Ski Southeast Messageboard

Any updates from you insiders? Should we look for White Lightening or Oz this weekend?

Looks like WL is getting blasted this morning and at least one gun going on the bridge to OZ. Thanks!

I think White Ligthning will be open this weekend. Oz run is a bit of a different situation. I'd be surprised if they opened it this weekend.

I'll be out there Saturday with the homies.

Lower White Lightning from Star Cut opened today. Look for all of White Lightning to open after the warm up. Looks like next weekend depending on the cold air. Oz is pretty far out, especially if the next cold shot isn't sustained.

White Lightning will not open this year unless they get a big snow. I was told this weekend by someone that is friends with the owner that they cannot get snow to stick for a long time due to the lack of grass on the slope. White Lightning was mostly all dirt due to the lift construction and the snow melts too fast. They are hiring a company to cover the slope this summer with grass and this help preserve snow better.

I was up Thurs-Sun. Great conditions the entire time on opened runs. Lower WL opened but I don't see upper opening this season. Many rocks and small boulders up there sticking up a good 2-3 feet and no snow on it as of Sunday.

I suspect this will be the 4th or 5th season in a row I don't get a run down Oz

Wanakenatransplant wrote: ↑Sun Feb 03, 2019 8:30 pm White Lightning will not open this year unless they get a big snow. I was told this weekend by someone that is friends with the owner that they cannot get snow to stick for a long time due to the lack of grass on the slope. White Lightning was mostly all dirt due to the lift construction and the snow melts too fast. They are hiring a company to cover the slope this summer with grass and this help preserve snow better.

None of that is correct. Upper White Lightning hasn't opened because they haven't made snow on it. The most heavily damaged area from lift construction is the bottom around the lifts, especially Freestyle. All of those areas have been open and held snow very well despite multiple thaws. One week of cold weather immediately followed by a week or so of warm air and rain isn't really conducive to pushing for more open terrain. Every cold front has been spent recovering from 60 degrees and rain.

canadianbacon828 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:22 pm

Wanakenatransplant wrote: ↑Sun Feb 03, 2019 8:30 pm White Lightning will not open this year unless they get a big snow. I was told this weekend by someone that is friends with the owner that they cannot get snow to stick for a long time due to the lack of grass on the slope. White Lightning was mostly all dirt due to the lift construction and the snow melts too fast. They are hiring a company to cover the slope this summer with grass and this help preserve snow better.

None of that is correct. Upper White Lightning hasn't opened because they haven't made snow on it. The most heavily damaged area from lift construction is the bottom around the lifts, especially Freestyle. All of those areas have been open and held snow very well despite multiple thaws. One week of cold weather immediately followed by a week or so of warm air and rain isn't really conducive to pushing for more open terrain. Every cold front has been spent recovering from 60 degrees and rain.

Then why could Sugar recover and add terrain and not Beech? Beech has significantly less area to make snow than Sugar. With Beech's guns they can also recover quickly. There is more to it than just the weather as the reason they did not open Upper White Lightning. Whatever it may be, I hope they get their plans figured out and get terrain open faster next year. The new lifts are nice, the choice to use SMI to make their snow was good as snow quality is much better this year. They just need to get the terrain open faster.

I noticed the huge boulders too. Even if opened the rocks will begin to stick out eventually. and I do think that due to its location WL is more susceptible to having wind blow the snow off.

Timski wrote: ↑Fri Feb 15, 2019 12:31 am I noticed the huge boulders too. Even if opened the rocks will begin to stick out eventually. and I do think that due to its location WL is more susceptible to having wind blow the snow off.

They choose not to make snow as much during operational hours.