• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

Arizona/New Mexico 2022-2023 Four Corners Ski Resorts/Conditions/Meetups

Status
Not open for further replies.

raisingarizona

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Sep 30, 2016
Posts
1,112
I think the Indy Pass purchase with the Power Pass would be a sweet combo for a Colorado>Utah>Montana>Idaho>Washington road trip.
 

Core2

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 29, 2015
Posts
1,848
Location
AZ
Man, it has been an interesting fall. I feel like we are a few weeks early for these lower temps. I will definitely take it. Ski Apache is getting a nice coating this morning and it just started snowing in town there.

skiapache.png
 
Thread Starter
TS
teejaywhy

teejaywhy

Retired Eccentric
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Feb 19, 2019
Posts
1,245
Location
AZ
SnowStake 10-24-22.jpg
 

raisingarizona

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Sep 30, 2016
Posts
1,112
I'm not really ready for this but I'd be lying if I said that this morning I didn't feel a little excited to go skiing.

2BF3B20D-107F-40E0-A61A-0A273AA8C9D9_1_201_a.jpeg
 

Core2

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 29, 2015
Posts
1,848
Location
AZ
Early season Brianhead trip may be in order. Looks like Mammoth is going to get the goods to.

sss.gif
 

Jeff N

I'm an anachronism
Skier
Joined
Dec 11, 2015
Posts
595
Location
Gnarnia
Wolf Creek is off to the races. Best opening weekend conditions in a while with 2 1/2 feet the day before- and all the snow was excellent wet base building snow. My Q98’s were floating like my Gigawatts…
Still early season but an excellent start…
 

Core2

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 29, 2015
Posts
1,848
Location
AZ
Wolf Creek is off to the races. Best opening weekend conditions in a while with 2 1/2 feet the day before- and all the snow was excellent wet base building snow. My Q98’s were floating like my Gigawatts…
Still early season but an excellent start…
Awesome to see you posting around these parts again dude. I can't wait to get a few days at Wolf and Purg this season.
 

Jeff N

I'm an anachronism
Skier
Joined
Dec 11, 2015
Posts
595
Location
Gnarnia
Agreed! Someone I've never met but enjoy seeing posts from! @Jeff N - :wave:
Thanks. These days it is more about getting my kid stoke than my own, so not finding myself posting a lot.

MCP- they may not invest everywhere, but they also throw a TON of money into a bunch of ski areas that did not have very good track records of profitability. I think Purgatory was more or less breaking even and it was one if the brighter ones. The amount of money they have sunk in makes me somewhat concerned where it us coming from. Is there just a massive amount of debt getting rolled into the operation? It certainly isn't pay as you go.

That said, one thing I am surprised about is that MCP hasn't reinstalled some of the lifts they have replaced to address some of the ANCIENT lifts like Mother at Pajarito or the Hesperus double.

The old Purgatory Chair 8, a 1985 Poma triple, seemed to be in good condition- at first Coleman was talking about re-installing it up Gelande to make that overflow parking lift served as more and more that parking is getting used. That idea has been silent for years and with all of the Pajarito lift problems I figured it would find a second life there.

Hesperus may not warrant the investment (10,000 skiers visits a year, no snowmaking, and low enough elevation that climate change viability is a serious doubt), but that double chair is 1963 vintage, I believe. Came from Stevens Pass or another one of the PNW places and from what I have heard is in very sketchy shape.

It seems if you have viable lifts you've pulled you would want to use them to replace lifts that are absolutely at the end of their service life...
 

raisingarizona

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Sep 30, 2016
Posts
1,112
Thanks. These days it is more about getting my kid stoke than my own, so not finding myself posting a lot.

MCP- they may not invest everywhere, but they also throw a TON of money into a bunch of ski areas that did not have very good track records of profitability. I think Purgatory was more or less breaking even and it was one if the brighter ones. The amount of money they have sunk in makes me somewhat concerned where it us coming from. Is there just a massive amount of debt getting rolled into the operation? It certainly isn't pay as you go.

That said, one thing I am surprised about is that MCP hasn't reinstalled some of the lifts they have replaced to address some of the ANCIENT lifts like Mother at Pajarito or the Hesperus double.

The old Purgatory Chair 8, a 1985 Poma triple, seemed to be in good condition- at first Coleman was talking about re-installing it up Gelande to make that overflow parking lift served as more and more that parking is getting used. That idea has been silent for years and with all of the Pajarito lift problems I figured it would find a second life there.

Hesperus may not warrant the investment (10,000 skiers visits a year, no snowmaking, and low enough elevation that climate change viability is a serious doubt), but that double chair is 1963 vintage, I believe. Came from Stevens Pass or another one of the PNW places and from what I have heard is in very sketchy shape.

It seems if you have viable lifts you've pulled you would want to use them to replace lifts that are absolutely at the end of their service life...
My daughter and I tried to ski at Hesperus one Friday night while on our way into Durango. We sat around for a few hours for them to open but the lift broke down and they remained closed. It wasn't a big deal really, we enjoyed hanging around the old ski area but it's definitely old and has problems. The ski terrain sure looked fun though. If we had known it wouldn't open we would have hiked up for at least one run.

Most people wouldn't think it but Snowbowl is the most lucrative property Coleman has. He saw that right away and went big dumping cash into our little joint. I often joke that it's the Hunter of the South West.
 

Core2

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 29, 2015
Posts
1,848
Location
AZ
Night skiing at Hesperus just after a storm was one of my most memorable powder sessions ever. It is a fun little mountain if you can catch it on the right night. I would love to check out the little town ski area in Durango one night soon too.

IMG_4857.JPG IMG_4863.JPG IMG_4866.JPG IMG_4871.JPG
 

kimberlin

Getting on the lift
Skier
Joined
Aug 26, 2017
Posts
187
Hesperus. I have passed that ski area for years and often that it would be fun to give it a go. I've skated at the Chapman Hill rink and its quite nice.
I have family up at the Vallecito Reservoir, so always pass the area going into Durango.
 

Core2

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 29, 2015
Posts
1,848
Location
AZ
Snowbowl going hard on the snow making. Looks like they will have the gondola with upper ridge down to the lower bowl to start.
 

Apicem-AZ

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Jan 19, 2019
Posts
27
Location
Coconino County
The cold weather continues for favorable snow-making conditions - Arizona Snowbowl website says Opening Day is 17 November.
 

Core2

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 29, 2015
Posts
1,848
Location
AZ
I had Crazy Legs tune my skis and the guy is super knowledgeable and did good work if anyone needs a tune done in the valley. He actually knows what edge bevels are which was a nice change from Ski Pro.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Sponsor

Top