# Ski Sundown 2/17/08



## Mikey1 (Feb 17, 2008)

Date(s) Skied: Sunday February 17, 2008  8:30-11:30AM

Resort or Ski Area: Ski Sundown

Conditions: Cloudy 18 at 8:30, low 30's by 11:30

Trip Report: Short session at Sundown this morning to take advanatage of decent weather before snair later tonight and Monday. Nice groomed hardpack conditions found all over the mountain. The grooming team has done a nice job considering the nasty weather earlier in the week. Since the Noreaster bumps have been mowed, spent the morning trying to hit all the major trails at least 4 or 5 times. Although I missed the bumps, Noreaster actually had the most consistent snow on it. Lower Ex bumps were scratchy but still fun, a few icy troughs and backsides though.

Good morning workout, hopefully the snair won't have too much of an impact. The base is solid, but with temps approaching 60 on Monday, there may be some snow loss. Still, the mountain is buried, and hopefully Ullr will smile on us again.


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## Greg (Feb 18, 2008)

Mikey1 said:


> Although I missed the bumps, Noreaster actually had the most consistent snow on it.



See what happens when you don't run a groomer over the surface every day? Plus there has to be a ton of snow on N'E by now...

Thanks for the TR!


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## Grassi21 (Feb 19, 2008)

Greg said:


> See what happens when you don't run a groomer over the surface every day? Plus there has to be a ton of snow on N'E by now...
> 
> Thanks for the TR!



Could this be a decent hiking option once the lifts stop spinning?  It would take some work to ski in some lines.  But I would guess that the amount of snow combined with the shade should keep that snow in place after the lifts stop running.


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## Greg (Feb 19, 2008)

Grassi21 said:


> Could this be a decent hiking option once the lifts stop spinning?  It would take some work to ski in some lines.  But I would guess that the amount of snow combined with the shade should keep that snow in place after the lifts stop running.



I have to imagine that if there aren't any bumps on N'E this spring, it will last well into April and maybe even May (patches). The troughs are the first things to burn out and once some dirt/rock gets exposed, it goes quick. Since N'E will be groomed to the end, the snow pack should last a while. Here's an aerial image from MS Virtual Earth:







I would guess that image is some time from mid to late-April considering most of the mountain is brown, but there is a lot of snow on Sensation for the April camp. Looks like the Northern facing Canyon Run and Nor'easter hold snow pretty well...

I would like to hike the mountain between when they close and the April camp, but I said that last year and it never happened. Tough to do when there are still lift-serviced options open. I've been thinking about it lately though and would like to do it this year. I plan to hike Hunter in May too, especially if I can't get any lift-serviced.


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## Beetlenut (Feb 19, 2008)

What is the April camp you speek of? Are there any tree runs skiers left of Gunbarrel down to the learning area?


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## Grassi21 (Feb 19, 2008)

Beetlenut said:


> What is the April camp you speek of? Are there any tree runs skiers left of Gunbarrel down to the learning area?



April camp is for the park rats.  Yes there are unmarked tree runs skiers left of Gunny.  Greg dragged me in there once on some breakable crust.  Not fun that day, but from what I hear they get skied when the conditions are right.


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## Greg (Feb 19, 2008)

Beetlenut said:


> What is the April camp you speek of? Are there any tree runs skiers left of Gunbarrel down to the learning area?



April Freestyle Camp:
http://www.skisundown.com/terrain/events.php?section=&action=detail&id=288

We could tell you about the tree runs, but we'd have to kill you.  Seriously, yeah, Sundown does have some trees:






I was only in there once, and it was brutal breakable crust.


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## Beetlenut (Feb 19, 2008)

Grassi21 said:


> April camp is for the park rats. Yes there are unmarked tree runs skiers left of Gunny. Greg dragged me in there once on some breakable crust. Not fun that day, but from what I hear they get skied when the conditions are right.


 
Don't you ever work? How did Sundown fair from all the nair? Will the bumps on ex be decent tomorrow night? Any snowmaking occuring to freshen-up the ex bumps? Enquiring minds want to know!


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## Grassi21 (Feb 19, 2008)

Beetlenut said:


> Don't you ever work? How did Sundown fair from all the nair? Will the bumps on ex be decent tomorrow night? Any snowmaking occuring to freshen-up the ex bumps? Enquiring minds want to know!



Bumps on Ex are still in place.  There was talk of them blowing snow after closing tonight or tomorrow.  I don't know if that means they will top coat the bumps.

Greg, when did they say they would be blowing?


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## Grassi21 (Feb 19, 2008)

Grassi21 said:


> Bumps on Ex are still in place.  There was talk of them blowing snow after closing tonight or tomorrow.  I don't know if that means they will top coat the bumps.
> 
> Greg, when did they say they would be blowing?



Just checked my source.  They are going to start blowing tonight.  As for which trails, not sure.


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## Greg (Feb 19, 2008)

Beetlenut said:


> Don't you ever work? How did Sundown fair from all the nair? Will the bumps on ex be decent tomorrow night? Any snowmaking occuring to freshen-up the ex bumps? Enquiring minds want to know!



As I understand, the surface took a hit. Not that there was a ton of loss, but it's a lot of boilerplate/LSGR right now. The mountain has enough snow to make it to April, and enough snow to support the April Camp which will be held on Stinger and Temptor this year (might explain those obscene snow piles that are as high as lift one! :-o ).

Still, they plan to make snow starting tonight and at night through Thursday night. They are doing what they can to provide a good surface for the Prez week crowd. I give them a lot of credit for that. I am simply amazed with the amount of snow they put out this year. This little hill means business! There will be patches in May this year in CT for anyone that wants to hike to ski them; that I'm pretty sure of.

Ex bumps sound like they have some brown troughs showing up according to [post="237811"]MrMagic[/post]. They should see some snowmaking tonight. Look for Temptor bumps starting Monday; hopefully sooner. NOAA is calling for snow Friday into Saturday so the skiing should improve every day starting tomorrow. I'll be there with the crew tomorrow night.


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## 2knees (Feb 19, 2008)

Grassi21 said:


> Just checked my source.




that made me laugh.


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## Greg (Feb 19, 2008)

2knees said:


> that made me laugh.



Yeah, really. Who's the "source"?


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## Beetlenut (Feb 19, 2008)

Still debating tomorrow night? Would imagine the crowds will be larger this Wed night as compared to usual Wednesdays.  Still, I haven't skiied since Jan12th!!  Will monitor the snowmaking situation thru Wed.


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## 2knees (Feb 19, 2008)

Greg said:


> Yeah, really. Who's the "source"?



i read that and had an image of you breaking into Chris sullivans office looking for official "bump seeding" documents.

tom cruise in M.I. shit.  all super stealthy.


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## severine (Feb 19, 2008)

That is quite the mental image.  :lol:


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## Grassi21 (Feb 19, 2008)

Grassi21 said:


> Just checked my source.  They are going to start blowing tonight.  As for which trails, not sure.





Greg said:


> Yeah, really. Who's the "source"?



I don't know his real name.  I just call him Mad Steezy Alpinezone Dude.


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## Greg (Feb 19, 2008)

Beetlenut said:


> Still debating tomorrow night? Would imagine the crowds will be larger this Wed night as compared to usual Wednesdays.  Still, I haven't skiied since Jan12th!!  Will monitor the snowmaking situation thru Wed.



I'm going tomorrow night. I need to get out too. Might aim for Friday night too.



2knees said:


> i read that and had an image of you breaking into Chris sullivans office looking for official "bump seeding" documents.
> 
> tom cruise in M.I. shit.  all super stealthy.



This is exactly how I got my information. It was filed under "Operation: Temptor"....


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## Grassi21 (Feb 19, 2008)

Greg said:


> I'm going tomorrow night. I need to get out too. Might aim for Friday night too.
> 
> 
> 
> This is exactly how I got my information. It was filed under "Operation: Temptor"....



I'd call it "Operation: Endless Bumps."  But some might mistake it for something to do with the female anatomy or a thinly veiled 80s drug reference.


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