MLK Weekend Update

Rejoice skiers & riders! For the long weekend is finally upon us. I mean, unless you work in the ski or hospitality industry. Then, it's just another busy day at the office. Luckily for me, this is only half true, because I get to cruise around the slopes with all of you while I'm at work! Not a bad gig.

There's a lot to talk about this weekend, so let's dive right in...

Weather:

As I look out my window, the alpenglow from the Eastern side of the mountain is showing over the top of our ridgeline, and let me tell you, it's pretty. We may not get to see the sunrise from this side, but it sort of bathes our mountain in an almost heavenly silhouette for a little while - perhaps indicative of our conditions this weekend? Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Anyway, clear skies make that view possible and right now, there isn't a single one to be found. We do expect it to cloud up through the day, and there's a chance for flurries this afternoon. Temperatures should remain in the high 20's throughout the day, and with just a minor breeze, it's going to be a real comfortable day to ski and ride.

We've got our eyes and ears on the radar this evening, as it looks like a snow squall could move through the region. Most of it looks like it's tracking toward Maine, but there's potential for a few inches of accumulation here if it continues on its current path. If we could scrounge up 4-6 inches, it would do wonders for our mountain operations staff.

How's the snow:

The snow is back, and I think that's the best news anyone could ask for. That annoying January thaw looks like it's finally out of our hair, and we've received 4-5 inches in the past week. Four lifts will whisk you up the hill where you'll find 15 different paths down the mountain. If we see any flakes today, make that five consecutive days of snowfall. Me likey that statistic.

Out on the hill, I've got to give it up for our grooming staff yet again. Not only did the rain of weeks past hammer our terrain, but it made grooming next to impossible, but our guys came through in the clutch like they always have. If you skied here in the past few days, you'd have no idea that we got over 1.5" of rain in the past two weeks. The groomers are soft, there's small powder stashes on the edge of most trails, and with more of the white stuff on the way, we're in good shape for the second half of the month.

Snowmaking:

Here's the other other key player. The Alfred to our Batman, if you will.

Our crew didn't like sitting on the sideline last week when it warmed up, so, now that our snow dance helped Ullr finish his Rip Van Winkle impression, they're gearing up to go again. Where, you ask? Timberline. Our snowmaking trails held up pretty well through the thaw and we resurfaced a few spots on the main mountain yesterday. Now we can turn our full attention to getting Timberline open.

We're going to whip up a local snowstorm on Sure Shot tonight, and hopefully Mother Nature holds up her end of the bargain and drops a few inches of natural on us for a base. You may remember that we blew snow on Upper Villager for a few days last week, and that snow got pushed out yesterday. We hope to connect the two areas of the mountain soon. Depending on what happens for weather, we may be able sneak a snow gun or two on the Grom Park underneath the Snowflake Lift as well.

What's going on:

James Moore Tavern: Do you like music? We like music. I bet you like music too. Pull up a bar stool and get comfortable because Dewey Drive Band hops on stage tonight from 8-11 p.m. They're based out of Burlington and play a wide variety of music from country to swing. Sierra Nevada will be on special from the tap all weekend, and if that's not your thing, there's 17 other brews on tap. I'm sure you'll be able to find something you like.

In case you haven't heard, there's two pretty big NFL football games this weekend. You know, the kind that determine who's playing in the Super Bowl - that popular sports thing with all the awesome commercials. If you're game for watching, we've got you covered. We'll have the AFC & NFC Championship games playing on the big screen, so bring your favorite jersey and get loud!

Bolton After Dark: What makes a great Saturday night? To each his own, but a ski movie and cheap pizza are pretty high on my list. From 4-8 p.m. night skiing tickets will be just $19 and Fireside Flatbread will be hand-tossing $2 pizza slices and sodas. We're screening "Prime Cut" by Meathead Films, and it will be looping throughout the night.

And don't forget about Corporate Race League on Thursday nights, Night Riders next Wednesday and a slew of other Deal Days coming your way soon.