Big SNOW Conditions and TRs
- Thread starter NYSkiBlog
- Start date
xWeatherman
Member
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2020
I accomplished a bucket list item yesterday; I’ve always wanted to go skiing on my birthday. I had envisioned this for a long time going on a ski trip to New Zealand or perhaps South America. I finally skied on my birthday in New Jersey, not what I imagined but it was a fun day and the logistics were a lot easier. Besides I learned to ski in New Jersey at Vernon Valley (back when it was separate from Great Gorge and had bubble chairs).
For those of you interested conditions were excellent with no ice. They were 100% open (both runs). The temperature was 28 degrees and the skies were overcast (very overcast!) on the other hand there was no wind which made it feel very comfortable. One minor issue is that my Ski Tracks does not work indoors (no GPS) so I can’t tell you how much vertical we skied but Ellen and I were able to do 17 runs in two hours, can’t do that many runs at Killington in two hours! It was actually a fun couple of hours, we especially liked going down the poma line (which wasn't running) next to the terrain park There were a couple of excellent boarders in the terrain park one doing inverted aerials off one of the jumps. One pro tip I learned is that your ski boots are a lot easier to get on if they have been sitting in a parking lot where it is close to 90 degrees for a while before you put them on!
For those of you interested conditions were excellent with no ice. They were 100% open (both runs). The temperature was 28 degrees and the skies were overcast (very overcast!) on the other hand there was no wind which made it feel very comfortable. One minor issue is that my Ski Tracks does not work indoors (no GPS) so I can’t tell you how much vertical we skied but Ellen and I were able to do 17 runs in two hours, can’t do that many runs at Killington in two hours! It was actually a fun couple of hours, we especially liked going down the poma line (which wasn't running) next to the terrain park There were a couple of excellent boarders in the terrain park one doing inverted aerials off one of the jumps. One pro tip I learned is that your ski boots are a lot easier to get on if they have been sitting in a parking lot where it is close to 90 degrees for a while before you put them on!
idratherbskiing
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2020
Took my wife here for her birthday. we lasted 45 mins before it got old but def a blast. id go back and try the snow bikes, they look fun. Like you said, going from outside 90+ heat to 28 was so refreshing.
MarzNC
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2020
I went again last Monday on my way south from Lake Placid. Met up with a couple Ski Divas. Like skiing at any small hill with short slopes, more fun when going with friends. Then spending more time chatting on the lift versus skiing down is part of the fun.
MarzNC
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2020
Had a good time at Big SNOW last Monday, Aug. 23. Met up with a couple Ski Divas, including one I'd never met in person before. I brought my gear this trip. It was busier than I expected at 1:00. Seemed as if most of the people brought their own gear and had a multi-visit ticket. The line at 12:50 was gone by the time I got back with my gear just after 1:00. The person checking people in let me go in early.
One family had no idea Big SNOW existed when they got to American Dream. The tween son wanted to give it a try. He was quick to understand that his father had to buy a ticket online. Kid was laughing about the idea of going on snow in shorts and a t-shirt.
People waiting at 12:50 for the 1:00 opening time
What was new that didn't exist in July was the "sledding" section. It's clearly a summer experiment for locals. The ticket is relatively cheap and there isn't an option to rent jacket/pants. The sled is more like an advanced version of a small piece of cardboard. Hard to see in the picture but there is a post to hold onto that goes between the legs. Could either walk up the conveyor line that was not running on the left, or ride up the active one on the right.
One family had no idea Big SNOW existed when they got to American Dream. The tween son wanted to give it a try. He was quick to understand that his father had to buy a ticket online. Kid was laughing about the idea of going on snow in shorts and a t-shirt.
People waiting at 12:50 for the 1:00 opening time
What was new that didn't exist in July was the "sledding" section. It's clearly a summer experiment for locals. The ticket is relatively cheap and there isn't an option to rent jacket/pants. The sled is more like an advanced version of a small piece of cardboard. Hard to see in the picture but there is a post to hold onto that goes between the legs. Could either walk up the conveyor line that was not running on the left, or ride up the active one on the right.
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MarzNC
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2020
Big SNOW limits ticket sales to 30 per 15-min check in period. The price goes up a bit as people buy tickets for a given time slot. I opted for 1:15 to save a few bucks since 1:00 had fewer tickets left. For some reason people don't realize that they can start at times that aren't on the hour or half-hour. People who get a multi-visit ticket don't have to reserve a time. The 2-hour session doesn't start until you thru the doors that leads to the snow.
First time I went was in July and we were in a hurry. Changed in the restroom. Never noticed the sign for Fitting Room. The doors to the changing rooms looked like decoration. There is plenty of space and a bench in the fitting rooms. So taking a kid in to get them changed would work out well.
In July, stopping by Big SNOW was a chance to get my daughter's BF on skis for the first time. All three of us did the full rental package that includes ski jacket, snow pants, helmet, and ski gear. The boot rental process is set up so that a newbie ends up with buckled boots, which they don't have to take off if they have already put on their snow pants. Note that the staff don't have to bend down because the customer's feet are not on ground level.
EDIT: Our check in time was 11:30. Pretty empty until 1:00.
Even though the online ticket purchase process asked for ability level, that didn't seem to make a difference. My daughter and I got skis that were about chin level, if not a little shorter. She asked for longer skis and they were quickly switched out. I wasn't planning to ski much so just kept what I was given.
There were blue-coated staff around who could help a beginner get into their ski bindings. I opted to let them help BF. Also found him one of the roaming instructors. Even though it was a Saturday (July during a pandemic), there weren't many beginner skiers around. So he essentially got a 45-min private lesson. Finished with a run or two on the "bunny slope" after starting out on the Perfect Slope (banked turns). Overall it was a very good introduction. BF is interested in skiing again. Since he and DD are in Asheville, NC, they can go to Cataloochee this winter. Cat is only 45 min away.
Monday, August 22, around 1:30pm
Saturday, July 24, around 2:30pm
First time I went was in July and we were in a hurry. Changed in the restroom. Never noticed the sign for Fitting Room. The doors to the changing rooms looked like decoration. There is plenty of space and a bench in the fitting rooms. So taking a kid in to get them changed would work out well.
In July, stopping by Big SNOW was a chance to get my daughter's BF on skis for the first time. All three of us did the full rental package that includes ski jacket, snow pants, helmet, and ski gear. The boot rental process is set up so that a newbie ends up with buckled boots, which they don't have to take off if they have already put on their snow pants. Note that the staff don't have to bend down because the customer's feet are not on ground level.
EDIT: Our check in time was 11:30. Pretty empty until 1:00.
Even though the online ticket purchase process asked for ability level, that didn't seem to make a difference. My daughter and I got skis that were about chin level, if not a little shorter. She asked for longer skis and they were quickly switched out. I wasn't planning to ski much so just kept what I was given.
There were blue-coated staff around who could help a beginner get into their ski bindings. I opted to let them help BF. Also found him one of the roaming instructors. Even though it was a Saturday (July during a pandemic), there weren't many beginner skiers around. So he essentially got a 45-min private lesson. Finished with a run or two on the "bunny slope" after starting out on the Perfect Slope (banked turns). Overall it was a very good introduction. BF is interested in skiing again. Since he and DD are in Asheville, NC, they can go to Cataloochee this winter. Cat is only 45 min away.
Monday, August 22, around 1:30pm
Saturday, July 24, around 2:30pm
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MarzNC
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2020
Yeah, not really necessary. I always wear goggles because my eyes water otherwise. Used the lenses that are good for night skiing.
I wore insulated pants and a mid layer jacket with a light vest. With no wind, that's enough. I just wore my normal pants underneath since they were a loose fitting style. That meant one less change before I hit the road.
I skied non-stop for about 90 min. Stopped early mostly because I'd pretty much decided to drive all the way back to NC that afternoon/evening. Was ready to sleep in my own bed after being gone for a little over a week.
