperatures didn't set records (for being so low) it seemed that every time I was out, I was chilled to the bone! The combination of moderate-to-high winds, temps in the single digits and teens, and clouds blocking the sun, made for uncomfortable outings.
Huh, I actually thought it was one of the milder winters. I can't recall any days below zero F, and I thought Skyline and SQ wind holds were fewer. (I don't pay attention to Timberline wind holds)
My biggest disappointment has come in the last month; it seems that the grooming has become very limited!
See above re: Bucksaw. Many trails that used to get groomed every night were not this year.
Mostly the intermediate trails have gotten the love. While I prefer high speed cruising on groomed slopes, I understand that others prefer the natural conditions found on ungroomed slopes.
Not grooming Spillway every night is stupid.
Someone seems to be very nostalgic for the days (about 40+ years ago) when Spillway was a gnarly black diamond and usually a bump trail. Sure if you want it to bump up, wait for a big dump, then don't groom it. But then groom it again as soon as the bumps become unusable, like after a thaw/freeze. Too often there are days when Spillway is unenjoyable when it could have been easily made enjoyable by grooming.
In the past, Sugarloaf has given us the best of both worlds; one side of a trail is groomed and the other side of the trail is left natural. Pick the side you want and have fun! I hate to sound cynical, but I assume that leaving the majority of the trails "au natural" is a money-saving move.
I disagree that it is a majority of trails. Anyway half-grooming Spillway has been impossible since Skyline was installed in 2011. Haulback gets partially groomed. I'd say the trails that are historically typically groomers are still groomed, just less often thanks to Bucksaw.
Glade Monkey wrote:The season started strong biggest storm was in November. Then the January rain/freeze reset came in early December. Then we had another reset for New Years.
February had a lot of natural snow but also too many windy days which either followed a hard freeze or a melt.
They forgot to make snow and build base from mid-Jan to early March. Apparently pushed all the chips into the middle of the table to bet on natural.
Timberline was on hold more than half the days it was scheduled, and the backside never opened.
Bracket was open for about 30 days out of an expected 163 operating days but there was never a huge dump to lure me in.
They have been padding the snow totals in April.
Biggest dump was indeed on Thanksgiving. Sad.
If Brackett was open for 30 days I completely did not notice. I would have guessed 5 to 10. That said I don't even go to King Pine unless there's soft/fresh snow. The grooming over there is mediocre.
Karl said in that video that the January snowmaking pause was deliberate, but did not give a reason. Utterly mystifying. Can only assume money.
I will give mother nature some credit for no rain from January 1 to March 5. I know it was March 5 because I invited a sizeable group of carvers up to enjoy what is typically the best week of the year. Sorry about that.
I have yet to do the Burnt Mountain cat.
Yeah yeah, first world problems. Life is good.
