Sugar getting twitchy?

[jt3]

Gunther gave the order to pull out the guns!

[theKENDOG]

Snowshoe put some of theirs out as well. Forecast doesn't look inspiring though so it might be a while.

[johnmelton]

I love this time of year, so fun to watch it unfold on webcams, still can't believe Sugar now has the water pumping capacity to try and open top to bottom for the first day and sometimes will still have excess water to blow on Gunther's and Easy Street while running full blast on Flying Mile and Switch Back all simultaneously. There water pumping capacity is insane, especially compared to the old days when they tried first to open up to 3/4, before that it was just Big Birch, and a really long time ago it was just Easy Street that opened on the first days of the season. The coolest thing for me though was back in the day staying in a condo near the main snowmaking water pump building, the lights in the condo would dim for a few seconds when they cranked up the main water pump. Everyone would cheer because we new it meant fresh snow and maybe more terrain the next morning.

[SWOOP]

Over/Under on Sugar opening Mon Nov 02? (I'm getting twitchy too-great title!!!

[theKENDOG]

Over/Under on Sugar opening Mon Nov 02? (I'm getting twitchy too-great title!!!

I can't see it happening. Especially looking at the long term forecast.

Then again it's Sugar...

[Ga Skier]

They might pull it off Sunday and Monday nights going by the forecast temps at my house. Im in the Tristate of Ga NC and Tenn.After that its going to be a little cooler but only hoodies in the morning for a day or two

[johnmelton]

I am going to guess Tuesday is 50/50, and they won't be able to stay open all week to the weekend, so maybe not going to try?

[brigand]

I guess it depends on whether the cost of opening for a brief period is worth the revenue generated by being 'first'. I think I have probably been at Sugar for 4 or 5 of the past 6 opening days, and they had a decent number of people, but you never really had to share a lift until the afternoon. With Covid? Dunno. Are more or less people gonna be skiing? Heard convincing arguments each way. My guess is he expects less people, and probably wont consider it worth it.

[johnmelton]

Definitely a lot to consider this year. I don't think they ever make any money in the early season, the cost of electricity for snowmaking is huge. I believe opening early definitely sells season passes though. I think they open early for the PR, and as an early test of their systems and equipment. This year they may have an additional incentive to open while we are still not restricted by a lockdown, which I fear may happen again soon when hospitals get overwhelmed. The more days they can open before another lockdown, the less season pass money they have to return if the rest of the season is cancelled? Hopefully they will leave outdoor recreation alone this time in the lockdown restrictions!

[Aasnider]

Latest forecast I saw (Rays weather) shows the top of Sugar not breaking freezing on Monday. Hopefully they'll at least fire the guns up so I can fuel my preseason stoke. Always a good feeling to see the guns running for the first time on the webcams.