Area resorts prep for season opening this weekend — maybe
By Colin DeVries
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
CATSKILL — Area ski resorts are gearing up for the start of the 2010-11 season, hoping that cold weather this week will allow for lots of snowmaking and an earlier opener than last year.
Hunter Mountain and Windham Mountain both hope to coat the slopes in white powder before the weekend, though a heavy rain storm have put a bit of a damper on those plans.
“This week is not going to be very good for skiing,” said meteorologist Joe Villani of the National Weather Service. “Any snow on the ground may be wiped out.”
Villani said temperatures were going to be around 40 degrees in the mountainous areas of Greene County on Monday and a storm rolling in Tuesday will dump 1.5 to 3 inches of rain across the area through Wednesday.
Wednesday night could bring snow showers and freezing conditions for snowmaking.
Temperatures will remain below freezing in the mountains through the weekend, Villani said.
Both Greene County resorts hope to blow snow during that freeze.
“We’re hoping to open — maybe — next Sunday,” said Jessica Pezak, communications director of Hunter Mountain. She said Hunter has chosen not to make any snow yet in anticipation of a clearing rain. “We’re going to do it right, do it well and make a lot of snow.”
Hunter Mountain has replaced 150 snowmakers with new energy-efficient snowguns this season, with up to 150 more being replaced next season.
Windham Mountain has already laid down a snow base on about six trails, said George Driscoll, marketing and sales director of Windham Mountain.
“We were just on for about 40 hours here,” he said. “We hope (the snow) hangs on after this weather event.”
Driscoll said the terrain has been tested and they “feel confident” the slopes will be open on Dec. 4.
The rest of December, Driscoll said, should provide for a pattern of low temperatures and ideal snowmaking conditions.
“Once we get through this (rain storm) we should be pretty good,” he said.
Both resorts estimated that, if the cold weather holds up this week, they could have 5 to 10 trails operating by the weekend.
Last year, the resorts didn’t open until Dec. 11.
Weather experts predict that winter ski season should be normal with snowfall and temperatures, meaning the 2010-11 season could be a long and snowy one.
“We’re going into a period where things will be in a period of normal and close to below normal,” said Russ Murley, of Precision Weather Service, on long-term winter trends. “Normal as far as snowfall and temperature.”
Murley estimated a normal year of snowfall for the mountainous areas of Greene County was 120 to 140 inches.
The weather phenomenon La Niña — which is characterized by cool ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific — will persist through spring 2011, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, though its impact on the Northeast U.S. remains unclear.
“In our part of the country, (La Niña) is not a big signal,” Villani said, adding that it had a clearer impact on the South and Northwest.
He said there were equal chances of above normal, normal or below normal temperatures and precipitation in the Northeast.
Murley said that was an indication we have a “pretty normal winter” ahead.
New improvements
This year skiers and snowboarders can expect some new changes at Greene County resorts.
Windham Mountain has taken over restaurant operations at the Windham Country Club and will be offering a classy aprés ski season, with a high-end steak and seafood menu available.
Driscoll said cross country ski and snowshoeing centers are in development at the country club, which is now known as Seasons, "a perfect complement to a ski resort which has the most skiable terrain in a 200-mile radius from New York City," said Driscoll.
Windham Mountain also increased the size of its snowmaking pond, providing an “almost infinite” supply of water for snowmaking this year, Driscoll said.
Hunter Mountain has replaced its quad lift with a state-of-the-art detachable six-seat chairlift, called Kaatskill Flyer.
The six-seat chair is the first of its kind in New York State and travels 1,000 feet per minute and can deliver riders to the summit in 5.5 minutes — a full minute less than the previous time. The lift can shuttle 2,600 riders per hour — 200 more than the quad.
The Snowlite Express Quad will be moved to Hunter’s West Side and opened by winter 2011-12.
Hunter Mountain will also unveil North America’s longest and highest zipline tour in December. The Skyrider Tour is part of a new collection of zipline activities by New York Zipline Adventure Tours. The Mid-Mountain Tour and Adventure Tower have been operating since May.
Look for more information and snow report updates at http://www.huntermtn.com/ or http://www.windhammountain.com/.
Hunter Mountain and Windham Mountain both hope to coat the slopes in white powder before the weekend, though a heavy rain storm have put a bit of a damper on those plans.
“This week is not going to be very good for skiing,” said meteorologist Joe Villani of the National Weather Service. “Any snow on the ground may be wiped out.”
Villani said temperatures were going to be around 40 degrees in the mountainous areas of Greene County on Monday and a storm rolling in Tuesday will dump 1.5 to 3 inches of rain across the area through Wednesday.
Wednesday night could bring snow showers and freezing conditions for snowmaking.
Temperatures will remain below freezing in the mountains through the weekend, Villani said.
Both Greene County resorts hope to blow snow during that freeze.
“We’re hoping to open — maybe — next Sunday,” said Jessica Pezak, communications director of Hunter Mountain. She said Hunter has chosen not to make any snow yet in anticipation of a clearing rain. “We’re going to do it right, do it well and make a lot of snow.”
Hunter Mountain has replaced 150 snowmakers with new energy-efficient snowguns this season, with up to 150 more being replaced next season.
Windham Mountain has already laid down a snow base on about six trails, said George Driscoll, marketing and sales director of Windham Mountain.
“We were just on for about 40 hours here,” he said. “We hope (the snow) hangs on after this weather event.”
Driscoll said the terrain has been tested and they “feel confident” the slopes will be open on Dec. 4.
The rest of December, Driscoll said, should provide for a pattern of low temperatures and ideal snowmaking conditions.
“Once we get through this (rain storm) we should be pretty good,” he said.
Both resorts estimated that, if the cold weather holds up this week, they could have 5 to 10 trails operating by the weekend.
Last year, the resorts didn’t open until Dec. 11.
Weather experts predict that winter ski season should be normal with snowfall and temperatures, meaning the 2010-11 season could be a long and snowy one.
“We’re going into a period where things will be in a period of normal and close to below normal,” said Russ Murley, of Precision Weather Service, on long-term winter trends. “Normal as far as snowfall and temperature.”
Murley estimated a normal year of snowfall for the mountainous areas of Greene County was 120 to 140 inches.
The weather phenomenon La Niña — which is characterized by cool ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific — will persist through spring 2011, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, though its impact on the Northeast U.S. remains unclear.
“In our part of the country, (La Niña) is not a big signal,” Villani said, adding that it had a clearer impact on the South and Northwest.
He said there were equal chances of above normal, normal or below normal temperatures and precipitation in the Northeast.
Murley said that was an indication we have a “pretty normal winter” ahead.
New improvements
This year skiers and snowboarders can expect some new changes at Greene County resorts.
Windham Mountain has taken over restaurant operations at the Windham Country Club and will be offering a classy aprés ski season, with a high-end steak and seafood menu available.
Driscoll said cross country ski and snowshoeing centers are in development at the country club, which is now known as Seasons, "a perfect complement to a ski resort which has the most skiable terrain in a 200-mile radius from New York City," said Driscoll.
Windham Mountain also increased the size of its snowmaking pond, providing an “almost infinite” supply of water for snowmaking this year, Driscoll said.
Hunter Mountain has replaced its quad lift with a state-of-the-art detachable six-seat chairlift, called Kaatskill Flyer.
The six-seat chair is the first of its kind in New York State and travels 1,000 feet per minute and can deliver riders to the summit in 5.5 minutes — a full minute less than the previous time. The lift can shuttle 2,600 riders per hour — 200 more than the quad.
The Snowlite Express Quad will be moved to Hunter’s West Side and opened by winter 2011-12.
Hunter Mountain will also unveil North America’s longest and highest zipline tour in December. The Skyrider Tour is part of a new collection of zipline activities by New York Zipline Adventure Tours. The Mid-Mountain Tour and Adventure Tower have been operating since May.
Look for more information and snow report updates at http://www.huntermtn.com/ or http://www.windhammountain.com/.
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