Hidden valley cams show they have been shooting 'something' from their guns of awesome for the past couple hours.

7S is ..........still dark. Of course earlier today, they had the images of Nov 30 on the screen. How conveeeeeeeeeeenient.

With a 3 day window that will likely be the only 3 days over the next 9, I would think they would use this opportunity to make a couple inches. shrug.

So is 7s equipment inferior to HV's? Maybe temps just arent there yet. Or that wet bulb thing.
Anyone that has been at HV has seen the uber equipment they have there. It's quite the sight! 7s still has those snowpoles from the 80's up there that shoots out pure ice. With some ...SOME of the HV type snowmakers on carts and in high traffic areas

keeping it cheap. They probably already have their profit of the season from season pass holders.

They have............NOW GET READY FOR THIS..........

Over 10,000 season pass holders ....
Sadly, only 35% of the season pass holders enjoy the early purchase discount.

Doing the math (furrow brow, lick pencil, hold pencil to pad in front of face...)
If we assume passes sold at $500 (very optimistic) each x 10,000

That's 5 MILLLLLLLLION dollars austin powers!

Everyone go home, xmas came early for 7springs. No need to open this year. Pay the 1million in taxes (after tricky write offs and the AHEM contribution to the DCNR for 'upkeep' on Laurel) and we have ourselves a nice profit.

LOL, I'd give you 5 stars for Sarcasm and Cynicism if I could.

HV blowing hard at 8:30 AM

I'm surprised that these figures about season's pass sales are public. Forgive my lack of knowledge, but would you mind giving us an idea of your source for this information?

Woody

a small sliver of my job is to 'test' things. I do so by convincing people to give me information that they shouldn't. Or get to that information by pulling bits and pieces and extrapolating the information to a whole which, is usually darn accurate.

I'd LOVE to say that I did this for this information; however, I found this out when I was in the season pass office, passing some time waiting for someone after getting my pass. This was just after they opened. I was talking with the people working there that were happy to talk back. I asked directly "how many passholders do you have"

Alot was the response.

I said well I can't imagine your alot and my alot are the same. What is ALOT. I'm thinking 2000 right? They laughed and the one girl said much more. I looked shocked, and the guy said "It's well over 10,000".

And there you have it...

Also, the info jives with what a ski patrol guy told me a year prior. He thought it was just sub 14k, and that was in 2009

thank you, I try. Only wish 7S did as well.

But. To be expected. The owners are quite happy with a nice window dressing but a subpar product. Look at the Pirates.

All joking aside. I'm sure they will work to get reopened. I doubt it will be this weekend. This isnt really about whats possible now, it's about what they should have been able to make possible, through better snowmaking equipment. sadly, they are still milking those old machines.

I believe HV can blow snow at warmer temperatures than 7S because HV's system is airless. They now use 100% fan guns. 7S HKD systems requires compressed air and when air is compressed it warms up usually requiring an air cooler of some sort, I believe. Thus I believe that is why HV is blowing snow and 7S is not.

you are correct sir. It's not only about temps too.

sadly, 7s has put their nov 30 pictures back up again. COUGH ...ACC...I...DENTLY, showing slopes filled with snow, SNOW SNOOOOOW and joy, and happiness, and everyone dancing and laughing - eating $8 hot dogs , while elvis comes down the alpine slide - opened for this event only singing his new come back song.

In reality - there is nothing, zip. Zilch. going on up there now likely. If there was snowmaking, they would be plastering it on their page and showing their workers dressed as 'normal folks' (hiding their shock collars) showing us why...

WE REALLY SHOULD BE UP THERE! or, IS THIS THE WINTER! (that 7s doesnt screw us) or, NOWS THE TIME TO BOOK YOUR VACATION (if you enjoy crappy food, bad attitudes, and two lanes of bowling or tiny indoor pool with no towel services).

Goooooooooo 7 S!

OH btw they did post on their facebook page that they used their HV style snowmaking equipment last night. All 5 guns. Aguhhhhh.

LOL! When I read your posts, I'm starting to visualize Sam Kinison.

If HV's cams are true, looks like they blew all day today.

Also - I've been checking the snowshoe cams and they definitely made snow all day long.

I'll be curious to see what is open at HV this weekend.

Sincraft - you seem to be suffering from a common syndrone here in the mid-Atlantic: Snopression and snoxiety. Sam Kinneson used to be a DCSKI'er, perhaps. JohnL hit the nail on the head. We go through this every year. 7S is not that bad? Yeah I'm pissed about Laurel Mtn but they do have the Yinzer market cornered and the product they offer, overall, is not that bad.
It's will all be over soon and we'll get our 'anti-snopression' drug and we'll be smiling.

Per lbotta they blew snow all over the main side of mountain all day today.

rock on my brother - you remind me of me except minus the substance abuse. your acrid mindset is most welcome in my house-of ... errr i forgot what clever thing i was supposed to say here.

On the other hand do be careful to clear your cache ... visiting those fake 7-springs wecam-s then.

I've become obsessed with those webcams. I think I've peaked at them every hour or so.

I grabbed a cool screenshot of the groomer down by the Boathouse / Ballhooter.

ha some good stuff in this thread lol.

yea so, checked 7s cams a bit ago. UGGGGGGGGGGGGH timestamp up to date, mountain DARK.

I'm in an area that is about 6-7 degrees warmer normally and it's 27 here. MAKE SNOW DAMNIT, I dont want to go to HV. Riding a lift, two turns and I'm at the bottom. Barf..


Oh well, I have free tickets from the willis ski sale to use up. Guess I could use it then.


Now I'm mad at HV. Great snowmaking weather and they are only blowing on that damn continental and rambler. Open the north summit so people can actually ride a few feet before meeting a lift line. The main slope there and that voyager trail should take priority over everything else.

snodepression....snoxiety - AHHHHHHHHHHHH need my fix. A flurry, a flake, an ice crystal ......something other than rain would be just ok.

7springs.com

Queue video:

Hi everyone, this is overly optimistic shock collar controlled puppet telling you that it's a GREAT day here at 7springs.

We had a light dusting of snow last night, and we finally bailed out our snowmaking team, so we are MAKING SNOW finally.

We've already laid down enough to put the real webcam pictures back up tomorrow morning, and hope to open soon(tm).

Don't miss our hotdog races,...
Our tshirt rolling contest,...
....and a very special event this weekend that will surely pack our lots full of mouth breathing dumb-asses with more money than brains....
our jump into the mud and then back out again contest! Can YOOOU get mud over the ankles of your shoes?

SO COME UP to 7Springs this weekend to enjoy all the stupid [censored] festivities.

Is THIS the winter you say f$%k it and move to utah?

End video...


For those of you who are wondering, no...I'm over 40 and acting like this. It's helping me cope.

LMAO!

Sincraft -- regarding the differences b/w HV and 7S, I tend to see it this way: 7S has the terrain and the scene, so they don't need to focus on other things, such as quality snow. HV has neither the terrain nor the scene, so they have to offer something. Quality snow.

As far as HV is concerned, the focus should be on Imperial. 90% of the North Summit runs are the flat run out to the lift, which really isn't exciting. The runs are definitely too short at HV, but as far as quality turns from top to bottom, Imperial is the better slope, IMO. Continental is important b/c of the family aspect of the resort.

My pipe dream (is anyone listening?!) is that Buncher team up with the quarry on a reclamation project whereby they bring all the pilings from the quarry over to the top of the expansion area on the North Summit and make the mountain bigger. In Japan they do it with trash...why not with rock?? If you don't have a big hill, build one. Two birds, one stone. Reclaim the quarry and improve the mountain.

Sincraft, you've outdone yourself. I hope some of the 7S employees have a chance to catch your parody ... and see the humor.

It's cold. Think snow, and make the stuff already!

Earlier this month I was really hoping to get some turns in before next week. If I wasn't going to upstate New York next week for some skiing, I'd be watching the webcams and cursing the weather like everyone else.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that there will be snow at some of the local areas when I get back from my trip. Until then, at least I'll get some December skiing in at Whiteface.

MephitBlue, as I'm sure you know, skiing has been looking good in northern New England lately. A friend of mine (trackbiker, who posts here too) was at Stratton and Okemo last week and reported that conditions on open runs were like those of midseason. Not much natural snow, but good conditions for snowmaking.

Have a great trip!

Woody

Might be useful for NY trip:
http://nyskiblog.com/weather/
http://nyskiblog.com/ski-weather-center/
http://nyskiblog.com/forums/

I think the primary of that website registered here on DC Ski after Hurricane Sandy hit WV.

I'm using it to plan where I'll ski the weekend before Xmas.

Leo - yes HV lacks vertical. Actually I think Road Runner is my favorite trail. Outback on the North side does not have the long run out. And they now have snow making on part of the Outback trail which is rather steep. HV is a family mountain. If you are looking for challenge, you either need to create your own or go elsewhere (generally out of the Mid-Atlantic). I have walked the terrain expansion and I would say the trails are similar in pitch and length as the front side 7S trails. They will increase the vertical and challenge. If you could add 100 feet of earth to the top of the mountain, then the vertical would be on par with our other Mid-Atlantic mole hills. Even Snowshoe only has 1,500' on two trails; the remainder are around 800'.
I know you own at HV so you also make the best of it. The key here is we own a piece of MA ski country providing us access to Wisp, Seven Springs, Blue Knob and everntually, Laurel Mtn. I also drive to Canaan area from HV in less than 2 hours. It ain't the Rockies or the Wasatch, but it's ours.

Sincraft - I contracted a Utah real estate agent to look for properties for me. I actually went out there last year and looked at 10-15 properties. Almost convinced Ms. Snowsmith to buy one of the properties. I am actually hoping to retire in Park City or Midway, UT if I can convince the wife to move away from her family. They still send me listings everyday. I am trying to convince my wife that powder trumps family, everytime.

7S just announced that they will be open this weekend -- December 14, 15 and 16.

Woody

Hey Sincraft - Your "magic" worked. 7S is opening (limited terrain) this weekend.

what terrain?

Matterhorn, Bavarian, and the Goggle?

Sincraft - I checked the webcams at 5:25 PM and HV's guns are a blazin' while 7S has no snow guns operating from what I see. I guess it's the difference in the equipment or the snowmaking crew is assigned to set up the hot dog races.

Im not happy with HV or 7S now. Neither made enough snow. Did you guys see how much snow they blew before Nov 30? Lights all over the place showing the snowmakers blowing snow everywhere.

Now both HV and 7S are only blowing on their main lame slope and that one lame trail.

7S spent more on photoshopping their page than they did on snowmaking.


ugh. now I know what its like to be a pirates fan