Tuesday, December 8, 2009

I <3 Snowmakers!

Six new trails today - that's amazing. Okemo's snowmakers are true magicians and they're working their magic to try and get Jackson Gore open this weekend. No promises ... but as I told Ops-Guy Eb this morning, "I BELIEVE!"

Maybe it's like in The Adventures of Peter Pan ... in chapter 13, when Tinker Bell is so distressed and Peter says, "If you believe, clap your hands; don't let Tink die."

What do you think? Would you clap your hands to get Jackson Gore open this weekend? Oh, that's just a silly notion that couldn't possibly work. But what if it did work? It worked for Tink. Couldn't it work for Tuck (Okemo's VP of Operations Barry Tucker is affectionately know as Tuck) and his crew too? Are you willing to risk it? I hope not. Start clapping! Clap your hands if you believe. Don't let Tuck down.

I'll see yopu on Lower Limelight ;-)

Monday, December 7, 2009

A magical event, indeed.

"The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?"
                                                                     ~ J. B. (John Boynton) Priestley

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Cue the snow .... and ... ACTION!

It looks like a movie production comapny came in overnight and transformed the entire Okemo Valley into the perfect winter wonderland just for our opening weekend. Everything is frosted in white this morning. Icicles dangle from the roofline of the base lodge and smoke curls as it rises from chimneys in the village.

That's New England for you ... one day we're all walking around in shirtsleeves remarking on how warm it is ... the next day it's instantly winter. That's nothing new for Okemo's team of snowmakers. They do that a lot at this time of year - transform a brown autumn meadow into a wintry snow-covered slope for skiing and riding. They happen to be extremely good at it and have recently overcome some challenging marginal temperatures to offer up some early summit snow sliding in time for our season opening this weekend.

Yesterday's natural snowfall will not play a major role in allowing us to open up more terrain. It was more like a wink from Mother Nature ... a small gesture to recognize our perseverance in spite of her shenanigans ... and a token to say, "good job." The big reward comes in the colder temperatures she's serving us. Round-the-clock snowmaking will allow us to open additional trails quickly as the week progresses. Our operations team has been in touch with the local electric provider and coordinated our higher-than-usual demand for power as we plan our snowmaking assault. We've also brought in a powerful generator to supplement our electrical needs.


The low hum of air compressors is a sweet sound of welcome to skiers and snowboarders arriving at the mountain this morning as the sun's first rays cast a golden glow over the expanse of white. They're eager to make their first turns of the season and they'll have a few inches of fresh snow and bluebird skies to kick off their 2009/2010 season of snowsliding. Visit Okemo's online snow report for full details.

See you on the slopes!