enjoralas

Also doing some work apparently on the actual lift house. Caught the crane replaceing a roof panel. Maybe they needed to take panels out to integrate the storage rail.

Also construction of the chair storage rail is coming along

Accurate. Here they are burying the new water line right now:

Possible frost up this way tomorrow overnight. That can be a buzzkill. Wish it killed weeds like it does vegetables . . .

Likely not bothering with a garden again this year. Eventually I’ll get life together enough to feel like I have time for it. Maybe. Probably not. Meh.

Shutterstock image.

Not gonna see this at Blue Mountain!

One of the biggest reasons Camelback opens so late is that they insist on opening with a lot of the lookers left part of the mountain, which requires tons of snow to open because they have to cover up the lazy river, etc. If they would decide to open with Nile Mile, Cliffhanger, Pharoah/Bactrian, Pocono Raceway*, Rhodo Glen* and Sunbowl for the beginners then they would only be covering grass/natural terrain and they could open with just a few nights of snowmaking like most mountains can. They could still use the upper lodge, just walk to the edge of the snow at the top of Sunbowl and ski down to the indoor waterpark lift. Ride Sunbowl lift up and walk to the lodge if you need to or at the end of the day. Hotel guests can walk right out onto the snow from Day 1 of the season. It seems the obvious way to open that mountain to me, but they go the other way with it. *possibly not these two, since they put that new style alpine slide in a couple of years ago. Parts of it may cross both slops (I know it crosses Rhodo) and may take more snow to bury than early season snowmaking could cover for an express opening

Off the snow at 1045 to head to soccer. Enjoyable morning to me, but then I've never been an irrational Camelback hater. Last few runs things were getting a bit softer even over on Nile Mile and Pocono Raceway. Bet it was great 30-45 minutes after I had to quit. Think this was my first Camelback visit since before the pandemic, but it reminded me that I do quite like the place. Not $275ish add-on to my Blue pass like it, but if they have triple tickets sub $130 next season I'm likely in for one. If I was midway between them instead of 20 minutes to Blue and 45 to Camelback, I'd probably spring for the add-on. Debated running into the rental shop to see about setups for the boys (no not kidding) but didn't think I could get in and out and to the soccer field by noon. Did squeeze in a stop to grab takeout from Zack's tho.

There goes the neighborhood

First ride up the bubble. The S4 at Bleu is ofc super nice, but this thing is a Cadillac. Or a Crown Vic, as it were. We know who KSL considers the flagship

2 laps off indoor Waterpark lift, Nile Mile, then something to something to Pocono Raceway. Nice coverage. Bone rattling frozen cord. A little variability in grooming, ledges, levels etc, especially in corners. No more than should be expected

Just arrived. No line at guest service. Used drop off lane, grabbed an employee spot to park, ran in for pass. 2 min. Parked by Sunbowl in lot 8 and booting now

Anyone who goes today should hit Zack's Taco Shack on the access road on the way out. On the right by a pizza place and a ski shop. You won't be sorry — I'm bummed I won't have time to stop.

I feel pretty confident they aren't going to allow other mountain pass holders on for First tracks. We have to go to Guest Services to show our pass to get a ticket, so I'm sure it'll be a day comp that won't register as a SP and open the gates early, assuming they have it set that way to figure out who to let on easily at the lifts. Here is the parking map. Lot 2 and lot 3 are premium lots. Since they said free General parking, I expect these will still be pay lots. Lots 4,5,7,8 lots are normal paid or season pass lots that should be free tomorrow. Here is a satellite image. Red squiggles are premium. Yellows are free, green is lot 8, this is where i intend to park. It's down the hill back towards the hotel, right next to the beginner Sunbowl slope. It's actually the closest parking to the snow, but not the most convenient to the good lifts. Either have to ski over to the Sunbowl quad and catch a lift up to the new bubble, or down past it to the indoor Waterpark lift and ride thst to the top. That's probably my plan, with a Nile Mile run first, then a trip back up and head lookers right to get down to the other lift and see what's good over there. My plan is to arrive about 745, park down by Sunbowl, walk up in street shoes to GS for my ticket, then back down and boot up. I only have until about 1030 because Boy 1 has a soccer game at noon.