Royal Mountain Conditions

[Jim]

Royal remained closed the last 3 days while they waited out the rain, report 7-8" snow from today's back side of the storm. Fri-Sun are planned to be the last 3 days of the season. All the main trails will be open. Knight and part of Prince are groomed, there will be a new small park on the bunny slope, everything else ungroomed at least for Friday. I can't go Friday or Saturday, will be there Sunday if at all possible.

 

[Jim]

I got in the 11 runs I needed to hit 300 from the top of Royal for the season. It was bright and sunny while I was out from about 11:35 to 1:45 with a lunch break in there. The best skiing in my opinion was the top halves of Knight, Prince and Queen, a pleasant surface up there before it got slushy and grabby on the bottom run outs. Challenge and Royal were heavy, erratically rutted and mounded up, with some bare spots to negotiate. Very skiable but not what I was looking to do so I took just 1 on Challenge and 2 on Royal. All in all a pleasant end to a nice season in a tough snow year. There's plenty of snow left to squeeze out another weekend but I am sure it's just not worth it for the few people who'd come out. I wouldn't call the time I was there busy by any means but I did see a number of day tickets, not just season pass holders, and there were even a couple lessons.

Today was operating day 45. I think the goal is usually to get up to around 50. I was there for 27 of them, plus 2 weeknights (that don't count in the 45) while I was teaching in the after school program.

It's possible my season's done, since my next opportunity to get out is probably not until the weekend of the 20th maybe even later. Not sure what options will be available by then.

 

[Jim]

Not a conditions report, but this seems like the place to post a link to the "American Dream" episode that included a short segment on Royal Mountain:

Albany Full Episode: 04/06/2024

This is "Albany Full Episode: 04/06/2024" by The American Dream TV on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

vimeo.com

There's a short interview with Brooke and Jake, and some footage from demo day back in February.

The Royal segment starts in minute 21 of the video.

 

[Jim]

Given the weather forecasts, there is high confidence in a December 7 opening day for Royal. The plan is to make snow every time temperatures are cold enough.

Last weekend there a few patched of snow on the practice slope from testing the snowmaking system, but it was long gone this morning when I was up there for our last indoor instructor training session. All rain from this storm last few days up this way. Bright side of it: the snowmaking ponds are topped off.

 

[Jim]

It looks like the most terrain tomorrow for an opening day in many years. Only the top of Knight (probably because of ongoing snowmaking) and Challenge will be closed among the main trails. Wilbury Way is the old T-Bar line and rarely opens in December at all. And I expect at least some of the woods will be in play. Should be a great day to start the season. From Royal's facebook page:

Welcome to the 2024-25 Winter Season!

We’re excited to announce that our ski area is officially OPEN for the season starting on Saturday. Whether you're hitting the trails for the first time or a seasoned pro, we’ve got something for everyone.
What trails are going to be open?

Royal

Queen

Board around

Terrain park

Prince

Midnight

Lower knight

Lodge run

Lift access

Bunny slope

Captian Jack

Wilbury Way

Doc’s Drop

Lower Red Carpet
We completed 5 days of snowmaking with about 120hours. We took a 1 day break due to the temperatures yesterday but we have already started them back up!
See you on the mountain!

 

[Jim]

It was already going to be a great opening day, then Royal won the lake effect jackpot overnight with a good 8 or 10 inches of extra fluff. The mountain was busy but comfortably so. Only the Hadley lift was running to the top, so wait times got up to 2 or 3 minutes at times. As expected all the main trails except the top of Knight and the Challenge were open. Royal and Queen were groomed early giving the full 8-12" of powder on top, while Prince, Lower Knight, and Captain Jack were groomed late and had just an inch or two on top. Areas that had not been groomed at least not since the last couple of snow events (middle of Knight, top of Captain Jack, far left on Queen, right side of Royal, Wilbury Way, all woods) had knee deep, very fluffy powder. Definitely not something we get often, and certainly not this early. I wish I was in better ski shape (today was Day 1 for me) so I could have done more. Even so, I was very satisfied with my 12 runs off the top (plus bunny slope when teaching a lesson and doing instructor training). I hit all of the open trails, focusing on finding the deep untracked stuff, and got into the woods some during the afternoon.

I hope it's a sign of things to come this season. I'd be very happy with today's conditions any day of the season and pretty much anywhere.

 

[Jim]

The fluffy powder of a week ago was rained into a firm base and the snowmaking returned in force once it got cold again so it was a pretty nice Saturday at Royal. Lots of sun, a mixture of packed powder and frozen granular, and the main ways down the mountain open except Upper Knight and Challenge. Snow guns were going all day on those two and they should be ready to go for next weekend and the Christmas/New Year break. There was a lot of traffic on Challenge for a closed trail...

Hopefully this week won't be quite as wet as last.

 

[Jim]

It was just posted on Royal's FB that all main trails except possibly Captain Jack will be open tomorrow. And to me the big news: with such a great and early snowmaking run this season and with plenty of water still in the pond (that r*** was good for something anyway) they're going to be able to make snow soon on the new Red Carpet trail for the first time. Can't wait to give that a try. I've been down through all of it when it was a glade and it is steep. There was never enough snow on it last year that I felt comfortable trying it. I've been told it has the new steepest pitch on a cut trail on the mountain, a bit steeper than the top of Challenge.

 

[Jim]

Cold one today. I taught lessons all morning on the practice slope and only ended up taking 5 runs off the top after lunch. Queen and Royal were nice, Prince was OK, upper Knight was a bit chunky. Challenge was open but with snow guns blasting. That was not appealing to me so I will catch my first runs there next time (probably Monday -- other things going on tomorrow and it's going to be even colder).

 

[Jim]

I was able to head up to the mountain for the afternoon today. The cold (upper 10's) didn't feel so bad with the sun out and no wind. I got in a quick 10 runs on some really nice, fast packed powder, just a few spots on the Challenge and Royal getting a little slick but all was edgeable. I would have probably gone out for 5 or 6 more, but I was needed to teach a lesson at 2:45.

The whales in the terrain park and at the top of the Challenge are as large as I can ever recall seeing. Snowmaking on the new Red Carpet trail has begun, and some crew was out on the trail with chainsaws clearing out some brush and cutting down some stumps. The portable snow guns positioned on that trail were off during the day but I believe the plan was to fire them back up tonight.

The forecast is calling for 2-4" with temps in the teens tonight. I plan to be there for what should be a great morning out there tomorrow. Royal will be open until 1 for Christmas Eve then closed on Christmas Day.