# Killington vs Sundayriver



## canobie#1 (Nov 3, 2014)

What mountain skiied better today?

Let it begin..


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## ss20 (Nov 3, 2014)

Hard to be in two places at once...


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## Savemeasammy (Nov 4, 2014)

Because the other threads aren't contentious enough...

I saw bumps in 180's video at K.  Did SR have any?


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## WWF-VT (Nov 4, 2014)

ss20 said:


> Hard to be in two places at once...



+1


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## yeggous (Nov 4, 2014)

Savemeasammy said:


> Because the other threads aren't contentious enough...
> 
> I saw bumps in 180's video at K.  Did SR have any?
> 
> ...



Yes they did. It was soft until about 3pm when things started to soften up. You could even ski to the bottom if you didn't mind some gravelly sections.


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## C-Rex (Nov 4, 2014)

I'm glad people are out getting turns, but I don't see the point of arguing who's better this time of the season.  It's not like someone living near SR is going to drive all the way to K because their 3 trails have slightly softer snow, or vice versa.  

This time of year, getting some turns in is like swiping some frosting off the cake before it gets served.  Just a bonus, and a taste of things to come.  Enjoy whatever you can get and be grateful you live close enough that it's worthwhile to go ski 3 trails.


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## drjeff (Nov 4, 2014)

Who cares! They both opened and the lift served New England '14-'15 ski season is underway!!  In the end, that's all that really matters!


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## dlague (Nov 4, 2014)

The key is you are out making turns - who cares what other places had.  IMO take what the mountain gives you!


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## Highway Star (Nov 4, 2014)

Sunday River = Fail.


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## Newpylong (Nov 4, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> Sunday River = Fail.




You = a joke.


As for the mountains, looks like they both skied awesome.


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## boofenstien (Nov 4, 2014)

Trying to see which one holds out better through the rain this week, trying to hit one this Sunday


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## joshua segal (Nov 4, 2014)

But there is a difference: Today Killington is open; Sunday River is closed!


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## MadMadWorld (Nov 4, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> Sunday River = Fail.



Trolling on the river!


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## skiNEwhere (Nov 4, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> Trolling on the river!



Zing!


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## snowmonster (Nov 4, 2014)

There are three certainties in life:

Death
Taxes
A Sunday River v. Killington thread near opening day.


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## SkiFanE (Nov 4, 2014)

C-Rex said:


> This time of year, getting some turns in is like swiping some frosting off the cake before it gets served.  Just a bonus, and a taste of things to come.  Enjoy whatever you can get and be grateful you live close enough that it's worthwhile to go ski 3 trails.



That. But also get the body aches and pains out of the way before true season. And I'm picking up new boots on Saturday on way to slopes, I'll be in fine shape by thanksgiving.  Plus esrly season is only filled with the ski jonesers, lol, good people.


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## jerryg (Nov 5, 2014)

Sorry SM, had to update it a little.


snowmonster said:


> There are four certainties in life:
> 
> Death
> Taxes
> ...


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## Breakout12 (Nov 5, 2014)

MadMadWorld said:


> Trolling on the river!



Beautiful!


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## machski (Nov 6, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> Sunday River = Fail.



Sort of because I wound up spending $$ at your resort Wednesday.  But then there is this, where's K going to be at?

Today at Sunday River

Thursday, November 6, 2014

After*a great opening*day this past Monday, we are more than ready to get started on our winter season. On Saturday, we will be open SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, so get yourself ready. Pack the car. Put in your vacation time for Monday.Book your lodging. This is happening. *You know what else? We're gunning (literally gunning) for top-to-bottom skiing and riding by Monday. Maybe Sunday. Stay tuned. Our snowmakers are maniacs. If they can do it, they will.

Temperatures are expected to plummet again as we head into the weekend and we may even see some flurries. As you can expect, we'll also be blasting a full arsenal of snow guns the moment those tempertures dip into the upper 20s.


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## jerryg (Nov 6, 2014)

Had they been blowing down to the base or just in the pod they have open? 



machski said:


> Sort of because I wound up spending $$ at your resort Wednesday.  But then there is this, where's K going to be at?
> 
> Today at Sunday River
> 
> ...


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## machski (Nov 6, 2014)

Jerryg, I am assuming you are asking about SR.  The answer is yes, T2, Upper Punch, Jungle Road, Ecstasy, Cascade, Punch and Lower Punch have all had snow.  I heard Monday the lower trails had a good 3 to 5 inch base already down.


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## jerryg (Nov 6, 2014)

Nope. I was there Monday. I'm asking about Kmart. I saw the pics of their open terrain from opening day and it looked great, but I don't know where else they made snow.



machski said:


> Jerryg, I am assuming you are asking about SR.  The answer is yes, T2, Upper Punch, Jungle Road, Ecstasy, Cascade, Punch and Lower Punch have all had snow.  I heard Monday the lower trails had a good 3 to 5 inch base already down.


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## machski (Nov 7, 2014)

jerryg said:


> Nope. I was there Monday. I'm asking about Kmart. I saw the pics of their open terrain from opening day and it looked great, but I don't know where else they made snow.



Not much else.  The middle of the great northern link to North Ridge got a base laid down but not the first leg to the first left corner off the Gondi and not the cross cut connection below downdraft into North Ridge.  Nothing below the North Ridge triple base either.


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## joshua segal (Nov 8, 2014)

As of this AM (Nov. 8 ) Snocountry.com ski reports shows the only 2 ski areas open in the northeast as Killington and Sunday River.  For comparison purposes:
Sunday River: 1  of  135 Trails, 7 of 870 Acres 
Killington: 4  of  155 Trails, 11 of 1509 Acres


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## Hawkshot99 (Nov 8, 2014)

joshua segal said:


> As of this AM (Nov. 8 ) Snocountry.com ski reports shows the only 2 ski areas open in the northeast as Killington and Sunday River.  For comparison purposes:
> Sunday River: 1  of  135 Trails, 7 of 870 Acres
> Killington: 4  of  155 Trails, 11 of 1509 Acres



I don't care about # of trails open. I care about # of ways down. Some mtns go and change the name of a trail at every crossing, then go and say they have 3 trails open when its just upper, middle and lower of thr same trail.


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## steamboat1 (Nov 8, 2014)

Hawkshot99 said:


> I don't care about # of trails open. I care about # of ways down. Some mtns go and change the name of a trail at every crossing, then go and say they have 3 trails open when its just upper, middle and lower of thr same trail.


Naming trails upper, middle & lower makes a lot of sense to me. For instance upper East Fall is now open but lower East Fall is not. If they just said East Fall is open it would give the wrong impression about how much terrain is actually open. Tomorrow upper Big Dipper will most likely be open but I can guarantee you that lower Big Dipper will not. Same thing when they open Superstar trail. Usually they open upper Supe (headwall) first. Then you cut over to Skyelark from there. Later they will blow middle Superstar & when that opens you cut over to Skyelark lower down. Lower Superstar usually opens last. If they just said Superstar is open once again it would give you the wrong impression of what is actually open. Being able to be more descriptive about which trail segments are actually open or closed is a good thing in my book.


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## Tin (Nov 8, 2014)

Sunday Punch just opened and they could have 7 more open tomorrow. I'm no SR fan but they are doing some great stuff to get a lot open.


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## Tin (Nov 8, 2014)

steamboat1 said:


> Naming trails upper, middle & lower makes a lot of sense to me. For instance upper East Fall is now open but lower East Fall is not. If they just said East Fall is open it would give the wrong impression about how much terrain is actually open. Tomorrow upper Big Dipper will most likely be open but I can guarantee you that lower Big Dipper will not. Same thing when they open Superstar trail. Usually they open upper Supe (headwall) first. Then you cut over to Skyelark from there. Later they will blow middle Superstar & when that opens you cut over to Skyelark lower down. Lower Superstar usually opens last. If they just said Superstar is open once again it would give you the wrong impression of what is actually open. Being able to be more descriptive about which trail segments are actually open or closed is a good thing in my book.



Completely agree. Very helpful at times but the other side of it is going from 48 trails to 110+ in a summer.


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## steamboat1 (Nov 8, 2014)

Tin said:


> Completely agree. Very helpful at times but the other side of it is going from 48 trails to 110+ in a summer.


Stowe is the same as my descriptions of K above. I understand the reasoning for them changing. It's more accurate.


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## deadheadskier (Nov 8, 2014)

I've said it many times.  The only reason Stowe did it was for marketing.  They were losing business to other mountains because they were perceived as a small ski area.  I had friends in the marketing department when the change was made and they'd lose group business from tour operators all the time because of this.  

I razzed them pretty good over the "great expansion", but the reasons why made perfect sense.


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## Hawkshot99 (Nov 8, 2014)

steamboat1 said:


> Naming trails upper, middle & lower makes a lot of sense to me. For instance upper East Fall is now open but lower East Fall is not. If they just said East Fall is open it would give the wrong impression about how much terrain is actually open. Tomorrow upper Big Dipper will most likely be open but I can guarantee you that lower Big Dipper will not. Same thing when they open Superstar trail. Usually they open upper Supe (headwall) first. Then you cut over to Skyelark from there. Later they will blow middle Superstar & when that opens you cut over to Skyelark lower down. Lower Superstar usually opens last. If they just said Superstar is open once again it would give you the wrong impression of what is actually open. Being able to be more descriptive about which trail segments are actually open or closed is a good thing in my book.



Yes it makes sence when you want to know what section of a trail is open. 
But as the stat above was posted that K has 4 trails open vs SR only haveing 1.


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## joshua segal (Nov 10, 2014)

Hawkshot99 said:


> I don't care about # of trails open. I care about # of ways down. Some mtns go and change the name of a trail at every crossing, then go and say they have 3 trails open when its just upper, middle and lower of thr same trail.



Areas post what's open in many different ways - and all have faults.

Trail Count is problematic because short trails and connectors count.

Acreage is problematic because some area count glades as skiable acreage - and some don't.  In a world of snowmaking, areas want to claim 100% open - and some seasons some of the glades don't open.

"Ways down" has its problems.  How do you want to count "ways down" at Killington today.  Start on Great Northern, Upper Double Dipper or Reason - and half way down, the choices become Lower Rime or Upper East Fall.  It seems like that's more than two ways down!

Open mileage seems like a pretty good metric.  What's the fault with that?


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## Tin (Nov 11, 2014)

Upper East Fall is looking pretty amazing. Anyone know if the whole trail looks like this? If so I might have to get up there sooner instead of later.


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## joshua segal (Nov 11, 2014)

Tin said:


> ...
> 
> Upper East Fall is looking pretty amazing. Anyone know if the whole trail looks like this? If so I might have to get up there sooner instead of later.


Last Thursday (Nov. 6) it did.  By Monday (Nov. 10), they groomed it and resurfaced it (i.e. new snow).  By yesterday (Monday) afternoon the texture was returning.  If they didn't groom the trail since, it should look pretty close to that by this (Tuesday) afternoon.


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## Tin (Nov 11, 2014)

This was from their FB today.


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## joshua segal (Nov 11, 2014)

Tin said:


> This was from their FB today.


I guess my projection was proven accurate!


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## ALLSKIING (Nov 11, 2014)

Does look sick but its going to get cold Wed night. My bet is they groom it wed or thu.


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## planb420 (Nov 12, 2014)

Was at K yesterday and they had some legit early season bumps!!!


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## dlague (Nov 12, 2014)

planb420 said:


> Was at K yesterday and they had some legit early season bumps!!!



They sure did on Eastfall!  Was loving that stuff.


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## jerryg (Nov 12, 2014)

SR will likely have at least 4 T2B routes by the end of the weekend and I don't mean 4 trails feeding into one going to the base. It will start that way with about 5-6 trails leading to Sunday Punch and Lower Sunday Punch, but Cascades, Right Stuff, and Monday Morning are primed to open by the end of the weekend and there is the potential for Lazy River-Risky Business-Tourist Trap to follow shortly thereafter, but the latter is a ways off with only the Lazy River section covered thus far.


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## moguler6 (Nov 13, 2014)

I'd expect Killington lights up a good chunk of Snowdon this evening and blows through the weekend.  They HAVE to be T2B by Saturday.  I don't mind the peak stairway when it's the only option, but with this many resorts open now, it's unacceptable.  If the Snowdon quad, and poma don't come on line this weekend also, I will be disappointed in Killington.


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## Smellytele (Nov 13, 2014)

moguler6 said:


> I'd expect Killington lights up a good chunk of Snowdon this evening and blows through the weekend.  They HAVE to be T2B by Saturday.  I don't mind the peak stairway when it's the only option, but with this many resorts open now, it's unacceptable.  If the Snowdon quad, and poma don't come on line this weekend also, I will be disappointed in Killington.



T2b maybe - snowdon quad and poma maybe be a stretch.


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## skifree (Nov 13, 2014)

Killington Snowplan
The temperatures are running below forecasted as we complete a quality re-surf of Upper Great Northern, Reason, Upper Double Dipper, Rime and Upper East Fall. Through the day today and early evening the crews will "light" snow guns down through the West Glade area, Killink, Rim Run, Upper Bunny, Upper Mouse, Middle Chute and Lower Bunny to the K1 Gondola load area. The goal is to have a re-surfaced upper mountain with expanded terrain on Snowdon and a connection to the K1 by Saturday weather permitting. Once connected infill and expansion production will continue in the Snowdon area.
With the significant purchase of additional low energy snowguns this summer we are able to re-surf and expand with a reduced air plant. Everyone wins!!
Jeff Temple


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## moguler6 (Nov 13, 2014)

That's what I figured.  They've turned on the guns for the North ridge T2B route plus a couple trails on top of Snowdon.  With a 36 hour window until the weekend, there will be another lift spinning this Saturday.


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## Tin (Nov 13, 2014)

This weekend last year they had over 30 trails opened including Superstar Headwall, Skyelark/Hawk, Downdraft, East Fall-Runout, and most of Snowdon. What a difference a year can make.


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## moguler6 (Nov 13, 2014)

Tin said:


> This weekend last year they had over 30 trails opened including Superstar Headwall, Skyelark/Hawk, Downdraft, East Fall-Runout, and most of Snowdon. What a difference a year can make.



They don't even have chairs on the Superstar quad cable yet.


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## Smellytele (Nov 13, 2014)

skifree said:


> Killington Snowplan
> The temperatures are running below forecasted as we complete a quality re-surf of Upper Great Northern, Reason, Upper Double Dipper, Rime and Upper East Fall. Through the day today and early evening the crews will "light" snow guns down through the West Glade area, Killink, Rim Run, Upper Bunny, Upper Mouse, Middle Chute and Lower Bunny to the K1 Gondola load area. The goal is to have a re-surfaced upper mountain with expanded terrain on Snowdon and a connection to the K1 by Saturday weather permitting. Once connected infill and expansion production will continue in the Snowdon area.
> With the significant purchase of additional low energy snowguns this summer we are able to re-surf and expand with a reduced air plant. Everyone wins!!
> Jeff Temple



I hope this comes to be as I may head there Sunday


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## steamboat1 (Nov 13, 2014)

Smellytele said:


> I hope this comes to be as I may head there Sunday


With so much media hype & interweb talk about other mountains why would you chose K?

:blink:


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## Tin (Nov 13, 2014)

moguler6 said:


> They don't even have chairs on the Superstar quad cable yet.



Last January scared them imo.


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## joshua segal (Nov 13, 2014)

I'd say Snowdon for Saturday is a long shot.  As of this morning, there was no snow below the bottom of Mouse Trap and the connector trails from the North Ridge to and from Snowdon was bare, too.  Sunday is a better chance.


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## Smellytele (Nov 14, 2014)

steamboat1 said:


> With so much media hype & interweb talk about other mountains why would you chose K?
> 
> :blink:



2fer1's.


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## moguler6 (Nov 14, 2014)

moguler6 said:


> They don't even have chairs on the Superstar quad cable yet.



They got the chairs on quick.  Yesterday afternoon there was no chairs on the line and now the web cam shows all the chairs on and spinning/testing.


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## steamboat1 (Nov 14, 2014)

Smellytele said:


> 2fer1's.


If they go T2B this weekend ticket prices will likely increase. For what other mountains are charging this weekend it's likely to be a break even deal with the 2 fers.


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## Tin (Nov 14, 2014)

Wish they would blow on Conclusion or Double Dipper for some steep bumps. They don't even have the couple hundred foot section of Downdraft under K1 open.


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## steamboat1 (Nov 14, 2014)

Tin said:


> They don't even have the couple hundred foot section of Downdraft under K1 open.


Yeah I don't know what happened there. Upper & middle Downdraft were open earlier this week. I know they have to get upper Downdraft open for their Turkey Jam next weekend.


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## Newpylong (Nov 14, 2014)

Love the top section of Downdraft


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## SIKSKIER (Nov 14, 2014)

OK,I'll bite.Can the beast really be considered first open even with daily operations with skiing only up top while others have t2b already?Fire away.


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## Highway Star (Nov 14, 2014)

Tin said:


> Wish they would blow on Conclusion or Double Dipper for some steep bumps.



I'm going to call my contacts in admin and mountain ops, they'll get right on it for you.


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## steamboat1 (Nov 14, 2014)

Highway Star said:


> I'm going to call my contacts in admin and mountain ops, they'll get right on it for you.


Jeff turned the guns on on Conclusion after he was asked to last year.


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## steamboat1 (Nov 15, 2014)

SIKSKIER said:


> OK,I'll bite.Can the beast really be considered first open even with daily operations with skiing only up top while others have t2b already?Fire away.


You were saying.


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## joshua segal (Nov 15, 2014)

SIKSKIER said:


> OK,I'll bite.Can the beast really be considered first open even with daily operations with skiing only up top while others have t2b already?Fire away.


Everybody likes to say they are first at something.  It's called "free advertising".
What does T2B have to doing with be open daily?  Not including the southeast areas, which beat everyone in the northeast, Sunday River was first to open by 2 hours.  Killington was first to open on a daily basis. And fill in the blank as to whom was the first to open on a daily basis with T2B skiing.  Next milestone: who will be first to claim 100% open.  It's usually Mad River Glen among the big areas, but a few of the sub-1000 feet vertical areas sometimes be out MRG.


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## yeggous (Nov 15, 2014)

Does anyone care about the daily basis part? A lot of areas close midweek due to numbers. 


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## Cannonball (Nov 15, 2014)

This is like a Budweiser vs Miller thread. 
I'll take a Magic Hat.


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## MadMadWorld (Nov 15, 2014)

Same here. They equally suck


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## steamboat1 (Nov 15, 2014)

yeggous said:


> Does anyone care about the daily basis part? A lot of areas close midweek due to numbers.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone mobile app


I guess weekend warriors don't care but those that can ski midweek would.


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## Tin (Nov 15, 2014)

joshua segal said:


> Next milestone: who will be first to claim 100% open.  It's usually Mad River Glen among the big areas, but a few of the sub-1000 feet vertical areas sometimes be out MRG.




Put money on Crotched.


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## jerryg (Nov 15, 2014)

Tin said:


> Put money on Crotched.



I'd put the money on Pat's Peak.


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## jerryg (Nov 15, 2014)

I think what matters most is that we are able to ski and that's all I care about. 
SR and Wildcat were the first with T2B and SL had two trails off the SQ. I'd personally take the SL offering that weekend over anyone else, but distance was a factor.
SR was the first to be T2B daily, but K was the first to be daily. I think it's a toss-up. Honestly, I get why SR closed - No reason to just bleed money when no one would be there and realistically, the trails were being used by Gould. If they wanted to be open daily at the same time, they easily could have been. Sure, I would have liked it, but I see the rationale by management. It's the same every year and won't change. Hats off to K for biting the economic bullet and staying open. If I needed to ski during those 4 days, I would have gone there.



joshua segal said:


> Everybody likes to say they are first at something.  It's called "free advertising".
> What does T2B have to doing with be open daily?  Not including the southeast areas, which beat everyone in the northeast, Sunday River was first to open by 2 hours.  Killington was first to open on a daily basis. And fill in the blank as to whom was the first to open on a daily basis with T2B skiing.  Next milestone: who will be first to claim 100% open.  It's usually Mad River Glen among the big areas, but a few of the sub-1000 feet vertical areas sometimes be out MRG.


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## Quietman (Nov 15, 2014)

If Crotched wasn't limited on H20 storage, I would bet on them. As it is, it's pretty much a toss up.


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## yeggous (Nov 15, 2014)

Quietman said:


> If Crotched wasn't limited on H20 storage, I would bet on them. As it is, it's pretty much a toss up.



Yeah the water supply is an issue. Other than that they hands down have the best snow making capacity vs terrain ratio in New England.


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## pshydriad@gmail.com (Dec 28, 2014)

I think that Sunday River is great if you have kids.... lots of trails and places to go with them so that you don't get bored.  It also doesn't hurt to have the hottub trailside.


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