PowderBeard

Makes sense. It's amazing what we could have learned if we paid attention elsewhere. There have been several super-spreader hockey events over the summer. Some excerpts from two... In its most recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the CDC documented the case of a recreational hockey game in Tampa Bay, Fla., back in June, in which 14 players and one arena staff member became ill within five days after the game. Of the 15 people, 13 later tested positive for the novel coronavirus, while the other two were not tested. Some teenagers who play hockey for the North Carolina Junior Hurricanes tested positive for COVID-19 in late September. Those who tested negative got on a bus to Georgia for weekend play in Marietta. Within days it was clear that that was a mistake. Coronavirus outbreaks now rage among players in both states, as the games apparently turned into a super-spreader event. The Georgia club now has infections among 23 players and one parent, according to team officials and associates. The North Carolina club would not disclose a number. Reports to media outlets have varied from just three there, reported by the league, to unofficial reports of up to 17.

Only took a couple hours to shut most things down lol https://vtdigger.org/2020/11/13/scott-bans-multi-family-gatherings-in-vermont-closes-bars-and-clubs/

Well all the travel advisories and Vermont couldn't save it from itself. Super spreader Halloween and bowling events. Over under on how long until bars/restaurants/anything athletic is shut down again?

Damn, should have just gotten a pass to Berkshire East/Catamount/Bousquet for an extra $150 this spring. They are really planning. "A lot of effort is going into building 100 winter timber framed ‘cabanas’ that will fit a group of 6. These units are being manufactured at Catamount, using wood responsibly harvested from our Warfield House farm, and milled at Hall Tavern Farm in Charlemont. Fifty will end up at each mountain, respectively, providing up to an additional 300 extra seats at each space. These units will have heat, a table and provide space for a family. We are still working on allocating these units to customers each day, but we will announce that process in the coming weeks. The lodges will operate per state guidelines at reduced capacity. Berkshire East will see the addition of new outdoor gathering spaces and patios that will be fun and very logical once you see it. "

A lot of ignorance and "it will never happen to me/my loved ones" in this thread. I'll leave it at that.

I think in more rural areas they are not much of an issue given more food sources. They have made their way back into more populated areas and family pets make easy meals. There are a couple documentaries on European cities that have specifically introduced them and foxes to deal with rats. Coyotes are really thriving in Chicago due to the rats. There is one notorious coyote in our town that I have spotted once. I thought it was a German Shepherd at first but it was definitely not. Absolutely massive. I have come across a few folks with the same story that insist it is a grey wolf that was found and relocated to the Prescott Peninsula but managed to find its way off. Got to love town myths.

We will all need a nice weekend by the time Friday comes. Winds is still going. Had a big limb come down and missed the front half my truck by about 2'. Would have definitely taken out the hood.

Curious what the ratio ends up being. A 18-20" surprise? lol

Lost power/interwebz three times so far this morning, all 5-10 minutes each. Wind is howling, occasional snow, woodstove cranking. Funny to think I will be fishing on the boat in shorts come Friday. Got to love New England.

Absolutely cranking up the spine from at least Stratton (no Mt. Snow cam) north. The gondi cars at the summit of Stratton are really swaying in the wind.

Love these events. The NW flow really favors some places. Twice I was at Pico and they received 12"+ above 3000' and was snowing at 2-3" per hour rates, meanwhile Killington reported 3-4" for the day. A true snow stealer being just a mile NW.

Tow truck companies will be busy!

It is. I have definitely played around with the idea of the wife and I flying out to Idaho for a week to ski in January or February since there are several decent ski areas out there included in our season passes. Some short fights from BDL to Boise for the two of us round trip would be about $400-500, lodging is dirt cheap too. Not factoring in food could basically ski for 6 days out there for ~$1000.

That parking plan at K will be interesting. Could be rough if you don't have a place slope side, a lot of waiting to park and walking. And they are planning on using shuttles? Be curious how long that lasts.

Yea, not a good trend there. This is data from people working from home. Cooler weather here will mean less bathing, we are in for a long winter.

I'm assuming this is a school other than URI? I went there and am friends on FB with a few profs and their numbers are much higher. The first few weeks of October the off campus student positivity rate was close to 4% and Greek housing students were testing positive at over 11% (which required a 14 day shelter in place for all students in "Greek" housing). That said, their on campus student positivity rate was fluctuating between 0.40-0.70% which is great.

The seal is a really easy process that gets a bad rap around here. Once out there I really understood it. Don't want to see the place get trashed with invasive species like so many other lakes in CT/MA/RI. There is little/no vegetation in the place, fish and wildlife are fat and healthy, just prime. Bring it to a car wash up in Athol (they have 2 wash days per month) and they have a decon process. Then it is wired to your trailer any time you are not in the Quabbin. If you want to put it in another lake you have to cut the wire, go where ever, then have it decontaminated all again. It's like a $40 season pass in my book. As close to being in the wilderness in Mass as you can come, bears and cubs walking the shore, deer and moose swimming across it, loons everywhere, bald eagles dive bombing the water for trout. Feels like a lake in the middle of Maine most times and you might see 2-3 other boats all day during the week.

I ran the Quabbin "Day Care Center" all summer. She really loved the loon calls. We were probably out there 3-4 days per week. If we went more than a couple days without going out she would sit at the back slider looking at the boat yelling "fiiisshhhh." Would wake up around 4/4:30, get all my work done, head out around 10am, pack a ton of food and she would nap in a tent on the boat. Great summer out there.

Yes and I also wonder about the legal troubles for ski areas since they have the info available (e.g., RFID, driver's licenses, pass mailing locations, credit card zip codes). If there is an outbreak that is traced to their mountain from those "red" individuals I could see an easy lawsuit there (profits > lives!). I'm not sure if there is a legal problem with refusing based on county due to the travel restrictions (I'm sure someone will try to make a discrimination case from it). It reminds me of how NH gun stores will refuse to sell ammo to Mass and CT residents because they have that info available to them via driver's licenses and credit card zip code/billing info. In terms of opening Bear is a great idea to spread things out. I imagine they are in no rush to open K1 given the confined space and decreased area capacity. Maybe Snowdon to Canyon and Ridge area via Kilink and East Fall. Then Skye Peak to Bear via Skyeburst/Gateway/Stash. Finally work on Rams/Snowshed (unless lodging is pre-packed for the late December holiday week).

Yea I really don't have a clue. Someone on a forum mentioned it a few weeks ago and I thought it was BS. Mike S mentioned on the K-Zone forums they could and were not but clearly they are getting the info somehow. Maybe trying something before ski season? Side note, since they are going straight to T2B skiing, I wonder about their opening plan. Maybe get Snowdon lifts and Superstar Quad areas blown in and forget the Ridge? I would take that plan over the Ridge to Great Northern any year.

Interesting to hear some rumblings of Killington using RFID to track the counties where folks are coming from. Friend went mountain biking at Killington a couple weeks ago and they mentioned it. Second time I have heard this. Be curious if this practice keeps up for winter and if they are actually turning people away.

My wife and I were just discussing this and I'm looking into it. Reason being, the Indy Pass has some new resorts being added and will be announced tomorrow. I'm sure Bousquet is one given Catamount and Berkshire East are on it. Given the Canadian border is closed and going to hurt some places, I wouldn't be surprised if it was a big VT resort like Jay, Burke, or even Smuggs. Plus Jay apparently sent out an email advertising the Indy Pass a few days ago.

This week in 2016 was the best October skiing I have come across. Killington got 5-7" of slop on a Sunday/Monday that froze to make a great base then another 8-10" of heavy wet above 3000' at the end of the week. People were jumping off the stairs to ski Catwalk, ducking ropes off North Ridge to hit the Canyon area and trails off Snowdon. Most of the snow had settled in the East Fall to Royal Flush area and it skied more like 2' .Trails like Downdraft were skiable, just had to be careful around the water bars. Folks must have gotten hurt or patrol got chewed out because a few weeks later they got another 8-10" and the same could have happened but Killington put 3/4 staff members at every rope to keep people on the Ridge. Even keeping people from accessing Ridge Run and Poweline. Needless to say, people were pissed and many bailed after a run or two. My last time at Killington early season unless they actually list stuff as "open". I hear lots of discussion/rumors of how K used to blow snow on Dipper for early season, that would be an incredible early play and hard to beat...unless (and I'm dreaming) Sugarbush ever could open Heaven's Gate with Ripcord, Organgrinder, Jester, and Downspout then have folks download on Super Bravo.