1/23/2012 7:43:00 AM
by Meadows Team
in Connection, Weather Blog, Media Center
| 3 comments
The advanced gated access terrain in Private Reserve was opened for the first time this season Sunday. Elk and Yoda bowls and God's Wall were open and enjoyed by powder hounds. Private Reserve is part of our daily operational schedule, pending avalanche control work and conditions. We strongly recommend riding with a friend and carrying a beacon, shovel and probe. Pierce from mComm caught the action in PR Sunday.
The access gates to Heather Canyon and S&R Cliffs have not been opened, pending continued snow bridge building at the bottom of the canyon and assessment. Efforts continue and we'll provide updates here on the blog but for now please respect the boundaries - DO NOT duck a rope or pass through a closed gate. It only delays getting this terrain open.
Vista and Cascade are both on storm recovery. Our lift maintenance crews face major deicing - Vista was started Sunday and crews faced ladders totally encased in ice frozen to the tower itself. The break in the weather today will help and we'll get these lifts open as quickly as possible. Vista is much more likely than Cascade - since Cascade last opened we've had 115" of snow, 2.3" of rain, and 100mph wind gusts. It's going to be a huge undertaking to open it.
All the snow has also affected our park operations. They were buried so we're basically starting from scratch with rebuilds of The Zoo, Shipyard and Forest Park. The good news is we now have enough snow for constructing Rose City and Park Place, our more advanced parks which will have larger features and jumps.