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SShore

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I guess this is a dumb question, but I'm thinking about pulling the Big Sky trigger for weekend of Jan 12/13. It looks good right? The mtn looks looks like it's in good shape for this time of the year, more snow is coming, and close to most of it should be open in 3.5 weeks from now?
I see no reason not to. Although it has been a relatively mild winter here so far, be aware that January and early February can get brutally cold here.
 

Talisman

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Most of the mountain is open now and other parts could be open if Sheddy was turning and patrol drops a few ropes on some glades. Predicting mountain weather 3.5 hours out can be done with some accuracy, 3.5 weeks out anything is possible; more snow, no more snow, wind, sun crust and maybe everything listed. Come on up it shouldn't be crowded.
 

SnowbirdDevotee

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It's tough because there is a good freq flyer ticket available, which might not be if i wait, but i can push it forwards another week. I know it needs a couple good storms to give it good coverage which is a good probability for a few weeks. I want the most or almost all of the mtn to be open to come out there. It's on the bucket list! Very much looking forward to it. I'll be skiing on my own, which is not my preference, but hoping to get lots of vertical in blasting black moguls.
 

Talisman

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It's tough because there is a good freq flyer ticket available, which might not be if i wait, but i can push it forwards another week.
Always check flights to alternate MT airports like Butte and Billings, yes the drives re longer but the tickets are cheaper FF or $, sometimes at peak times a lot cheaper.

Big Sky has lots of terrain at different elevations and aspects so something is skiing well even if it hasn't snowed in awhile. A windy night has set up many amazing powder days for those who seek it.
 

Talisman

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Thanks - Big Sky is Booked! Weekend of Jan 12/13.

See that the NWS is predicting snow now for tomorrow.

In other news, coming back from Dakota today I saw that there were chairs on the newly spliced cable on the Sheddy 4 and they were moving slowly like a test was in progress.
 

Talisman

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Rode the 8 yesterday with one other person and they asked if they could put the bar down. "No worries", and the bar came down with out hitting me. After a few minutes he tried to raise the bar (it locks), "I can't lift the bar can you help me?" "No, it is locked see the little red lock emblem?" "That is bad I need to really lift the bar." I am not sure what the issue was, but the bar popped up at the top station automatically.
 

ksampson3

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See that the NWS is predicting snow now for tomorrow.

In other news, coming back from Dakota today I saw that there were chairs on the newly spliced cable on the Sheddy 4 and they were moving slowly like a test was in progress.
We talked to the liftie at bottom of the Dakota lift and he said that they are aiming for a Monday the 24th opening for Shedhorn. They were running test loads today on Shedhorn.
 

Talisman

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We talked to the liftie at bottom of the Dakota lift and he said that they are aiming for a Monday the 24th opening for Shedhorn. They were running test loads today on Shedhorn.

I heard the Dopplemyer crew headed out of town with their work complete. Early gift from Santa tomorrow with Sheddy on line?
 

ksampson3

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No Shedhorn today. Ramcharger went down hard yesterday so we surmised that the crew that was going to be working on Shedhorn might have been redirected to the frontside?
One of the bubbles on one of the Ramcharger chairs wouldn't lift and the workers screwed up the hydraulics trying to get it raised. At least that's what the Ramcharger liftie told me. I only know what I'm told.
 

Talisman

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Looks like no Sheddy today based on the report. The new Ramcharger sure does stop a lot. To manage the risk of it going down for the day again and not being able to get home easily I have been wearing my pack so I can carry my skis while using low speed quads to get up Andesite. Seems silly wearing a pack with no fresh snow.
 

DanoT

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Looks like no Sheddy today based on the report. The new Ramcharger sure does stop a lot. To manage the risk of it going down for the day again and not being able to get home easily I have been wearing my pack so I can carry my skis while using low speed quads to get up Andesite. Seems silly wearing a pack with no fresh snow.

I thought you were going to say the pack was for carrying an evac rope.

It happened to me once when sharing a chair ride with a ski patroller. The chair broke down, the patroller says he might be needed elsewhere, so out comes his rope and he then he passes it thru a metal eye on the chair frame and does a self belay to the ground...and leaves me hanging out in the chair as he skis off.:(
 

Talisman

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Finally got over to Sheddy yesterday for a few runs. The regrading of Cow Flats made the connection pretty easy, the slight uphill at the YC Cow Flats Poma is still there so you can work out your skate ski muscles. After a few laps Sheddy went down for ~12 minutes before resuming operations so the "old fashioned" lift line happened. I didn't see the "sled in the tree" from the avalanche a decade ago, I hope that icon is still around.
 
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skidrew

skidrew

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Finally got over to Sheddy yesterday for a few runs. The regrading of Cow Flats made the connection pretty easy, the slight uphill at the YC Cow Flats Poma is still there so you can work out your skate ski muscles. After a few laps Sheddy went down for ~12 minutes before resuming operations so the "old fashioned" lift line happened. I didn't see the "sled in the tree" from the avalanche a decade ago, I hope that icon is still around.

How are conditions around the mountain? Will be there next week . . .

Wonder if the tree fell? Sled was definitely there last Spring, and no reason to remove the tree/sled for lift construction (that I can imagine).
 

milkman

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“Maybe the dining gondola is something that will be there for a year or two and then be moved to the Explorer replacement, which they make it sound like is next up in their plan before Swifty replacement. Hopefully next summer, but I'm guessing it will be a couple of summers off.”

Plans are to start preliminary construction of the 10 person gondola in the summer of 2019 to be completed for the 2020-21 season. An 18 month project. It will be built in two phases.
First phase (this phase) replaces Explorer and goes to a new mid -mountain learning center (ski school) complete with restrooms, warming area, basic food service etc. I’m told there is a similar setup at Jackson Hole.
The Learning center will be located above the top of the present Explorer but below Powder-seeker.
Second phase retains midstation unloading for ski school and takes the gondola higher. It includes additional on mountain services.
Big project for 2019 is the complete remodeling of the top floor of the mall building. Published architectural drawings look really nice.
Night skiing on Andesite may start as early as next year.
I Recently read available airline seats into BZN are up over 30% this season and over 80% of BS skiers now fly to BS. I had no idea!
 

Talisman

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How are conditions around the mountain? Will be there next week . . .

Conditions get better after each system that passes through adding an inch or so, but BS could use a six inch or more refresh. Certain aspects have skied really well even after a dusting Lenin and a few lines off of Challenger. The holiday crowds have arrived, but "El Ocho" is the new glittery object that many can't resist taking pressure off of Swifty. Some Lone Tree/ Six Shooter laps were eerily quiet for a holiday week.

Tomorrow might be the system we have been waiting for.
 

BS Slarver

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The anticipated 3-5, 3-5 is looking more like 1-3, 1-3..... but we’ll take it, yes ?

Main base area was busy as one would expect for a holiday and town traffic and the shops were nuts. Made the mistake of stopping in to see friends at LS and lines were out the door !
On the other hand we too had lone tree and charger laps all to ourselves with some untouched to be found off the beaten path.

Shedhorn was again on hold yesterday - what’s up with that ?
 

Talisman

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Shedhorn was again on hold yesterday - what’s up with that ?

Sheddy opened later in the afternoon and shows open on today's report. My guess is that there are some teething issues with Sheddy as there have been lots of starts and stops when I have been riding it.

El Ocho had wider chair spacing on it yesterday (50 vs 64 chairs) to see if that configuration would be more stable.
 
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