Ride Delaware ? Posted June 29, 2010 Report Share Posted June 29, 2010 Were their skier visits up? Are they finally making some headway on reviving the ski area? I am interested to see if the fruits of their labors are paying off... I know we were all pretty skeptical about the plans/finances of the mountain in recent years, and I was wondering if they were finally getting to where they want to be... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ride Delaware ? Posted August 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2010 Have the condos been approved and have they applied for their new lift permits yet? I don't know how many condos they are planning on, and I don't know how much capital these new guys have left... I mean, they were having problems just a year after they took over and they have been pouring money into the waterpark... I hate seeing resorts bite the dust so I'm hoping they can pull it off... But if they have increased skier visits 30-50k in 3 years, I would say that is some major progress... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCSKI Posted August 24, 2010 Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 I can't give actual numbers but I can say that since I joined the mountain back when it was still Montage, it's had it's ups & downs, probably the biggest disaster was the year..think it was 2007, the first year it was under the new ownership, when we did not open until January 15th because of weather related issues. What I can say is that for the 2009/2010 season that just passed, I don't really think anyone can actually say that the resort did not do much better than in past years. We opened on time, had some real great conditions most of the time, plenty of snow, attendance exceeded capacity on most weekends, esp the holiday weekends in January & February. We were put in the embarrassing situation many times of running out of rental equipment..I guess one of those problems that in the same light you feel good about. (I'm sure that will be corrected this season) Lift lines, and yeah, I always read about how we never have any lines and no crowds at Sno..makes me laugh sometimes...I see the lines as I work all of them on the weekends getting people thru quicker...did anyone ever consider that we have line management down that well that we move 8,000 people an hour (our lift capacity at 100%) as fast as possible so unless there are extreme circumstances (Shuttle lift full of noobs falling off at the top stopping the lift all the time )that the lines are kept to a minimum? We all can't deny the overflow lot being used many times this year, the first time in a long long time..so, we were crowded...sometimes overcrowded. I can't say anything about the waterpark as I am not involved in warm weather ops, but yeah...kinda reminds me of the old movie "The Money Pit"...but, at least it's open and they are making a genuine effort and increasing what is there, so..give it some time. We're not Blue, we're not CamelBack..they are whole different mountains, and fortunatly for them they have a bigger area and more terrain. What we have we have to work to the best of the mountains and staff's ability. At least what we have we do very well with and I'm looking forward to a great 2010/2011 season! See you when the Snow flies........ Kevin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleaguy Posted August 25, 2010 Report Share Posted August 25, 2010 good post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan Posted August 26, 2010 Report Share Posted August 26, 2010 We're not Blue, we're not CamelBack..they are whole different mountains, and fortunatly for them they have a bigger area and more terrain. sno has better terrain though 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trackbiker Posted August 26, 2010 Report Share Posted August 26, 2010 KCSKI, Thanks for your post. Sno has made some serious improvements in the last few years. I think the late opening the first season was because they were installing the new snowmaking system IIRC. Those fan guns make great snow and the conditions at Sno last all day and into the night while other areas are skied off by 10:00 in the morning. I really enjoy night skiing there and think that an investment in better lighting would help to pick up their business midweek. Keep us informed in any improvements they plan on making this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ride Delaware ? Posted August 26, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2010 Honestly, I haven't been to Sno/Montage since 1993... I am pretty sure most of the trails below the lodge werent even there at that point... I am always concerned of the ski industry in PA... I don't think any of us want to lose a mountain, even if we don't ski/board there... I am just hoping they are making progress so they can keep Sno viable into the future... I would be more than willing to come try it out this year if my schedule allows... I just hope they start putting some of the money they make back into improvements once they stabilize the Cove... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCSKI Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 KCSKI, Thanks for your post. Sno has made some serious improvements in the last few years. I think the late opening the first season was because they were installing the new snowmaking system IIRC. Those fan guns make great snow and the conditions at Sno last all day and into the night while other areas are skied off by 10:00 in the morning. I really enjoy night skiing there and think that an investment in better lighting would help to pick up their business midweek. Keep us informed in any improvements they plan on making this season. You're welcome, and thanks all for chiming in. As far as the lights, I agree, they need serious upgrades, not only in the light coverage but even the way they are operated. I haven't attempted to get on ski's since I had a knee replacement back in '90 and those lights are the same ones that were there back then. Sodium lights were the rage back then, not just for ski resorts, but just about everything from parking lots to street lights. Look around, you still see alot of that orangish color light out there but slowly they are being replaced by the new halogen gas lights, or the superbright HED systems coming online now...and yes, even at Sno we now have a few areas lighted in "white", so..the change is coming, might not happen all at once but it is coming. A lot of re-engineering needs to take place and then an insane amount of wiring meaning... a blizzard of $$ to get it done. Keep the faith guys, Rome wasn't built in a day and remember, when the county had it nothing got done except broke, so a lot had to be done to bring it as far as it has come. Think Sno!! Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRacer Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 You're welcome, and thanks all for chiming in. As far as the lights, I agree, they need serious upgrades, not only in the light coverage but even the way they are operated. I haven't attempted to get on ski's since I had a knee replacement back in '90 and those lights are the same ones that were there back then. Sodium lights were the rage back then, not just for ski resorts, but just about everything from parking lots to street lights. Look around, you still see alot of that orangish color light out there but slowly they are being replaced by the new halogen gas lights, or the superbright HED systems coming online now...and yes, even at Sno we now have a few areas lighted in "white", so..the change is coming, might not happen all at once but it is coming. A lot of re-engineering needs to take place and then an insane amount of wiring meaning... a blizzard of $$ to get it done. Keep the faith guys, Rome wasn't built in a day and remember, when the county had it nothing got done except broke, so a lot had to be done to bring it as far as it has come. Think Sno!! Kevin I'm not a fan of the orange lights. The white lights are more natural looking and much nicer to ski in IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ride Delaware ? Posted October 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2010 Did they ever come out with a list of winter improvements or are we still operating off the same as last year? Since it looks like I won't be getting a condo in VT, I may be hitting some of the closer PA mountains more often... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicSkier Posted October 26, 2010 Report Share Posted October 26, 2010 I'm not a fan of the orange lights. The white lights are more natural looking and much nicer to ski in IMO. Except orange/yellow are much safer to ski under. Lights in the 4300k range are too close to the color of snow, that's why real "fog" lights are yellow. You'll get much better contrast with yellow/orangeish lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ride Delaware ? Posted October 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2010 I don't know how far apart their lights are, but I remember when I first went to Blue 6 years ago I felt like there were a ton of dark spots... Could have just been me... More lights with Yellow would suit me just fine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ride Delaware ? Posted October 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2010 I would wholeheartedly have to agree... There are very few times at CB compared to blue where I could not at all tell the snow conditions right in front of me... Never had a bad night there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ski14 Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 according to the site they tested the guns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadows Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Except orange/yellow are much safer to ski under. Lights in the 4300k range are too close to the color of snow, that's why real "fog" lights are yellow. You'll get much better contrast with yellow/orangeish lights. until you buy the "night" goggle lenses that are yellow as well then its just terrible. stay with the white. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCSKI Posted November 4, 2010 Report Share Posted November 4, 2010 Back when I ran the BMX track up there in Newton, Cedar BMX Park, we were always a night track racing under lights. One year we tried switching to Sodium lights (Orange) and the results were disasterous...too many shadows thrown by the lights and a massive amount of color fade. After repeatedly re-adjusting lamp angles..by a professional, we abandoned the orange lights and went back to the white. It was then the gentleman who was helping do the lights said, and I quote "White light is the best lighting used for any outdoor sports activity" He's right. Look around, how many football/baseball stadiums are lighted in Orange? NASCAR Tracks? And I'm not talking standards of years ago, I'm talking today. That's right, not a one has Orange lighting. Camelback is white, Blue is White, Elk is white as is JF/BB, so..I think that they realize the quality of white over orange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryHugo Posted November 5, 2010 Report Share Posted November 5, 2010 Blue's lights are more of a pus/jaundice/smoker's fingernails color. Probably because they are the same lens covers from 1978. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCSKI Posted November 5, 2010 Report Share Posted November 5, 2010 skiing is the only outdoor night-time activity where the background is white snow..maybe white lights are best for BMX with a brown dirt track but I think the yellow lights are best for skiing.. Possibly, and...since you ski and I don't I'm more apt to take your judgment than my own. *Needs to get back on ski's....said that last year but I chickened out! Anyways..if anyone is interested, the mountain is having their job fair tomorrow (11/6) and from the looks of it a lot of positions are open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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