Plattekill Conditions
- Thread starter ScottySkis
- Start date
NYSkiBlog
Administrator
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2020
Harvey
Administrator
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2020
As mentioned above I had dinner with Macker yesterday afternoon.
He told me some news, I've been expecting, and also dreading.
Ridge Run is getting snowmaking this summer.
I totally get it. Right now, when there is no natural snow, or not enough, they are forced to put an "Experts Only" sign on the double, which, at peak times, put pressure on the triple.
It's a smart business decision, the kind of decision that keep Plattekill in business. But it is still sad, for me.
Shots like this, with trees that have all their branches, will become thing of the past.
Ridge holds snow really well, and should be in play into late season once it has snowmaking. Yesterday North Face was T2B and it only had 48 hours of snowmaking all season.
I tried to lobby for snowmaking on Overlook instead, or at least the lower half. That actually may be part of the work this summer. At least setting up for it.
He told me some news, I've been expecting, and also dreading.
Ridge Run is getting snowmaking this summer.
I totally get it. Right now, when there is no natural snow, or not enough, they are forced to put an "Experts Only" sign on the double, which, at peak times, put pressure on the triple.
It's a smart business decision, the kind of decision that keep Plattekill in business. But it is still sad, for me.
Shots like this, with trees that have all their branches, will become thing of the past.
Ridge holds snow really well, and should be in play into late season once it has snowmaking. Yesterday North Face was T2B and it only had 48 hours of snowmaking all season.
I tried to lobby for snowmaking on Overlook instead, or at least the lower half. That actually may be part of the work this summer. At least setting up for it.
Maybe some of it will blow into the base of the trees too for ya.
Faces East
Faces North East.
Lower half Faces North
Upper Faces South and requires more pumpage stuff for the upper.
Seems Platty’s folks know their bump & stuff.
gregmarx
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2023
In general, how literally should the "experts only" advisories at Plattekill be taken? I have only one day there, when limited terrain was open. I'd love to get back to explore more but I check the conditions report online fairly often and as far as I can tell the natural terrain off both chairs -- even Overlook and the blue trails -- is frequently listed as expert-only even when there's been significant accumulation. I can manage ungroomed blue terrain but am very far from an "expert" so that is something of a deterrent, but not sure if it should be.
Great photo!
Harvey
Administrator
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2020
Thanks on the photo, it's one of my favorites from this season. Skier is @Scottski63.
Ridge and Overlook have blue and green pitched terrain. But without snowmaking, and say 18 inches of snow, unless you are first through, you will be likely be dodging things. That makes it a bit more expert.
I'd say ski with someone here — someone who seeks out Ridge Run — for a few runs on something with snowmaking, like Northface. And ask them if they think you could handle thin cover on Ridge. Generally if it's officially open, Ridge is probably ok. (Would like to hear @Brownski's opinion on that too.)
If you don't care about your skis too much, it makes it easier.
Brownski
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2020
I don’t remember putting up the experts only sign when Overlook was open, even with really thin cover. It’s super rocky though. Ridge and Twist both have sections that get a little squirrelly with thin cover but if you’re confident on all blues and don’t mind risking your bases, you’d probably be fine. Even North Face is pretty manageable for high intermediates when it has good coverage. Where we run into trouble is when it says expert only and real beginners go up expecting overlook or switchback to be open.
