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Old 03-15-2020, 05:18 PM   #1
DickR
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Default Is ski season ending?

Late today, I found on the websites for Loon Mountain, Sunday River, and Sugarloaf an announcement that after today they are suspending all resort operations until further notice.

As of 3:50pm, Waterville Valley says they will remain in operation, with some changes, including reduced rates at the window for lift tickets. Gunstock thus far says they remain in operation until their scheduled April 5 closing date.

I found nothing on Bretton Woods' site about COVID-19.

I wonder how long it will be for ski areas in general to scrap the rest of the ski season. Anyone planning on a ski day somewhere ought to check the place's web site for any last minute announcement.
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Old 03-15-2020, 07:15 PM   #2
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I was planning a ski weekend next weekend - but all of the Vail owned Epic resorts (at least I believe all of them) are suspending operation until at least next Sunday. The local mountain 10 minutes down the road did the same. Killington closed until March 22. Sounds like I'm going to have to earn my turns and skin up!
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Old 03-15-2020, 07:27 PM   #3
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Default King Pine

King Pine closed today for the season. This would be about 2 weeks early for them.

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Old 03-17-2020, 11:49 AM   #4
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I definitely paused a second to see that the governor closed all the bars and restaurants in the state but won't close the ski area his family owns (Waterville).
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Old 03-18-2020, 04:21 AM   #5
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Was probably a decision made by John, Chris' older brother, and Waterville definitely needs a good shot of extra business to help pay for all their new stuff like that beautiful high country t-bar.

Everything goes better when you make the money ..... www.waterville.com/cams ...... so's you all need to hit the slopes before winter melts away!

Let us not go covid crazy, let us go hit the slopes ....... waaaa-hoooo! .....
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Old 03-18-2020, 07:21 AM   #6
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Default Gunstock is staying open

“Gunstock enjoyed a robust business this past weekend as well as a strong Monday business,” Kiedaisch said. “Our customers are telling us they want to ski and ride and so long as we can provide that and keep our associates safe we will accommodate them.”


https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...efc0c1db8.html
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Old 03-18-2020, 07:55 AM   #7
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I was at Sugarbush last weekend when they closed. I think the ski areas should have stayed open doing what Gunstock and Waterville are doing - basically close down the public areas such as the lodges, etc....

Keep the lifts spinning - boot up in the car and brown bag the lunch. Just like the old days. At this point most skiers would stay home anyway, you'd find the one's skiing are pass holders and enthusiasts who get more than 5-6 days a year in. Take away the fru-fru and most stay home.
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Old 03-18-2020, 05:42 PM   #8
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The note on the Waterville page is a bit cryptic:

Quote:
Despite these efforts, and despite the extremely limited personal contact inherent in our reduced operations, our continuing operations have been met with outcry by many who choose to misrepresent our efforts and have created an environment that has incited people to act irresponsibly to the point of becoming abusive and threatening to our staff. Therefore, regretfully, effective at 4:00pm today, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, Waterville Valley Resort will close for winter operations for the 2019/2020 ski season.
Link: https://www.waterville.com/covid19
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Old 03-18-2020, 06:19 PM   #9
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Default ...... xc-skiing Waterville still a schuss!

You can still go cross country skiing in Waterville Valley, parking your car at the White Mountain National Forest, Depot Camp parking lot, that is way back on the north side of the Town of Waterville Valley to access miles of WMNF multi-use trails. It costs either $5/day/car, exact cash at the parking lot pay-box, or $30/year/car using the WMNF windshield sticker that is commonly used for hiking in the summer.

Happy multi-use trails courtesy of your U.S. Forest Service ..... and the snow cover on the WMNF cross country trails is still happening. It snowed two inches, like yesterday, and lightly today, Thursday-March 19.

When the snow finally disappears, the same exact trails become bicycle trails that are so smooth and wide, you could drive a 1995 Buick LeSabre down these trails with no worries, except for the $250 motor vehicle fine, first time offense, plus there's a big steel gate for keeping the cars out.
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Old 03-19-2020, 07:23 AM   #10
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Default Crowd

Rumors are that a group larger than 10 posted themselves on social media. It appears in Cannon parking lot. Thus effectively shutting down Cannon.
Also people were lining up at the ticket office at WV. They were told to reload their tickets online to avoid the line, instead they hope to secure a better last minute deal at the mountain. Why can't people listen??????

The millennials are not helping with the annual spring breaks in FL. The governor should shut down the beaches!
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Old 03-19-2020, 07:43 AM   #11
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Looks like the www.waterville.com/cams is still panning around the base area, going from the buildings to the lift loading, except there's no one there and both lifts are stopped. Is snowing lightly ...... seems like a scene from the old Twilight Zone tv show ..... expect to see that Twilight Zone guy, Rod Serling, step into the live cam and say something profound between puffing on a cigarette.

"There's no place here to spend your money, not a quarter, not a dollar, not a credit card, no outside vending machine, no food service, no ski ticket sales, nothing ..... a 20-million dollars capital investment in this 4002' ski mountain and today the only place to spend your money is in their website for next year's season pass. (eerie background music-here)"
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Old 03-19-2020, 08:43 AM   #12
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That's right ...... you know that two miles and five minutes away from the ski area, you can go xc skiing for free on the U.S. Forest Service trails ..... the xc skiing/hiking/bicycling IS free ..... it's parking your car that costs $5 ..... and there's no uphill ski lifts.

Thinking about bicycling these Forest Service trails, Gov Sununu has asked Secretary Sonny Perdue-USDA to consider legalizing electric bicycles, Dec 9, 2019.

http://www.governor.nh.gov/news-medi...10-e-bikes.htm

Is this a good idea or a bad idea? For a 77-year old bicycler, it maybe could be a good thing ..... an electric assisted, mountain bike .... for pedaling up smooth dirt trails and biking 5-10 miles back into the mountain forest?
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Old 03-19-2020, 01:28 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BroadHopper View Post

The millennials are not helping with the annual spring breaks in FL. The governor should shut down the beaches!
Fort Myers Beach is closing starting at 6 PM tonight and at will remain closed at least through April 21.

https://www.winknews.com/2020/03/19/...hursday-night/
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Old 03-19-2020, 03:39 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BroadHopper View Post

The millennials are not helping with the annual spring breaks in FL. The governor should shut down the beaches!
OK, Boomer?- Yeah, right!
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Old 03-19-2020, 10:20 PM   #15
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Looks like the federal gov just made the White Mountain National Forest free to visit during the coronavirus scare so's no more five dollar parking fee at the Depot Camp parking lot in the north end of Waterville Valley for cross country skiing as long as the scare is here.

In addition, the immediate nearby 70-kilometers of Waterville Valley Resort cross country trails have shut down for the season due to the coronavirus scare. Most all of these trails are located on Forest Service land so's it is now legal to use them without a $22-pass.

So, the reason the WV xc trail system was closed is the same reason why you can now ski there for free, only it will not be groomed or patrolled.

I wonder if this is also true for the downhill ski area which is 100% located on Forest Service land? I suspect that you can legally walk up the snow covered slopes and ski down without it being trespassing because it is Forest Service land and the ski area is not operating.

And on a side note, there is absolutely no where to spend money there, not even an outdoor pay phone, anymore. When was the last time you were at a 20-million dollar business with no where to spend money ...... all totally closed up? Could maybe be a good spot for a native american, indigenous peoples, gambling casino .... introducing the Tribe Sununu-shmoos native american people .... WV Casino ..... win big ..... ha-ha-ha ..... make-em heap big money ...... ugh!
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Old 03-28-2020, 06:48 AM   #16
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Default ........ March 28, 2020 - hitting the xc trails

March 28 and there's still a few cross country skiers in WV hitting both the WV-70k trails, and the Forest Service 7-miles, multi use trails.

The changing message sign across from the golf course, en-route to Town Square now says 'We Have Fresh Air', a reference to the Waterville location surrounded by miles of treed mountains.

The Forest Service has removed the five dollar parking fee from Depot Camp p-lot, and locked up the p-lot solar powered, composting rest room shack in response to the corona virus.

Cross country ski conditions are pretty good but with no grooming what with the very few skiers using the center skating path, or two grooves on both sides of the trails. It snowed twice in the last week which helps to keep it freshened up.

The golf course is losing its snow cover fast, but just yards away on the wooded xc trails, the snow is hanging tough for now.

This time of year you can either go cross country skiing or go bicycling on the public paved roads including the 11-mile Rt 49 with its' three foot paved shoulders, unusual to central NH.

Jugtown, the local grocery and sandwich shop has new policies with regard to the public health safety and continues to serve the public with excellent sandwiches.

Are the public restrooms in the basement of Town Square still available ........ a good question ...... most likely YES, but I do not know for sure.

Ordinarily the down hill ski area would still be open for another week from now, and the little used cross country trails are still good to go with enough snow cover for now.
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Old 04-01-2020, 06:39 AM   #17
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Wowza - Wowza - Wowza

As of yesterday the Waterville Valley ski area road, just to the left of the entry to the Tripoli Rd has a police line-barricade/wood horses and orange rope line CLOSING the road up to the ski area, which had stopped operating all their lifts about ten days.

It has signs that say Closed to Unauthorized Vehicles. Never seen a similar road block closure here before so it's a first.

You can still find some pretty good cross country skiing/hiking, about one mile up the Tripoli Rd starting at the Depot Camp parking lot. The restrooms are boarded closed, and the five dollar parking fee, steel deposit box is wrapped with a trash bag and small sign, 'no fee' ..... so, it is free to park your car ..... and you got miles of mountain woods with snow covered trails, out there, also good for hiking and mountain biking with wide, smooth trails closed to motor vehicles.

The sky is blue, the sun is brite, the snow is hard, thick, strong, and brite white from recent small snow fall, the price is free ..... and the trails and woods are very empty of anyone ...... is time to hit those Forest Service multi-use, cross country ski trails.

Let's have a ski party ....... with 50' social distancing ...... hoo-yuh! ...... the state liquor store back at Exit 28 is open and wines have been marked down! ........ celebrate the Team Campton, state liquor store - xc ski trails ...... wowza-wowza-wowza! ..... am just kidding around here ...... but the trails are good to go for xc skiers, at this time.
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Old 04-01-2020, 07:34 PM   #18
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Packing ski gear away on April 1st ??
I wish someone would pinch me and tell me it’s an April Fools Joke.
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Old 04-18-2020, 01:59 PM   #19
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Thumbs up introducing the WV-Ford Taurus sedan-Tennis Open-2020

April 18, 2020: the www.waterville.com/cams live shot is still working and shows what's left of the man-made snow with its water content and durability higher than most natural snow.

The snow is still somewhat there, and the people are all not present. The road to the ski area, Ski Area Road is closed to non-authorized vehicles and blocked with wooden horses, orange rope, and warning signs about one mile down the hill from the ski area.

What you see here will probably remain empty of any people until next Saturday Nov 21, 2020 ...... weather depending.

Waterville basically has no off-season, summer time use for the ski area so's it has no business up there to lose due to the coronavirus. Nothing ventured, nothing lost! If you walked around that there base area with four quarters in your pocket on July 4th, there would be no place and not even a vending machine or pay phone to spend it. A few years back, at least there was an outdoor pay phone, but not any more.

Seems like a strange business with maybe 20-million dollars invested into original purchase, and expansion and equipment and it is all closed from March 18 to November 21, this year.

Not such a good year?

Don't most ski mountains find some type of alternative, off-season use like holding yoga jamborees or something. Maybe an international tennis tournament ...... the Waterville Valley-Ford Taurus sedan, Tennis Open-2020 .... how's that sound!
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