The race is on, first to open... 2018-19

[Muleski]

Sunday River, Maine is set to open tomorrow, Friday 10/19. How much open? We'll see.

https://www.sundayriver.com/mountain-report

 

[nay]

Sunday River, Maine is set to open tomorrow, Friday 10/19. How much open? We'll see.

https://www.sundayriver.com/mountain-report

I’m seeing an Ikon theme here. Cool kids.

Sunday River is opening an unfrocked run on the upper mountain with downloading from mid-mountain and doesn’t plan full ops until November. Interestingly, they aren’t even advertising opening day on their main website page - you have to go look for it.

 

[Muleski]

The Sunday River opening has ZERO to do with Ikon. It's something that they have done for decades. Used to be a big battle to see who would be first to "open" and last to close in the East, between Sunday River and Killington. It started because Les Otten, the then young owner of S.R., had come from Killington and he felt that this was really important for marketing. Then in time, Sugarloaf would often be the last to close....closing in many years because people were just done with skiing, but after the others had run out of terrain. The heavy snowmaking trails at Sugarloaf have had huge patches in many places when CVA graduates in June. There is no "we have to stay open to be the King of Spring" at Sugarloaf. Granted it does not holds snow like the real higher elevation spots in CO, and West. Sunday River seems to have ended any quest to be last to close....all Killington's.

I had thought that at some point Boyne would tell the GM/President of S.R., Dana Bullen, to quit spending the money to blow early snow to open the top of T-2. It's a strange set up. The very top, somewhat flat section of a wide race trail. And as noted, you have to upload and down load on another chairlift to get up to it. Not my cup of tea. And in some years, they have rushed to open, done so, then faced a period of time of warmth and rain, and struggled to stay "open." Like I said, I thought that both business and common sense on the part of Boyne would have stopped this. I don't think that it fools or brings in any people. And yeah, it's early. I still have two boats on their moorings to take care of. Most of my ski friends, a number of whom own homes at Sunday River are still fully in fall mode.

But, seriously, Ikon and Alterra have the three N.E. Boyne properties as pass partners, but there appears to be no Alterra influence at all. At Sugarloaf, it's barely a blip on the radar. Ikon? What? I'm somewhat close to this.....have been for a long time. If this were a serious thing, and a coordinated effort, the first to open would be Sugarloaf. They could have opened a week or so ago. Higher elevation, faces due north, and farther north on the map, a fortune in new snowmaking technology. They can make snow in volume much sooner than S.R., but there's no reason to do so. A month from now is soon enough, and when the skiers start to show up. Those with families, kids in the junior programs, etc. The CVA academy kids will travel to ski. In Austria right now.

But no, please no Ikon conspiracy theories. Though I know many can't resist it. This is NOTHING NEW.

 

[CalG]

Today's activities

WROD in the works

 

[Dwight]

 

[nay]

The Sunday River opening has ZERO to do with Ikon. It's something that they have done for decades. Used to be a big battle to see who would be first to "open" and last to close in the East, between Sunday River and Killington. It started because Les Otten, the then young owner of S.R., had come from Killington and he felt that this was really important for marketing. Then in time, Sugarloaf would often be the last to close....closing in many years because people were just done with skiing, but after the others had run out of terrain. The heavy snowmaking trails at Sugarloaf have had huge patches in many places when CVA graduates in June. There is no "we have to stay open to be the King of Spring" at Sugarloaf. Granted it does not holds snow like the real higher elevation spots in CO, and West. Sunday River seems to have ended any quest to be last to close....all Killington's.

I had thought that at some point Boyne would tell the GM/President of S.R., Dana Bullen, to quit spending the money to blow early snow to open the top of T-2. It's a strange set up. The very top, somewhat flat section of a wide race trail. And as noted, you have to upload and down load on another chairlift to get up to it. Not my cup of tea. And in some years, they have rushed to open, done so, then faced a period of time of warmth and rain, and struggled to stay "open." Like I said, I thought that both business and common sense on the part of Boyne would have stopped this. I don't think that it fools or brings in any people. And yeah, it's early. I still have two boats on their moorings to take care of. Most of my ski friends, a number of whom own homes at Sunday River are still fully in fall mode.

But, seriously, Ikon and Alterra have the three N.E. Boyne properties as pass partners, but there appears to be no Alterra influence at all. At Sugarloaf, it's barely a blip on the radar. Ikon? What? I'm somewhat close to this.....have been for a long time. If this were a serious thing, and a coordinated effort, the first to open would be Sugarloaf. They could have opened a week or so ago. Higher elevation, faces due north, and farther north on the map, a fortune in new snowmaking technology. They can make snow in volume much sooner than S.R., but there's no reason to do so. A month from now is soon enough, and when the skiers start to show up. Those with families, kids in the junior programs, etc. The CVA academy kids will travel to ski. In Austria right now.

But no, please no Ikon conspiracy theories. Though I know many can't resist it. This is NOTHING NEW.

Good to know

I think @dbostedo has plenty to consider for this thread next year In term of race rules.

 

[Jilly]

Wow.....I realize that the lift hasn't opened yet in that A Basin pic.....But with only High Noon open....all that for a mug and bragging rights?

 

[coskigirl]

Wow.....I realize that the lift hasn't opened yet in that A Basin pic.....But with only High Noon open....all that for a mug and bragging rights?

I don't think all of those people got a mug. Here's what it looks like currently.

 

[Ken_R]

I don't think all of those people got a mug. Here's what it looks like currently.

View attachment 56109

Oh heeelllllll no

I dont feel so bad now being stuck at home recovering

 

[KingGrump]

I don't think all of those people got a mug. Here's what it looks like currently.

View attachment 56109

Well, at least the line got shorter from @Dwight pic.
Wider but shorter.

 

[nay]

Well, at least the line got shorter from @Dwight pic.
Wider but shorter.

The pro tip for first day High Noon revelry is show up around 2 when lines are down to 10 mins, do 4-5 laps, and have a beer at 6th Alley and enjoy the stoke.

Outside of what are currently excellent MTB conditions, I don’t have a big list of things I’d rather be doing.

 

[KingGrump]

To paraphrase Dwight Yoakam, "Ain't that desperate yet."

 

[TheHitman]

Ouch. Will it be just as bad Sunday?

 

[Lauren]

I didn’t have a lot of work yesterday afternoon, have a few vacation days to use before I “lose ‘em”, so took the afternoon off and headed to the River. Got there about 2:00, booted up and took the lift...

No snow at the bottom.

But the views were A+ on the way up.

And some good looking bumps were found at the top.

Glad I waited until 2:00; no lines at the midstation to go back up and very few people on the trails. All in all, fantastic afternoon, glad I got out there.

 

[nay]

Desperate crowding at Loveland again for opening Saturday.

 

[nay]

Ouch. Will it be just as bad Sunday?

Yes. A-Basin seems content to show us the webcam from 5:39pm yesterday rather than the lines today .

 

[nay]

A-Basin is live again.

But check out hanging at BML with a beer. Much better than the skiing. Looks like they are blowing snow on the upper mountain and starting some grooming. Could be top to bottom fairly soon?

 

[no edge]

Skied Killington yesterday. Snow was excellent - even bumped up. Workers were friendly and happy to be there.

Pass holders only.

 

[focker]

WIld Mountain in Minnesota becomes first to open in the midwest today with 1 run open in their park area. Amazing that these guys can get open so early in the year consistently. I think two different years in the last 15 or so they were the first to open in the country.

 

[LKLA]

MOUNT SNOW USHERS IN SKI SEASON ON OCTOBER 27 WITH EARLIEST OPENING IN RESORT’S 64-YEAR HISTORY

Mount Snow will open for the season on Saturday with the most skiable terrain in the East.