Here we go again!
Starting the guns up once again. Shut down during the day to give a reprieve to the skiers and boarders out there... it was cold and windy enough without us. The east side of the mountain was calm, and like a different part of the country, so we will concentrate tonight on the east side. Making snow on K27, East Side Drive and Milky Way, along with The Cliff and just about everything else that we can. With tomorrow's forecast, it looks like a great day sunshine, warmer temps and the winds dying down... so let's get out here and enjoy.
Official blog of Hunter Mountain.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Snowmaking Update!
Snowmaking is shutting down for the day, but will start up again this evening. Here's the plan:
Well we are once again making snow to once again improve whats under your skis and boards with the weather coming in, it looks like we can cover the slopes with all that man-made powder we are used to here at Hunter. We will be moving all over the Mtn so we can cover as much terrain as quickly as possible so I wont list where we will be because we will be everywhere.
Well we are once again making snow to once again improve whats under your skis and boards with the weather coming in, it looks like we can cover the slopes with all that man-made powder we are used to here at Hunter. We will be moving all over the Mtn so we can cover as much terrain as quickly as possible so I wont list where we will be because we will be everywhere.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Hunter Mountain to provide base for North America’s longest & highest Ziplines & Canopy Tour
Groundbreaking ceremony January 9, 2010; operation slated to open in spring of 2010
Hunter, NY – Hunter Mountain has teamed up with New York Zipline Adventure Tours (NYZAT) to provide the longest and highest ziplines and canopy tour in North America. Construction of the ziplines, towers and canopy tour will begin immediately; a groundbreaking ceremony will be held on January 9, 2010 to correspond with the culmination of Hunter’s 50th Anniversary. The ziplines, canopy tour and adventure tower are scheduled to open in spring of 2010.
“Greene County was the ideal location for this project,” said Jay Bialsky, owner of NYZAT, which also operates similar ziplines in New Hampshire and Jamaica. “The Catskills combine beautiful terrain and easy access from the NY metro area.”
NYZAT will build three (3) separate tours on Hunter Mountain, from mild to wild, providing fun for all ages. The longest tandem ziplines, extending from the summit, will be over 3000’ long and nearly 600’ off the ground. The three individual courses will total almost 5 miles of ziplines, sky bridges and challenge elements.
Guests will be accompanied on tours of up to 2.5 hours by professionally trained guides. The facilities will operate year-round, utilizing Hunter’s chairlifts, terrain and base lodge. All design and construction meets or exceeds the latest safety standards as outlined by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) and Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA).
Mr. Bialsky also noted the support he received from Hunter Mountain, the Town and Village of Hunter, Greene County Economic Development, Tourism & Planning, Greene County Industrial Development Agency, New York State Office of Community Renewal and numerous other organizations.
“New York Zipline Adventure Tours will be the biggest attraction to hit Greene County since our ski resorts opened. There’s nothing like it anywhere near the NY metro area,” said Warren Hart, Director of Greene County Economic Development, Tourism & Planning.
Noting that the zipline is expected to attract 30,000 people during its first year and double that amount by its third year of operation, Mr. Hart added: “We expect the attraction to have tremendous spin-off benefits for the tourism industry here. People will be drawn to the zipline, then discover the many other recreational, cultural, lodging and dining opportunities in Greene County.”
NYZAT received a $200,000 low-interest Quantum Fund loan from Greene County, as well as a $200,000 grant from the New York State Office of Community Renewal. Dennis Lucas, Supervisor of the Town of Hunter, is the municipal sponsor of the grant, which is being administered by Greene County Economic Development, Tourism & Planning.
Division of Housing and Community Renewal Commissioner Deborah VanAmerogen said, “The Division of Housing and Community Renewal is pleased to be able to provide the final piece of critical financing to make NYZAT a reality at Hunter Mountain. This is another example of a strong private/public partnership yielding benefits for the local economy, providing another incentive for tourists to visit Greene County and more importantly creating twenty-nine (29) new, permanent tourism-related jobs for the residents of the Hudson Valley.
Hunter Mountain will assist in handling NYZAT’s marketing, public relations, communications and sales functions. The operation will be conducted out of Hunter’s base lodge.
“The new ziplines and canopy tour will provide another hugely popular and distinct reason to visit the Catskills,” explains Brian Czarnecki, Director of Marketing & Sales for Hunter Mountain. “We’re glad to have NYZAT join our team, and believe these adventure elements will be as exciting as anything we ever could have imagined. We’re elated to be able to offer such a distinct experience, available throughout the seasons at Hunter Mountain.”
“This project is a perfect example of the type of tourism investment needed to strengthen Greene County’s appeal as a four-season destination,” said Assemblyman Pete Lopez. “The innovation and creativity of the management at Hunter Mountain, together with the support of our state and local development agencies can only lead to more good things in the future. We must continue to promote similar partnerships with other businesses across Greene County.”
The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 2:30pm at Hunter’s base lodge, in conjunction with Hunter Mountain’s 50th Anniversary finale. All members of the press are invited to attend. For further information, logos, photos or marketing materials, please contact Jessica Pezak at jpezak@huntermtn.com or via phone at 800-486-8376 x2339.
Hunter, NY – Hunter Mountain has teamed up with New York Zipline Adventure Tours (NYZAT) to provide the longest and highest ziplines and canopy tour in North America. Construction of the ziplines, towers and canopy tour will begin immediately; a groundbreaking ceremony will be held on January 9, 2010 to correspond with the culmination of Hunter’s 50th Anniversary. The ziplines, canopy tour and adventure tower are scheduled to open in spring of 2010.
“Greene County was the ideal location for this project,” said Jay Bialsky, owner of NYZAT, which also operates similar ziplines in New Hampshire and Jamaica. “The Catskills combine beautiful terrain and easy access from the NY metro area.”
NYZAT will build three (3) separate tours on Hunter Mountain, from mild to wild, providing fun for all ages. The longest tandem ziplines, extending from the summit, will be over 3000’ long and nearly 600’ off the ground. The three individual courses will total almost 5 miles of ziplines, sky bridges and challenge elements.
Guests will be accompanied on tours of up to 2.5 hours by professionally trained guides. The facilities will operate year-round, utilizing Hunter’s chairlifts, terrain and base lodge. All design and construction meets or exceeds the latest safety standards as outlined by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) and Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA).
Mr. Bialsky also noted the support he received from Hunter Mountain, the Town and Village of Hunter, Greene County Economic Development, Tourism & Planning, Greene County Industrial Development Agency, New York State Office of Community Renewal and numerous other organizations.
“New York Zipline Adventure Tours will be the biggest attraction to hit Greene County since our ski resorts opened. There’s nothing like it anywhere near the NY metro area,” said Warren Hart, Director of Greene County Economic Development, Tourism & Planning.
Noting that the zipline is expected to attract 30,000 people during its first year and double that amount by its third year of operation, Mr. Hart added: “We expect the attraction to have tremendous spin-off benefits for the tourism industry here. People will be drawn to the zipline, then discover the many other recreational, cultural, lodging and dining opportunities in Greene County.”
NYZAT received a $200,000 low-interest Quantum Fund loan from Greene County, as well as a $200,000 grant from the New York State Office of Community Renewal. Dennis Lucas, Supervisor of the Town of Hunter, is the municipal sponsor of the grant, which is being administered by Greene County Economic Development, Tourism & Planning.
Division of Housing and Community Renewal Commissioner Deborah VanAmerogen said, “The Division of Housing and Community Renewal is pleased to be able to provide the final piece of critical financing to make NYZAT a reality at Hunter Mountain. This is another example of a strong private/public partnership yielding benefits for the local economy, providing another incentive for tourists to visit Greene County and more importantly creating twenty-nine (29) new, permanent tourism-related jobs for the residents of the Hudson Valley.
Hunter Mountain will assist in handling NYZAT’s marketing, public relations, communications and sales functions. The operation will be conducted out of Hunter’s base lodge.
“The new ziplines and canopy tour will provide another hugely popular and distinct reason to visit the Catskills,” explains Brian Czarnecki, Director of Marketing & Sales for Hunter Mountain. “We’re glad to have NYZAT join our team, and believe these adventure elements will be as exciting as anything we ever could have imagined. We’re elated to be able to offer such a distinct experience, available throughout the seasons at Hunter Mountain.”
“This project is a perfect example of the type of tourism investment needed to strengthen Greene County’s appeal as a four-season destination,” said Assemblyman Pete Lopez. “The innovation and creativity of the management at Hunter Mountain, together with the support of our state and local development agencies can only lead to more good things in the future. We must continue to promote similar partnerships with other businesses across Greene County.”
The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 2:30pm at Hunter’s base lodge, in conjunction with Hunter Mountain’s 50th Anniversary finale. All members of the press are invited to attend. For further information, logos, photos or marketing materials, please contact Jessica Pezak at jpezak@huntermtn.com or via phone at 800-486-8376 x2339.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
RideHunter.com!
Our terrain park is shaping up nicely. The pipe is in, our Nike 6.0 Frozen Seagle is up, and we have an assortment of jumps and rails. Don't forget to keep up with terrain park news via our park site at RideHunter.com!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Snowmaking Update - Monday
Update yesterday afternoon from Bruce:
Another cold and blustery day and the snowmakers are still going all out to get the mountain... all opened other than 44 for Christmas. Today we are on Annapurna, and still building up on Clair's along with all over the mountain.
For those wondering about 44, yes, it is in the plan for the future IF the weather is favorable (no rain)... if we get 44 opened, the mtn will be 100%. Right now are conditions and amount of terrain opened is way better than the past few years. I just got in from a few runs and it may be a little chilly out but the skiing is great: Hellgate to Ike is WOW, with Racer's a close second.
With the forecast, it will only get better the next few days... oh and it is basically empty, up and down no waiting other than to take a needed break. Don't wait call in sick to work, school, whatever: get up here and take advantage of our long hard hours!
Another cold and blustery day and the snowmakers are still going all out to get the mountain... all opened other than 44 for Christmas. Today we are on Annapurna, and still building up on Clair's along with all over the mountain.
For those wondering about 44, yes, it is in the plan for the future IF the weather is favorable (no rain)... if we get 44 opened, the mtn will be 100%. Right now are conditions and amount of terrain opened is way better than the past few years. I just got in from a few runs and it may be a little chilly out but the skiing is great: Hellgate to Ike is WOW, with Racer's a close second.
With the forecast, it will only get better the next few days... oh and it is basically empty, up and down no waiting other than to take a needed break. Don't wait call in sick to work, school, whatever: get up here and take advantage of our long hard hours!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Sunday Sunday Sunday! Annapurna or Westway!
Late Saturday evening snowmaking report from Bruce...
If you missed skiing today, it's to bad... let's not miss days like this again! Skiing was awesome, with new trails opening all day... Today we opened Clair's, White Cloud, Upper Xover and Colonel's Alternate.
The future for snowmaking, looking into that crystal snowball, will bring either Annapurna or 44 maybe Sunday or Monday... so look out! Along with those we will be hitting more in the beginners' area, up E-Lift.
So for your Christmas present, I expect to have at least 90-99% of the mountain opened, not only opened but with GREAT SNOW an Conditions.
If you missed skiing today, it's to bad... let's not miss days like this again! Skiing was awesome, with new trails opening all day... Today we opened Clair's, White Cloud, Upper Xover and Colonel's Alternate.
The future for snowmaking, looking into that crystal snowball, will bring either Annapurna or 44 maybe Sunday or Monday... so look out! Along with those we will be hitting more in the beginners' area, up E-Lift.
So for your Christmas present, I expect to have at least 90-99% of the mountain opened, not only opened but with GREAT SNOW an Conditions.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Woooaaahhhhh Saturday!
Well, boys and girls, I for one have been here since 5:55am this morning, and I think it is beginning to catch up with me.
I just updated the Twitter feed: Clair's is open top-to-bottom today. There's snowmaking everywhere, and there are four 'check opening time' marks on the morning Ski Patrol report: including Colonel's Alternate and Taylor's Run. The West Side is moving along, snowmaking-wise. We could get a few inches of snow later today into tonight, too, so that would certainly sweeten the deal!
Snowtubing is going to be open from 1pm-9pm today and from 9am-5pm tomorrow. It's a mellow day today here, probably because NYC, North & Central Jersey are getting huge snow later today, so come on up and have some fun!!
I just updated the Twitter feed: Clair's is open top-to-bottom today. There's snowmaking everywhere, and there are four 'check opening time' marks on the morning Ski Patrol report: including Colonel's Alternate and Taylor's Run. The West Side is moving along, snowmaking-wise. We could get a few inches of snow later today into tonight, too, so that would certainly sweeten the deal!
Snowtubing is going to be open from 1pm-9pm today and from 9am-5pm tomorrow. It's a mellow day today here, probably because NYC, North & Central Jersey are getting huge snow later today, so come on up and have some fun!!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Tracie "Max" Sachs Autograph Signing
Tomorrow, Saturday, Tracie "Max" Sachs, the 5x World Cup champion speed skier, will be conducting an autograph signing and race clinic here at Hunter Mountain! Tracie is a long-time Hunter skier and we are psyched she will be joining us for the day! Stay tuned as to times... she'll be up at the real estate booth in the base lodge on Saturday!
Visit QuickChick.com for more info about Tracie and her medals, trophies and world records!
Visit QuickChick.com for more info about Tracie and her medals, trophies and world records!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Snowmaking Update!!
Bruce sent me a quick snowmaking update today... here it is!
We're busy, so this will be short and quick. Snowmaking is in full force and we will be moving all around the mountain in hopes to have the whole mtn opened up for Christmas. Last night and today we did a bang up job covering things up so on Thursday we will be moving to some new terrain: that will be Clair's, Lower K27, Highlands... those will be our main trails along with the
others. Skiing this weekend and the hollidays will be great with the forecast of cold weather! Manmade powder: come on up and enjoy!
We're busy, so this will be short and quick. Snowmaking is in full force and we will be moving all around the mountain in hopes to have the whole mtn opened up for Christmas. Last night and today we did a bang up job covering things up so on Thursday we will be moving to some new terrain: that will be Clair's, Lower K27, Highlands... those will be our main trails along with the
others. Skiing this weekend and the hollidays will be great with the forecast of cold weather! Manmade powder: come on up and enjoy!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Snowmaking Update!
As promised...
Mother nature kept us honest and threw a little bad weather are way... no problem: we will come back and rally to get the mountain into great shape in no time. It's Tuesday morning, and the temps are predicted to start falling today... the snowmakers are standing by, waiting for that to happen.
Once the temps start to drop, we will start up the compressors and guns to once again blanket the mountain with that manmade powder starting on upper Belt, HBK, Minya Ike, Madison, Lower Crossover, Hunter One, Mossy and a few more out there.
The good news is that it looks like the weather is moving in with some cold that will stay around awhile with a Christmas present around the holidays of natural snow that will only add to the great skiing at Hunter over the holiday period!
The plan for the weekend is that we will have more terrain opened along with Clair's on the West Side, so get ready for some great conditions and give yourself and friends a ski and ride day or days at Hunter! -Bruce
Mother nature kept us honest and threw a little bad weather are way... no problem: we will come back and rally to get the mountain into great shape in no time. It's Tuesday morning, and the temps are predicted to start falling today... the snowmakers are standing by, waiting for that to happen.
Once the temps start to drop, we will start up the compressors and guns to once again blanket the mountain with that manmade powder starting on upper Belt, HBK, Minya Ike, Madison, Lower Crossover, Hunter One, Mossy and a few more out there.
The good news is that it looks like the weather is moving in with some cold that will stay around awhile with a Christmas present around the holidays of natural snow that will only add to the great skiing at Hunter over the holiday period!
The plan for the weekend is that we will have more terrain opened along with Clair's on the West Side, so get ready for some great conditions and give yourself and friends a ski and ride day or days at Hunter! -Bruce
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Snowmaking Update, Saturday Afternoon
Saturday afternoon and the temps are starting to fall as the sun goes down. Today was an epic day for opening weekend with lots of trails powder and sunshine. With more great snowmaking tonight... there will be even more terrain opened for Sunday... yes, more trails!
If everything goes according to what I plan, we will add Heuga, Dropoff, Racer's, Gun Hill, West Side Glide, Gateway, Lower Broadway, Park Ave, and Upper K27.
This will make a total of 34 trails. Not bad for opening weekend and with great conditions powder and more powder. Make the most of it and get out and enjoy our hard work! --Bruce
If everything goes according to what I plan, we will add Heuga, Dropoff, Racer's, Gun Hill, West Side Glide, Gateway, Lower Broadway, Park Ave, and Upper K27.
This will make a total of 34 trails. Not bad for opening weekend and with great conditions powder and more powder. Make the most of it and get out and enjoy our hard work! --Bruce
But wait, there's more!
No, seriously, there is a lot more.
Today, we opened Madison. The guns are howling in the terrain park, and there are a few features up... keep an eye out for the next few days... NEW FEATURES will be out this week as we continue ramping up (no pun intended, har har)
TOMORROW...
East Side Drive, Milky Way, Upper K-27 & the Rip trail from the KMC will open up.
We are blowing absurd amounts of snow on Heuga, Gateway and Dropoff, so keep your eyes peeled for a Sunday or Monday opening on those!
Today, we opened Madison. The guns are howling in the terrain park, and there are a few features up... keep an eye out for the next few days... NEW FEATURES will be out this week as we continue ramping up (no pun intended, har har)
TOMORROW...
East Side Drive, Milky Way, Upper K-27 & the Rip trail from the KMC will open up.
We are blowing absurd amounts of snow on Heuga, Gateway and Dropoff, so keep your eyes peeled for a Sunday or Monday opening on those!
Beaver Attack!
....we experienced a bit of an outage yesterday (read: ALL DAY, starting at 2am, ending more than 12 hours later). From what I can gather, beavers somehow took down a telephone pole (only in upstate New York...) and we have 0 internet, 0 cable anywhere at all throughout the Mountaintop.
SO, if you received an outdated or slightly confusing snow report claiming Friday to be Thursday, it wasn't on purpose!
That said, today, we are up and running, and waiting for the fun to begin. With tons of snowmaking still going on, we have a whopping 23 trails open today, 5 lifts, and will have more open for tomorrow & the next few days. For our 3rd day, we are 42% open trail-wise... spectacular return for the long wait.
We hope to see you all this weekend, and stay tuned for more openings! I've heard through the grapevine that snowmaking starts on Clair's on Tuesday.........
SO, if you received an outdated or slightly confusing snow report claiming Friday to be Thursday, it wasn't on purpose!
That said, today, we are up and running, and waiting for the fun to begin. With tons of snowmaking still going on, we have a whopping 23 trails open today, 5 lifts, and will have more open for tomorrow & the next few days. For our 3rd day, we are 42% open trail-wise... spectacular return for the long wait.
We hope to see you all this weekend, and stay tuned for more openings! I've heard through the grapevine that snowmaking starts on Clair's on Tuesday.........
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Snow snow snow!
Dudes, we have a LOT OF SNOW. 8"+ and it's still coming down. It might be raining, or hailing, or sleeting where you live, but it's snowing here!
Check out the video below while you're waiting for us to open...... not much time left until the lifts are running!!!
Check out the video below while you're waiting for us to open...... not much time left until the lifts are running!!!
Monday, December 07, 2009
SNOWMAKING UPDATE!!
Right from the horse's (er... Bruce's) mouth!
Finally it looks like winter has decided to arrive in Hunter, and with this cold weather the snow guns are fired up and covering the trails. Along with the cold weather, we got help with some of that old fashioned natural stuff so we will be building on that.
Right now, the guns are on the main line: Hellgate , Broadway, Kennedy along with the Belt, Minya, Lower Crossover, Off-Broadway. Mossy, Ike, and Hunter One.
There looks to be a slight burp on Tuesday into Wednesday but as of now the guns will be turned on in full force to make up for all that lost time. On Wednesday the roar of the snow guns will be heard from the West Side on Wayout with the plan of moving to Clair's by Saturday.
In the next few days and weeks we will be moving around the mountain quickly to get it opened. With cold weather, you will see the power of our snowmaking and remember that this is why you ski Hunter!
Finally it looks like winter has decided to arrive in Hunter, and with this cold weather the snow guns are fired up and covering the trails. Along with the cold weather, we got help with some of that old fashioned natural stuff so we will be building on that.
Right now, the guns are on the main line: Hellgate , Broadway, Kennedy along with the Belt, Minya, Lower Crossover, Off-Broadway. Mossy, Ike, and Hunter One.
There looks to be a slight burp on Tuesday into Wednesday but as of now the guns will be turned on in full force to make up for all that lost time. On Wednesday the roar of the snow guns will be heard from the West Side on Wayout with the plan of moving to Clair's by Saturday.
In the next few days and weeks we will be moving around the mountain quickly to get it opened. With cold weather, you will see the power of our snowmaking and remember that this is why you ski Hunter!
Friday, December 04, 2009
Hear ye, hear ye, Hunter's opening midweek!
Due to the unseasonably warm weather, we've chosen to spend a few extra days (i.e., this weekend) making snow, spreading out and developing a base, and plan to open Thursday or Friday of next week. In the grand scheme of things, it seems wiser to us to use this weather to the best of our ability -- and that, for Hunter, is using it for snowmaking, grooming, and to give our customers deeper base and more terrain.
The entire Northeast is struggling with a slow start to winter, but we are not at all dissuaded; we plan to ramp up our world-class snowmaking tonight and have some great, white terrain open for you all midweek and into next weekend... so instead of streaming down HBK alone, keep an open mind and hope for good weather... there may be more terrain to choose from!
Snowmaking starts up again tonight... even after Wednesday's torrential downpour, we've got initial snow left! Forecasts still assure us that a fantastic winter is on its way... it's just a bit late! Stay positive, and stay tuned... Hunter's putting all its power and prowess into some serious snowmaking while temperatures allow, and you all know the wait will be worth it!!
The entire Northeast is struggling with a slow start to winter, but we are not at all dissuaded; we plan to ramp up our world-class snowmaking tonight and have some great, white terrain open for you all midweek and into next weekend... so instead of streaming down HBK alone, keep an open mind and hope for good weather... there may be more terrain to choose from!
Snowmaking starts up again tonight... even after Wednesday's torrential downpour, we've got initial snow left! Forecasts still assure us that a fantastic winter is on its way... it's just a bit late! Stay positive, and stay tuned... Hunter's putting all its power and prowess into some serious snowmaking while temperatures allow, and you all know the wait will be worth it!!
Worm in the news!
Check out this story from Vail Daily about this year's US Ski Team lineup, including Hunter's own Jeremy "Worm" Transue!
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
More summit shots...
Thanks to two of our ski patrol guys for these... yesterday morning, at the summit. Snowmaking starts up again on Thursday night -- look for new photos on Friday!
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Morning photos from the summit...
Check these out... taken by David Slutzky... early this morning at the summit. Snowmaking has been shut down as of now, though it is snowing :) We'll start making snow again on Thursday evening.
SNOWMAKING HAS BEGUN!
Late, late last night, Hunter fired up its guns, and now visible is a white line down the HBK line -- Hellgate, Broadway, Kennedy -- full summit to base! Check out the photos below and stay tuned for more!
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