MRVexpat

Opening day at Stowe today. I'm sure the guy was busy haha. Reports I've heard from SB have been pasty snow, avg snow growth most of the day but getting better.

Pounding on the Stratton cams. Tomorrow should be a hell of an opening day

Stratton opens tomorrow. Will be there to report back on conditions.

lo-res NAM nasomuch. GFS coming back online as well

Bush open with downloading. Looks like they're working hard to get the Snowball to Spring Fling route laid down for the weekend for T2B runs.

There were a few years (maybe 4-5 years ago?) where the snowmaking plan at SB included getting upper Jester, Downspout and Organgrinder open first, running Heavens Gate and downloading on Super Bravo. Didn't seem to get much guest push back but its more expensive to operate that way in the early season. Recent years have all started by running the Valley House quad and using the Snowball > Spring Fling route which is the more sensible option if temps allow. Not sure what the plan is for this year.

Not PF but can chime in with some bits of advice and relatable piece of experience on that front: I went out to the midwest for school and graduated with a regarded business degree from a Big Ten university. Moved to Chicago and realized that the corporate life and midwest (although the 13-14 winter was a snow and cold weenies dream) wasn't for me. Had a high school friend at the time who had graduated UVM and was working/living at Sugarbush with extra living space and decided to take the chance on an open internal audit position at the resort for one winter. Well, one turned into four and the seasonal auditing job became a software management position after a few months. That inevitably led to some invaluable experience (working with the Austrians at Axess on our RFID transition (the bane of many on here, apparently) was one of the coolest things ever). I've since moved on from the mountains on account of life etc. but wouldn't trade that experience for anything. At the risk of sounding too self indulgent, what I'm really trying to say here is if your son has a passion for snow sports and knows deeply that he has a future in the industry, there are certainly opportunities. I knew several guys at SB that started out as lifties but through inquisitiveness/hard work/trade school related knowledge, were able to eventually get positions in mountain ops management etc. Working at a ski resort is most certainly a labor of love however, you can make a good living off of it with some savvy and passion for whichever place you land at. Obviously, in this day and age there are nuances what with corporate takeovers etc. What cant be beat though, is the quality of life and people you meet in a mountain town who are there for the same reasons you are. P.S. yes this is a plug for Sugarbush, the greatest and (nearly) snowiest place you can ski in New England

Alternately, one could always go whale jibbing! I do wonder how that drain period is impacted by the temperature/web bulb at which the snow is blown. For example when its 10 degrees out and you're skiing under a bunch of guns that are immediately producing gun powder, that feels like a finished product.

Bummer, was looking forward to that one. Will still watch but like you said, was hoping for some skiing!!!

I have only owned a vanguard 97 for touring duties. Minimal camber and plenty of rocker (like most of their models) made for a ski that liked to pivot and make quick turns in the woods. I have skied the Nomad 105 as well. Not the stiffest ski I've ever ridden but a progressive flex made for a poppy yet stable ride. I think they make a 115 as well.

Good points, though even when I was more reckless about stuff like this I would want at least 5" over mowed MRG slopes before getting out there. Also icelantics have bulletproof bases so on that front he's probably incurring less risk as well, lol.

Hard pass. Good for him I guess?

Please check out Vermont Adaptive! They are doing great work and building a new facility at Sugarbush's Mt. Ellen. https://www.vermontadaptive.org/

That's great. I've always enjoyed foliage most on overcast/grey days. To me, that helps it pop that much more.

Totally. When skied aggressively on hard pack they're like a pair of GS skis that are actually safe to take out in public, lol.

Demo'd the 10s in big sky in a foot of fresh this past March. Super fun and poppy ski yet still damp enough for straight lining chopped pow Hoping the 11s are similar, just fatter! My current quiver needs something to handle true pow as my Armada JJs were on their 5th mount and have now been retired . Running the following: Fischer RC World Cup SL 68 under foot, 165 cm Line Supernatural. 86 underfoot, 179 cm Liberty Origin. 96 underfoot, 176 cm mounted w/marker dukes as touring setup

Dennis Pines?

Too many times to count! This will hopefully help them make it to May 1st weekend.

Had no idea their family golfed lol. Denny built some of the bike trails in the valley too so definitely a pretty legendary guy locally.

Rode bikes with Brooks on occasion in the MRV. Cool that they did a profile on him! Blowing up on instagram with his ski media. Kid is a real solid skier but an even better biker I think.

Looks like Big Moose Mountain/Moosehead Lake Ski resort is what Big Squaw is currently known as. As far as the Balsams, is Les Otten still involved with that? Dude did so much to push big time East Coast ski resort development, but did so pretty unsustainably and he's a bit of a kook from what I gather haha. If you want to read more about him and resort development in general, Ski Inc. is a super interesting book. Written by the former GM of Steamboat and Killington before that who rose up through the ranks in the New England scene.

https://bangordailynews.com/2021/02/16/news/piscataquis/developer-will-seek-up-to-135m-to-finance-moosehead-lake-ski-resort/ Would be cool, just unsure of demand that far north. At this point just hoping that Saddleback can stick around beyond the next 5 years.

While we're doing the BW/Cannon/Wildcat comparisons, I'd actually posit that BW has the least inspiring views of the 3. Franconia Ridge from up close and the east side of Mt. Washington are more dramatic IMO. Never spent extensive time skiing any of the three though

S++ on the bush cams at the moment. Good to see!

Would love to get #s on the Chic Chocs. They're basically the same height as the Greens and rise up just to the east and south of the widest part of the St. Lawrence. Latitude helps too I bet. All of those ski edits can't be wrong!