BillnutinHouston Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 I'm considering going to the Packers game in mid December, and combining that some skiing/snowboarding with Billnut Jr. Does anybody know for sure if Kissing Bridge makes snow? I don't want to book a trip and come to find out that there's no snow to ski on. Tried calling them and left a message but they're not calling me back. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle flap Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 They definitely make snow. Any particular reason you're picking KB? It's a shorter drive from downtown, which I appreciate during the week, but on the weekends I prefer Holiday Valley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 I'm considering going to the Packers game in mid December, and combining that some skiing/snowboarding with Billnut Jr. Does anybody know for sure if Kissing Bridge makes snow? I don't want to book a trip and come to find out that there's no snow to ski on. Tried calling them and left a message but they're not calling me back. Thanks! All the local ski resorts make snow, BUT, it has to be cold enough for them to make it and for them to build a substantial base. There have been many Decembers in recent years that are more green than white. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Not right now, they don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Two words. Holiday Valley. All the local ski resorts make snow, BUT, it has to be cold enough for them to make it and for them to build a substantial base. There have been many Decembers in recent years that are more green than white. Not on the slopes. They can make snow in temps in the high 20's now. They make tons of snow at HV these days. I ski there every year and my dad skis there every day (impressive at 85 years old) and they always have tons of snow on the slopes regardless of how much is on the ground off of them. They blow it into mounds probably 20 feet high early in the season and throughout and move it out on the hills. The snow making technology has grown like crazy in the past few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QCity Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Kissing Bridge had 5 trails open in November last year and Holiday Valley had over 12 open at the same time. However in the previous 2 seasons (2011 and 2012) neither were open until late December. So the answer is - it still depends on Mother Nature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 (edited) Two words. Holiday Valley. Not on the slopes. They can make snow in temps in the high 20's now. They make tons of snow at HV these days. I ski there every year and my dad skis there every day (impressive at 85 years old) and they always have tons of snow on the slopes regardless of how much is on the ground off of them. They blow it into mounds probably 20 feet high early in the season and throughout and move it out on the hills. The snow making technology has grown like crazy in the past few years. Your father probably remembers... But around the late 1950's is when snowmaking tech came into being. KB @ that time (I think it may have been two separate areas... Was combined w/"North" which was Glenwood Acres?) I THINK was at the forefront of the snowmaking technology, almost since day one. Hard to imagine... You'd think it would have been the bigger mountains/areas somewhere else east ot west. Now the roles are reversed w/KB and HV... HV being the "resort" and KB being the dumpy little local place. It is amazing how HV has expanded during the years. My first memory of the place was in the mid-1970's when it was still just "Mardi Gras" and the slopes facing towards the north (Edleweiss, Yodler, and Swiss Twist, ST being the boundary) THE BIG THING IS ALWAYS WATER... Where it is pumped from and where it is returned to. Side note: In Illinois there is only one place in the whole state that has enough vertical to make it worthwhile to ski... It is Chestnut Mountain, situated on a bluff looking over the Upper MS river... They get all the water they need out of the Mighty MS, pool 12 under special agreement with the USACE. Only about 475' feet of vertical, compared to KB's 500'... Basically Chestnut couldn't be in existance without snowmaking... I think they opened right when the tech became commerically available (1959 or so). They only get on average about 40" or so in that part of IL/IA (Driftless Zone/Old Northwest). Anyway, they do get the cold... So they open on or around Thanksgiving and close on St. Pat's day. They ususlly have a base of about 7-8 FEET, even on St. Pat's Day, but close do to the lack of skiers/interest by that time of the year. The interesting thing about Chestnut is that they have an Alpine Slide they operate in the summer... I think one of the only ones around in this part of the world??? Never looked it up who else has an Alpine Slide in North America. EDIT: Worthwile to ski, outside of "terrain parks." I am showing my age, things aren't just reserved for "big mountain" skiing anymore... Heck they ski in Dubai! Edited August 19, 2014 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 (edited) All the local ski resorts make snow, BUT, it has to be cold enough for them to make it and for them to build a substantial base. There have been many Decembers in recent years that are more green than white. It is a water issue. @ KB has only the creek (EDIT: Not sure what they have ontop of the ridge above the valley... Rez?) that flows along 240 (Glenwood, Colden, West Falls on north, etc...) which is the West Branch of Caz Creek... Flowing into Caz Creek and then the BFLO River. Probably why they don't just dump snow the day it gets cold... They do practice water conservation and depend on Mother Nature to an extent. I mentioned above about Chestnut in Illinois... They open the area full (100%) ALMOST every year on Thanksgiving (or around)... They have 100% coverage and cover the whole area by then... YET, they can take almost unlimited water out of the expansive Pool 12 of the Upper MS... And the beauty of the deal... All the snow melts right back into Pool 12! Also, winter is NOT navigation season, the river is usually closed due to ice... Water does not become an issue... For the original poster: It will be hit an miss. Just becasue they get cold, doesn't mean they will dump snow too. Same with all the areas practicing water conservation. It is simply NOT: Cold, take as much as you want. The areas in WNY would simply outpace their supply of water seeking 100% coverage. IMO, this is why you see limited trails open early in the season. OF COURSE, Mutha Nature is always the best bet! Edited August 19, 2014 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 (edited) Also: Snowmaking in WNY is to compliment Mother Nature, not take her place. The Southern Tier rountinely sees well over 140" a year of the natural kind in one form or another... That is more than enough to run areas... Snowmaking bridges the gap and makes keeping snow more consistent. It is not the be all and end all of a place's survival... Again, just makes skiing consistent throughout the season and especially helps out during the lean years/thaws... Season USUALLY starts in WNY is around mid-DEC, Christmas and slightly beyond for the lean years... Mid-Dec can be dicey... BUT will usually have a few trails open @ the very least. Edited August 19, 2014 by ExiledInIllinois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillnutinHouston Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Thanks everyone for the responses! Was thinking of KB only because I used to live across the street from it, but Holiday Valley looks pretty sweet. I've only golfed there and forgot how nice it is. Plan to stay in Springville so it's pretty easy to get to either spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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