2010. The season of patience

Waiting for this season sucks. I've been here 5 years and this one is filled with the most angst that I've seen yet. There was so much La Nina hype coming into this season and so much energy that now it seems like all the energy is beginning to turn to anger and hate. As soon as people see snow, especially in the city, they expect the mountain to be getting endlessly dumped on. As of today theres about 24" of snow on the ground. That's some significant snowfall but the problem is the snow has zero moisture content due to the unseasonably low temps. Therefore when the cats go out to groom they pack the 24" of blower pow into 7 or so inches of crap. They're not even going out until it snows more because the cats are doing more harm than good on the hill. 36"+ usually does it for us but it all comes down to the type of snow that falls. Basically this deep freeze were in right now is less than ideal and we still need around 2 feet of wet Northwest glop to get a solid base and get this place open. The Thurs/fri storm looks promising but we just don't know until it falls. We are hoping for mid next week...

At the first sign of snow people get pumped to ski and ride, which is great. But it's the worst when the first snow is followed by a warm melt then a bunch of other small storms that don't quite produce enough. It doesn't help that all the other resorts around us are opening, but what it comes down to is that - Crystal can make snow, Baker statistically just gets more snow than everyone else, and the Summit is pretty much all grass with no exposed rocks or obstacles to worry about. Stevens is different. Not saying its better or worse, but we have lots of rocks, creeks and debris around here on the main run that would destroy people if the snowpack was thin. Were talkin season enders before the season starts.

Lot's of peoples only basis for argument is what they see on the webcam. I live across the damn street and haven't had to shovel snow yet. We don't have enough to open.

Traditionally we are never the first to open, usually we are at the end of the pack. Crystal likes to be first to open in the state, that's their thing. Then Baker will open when they have enough, then comes Mission when they are able to start blowing snow. Followed up by the Summit and Stevens not necessarily in that order. If you take our average opening day for the past 50 years, it's Dec. 3rd. Anything before then is just a bonus...

Insight into the rat race to get open...

Would we like to be the first to open? Of course. What folks aren't getting is that we are seasonal business, meaning we make ZERO revenue 7+ months a year (including now). We would be fools to delay the opening anymore than we have to from a financial standpoint.

The one thing we do pride ourselves on when deciding to open, is opening with a good product. Yeah sure Crystal opened last week, was it rad? I have a tough time believing so. People don't remember crappy opening days, they remember epic ones like last year where we opened with 16"+ of pow. Baker's opening was probably good, but let's face Baker is an anomaly when it comes to snow. (See '99-'00 snow season)

Everyone who works at this resort is working here for one reason. We all love skiing and snowboarding. Every person here wants and is ready to open, including the hundreds waiting to earn a paycheck. Despite the hate we've been getting, I assure you, there is absolutely no benefit to us delaying opening.

The season will get here, and you know what, it's going to be epic but you gotta be patient. Forecasters are calling for weather patterns that haven't been seen in 55 years. Yeah that's right, El Nino's hot sister is coming to town....