I haven't been to Wintergreen in many years but my family gave me a gift certificate for my 50th birthday last summer and now I'm planning on a trip there at the end of January so I've been watching their snow report.  Even with the very cold temps and their claim that "Wintergreen is the only ski area on the East Coast to have 100 percent of its terrain covered by automated snowmaking", they seem to have only half of the Highlands open and show no snow making underway.  Does anyone know why?  It seems that they would have 100% of their trails open by now.

mwolf00 wrote:

I haven't been to Wintergreen in many years but my family gave me a gift certificate for my 50th birthday last summer and now I'm planning on a trip there at the end of January so I've been watching their snow report.  Even with the very cold temps and their claim that "Wintergreen is the only ski area on the East Coast to have 100 percent of its terrain covered by automated snowmaking", they seem to have only half of the Highlands open and show no snow making underway.  Does anyone know why?  It seems that they would have 100% of their trails open by now.

Have they been running their snow guns in general, but did not do so last night? I have not paid as much attention to WTG snowmaking this year as I have in years past. According to their website Lower Ciffhanger will be open this weekend.

Several years ago Wintergreen built the 5 million gallon water tank to increase the water supply.  Given that it hasn't been warm enough for any melt in a while, is it possible that they are out of water?

Last season during the multi-day cold spell during early season, Massanutten had to stop making snow because of lack of water.  With the construction of the new water pipe and permission to draw more from a local stream, Mnut has been able to make snow a lot longer without having to wait for a melting period to replenish the ponds.

Interesting.  Quite cold there today, and yet according to snow report and webcams, no snowmaking going on.  And half of Highlands trails plus Big Acorn are not open, so there is a lot of terrain which still needs snowmaking.  Anyone at WGN know what is going on?

I confirmed today with someone who would know that Wintergreen is out of water for snowmaking.  The lake that is the water source is also the water source for guests and residents.  For them the warm temps coming next week will be useful.

Thanks for the OP and replies.  I was curious, too.  

WGN has long been a favorite of mine, but I usually wait until Lower Cliffhanger (or at least Devil's Elbow) opens before I go.

Woody

How many days/nights of snowmaking were lost due to the water supply issue?

Too cold to make snow??  That's a new one!  I would hope that with normal fall rainfall rather than the slightt drought we had that wouldn't be a frequent problem.

marzNC wrote:

Several years ago Wintergreen built the 5 million gallon water tank to increase the water supply.  Given that it hasn't been warm enough for any melt in a while, is it possible that they are out of water?

Last season during the multi-day cold spell during early season, Massanutten had to stop making snow because of lack of water.  With the construction of the new water pipe and permission to draw more from a local stream, Mnut has been able to make snow a lot longer without having to wait for a melting period to replenish the ponds.

I'd be asking them to hook a pipe up to their indoor water park and use that to make more snow! 

They were blowing all day today.  Solid granite like iceberg base under several inches of newly blown snow.