Hunter skiing & weather 12/27

Hi All you snow diggers,
Hunter got between 14 & 18" but very inconsistent as the high winds are blowing and drifting it all over the place. Some drifts are easily 24-30 ". The temp is steady at 13 with wind chills at -15 (minus 15). I did not venture out to the hill due to weather related issues but I can tell you the lifts were stopping frequently due to winds and the 6-pack & Z lift were shut down for the day at 12:30 as the winds now are stronger than last night - steady at 40 - 50 mph out of the west. The sun is out now but that is doing nothing to help the temp or blowing snow. Visibility this am was extremely poor and all roads are still white as snow is driftng back over them as soon as they are plowed. So far no power lines are down that I know of. West side ski patrol sweepers had to take a shuttle bus back to the base lodge. Cold and high winds will persist for some time as per below forecast. This week's movie in Hunter is "True Grit".
Bundle up!
Jon
Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Blustery with snow showers. High 13F. Winds NW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Snowfall around one inch. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Tonight: Gusty winds. Snow flurries developing after midnight. Low 8F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny skies. High 26F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow night: A few clouds. Low 17F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the low teens.
Thursday: Abundant sunshine. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the low teens.
Friday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s.

Hunter Powder Alert 12/26

Hi All,
Please see the below link:


http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe561675706d037e7112&m=fefc1170706d04&ls=fdee127873660d7c7512727c&l=fe8e15767162077b72&s=fdf115757d660d7877107877&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe291679716c0179771672

It is currently 17 and snowing lightly here.
Get out those powder boards!
Jon

Hunter skiing 12/23

Hi All,
The real winter arrived with a blast! We had 3-4" of fresh dry powder last night on top of a well groomed surface. Temps held at 22 all day. The storm stopped around 9am and it got a little brighter until about 11 when it started snowing and blowing hard. All streets are now white and slick. Early runs in the powder were sweet but once it got chopped up skiing became real bumpy and visibility which was not real good to start with went into the crapper. The west side was badly wind blown and not worth it today. The base on Hellgate is almost to the top of the fence so groomers (Skip) take note that unless you cut a lip along the fence line, someone could go over the fence into the trees. There was a sizeable crowd today and a minor line at the lift. The mountain is in perhaps the best shape ever for the Xmas week. I won't be writing reports until next week some time unless something really note-worthy happens.
Merry Xmas to all and safe skiing / riding!
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Mostly cloudy and windy. Snow flurries and a few snow showers. High 26F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tonight: Variably cloudy with light snow flurries possible. Low 17F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow: Sun and a few passing clouds. High 27F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow night: Partly cloudy skies. Low 13F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Mostly Cloudy. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the mid teens.
Sunday: Considerable cloudiness. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the low teens.
Monday: Mostly cloudy and windy with snow showers. Highs in the upper teens and lows in the mid single digits.

Hunter skiing 12/22

Hi All,
Another nasty weather day. Temps around 23, windy and very cloudy - in fact the top 1/3 of the mtn has been in the fog all day - visibility was slim and none but the surface conditions I was told were very sweet and powdery as snow was made all night and continues today. The base is really building up! Apurna opened but I was told required very defensive skiing. The crowds are slowly building each day but still short to no lift lines due to the weather. Hopefully there will be some sun tomorrow in between snow showers.
Here's a link to another recent Zip Line video: http://www.ziplinenewyork.com/top-mountain.html

Hope to ski ya soon, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Mostly cloudy. High 27F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy with snow flurries developing late. Low 21F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow: On and off snow flurries are possible along with variably cloudy skies. High 28F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph.
Tomorrow night: A few clouds from time to time. Low 16F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Friday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the low teens.
Saturday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the upper single digits.
Sunday: Considerable cloudiness. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the low teens.

Hunter Skiing 12/21

Hi All,
Not skiing today - very ugly day here for me anyway - low dense cloud cover 20 and windy. The light is just way too flat for my old eyes. I am sure the surface conditions are excellent as new snow has been made all night on many trails and many of you would no doubt enjoy it. Here's the link to Hunter's holiday activities:

http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe5c167570610d797014&m=fefc1170706d04&ls=fdee127873660d7c7512727c&l=fe8e15767162077b72&s=fdf115757d660d7877107877&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe2d16797160007e771072


The weather forecast is below.
Ski on..........
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Windy with a few snow showers developing this afternoon. High around 25F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tonight: Some clouds. Low 16F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy early with a few snow flurries later in the day. High 28F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow night: Flurries and a few snow showers throughout the night. Low 19F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Thursday: Snow showers in the morning. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the mid teens.
Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the upper single digits.
Saturday: More clouds than sun. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the upper single digits.

Hunter Skiing, Zip Line & Weather 12/20

Hello all you mountain fans,
Just when you thought it couldn't get any better it does! Temps went form 8 to 28 with lots of sun, no wind, great powder and super grooming! Thanks Bruce & Skip!! Crowds although heavier for a Monday (due to the holidays) were still light with no lift lines at the 6-pack. "F" was also running today. There wasn't a bad trail and I tried them all except LowerK & Claire's which was very bumped up and under heavy snow making but it looked soft - not icy. Apurna is also under heavy guns and may open tomorrow. Rt 80 was very nice and they fixed the cut-thru from White Cloud to Belt to make it safer - thanks guys! Everything on the front was well groomed and powdery including Racer's. The mid-station tower guns were blowing fresh snow for every run and it was creamy all the way down thru Kennedy.

I was privileged to be part of the first public (test) group to try the new top of the mtn Zip Line on Saturday. The tour @ $119.00 officially opened on Sunday. Wow! What a terrific exhilarating experience. Everyone between 110 lbs and 260 lbs should try it! It took a little over 3 hrs of which 2 1/2 were outside zipping and the rest an orientation / safety session.
I felt safer and more secure in a harness on a zip line up to 600 ft off the ground at speeds approaching 50 mph then on a chair lift with no safety bar. There were 5 zips and a suspension bridge all starting from a platform next to the Rip Van Winkle sculpture along the trail past the top of "F" lift and ending on a platform adjacent to the top of "B" lift from where we rode down to the base. Rather than duplicate it in writing I am going to copy you the link to the description, pics and helmet cam video taken by Alan Belsky who was also on the tour - thanks Alan.
http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?p=582808#post582808

Ski & Zip on! http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/

Jon



Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Cloudy. High 24F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tonight: A few clouds. Low 14F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow: Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 26F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow night: A few clouds. Low 17F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Wednesday: A few snow showers. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the low 20s.
Thursday: Cloudy with occasional flurries. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the low teens.
Friday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the low teens.

Hunter Skiing & Weather 12/16

Hello Hunter fans,
Wow - best day of the young season so far with lots of sun, no wind and temps reaching 26 (feels like a heat wave). Powder powder everywhere from major snow making (thanks Bruce!) and good grooming (keep it up Skip!) made for a near perfect day. The top of the mtn looks like a picture postcard with all the trees frosted white and glistening in the sun. H-B-K was great, Cliff was still ungroomed whale humps, Minya & Eside very sweet . Lower K is under the guns as is all of Claire's, Upper Taylors, and the Alternate. Rt 80 (35 + 45) was groomed top to bottom but the left side cut-thru from White Cloud into the belt was hazardous and mgmt was so informed. Gunhill was closed again for ski school, Ike was nice but Racer's was very hard and slick and not worth it. The Terrain Park was closed as groomers were forming the park out of the huge mounds of snow they made there. There is more of a percentage of the mtn open than any other eastern ski area as no one can make snow like Hunter. All trails are well covered from side to side and the base is getting deeper by the day. Tomorrow and the weekend both promise to be great for mid-winter skiing conditions. The lift was running fast and smooth and there were no lines. The tubing park is also under heavy snow making and should be open for the weekend.
Get your pre-Xmas skiing in now! Happy hour at the main lodge bar, Van Winkles or MacGregors awaits you - stay thirsty my friends!
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Variably cloudy with light snow flurries possible. High 23F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Some passing clouds. Low 12F. Winds light and variable.
Tomorrow: Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. High 27F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow night: A few clouds from time to time. Low 16F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the upper teens.
Sunday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid teens.
Monday: A few snow showers possible, windy. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the mid teens.

Hunter Skiing & Weather 12/15

Hi Boys & Girls,
It was another frigid day at the mountain, in fact colder than yesterday thanks to a stronger wind and no sun. High temp 16 but with wind chills near or below zero. I don't know if it is wishful thinking on my part or coincidence but many of the issues I have addressed recently to mgmt have been quickly rectified. There was alot of snow made last night on Cliff and it produced huge ungroomed powdery mounds that were actually fun to ski though visibility was quite poor today. Also Huega into Bleeker / Ike was under heavy snow making today. Gunhill was closed to the public for ski race training. Fresh ungroomed snow was also made on Minya and Eside was groomed out. There was no signs of any snow making on Lower K yet. Claire's was under guns down to the doughnut but there seemed to be some problem with frozen pipes on the lower half. H-B-K was very good as was Ike. Racer's looked like a danger zone so I didn't venture onto it. Hunter hosts the Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge this weekend. The 6-pack was running fine - there was no "F" today but no need for it either. There were no lift lines even tho a few bus groups showed up.
There is new mgmt at the summit lodge and I will quote you the notice: QUOTE Scottie's Foods, the operators of the Karl Ehmer sausage booth so popular during our summer & fall festivals, has taken over food operations at the Summit Lodge this season! New storefront, new menu, fresh salads, custom sandwiches, wraps, burgers, Italian sausage, soups, chili and much more! Stop in and say hello! UNQUOTE
We are having some lake effect snow showers now which should continue on and off through the evening. Secondary roads are still white & slick.
Ski safely & stay warm, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Blustery with snow showers. Cold. High 16F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Tonight: Scattered flurries and snow showers. Low 11F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tomorrow: Flurries and a few snow showers throughout the day. High 24F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tomorrow night: Partly cloudy. Low 14F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the mid teens.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the mid teens.
Sunday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the mid teens.

Hunter skiing & weather 12/14

Hi All from the frozen tundra!
It was and is bitter cold with a high of 15 and a steady wind but the sun was out and so was I. Hunter once again looks like a white frozen wasteland and blowing snow across Main St. this am looked like a desert sandstorm. In spite of sanders and salters, the secondary roads & parking lots are white, frozen and there is plenty of black ice around. Schools had a two hour delayed opening.
With guns blasting and about 2" of natural snow overnight on top of frozen granular (remember we had almost 3" of rain on Sunday) the skiing was challenging. The mountain has more than recovered what was lost and is working to open more terrain by the weekend during another week that is excellent for snow-making. The mix of natural with machine made snow made it powdery but crusty and once chopped up, soft bumpy conditions on top of frozen hardpack with many ungroomed rollers / whale humps. I skied all open front side trails and they were pretty much consistent although the Cliff got scraped off early. There is a well marked big sink hole just above the entrance to Ike / Gunhill. Eside/Milky were under the guns and a bit tricky. I made the mistake of going down Huega which was like a dark wind tunnel and totally barren of fresh snow - very noisy. With good grooming tonight (there was little done last night but that turrned out to be a good thing) tomorrow should be a primo day if the sun is out but unfortunately that is not in the forecast. The 6-pack had a late start today as chairs had to be de-iced but ran fine thereafter. It is flurrying now as I write this at 3:30 pm.
Stay warm!
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Blustery with snow showers. Cold. High 14F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 60%. 1 to 2 inches of snow expected.
Tonight: Snow showers. Low 9F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 60%. 1 to 2 inches of snow expected.
Tomorrow: Variably cloudy with snow showers. Cold. High 16F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 60%. 1 to 2 inches of snow expected.
Tomorrow night: Flurries and a few snow showers throughout the night. Low 12F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Thursday: Snow showers at times. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the mid teens.
Friday: More sun than clouds. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the mid teens.
Saturday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the mid teens.

HUNTER SKIING & WEATHER 12/13

Hi All,
First of all let me address your concerns about the lack of a report Thurs & Fri - I didn't ski as I had to take care of some personal issues.
I did ski Saturday morning and it was fantastic with nice dry powder, no wind and plenty of sun. All front side trails with the exception of Lower K were open and in great shape from the snow making all week long - perfect grooming too! Wayout was open on the west but it was dark over there and no need to leave the sun. All lifts except "D" were running. By 10 am the zoo gates had opened and the parking lot was full to the tubing park.
Yesterday we had two long and strong periods of heavy rain with dense fog and temps that got near 50. Today's official Hunter daily snow report had the following blatantly false statement:
QUOTE After some drizzle yesterday, we're resurfacing tonight... we didn't lose any snow, .....UNQUOTE
There were rivers running off the mountain yesterday. Recovery mode will start tonight as temps are already down to 34 and it looks like another excellent snow making weather week ahead per below forecast. The snow base is now well settled and solid and should allow for some great future skiing .
It was and still is raining lightly with some mixed snow this am and the entire top half of the mtn is fogged in. I am sure the surface conditions are excellent but the visibility is poor and not for me today. The 6-pack is running but with very few customers.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Cloudy skies with a few snow showers this afternoon. High 33F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tonight: Variable clouds with snow showers or flurries. Low 14F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Snowfall around one inch.
Tomorrow: Blustery with snow showers. Cold. High 16F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 60%. Snow accumulating 1 to 2 inches.
Tomorrow night: Occasional snow showers. Low 9F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 60%.
Wednesday: Chance of a few snow showers. Highs in the upper teens and lows in the low teens.
Thursday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the low teens.
Friday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the mid teens.

Hunter Skiing 12/8

Hello everyone,
Had a great day skiing. Except for the high winds at the summit, the day was picture perfect though cold at 22. The sun was out for a change and the dry powder on almost all open trails was creamy and plentiful. The grooming was excellent considering what they had to work with so kudos to Skip and his crew. Skip, you may want to consider grooming out some of the rollers at the top of Minya and bottom of Kennedy. H-B-K was terrific effortless skiing, especially midstation below "6 Fingers" (which sign by the way is no longer there since last year) where one could make fresh tracks every run as those tower guns spewed out dry powder all day long. Cliff was closed but poachable. Bleeker down into Ike was great with dry powder blowing all over the place. Minya into Lower Cross was also sweet but you had to exit on the far right side of the terrain park as the cut through behind B lift was still grassy & closed. Bruce, you need to make some snow at that cut thru to Kennedy! The wind at the top was too strong to attempt skiing into the belt and it was dark there too. Heavy snow making was on Milky, Eside, Huega, Madison & Terrain Park. The lift was running fast and smooth and only stopped for those who fell getting on or off. It's amazing how many runs one can get in a short period of time with that new fast lift and no lines - and there were no lines whatsoever - also no one was checking or scanning tickets - HELLO MGMT! There were a few flurries this pm but no accumulation as the cold continues although Sat will see a slight warming trend into Sunday. There is a possiblity of wet weather later on Sunday into Monday but I hate to use that "R" word.
This weekend Hunter hosts the consumer demo event and since the weather and skiing look excellent expect some decent crowds.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Windy. Snow flurries and a few snow showers throughout the day. High 21F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tonight: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 11F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow: Sunny along with a few clouds. High 21F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow night: Partly cloudy. Low 6F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: A few snow showers. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the upper teens.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 30s and lows in the mid 20s.
Sunday: Cloudy with rain. Highs in the upper 30s and lows in the low 20s.

Hunter skiing 12/7

Hi Y'all,
Another very cold windy day but without flurries. There was no addt'l accumulation last night or today. The light is flat but once in a while there was a hint of sun. Ike opened today as did the Belt but the wind discouraged most from even trying to get down the upper part of the Belt and it was dark. Surface conditions I was told varied alot from powdery to slick hard pack. Snow guns are now on the Cliff & Huega also so there will be alot more terrain to ski by the end of the week with 24/7 blowing. The high today was 24 but the winds made it feel like low teens. The lift was running fine as they found and fixed a broken wire / sensor up on tower 5. B was also running today and Mossy Brook was open. Crowds as expected were very light. I may venture out on the slopes tomorrow for the first time and be able to give you a real first hand report - I have been fighting a head cold and staying out of the extreme wind chill. Hunter looks and feels like like a frozen white tundra. The weather for rest of the week into the weekend looks like more of the same.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Windy. Snow flurries and a few snow showers throughout the day. High 24F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tonight: Snow showers early with a chance of lingering snow showers later. Low 16F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 50%.
Tomorrow: Flurries and a few snow showers throughout the day. High 22F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tomorrow night: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 11F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Thursday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the low teens.
Friday: A few snow showers. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the low 20s.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid 20s.

Hunter skiing and weather for 12/6

Hi to all 90 of you on my direct email list.
Winter is here with a vengeance. Very cold, very windy and very snowy. The high temp today only 24 with steady winds at 15-20 and gusts to 35 mph. It has been snowing and flurrying all day with about 2" of dry powder blowing all over the place. There is no sun with very flat and often poor visibility. Sanders & salters are out on the roads. I did not venture out yet but Sunday was opening day with, as expected, too many people for just H-B-K. Hgate was very slick, Midstation had decent powder and Kennedy was, for the most part, survival skiing - as was told to me by many who tried it out. Guns and wind were blasting all day. The new lift broke down around 3pm and the mtn was shut at 3:30. Today the 6-pack didn't get going until around noon time. B was opened late and F even later am - vouchers were issued to ticket buyers. I didn't speak with anyone who went out on the hill today - it has been a nasty weather day in addition to the lift problems - broken switch somewhere. Snowmaking continues 24/7 as the temps are perfect for that and skiing should improve with each day as more terrain opens up. Belt, Ike, Minya & Eside are under heavy snowmaking as are parts of Hunter One and the B-lift trails.

I rode the new lift round-trip on Saturday and can tell you it is fast (running at 900 ft per minute out of a possible 1000 ft/min) smooth and quiet. It takes about 5 1/2 mins to the top running counter-clockwise. The lift path has been cut wider to accommodate the a much wider lift. The new gate system is staggered and quick - less than 2 secs to get through and you have to really pay attention. They plan to set up lift lines as follows: two lines for 3's, one for 4's and two single lines. The off ramp is elevated and you slide down it toward the summit lodge.

The food menu in the cafeteria has been re-vamped to include alot more healthier options and the entrance & cashier areas too have been streamlined. Yes, the prices are higher too and credit cards are now accepted at the main bar. There has been no selection / induction plans yet for the Wall of Fame.

The weather for the bitter cold week ahead is below as usual. http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
If you have any questions or issues please let me know and I'll try and get answers.
Ski and ride safely,
Jon


Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Blustery with snow showers. High 24F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Tonight: Occasional snow showers. Low 19F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches.
Tomorrow: Windy with snow showers early becoming more scattered later. High near 25F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 60%.
Tomorrow night: Intermittent snow showers, especially early. Low 16F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 50%.
Wednesday: Snow showers at times. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the low teens.
Thursday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the mid teens.
Friday: Snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s.

Hunter snow making update

Hi All,
The guns were only turned on this am around 8 - 8:30 but the lower mtn guns were shut off early due to warming temps at 34 so coverage is from Hgate down to the top of Kennedy per attchached photo taken around 3 pm today. Temps will drop into the 20's tonight so the mtn should look alot whiter tomorrow. I saw no snow making anywhere else on the mtn. The 6-pack was running smoothly.
Ski ya soon,
Jon

Hunter Opening News

Hi All
The following email just received from Hunter:
QUOTE
Hello from Hunter Mountain!

This is the e-mail you've all been waiting for! Snowmaking is scheduled to begin in the next 12 hours and the weather looks FANTASTIC. At this time, we are planning to open on Sunday, December 5... and we hope to see you here!! We'll be posting photos, videos and more on the website, on Facebook and in the Hunterblog as snow begins to fly!
UNQUOTE


We are getting at least 4" of heavy wind driven rain. The streams are close to cresting, roads, parking lots & basements in the lower areas are flooded. By morning everything will turn to ice.
Ski ya soon.....
Jon


Detailed Local Forecast
Today: A wind driven heavy rain. High 53F. Winds SSE at 25 to 35 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Tonight: Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 25F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny skies. High near 35F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow night: A few clouds. Low 22F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 30s and lows in the low 20s.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the upper teens.
Sunday: A few clouds. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the upper teens.

Hunter weather & opening day

Hi to all 88 of you on the direct email list,
Unfortunately the weather is not cooperating and snow making plans are being put on hold possibly until after T'giving. Opening day may not occur until about Thurs -Friday Dec 2nd - 3rd. This is not official as no official opening day has been set yet but that is what is being discussed. Even tho some cold nights are forecast for next week the days will be warm (40's - low 50's) and more rain is likely. It is 50 here now and raining steady (about 2") with high winds.
I was honored by mgmt to be asked to write one of the feature articles in the complimentary magazine "Hunter Mountain Life" which you can pick up at any mountain facility or access it on line via the official Hunter website. The article on pgs. 16, 17 & 18 is entitled "Hunter, A Love Affair".
Consumer demo days are set for Dec 11-12. My blog site: http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Getting anxious to ski.........
Jon

Hunter weather & snowmaking update

Hi All - We're almost there!
We got blanketed today in town with 2" of wet snow and up to 6" at the summit. The temp never rose above 32 and will drop into the 20's tonight. Trees were bending and power lines were drooping but no loss of electricity. The plows and sanders were out and all mtn top schools had to cancel after school programs. I was told that there was no accumulation off the mountain top. There will be ski & snowboard tracks on the mtn tomorrow from those who walk or find other means up the mtn!
The end of the week & weekend (Thurs -Mon) will result in a warming trend with daytime highs into the low 50's but snow making should commence next week "IF" the forecast calls for a cold spell as expected and Hunter could open as early as Sat Nov 20 - "IFFY" but certainly possible. The new lift is ready to go and hoses have been and continue to be connected to the guns - there are over 100 new hi-tech guns on the mtn. http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Ski ya soon,
Jon

Hunter 6-pack lift news

Hi All,
FYI on Tuesday Aug 17, weather permitting, a heavy lift helicopter will be here to place the new lift towers on the steep sections of the mtn. Construction is actually ahead of schedule. The superstructure base terminal has arrived, lying at the base of Hunter One for now, and has already been painted with the new name "Kaatskill Flyer". The old quad towers and equipment has been moved to the west side for storage until next spring when that project will commence. It won't be long now...........
Ski ya,
Jon

Hunter News

Ski Bowl scores $4.8M federal loan

Agriculture Dept. funds targeted at ski lift improvements
By Doron Tyler Antrim
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
Published: Saturday, August 7, 2010 2:14 AM EDT
HUNTER — The Hunter Mountain Ski Bowl is getting a $4.8 million loan guarantee from the federal government for ski lift improvements.

The loan, to be administered by KeyBank, N.A., was announced Friday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The guarantee means the government will assume the cost of the loan if the resort were to default.

The money is being made available through the 2009 stimulus package.

USDA’s loan guarantees, totaling $413 million, will support 128 projects in 35 states and territories.


The loan will help the resort in a multi-million dollar effort to renovate and relocate one of its lifts and purchase another lift.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement: “The loan guarantees we are announcing will help businesses to grow and promote job creation to promote economic opportunity in rural communities.”

Jessica Pezak, Hunter Mountain’s director of communications, did not immediately return calls for comment.

The ski resort is in the midst of completing an ambitious zipline construction project, which plans to be the highest and longest in North America.

When completed, riders will be able to use the ski lifts to travel from the base of the mountain to the zipline.

Friday’s announcement comes a day after USDA announced $3.5 million in stimulus money for broadband improvement projects in several Greene County towns.

Hunter closed for the season

Hi all,
As predicted, Hunter has announced its closure for the season. Wednesday was the last day. Have a great spring & summer.
Jon

Hunter news flash April 8

Hi All,
As many of you know Hunter closed down for today and tomorrow. The temp again today is near record breaking at 78 already. They will make a decision Friday if they plan to open at all for the weekend. My guess based on eyeballing the slopes today is that they will not open i.e. yesterday, Wed Apr 7 would then have been the last day of the season. Rain is expected late this pm and thru the night. The snow is melting much faster than expected due to the extreme heat (day and night) and the fact that the frost line this year was not deep as the snow insulated the ground from freezing and it is now acting like a sponge sucking up moisture. There is no snow anywhere near the base of the quad even if they wanted to push it over there there are no piles to take it from. The off ramps too are quite bare and the trails from the top for the most part, are now all but cut off.
It is time to start your other warm weather activities. TAP NY is April 24-25.
Jon http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Warm. High 72F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Tonight: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. A few storms may be severe early. Low 46F. SE winds shifting to SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Tomorrow: Cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late. High 51F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow night: A few clouds. Low near 30F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.
Saturday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the upper 30s.
Sunday: Occasional showers possible. Highs in the mid 50s and lows in the mid 30s.
Monday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 50s and lows in the low 30s.

Hunter skiing April 6

Hi All,
Things are quiet after the biggest & best pond skimming party ever.
It was 50 and raining lightly this am but now hazy sun and 70. My ski season is over thanks to bronchitis but I am also not a fan of super soft snow & bumps which is all that there is now. Lots of bare spots and brown snow as trails leading down get narrower and cut off with each passing day. The weather turns colder and could get ugly by the weekend. Work on the new six-pack will begin next week and construction of the zip line revs up too. The main zip line will be delayed opening due to the heavy snow we had which curtailed work - maybe only by end July. Weekend movie: "Percy Jackson" whatever that is.
Here's the official mtn report:


Our season is winding down fast... and it has been an incredible season at that... but there are still some awesome deals, awesome weather and lots of open trails! We're still over 65% open, the weekend is looking sunny and cool (high around 50 each day), and we're honoring our 50th Anniversary for one last time by offering 2 for $50 lift tickets ($25/per)!

We've also got some new videos up at our YouTube channel: some pondskimming footage from last weekend, a terrain park video and a HUGE jump we built, and some footage from Bakwoods of our epic February storm!




This is my last report of the season - thanks to all of you for your support and positive comments. Have a great spring and summer, dust off the golf clubs and watch for occasional updates on construction progress. http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Ski on...........Zip on............
Jon
Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 68F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Tonight: Isolated thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 49F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Tomorrow: Sunshine along with some cloudy intervals. Warm. High 76F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow night: Partly cloudy skies. Low 51F. WSW winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Thursday: Slight chance of a thunderstorm. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the mid 40s.
Friday: Occasional showers possible. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the mid 30s.
Saturday: Rain and snow showers. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the mid 30s.

Hunter skiing March 31

Hi all,
The rain was mostly a non-event up here - you had alot more down on LI, NJ & NYC. We had maybe 2" over 2 days but it was cold & raw with temps from the upper 30's to low 40's and not much wind. I did not even venture to the mtn today beacuse most of it was in a dense fog most of the day and we had light rain right up till noon time today. Thurs thru Sun looks to be great weather - maybe too warm for decent skiing. The mtn is hosting the pond skimming and bump contest on Sat and the weather for that is expected to be at or near 70 so bring your shorts, T's and sunscreen and be ready for a wild deck party. The MINI Cooper will be given away but you have to be present to win. See the official press report below:


We are looking at some incredible weather this weekend, and we're ready! Saturday shows a high of 72 degrees and sunny skies... what a perfect time to take a dip in the pond! Our FREE Pondskimming & Bump Competition kicks off on Saturday , sponsored by Budweiser. Pondskimming is free to enter, and free to watch, so come on out! We'll have lots of live music (Solid Smoke out on the deck, plus a guest DJ), giveaways, a deck party and unbelievable conditions for everyone to enjoy!

The Hunter Mountain Racing Foundation will be holding their annual Pig Roast on Saturday, so if you're in the mood for some BBQ, head on over! All proceeds from the roast go to the Hunter Mountain Racing Foundation. Head over to gohmrf.org for more info!

We're also giving away a 2010 MINI Cooper! While we expect everyone at Hunter on Saturday to have an awesome day, we're promising one lucky winner an unforgettable one!

This will be my last report this week unless something unusual happens as I do not expect to ski Thurs or Fri so no April fool's report of a blizzard tomorrow. Have a great Easter weekend!!
Ski ya.......
Jon

Hunter news flash Sun Mar 28

Hi All
Hunter will be closed Monday and Tuesday March 29 & 30 due to the expected heavy rain (4 - 5 " possible) and re-open Wed Mar 31. There is a mix of rain & sleet falling now with moderate winds. Here we go again.....................

Weather warning out of Albany:

Weather Advisories: A FLOOD WATCH is in effect for the eastern Catskills, mid Hudson valley and Bennington, Berkshire and Litchfield counties from Monday morning through Tuesday afternoon.
.
An area of low pressure moving in from the Ohio valley will cause rain to overspread the region during the evening and overnight Sunday. Rain may become heavy at times into Monday morning. The rain may taper off a bit Monday afternoon and evening, but a new area of low pressure will then be forming along the mid-Atlantic coast. This low pressure will move northeast and looks to bring a second round of rain to the region from Monday night through Tuesday.
.
Both storms will bring plenty of moisture into the region and a widespread 1"-2" rainfall is possible. Localized amounts of 3" or more are also possible, mainly within the watch area of the eastern Catskills, mid Hudson valley and Berkshire and Litchfield counties. If you live near a flood prone area, now is the time to prepare for the potential of flooding. Many rivers and streams in the watch area are already running high due to previous rainfall and snowmelt.
.
Now is the time to take precautions to prevent flooding.


Ski ya,
Jon

Hunter skiing Mar 25

Hi All,
It must have been a great day for classic spring skiing. The temp dropped into the upper 20's last night to allow for grooming and quickly warmed up this am with lots of sun reaching 55. The clouds rolled in around 11 and by 1 pm it was and still is raining with the wind picking up quite a bit. 44 and Apurna are done for the season and Claire's is showing bare & thin spots as seen from the top of Ford Hill Rd in Jewett. Racer's is in bad shape too and I hear that they have to do some snow farming on the top of Hgate and Eside / Minya. The quad was running fine and more than half empty. We are expecting an inch of wet snow tonight and much colder (teens) overnight and into Friday. Sat is forecast to be cold but sunny so skiing should be quite nice - don't take out your golf clubs just yet.
Just a reminder that the Tap New York Beer Festival is April 24-25.
Ski on..... http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon
Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Cloudy. Some light rain will fall throughout the day. High 51F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Tonight: Evening rain followed by a mix of rain and snow overnight. Low 29F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precip 90%. Snowfall around one inch.
Tomorrow: Cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late. Colder. High 33F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph.
Tomorrow night: A mostly clear sky. Low 16F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the low 40s and lows in the mid 20s.
Sunday: Cloudy. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the upper 30s.
Monday: Showers. Highs in the low 40s and lows in the upper 20s.

Hunter skiing Mar 24

Hi All,
Sorry, but did not ski today due to a severe head & chest cold so cannot comment on trail conditions. Bare spots are visible in many places. Most of the quad chairs are going up empty as there are very few skiers.The weather was overcast this am and 34 with very high winds before the sun came out around noon time and temps climbed to 46. It is still very windy out. The snow is finally melting and portions of grass are again visible on lawns. Tomorrow should be the best day of the week to ski before the temp drops into the 20's and freezes everything over. Weekend movie: Crazy Heart
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon
The following info was posted by Hunter - FYI:


We're giving deep discounts to season passholders of closed mountains! Save big, and keep skiing & riding at Hunter! Visit the website to learn more about what you can save if you're a passholder of a closed mountain!
Customer Appreciation Day is this Friday, March 26! Visit t he following retail locations (first come, first served!) -- Potter Bros, Ski Barn, Pelican, Paragon, Burton SoHo, Blades, Panda, Emilio's, Homage, Pedigree, SnoHaus, D&Q, Buckman's and Brave New World for your $25 lift ticket voucher! The voucher is ONLY valid on Friday, March 26!
We're open until 5pm again on Saturday, March 27! Make that extra sunlight work for you... stick around on the slopes, on the deck or in the lodge and enjoy an extra hour of skiing & riding!

Sunday, March 28 is Any Mountain Season Passholder Day! Bring your 09/10 season pass from any other mountain and we'll give you a free lift ticket on Sunday! Must be a full- or midweek 09/10 season pass.


Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. High 49F. Winds WNW at 25 to 35 mph.
Tonight: Mainly clear. Low 27F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow: A mix of clouds and sun in the morning giving way to a few showers during the afternoon. High 54F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Tomorrow night: Evening light rain followed by a mix of rain and snow late. Low 32F. S winds shifting to NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precip 90%.
Friday: Snow showers in the morning. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid teens.
Saturday: Sunshine. Highs in the upper 30s and lows in the mid 20s.
Sunday: Cloudy. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the low 30s.

Hunter new chair lift info

Hot Off The Press! POMA 6-pack lift installation beginning soon!

We know the skiers and riders who call Hunter Mountain home love our slopes and the energy that surrounds us. We also realize that for our skiers and riders to truly enjoy these slopes, we need to invest in "your" mountain...what better investment, than a brand new base to summit lift?

Leitner-Poma has consistently been the leader in high-speed aerial lifts for the winter sports industry and they have been chosen to supply Hunter Mountain with a detachable Six Pack lift to replace the existing Snowlite Express (Quad-Lift) . Construction will commence as soon as our season ends and we plan to have the new Six Pack up and running for some late summer Sky Ride enjoyment.

This capital improvement is another major step in the effort to make your experience here at Hunter Mountain all it could be... And that's not all. In the summer of 2011 we also plan to remove the Z & Y lifts on our famed West Side to make room for a Quad that will carry a new line and allow for better snow making coverage over the black diamond terrain.

We're looking for a name...so please drop us a line if you think you have the perfect name for the new Six Pack at Hunter Mountain!

Hunter Skiing March 23

Hi All,
It is still spraying lightly out after a very heavy rain of 3 - 4". The mtn is in a dense fog from halfway up Racer's to the top. There are large bare spots visible on Racer's and no more than about 20 people out skiing - not for me. The surface is soft granular over frozen granular and probably quite skiable but you can't see much with the fog.The temp is 46 but no wind. There is alot of local runoff damage to driveways and culverts and I imagine many wet basements as the water really had no where to go with the ditches still frozen. My own sump pump is running steadily. Streams and creeks are running high and fast. The weather forecast is typical March variable conditions for the rest of the week.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon
Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Cloudy with showers. High around 45F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Tonight: Rain showers this evening mixing with snow showers overnight. Low 31F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precip 60%.
Tomorrow: Variable cloudiness and windy. High 48F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph.
Tomorrow night: Partly cloudy skies. Low 27F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.
Thursday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 50s and lows in the low 30s.
Friday: Clouds giving way to sun . Highs in the mid 30s and lows in the low 20s.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s and lows in the mid 20s.

Hunter skiing March 22

Hi All,
Just back from Big Sky, MT and facing the reality of eastern skiing. Did not get out on the slopes today but from what I hear everything is still open - some with "thin cover" warnings. It is raining here and 52 so if you enjoy skiing in granular mashed potatoes then this is for you. The rain should take the stickiness out of the snow. Pond skimming is slated for Sat April 3 weather permitting and the closing date still remains April 11. No news on the proposed 6-pack but I will try and get an update for you. Looks like continued rain for a few days and then turning much colder on Friday. Next weekend's movie: Crazy Heart.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Periods of rain. High 48F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Rainfall around a half an inch.
Tonight: Rain. Low near 40F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Rainfall may reach one inch.
Tomorrow: Overcast with showers at times. High 43F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Tomorrow night: Rain showers early mixing with snow showers late. Low 32F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precip 50%.
Wednesday: Windy, chance of snow showers in the morning. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the upper 20s.
Thursday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 50s and lows in the mid 20s.
Friday: Clouds giving way to sun . Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s.

Hunter skiing Mar 10

Hi All,
Another beautiful sunny, windless, cloudless day of spring skiing at its best - has to be some kind of record. There was a temp inversion last night as it got down to 20 here in the village but by 9 am the base was 32 and the summit 40. Now it is 58! The snow was soft and a bit grabby to start with and turned to mush by 10 am although the west was still frozen and wasn't going to open much before noon time. I can tell you that Rt 80 was bullet proof at 10:30 as it was the only trail open on that side. Grooming really wasn't much of a factor on the face since the snow was so soft. The big difference between spring conditions this year and previous years is that the base is so deep that there are no brown or bare spots yet. There was no F or D again today. Clouds are forecast for Thurs with rain Thursday night through Sunday. Rain should actually help the snow / surface conditions as it will take out the stickiness. The snow making hoses are being taken off the mountain - a sure sign of spring. The mtn has scheduled its last day for April 11. The following events are planned for the March 20th weekend:

Winter Carnival :: March 20, 2010!
FREE ENTRY Cardboard Box Derby! Registration info at HunterMtn.com!
Hunter Mountain will certainly shine on March 20th, 2010 by hosting our first annual Winter Carnival. There will be activities and entertainment for all ages. Come and check out the crazy on-snow events, kids' carnival, clowns, magicians, guest DJ's and the hottest bands.

The highlights of the day: Paraskiing Competitions (think helicopters, skydivers and skis) and the destined-to-be-infamous Hunter Mountain Cardboard Box Derby. Come watch the skiers and riders turned home mechanics as they race their cardboard craft down the slopes. Test your creativity and construct a craft that will carry two to six members. The rules are simple... your craft needs to be constructed solely of cardboard, paper, glue, tape and string.

This weekend movie: "Precious" and the following weekend movie: "A Single Man"

The reason I am giving you all this advance info is because I will be skiing in Big Sky, Montana March 13 - 20 and will not be posting the Hunter ski reports or blog after today for a week.

Ski Ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon
Detailed Local Forecast
Today: A mix of clouds and sun. High around 45F. Winds light and variable.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy skies. Low around 30F. Winds light and variable.
Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. High 48F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow night: Cloudy. Low 34F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: Showers. Highs in the low 40s and lows in the mid 30s.
Saturday: Mainly cloudy and rainy. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the upper 30s.
Sunday: Cloudy, periods of rain. Highs in the low 40s and lows in the mid 30s.

Hunter skiing March 9

Hi All,
Wow - 8 days in a row with sun - must be some kind of record for Hunter! Clear sky, no wind and much better grooming than yesterday. The weather stayed colder longer so the snow stayed firmer well into the late am - in fact the west side steeps didn't even open till after noon time. Only Wayout was groomed on the west and most of the front was groomed including skiers right side of Racer's. Another ski on / ski off day with no lift problems or lines. The overnight temp got down to 29 but rose again to 48 making for another great deck day as well. Tomorrow should be the last sunny day before clouds and rain come in late Thurs into Fri -Sat. Rain could cause some major problems as the water really has no place to go with all the snow still on the ground and roof tops.
The weekend movie: Precious
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon
Detailed Local Forecast
Tonight: Generally clear. Low 24F. Winds light and variable.
Tomorrow: Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 47F. Winds light and variable.
Tomorrow night: Mainly cloudy. Low around 30F. Winds light and variable.
Thursday: Cloudy skies. High 47F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: Cloudy. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the mid 30s.
Saturday: Showers. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the upper 30s.

Hunter skiing Mar 8

Hi All,
Another great day in a string of great days. Lots of sun, crystal blue sky, temps overnight to 29 but 48 now and classic spring conditions. Grooming was very minimal as only the main line trails were done last night. The surface was firm early and by 10 am the front side was softening fast but the west stayed frozen for a while longer. Only Wayout was groomed on the west side but the cats left plenty of nasty tracks and ruts for the early skiers. H-B-K and Ike had the most consistent conditions as they were the only well groomed runs. The east side trails and Cliff were a bit bumpy to start with and the moguls only grew as traffic and the heat of the day took its toll. The crowds were very light and there were no lines. Both D and F were not running. The final Localmotion race of the year was held on Madison and it was a costume race with the party tonight at The Perfect Lift. The weather looks good for Tues & Wed but some forecasts are calling for wet weather on Thurs & Fri. The mtn is still negotiating for a new six pack to replace the quad which would then be moved to the west side - keep your fingers crossed and stay tuned.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Low near 25F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow: Sun and a few passing clouds. High 42F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow night: Clear skies. Low 24F. Winds light and variable.
Wednesday: Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 46F. Winds light and variable.
Thursday: A few clouds. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the upper 20s.
Friday: Considerable cloudiness. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the upper 30s.

Hunter skiing Mar 5

G'day all,
What a week! Today a hazy sun, light breeze, temps 30 to now 40 and very well groomed slopes including Claire's top to bottom. Visibility was excellent. All front side trails were groomed or partially groomed like 50% of Racer's top to bottom on skiers right. Ike has been totally groomed eliminating the mogul course. All lifts including D for a change were running smoothly. There were a fair amount of cars in the parking lot but no real lift lines - maybe 2 mins on the quad.
Still not sure what the movie is as they haven't changed the marquis from "Up in the Air".
It still looks to be a great weekend to ski and party.
Ski ya,
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Sun and clouds mixed. Temps nearly steady in the low to mid 30s. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy skies. Low 16F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow: Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 38F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow night: A few clouds. Low 21F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s and lows in the mid 20s.
Monday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 30s and lows in the mid 20s.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 30s and -+lows in the low 20s.

Albany forecast:
This Afternoon: Mostly sunny.
Breezy.
Wind: WNW 15-20 mph, gusty at times
Sunset: 5:50 pm
High: Upper 30s to lower 40's
Tonight: Mostly clear.
Colder.
Wind: NNW diminishing to near 5 mph
Sunrise: 6:23
Low: 21
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny skies.
Breezy.
Pleasant.
Dry.
Wind: Westerly 10-20 mph
Sunset: 5:51
High: 40-45
Tomorrow Night: Mainly clear.
Wind: Light/variable
Temps: 25
Sunday: Morning sunshine followed by some increase in high clouds in the afternoon.
Mild.
Dry.
Wind: West 10 mph
High: Mid 40s

Hunter Skiing Mar 4

Hi All,
Another great day to ski! Lots of sun, no wind, temps rose from 30 to 39. Grooming was just OK today as the following were NOT GROOMED but skiable if you like bumps: Cliff, Minya, Upper K, Milky, White Cloud, Gunhill, Racer's and the west side except Wayout which was groomed & was very sweet via Belt or the very top of Claire's & the Alternate. The surface conditions were packed and corduroy powder which changed around 11 am into spring-like conditions. No lift problems and no D again in spite of what the website stated. I was told that Claire's is scheduled to be groomed out tonight.
Sorry but I do not know what the weekend movie is.
The weather looks great for Fri thru Sun so come on up and have some fun on the slopes and/or the front deck of the lodge. The parking lots have all been cleared so parking will not be a problem.
The State finished clearing the snow from Main St. last night so there is a shoulder and plenty of parking again in town.
Ski ya,
Jon
Detailed Local Forecast
Tonight: Overcast. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low 22F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tomorrow: Some flurries in the morning. Then cloudy skies through the afternoon. High 32F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow night: Partly cloudy. Low 16F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Saturday: Mainly sunny. High 37F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Sunday: Abundant sunshine. Highs in the upper 30s and lows in the low 20s.
Monday: Mostly cloudy. Highs in the upper 30s and lows in the mid 20s.

Hunter skiing Mar 3

Hi All,
Guess what? Yep, it snowed again! We had about 2" at the base and 4" on top but it was damp since the temp was 32 (now 39). There was no wind but lots of low clouds & some fog so visibility again was not good. The crowd was very light - no lines. I did not ski today as I needed a break but I was told by reliable sources that the first hour was nice with lots of freshies on the groomed slopes. There was no grooming again on the steeps and they were very gnarly as the granular spring snow from yesterday set up overnight. I didn't see anyone skiing Racer's. There was a 70+ club race on Madison today. The weather will be very variable and cool for the rest of the week but looking very nice for the weekend so come on up and enjoy some excellent conditions.
Ski ya,
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Snow likely. High near 30F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Snow accumulating 1 to 2 inches.
Tonight: Variable clouds with snow showers. Low 23F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 50%.
Tomorrow: Overcast. A few flurries are possible. High near 30F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow night: Overcast. Low near 20F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Friday: Clouds giving way to sun . Highs in the low 30s and lows in the upper teens.
Saturday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 30s and lows in the low 20s.
Sunday: Considerable cloudiness. Highs in the upper 30s and lows in the upper 20s.

Hunterado skiing Mar 2

Hi All,
What a day! We had mostly sun this am, no wind & perfectly groomed powder on all main trails. It was real ego snow with perfect visibility and temp around 35 but now 45. The snow turned into spring conditions by 11:30 and high clouds moved in. All front side trails were excellent and Racer's was groomed at the top and about 1/3 the width on skiers right. The rest was left sas powder moguls. Rt 80 was also very sweet with corduroy powder. Claire's, Apurna & 44 were left as pure soft powder mogul fields - there was no ice or hard pack. Quad, F, B & Z were running. There was no D lift again today which is contrary to the mtn daily report & website which showed it as open both days. Yesterday's Localmotion race had about 70 participants with the party at Vertical Drop. The crowds were light with no real lines at any lift. Thankfully, heavy NY State and Greene County snow removal equipment showed up late yesterday and last night to clean up 23A in Tannersville and today through Hunter. Most power has now been restored although some secondary streets still need some snow clearing work.
You may be interested in reading the comments posted to my Sunday Extra blog site by Vicskis. http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
I have also attached a link (thanks Alan) to some photos taken during the Z lift Exodus / Death March when power failed on Saturday and about 300 including ski patrol who had been in the Z line had to walk the 1.8 miles along Rusk Hollow Rd back to the lodge as no shuttle was running. http://picasaweb.google.com/huntermt2/ZLIFTDEATHMARCH2272010#
Ski ya,
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Flurries and a few snow showers throughout the day. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s.(not true - temps in mid 40's) Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 30% (not a chance!).
Tonight: Snow showers will become more widely scattered overnight. Low 27F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
Tomorrow: Occasional snow showers. High near 30F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 40%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Tomorrow night: Snow showers early with a chance of lingering snow showers later. Low 22F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
Thursday: A few snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the upper teens.
Friday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the upper teens.
Saturday: Plenty of sun. Highs in the mid 30s and lows in the low 20s.

Hunter skiing Mar 1

Hi All,
Hunterado is here to stay! I never thought I would ever say that we have enough snow, but we do! Wow - at least 4 ft Fri - Sunday plus the 2 ft we had Tue-Wed = 6 ft!! Crazy weekend ! Groomers were working overtime last night to make sweet corduroy powder on most main trails. The steep trails were not groomed and remained very bumpy compacted powder runs. Overnight temp was 29 but now about 37. The light today was extremely flat with low dense clouds & some fog with a moderate wind so visibility was very poor when combined with the flat grooming. Quad, B & F were running fine but no D. Those of you who were up here knew that shovels and even snow blowers were almost useless as only heavy equipment like front end loaders and dozers could clear driveways and parking areas. Some streets are still in very bad shape so no schools again.
Ski ya,
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Windy. Snow flurries this morning. Cloudy with a few snow showers late. High around 35F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
Tonight: Variable clouds with snow showers. Low around 25F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 60%.
Tomorrow: Occasional snow showers. High 31F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
Tomorrow night: Occasional snow showers. Low around 25F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%.
Wednesday: Chance of a few snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s.
Thursday: Mostly Cloudy. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the upper teens.
Friday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the upper teens.

Hunter Feb 27-28 special edition

It's chaos here with unprecedented snow & skiing! Long lift lines like the old "A" lift on all lifts and lots of intermittent power failures which also affect the lifts. Parking is a nightmare. This upcoming ski week will be amazing - be a part of history and bring your cameras! See news article below!
Ski ya,
Jon


Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Occasional snow showers. Temps nearly steady around 30. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 60%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Tonight: Variable clouds with snow showers. Low around 25F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 40%.
Tomorrow: Windy. Some morning flurries. Then snow showers in the afternoon. High 31F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 40%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Tomorrow night: Variable clouds with snow showers. Low near 25F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 60%.
Tuesday: Chance of a few snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid 20s.
Wednesday: Snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid 20s.
Thursday: Cloudy. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the upper teens.

23A reopen, Greene Co. still tough going
CATSKILL -- Route 23A in Catskill is reopen to all traffic. The Greene County Sheriff's Department had shut it down due to extremely heavy traffic headed to ski resorts plus the nearly seven feet of snow that had fallen since Tuesday. Greene County itself is still under a state of emergency.

Authorities closed the road near the intersection of 32A early in the afternoon on Saturday but lifted that by 5:00PM Saturday. In a release, they say "Motorists should continue to exercise caution while traveling the roads. All business including the ski areas are operating as normal."

Saturday, the high volume of traffic created gridlock around the Hunter Mountain Ski Area and, because of the snow, many parking spaces were covered, according to a spokesperson with Hunter Mountain.

Additionally, Hunter had power surges and some skiers went to Windham Mountain as well. The GM at Ski Windham said they had up to 70 inches since the storms started Tuesday.

Saturday, they reached close to record numbers of skiers and the mountain exceeded its budget by 20%, the GM said. They honored day tickets until 6:00PM.

"Ski conditions were off the charts," he said. "The crews had a challenge keeping up with the snow in the parking lot - everything was fine on the trails."

The resort has about 300 homeowners in its association who live on the mountain. They had to keep all their roads, driveways, and lots clear.

A spokesperson at Hunter said they have had seven feet of snow since Tuesday and they had more than 5,000 people at the mountain on Saturday.

A State of Emergency has been declared for all of Greene County effective 10:00AM Saturday morning. It has been declared due to snow removal and traffic control conditions. All state and county roads are open but travelers should be alert for snow removal, public utility and public safety crews. Town roads in Hunter, Windham, Jewett, Ashland, Lexington and Prattsville may have limited travel, according to the Sheriff's Department.

Hunter powder Feb 26

Hunterado is here to stay! Over 50" and counting i.e. it is still snowing - I think Hunter is the new Buffalo. This is the largest snow storm anyone has ever seen up here. The local plowers and town road crews are overwhelmed and the mayor's have asked for state help like the national guard as the roads cannot be maintained. It is too late for plows to do the job - only front end loaders are able to clear driveways and side roads.
Only B and quad were running this am but Z opened mid-day and the lines were 45 minutes long for ungroomed deep and fairly dry powder. It was chopped up within half an hour. Camera bugs were out and tracks were made over every bit of terrain including under the lifts. The parking lot was a mad house as there were not enough spaces cleared for all the cars. We are to receive another 6" overnight and into Saturday.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Tonight: Cloudy with snow. Low 24F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. 3 to 5 inches of snow expected.
Tomorrow: Snow during the morning will transition to snow showers during the afternoon. High 29F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. 1 to 2 inches of snow expected.
Tomorrow night: Variably cloudy with snow showers. Low 23F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 60%.
Sunday: Occasional snow showers. High near 30F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 60%.
Monday: Snow showers possible. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s.
Tuesday: A few snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s.

Hunter skiing Feb 25 and major snow/wind storm

Hi All,
Sorry this is so late but had no cable /internet all day. As you all know by now we are in the middle of the largest double snow storm in at least 14-15 years (1996 ?). There is close to 40" on the ground and still snowing heavily. Local plowing and services are overwhelmed and power outages are all over the place. There is no where to put the snow. The mtn road and all local roads are a disaster. Skiing today was very nice but visibility poor with blinding snow. It is about 32-33 degrees so it is wet snow again. For the first time in recent memory all trails were open including Westway (44) and Taylor's. Most main trails were groomed very early this am so by the time lifts opened at 9 there was already 2-3" on top so very sweet freshies. All schools and many businesses have been closed and will remain so. High winds are expected tomorrow which could really do some damage as trees and power lines are already sagging under the weight of the snow. Check out the latest at this website: http://www.cbs6albany.com/sections/weather/7day/
Rushing to get this out before losing I-net again. It is raining from Catskill & Palenville on south right now.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Tonight: Snow will be heavy at times along with gusty winds. Low 28F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. 6 to 10 inches of additional snow expected. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy with snow flurries and snow showers, especially in the afternoon. High 29F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 70%. 1 to 2 inches of snow expected.
Tomorrow night: Snow likely. Low 26F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. 2 to 4 inches of snow expected.
Saturday: Light snow during the morning will give way to snow showers during the afternoon. High around 30F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 70%.
Sunday: Snow showers possible. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid 20s.
Monday: A few snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid 20s.

Hunter skiing Feb 24

What can I say?
24 - 26" on the ground and still snowing tho it is now very wet snow with base temps around 38. There were many power failures in the area including the base lodge, Hotel, Colonel's Chair Condos and Tannersville not to mention cable TV and internet outages. Most have now been restored but subject to intermittent stoppages. Only lifts B & F were running until around 10:15 when the quad finally got dug out and cleaned off. Skiing was very difficult due to the wetness of the snow - like Sierra cement (ass kicking) - and only those areas that had been groomed early were easier to navigate: Eastside Drive and H-B-K only. Z was getting ready to open around noon time but let me tell you that even the best skiers at Hunter with fat skis and snowboarders had trouble in this stuff. The chopped up areas became bumpy very fast as the wet snow compacted. Visibility was poor and it was foggy and a bit misty in areas. I had more fun yesterday when the snow was a lot drier. More snow is forecast per below and there is no where to put it. All roads are slowly getting cleared as is the main parking lot and all schools were closed as were many businesses. There were quite a few people here but most did not last long on the slopes. It is raining from Palenville on south so only we here on the mtn top have the heavy snow. Skiing should be great tomorrow once it all gets groomed out. Westway # 44 should be open this pm for the first time this year (and last year).
For the latest forecasts and warnings for the area go to this link: http://www.cbs6albany.com/sections/weather/7day/
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Scattered flurries and snow showers. Temps nearly steady around 30. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tonight: Cloudy with snow developing after midnight. Low 26F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Snow accumulating 1 to 2 inches.
Tomorrow: Snow during the morning will become heavy at times during the afternoon. High 33F. Winds NNE at 15 to 25 mph. Snow accumulating 6 to 10 inches.
Tomorrow night: Heavy snow in the evening will diminish to a few snow showers overnight. Some rain may mix in. Low 27F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Some snow accumulation possible.
Friday: Snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid 20s.
Saturday: Snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s.
Sunday: A few snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid 20s.

Hunter skiing & POWDER ALERT Feb 23

It's HUNTERADO!! Yes folks, it is like skiing in Colorado here at Hunter today and for the rest of the week. We are getting blasted with wind driven snow out of the east at the rate of 2 - 3" per hour and there are no people here to ski it off - freshies every run. The visibility can be very tough at times as there is also some fog drifting around the top of the mtn. The temp is mid 20's at the top and about 30 at the base. The roads are all white and no plows yet. No F or D again but who needs them! All trails are perfect including Claire's & Racer's top to bottom and I skied them all except Apurna which I don't trust. Since it was so warm yesterday the base softened so there is no ice under a layer of creamy powder. I must say it was alot of fun today. If any of you have extra days to take off, do it this week - tomorrow will be a POWDER day! We are in the 10-15" band per the forecast warning out of Albany - click on the link that says "click here for latest snow accumulation forecast"
Ski ya,
Jon

http://www.cbs6albany.com/sections/weather/7day/
Meteorologist: Steve LaPointe
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 12:55PM CLICK HERE for the latest Snow Accumulation Forecast Weather Advisories: WINTER STORM WARNING now in effect through 7pm Wednesday for eastern New York and western New England. Heavy to major snow accumulations are likely across the region tonight through Wednesday with the inbound storm. Snow will be very wet and heavy which potentially will lead to some tree and power line damage beginning late tonight and continuing through Wednesday. Scattered power outages will be possible with this storm.
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Low pressure currently developing south of New England will continue to channel moisture into eastern New York and western New England this afternoon. Marginal temperatures through the mid afternoon hours will preclude much in the way of snow accumulation through the day. However, towards, evening, as precipitation rates increase in combination with some lower level cooling, snow will begin to accumulate more rapidly. Heavy snowfall rates are likely tonight into Wednesday leading to low visibility and hazardous travel conditions..
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Storm accumulations in excess of 15" are likely in the higher elevations of the Catskills, Adirondacks, and Green Mountains in Vermont. Storm accumulations of 12" are likely throughout much of the remainder of eastern New York and western New England..
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Snow will become lighter and more intermittent Wednesday afternoon, tapering to flurries or drizzle by the evening.
.
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Thursday into Friday Event Another storm is likely to form out of the blocked weather pattern Thursday or Thursday night. As this potential system is further out in time, and linked to how all the weather before it plays out, it remains quite uncertain as to how it will evolve and therefore impact the local area with additional snowfall. However, another round of significant snow is possible for the region during this period. Stay Tuned!.




Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Cloudy with snow. Temps nearly steady around 30. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 80%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected.
Tonight: Periods of snow. Low 28F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Snow accumulating 6 to 10 inches.
Tomorrow: Snow during the morning will transition to snow showers during the afternoon. Temps nearly steady around 30. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulating 3 to 5 inches.
Tomorrow night: Cloudy with snow showers developing after midnight. Low near 25F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 60%. Some snow accumulation possible.
Thursday: Snow and windy. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid 20s.
Friday: Snow. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the mid 20s.
Saturday: Chance of a few snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s.

Hunter skiing Feb 22 and powder alert for Wed-Thurs

Happy B'day George Washington!
Well the huge weekend crowds are gone and we were blessed today with great skiing thanks to sun, no wind, great grooming (except Claire's) and warm temps. We had groomed corduroy ego snow again on all front side slopes and a very light crowd even with the Localmotion racers who were on the Highlands trail over at Hunter One (party at Slopes tonight). It got down to 19 overnight but now 45 as high clouds start to move in as a storm approaches. Best trail by a slim margin Cliff / Racer's which was exceptional followed by H-B-K and the entire east side which really softened under the sun. Rt 80 was also nice but the run-out at the bottom of Claire's was a bit bumpy. There was no F or D today but the quad was running well. A new lift (six-pack) to replace the quad by next ski season is looking more positive so stay tuned.......
The weather will turn nasty tonight but snow is forecast for the am and substantial accumulation for Tues night into Wed with continued snow showers through Friday. Following advisory issued out of Albany:
The weekend movie: "The Lovely Bones"
Ski Ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon


Weather Advisories: AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN THIS WEEK .
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A series of storm systems will periods of snow and some rain this week..
Tonight a weakening storms system will approach the region from the Great Lakes as another storm approaches from the south. During the day tomorrow generally light precipitation will affect the region. Temperatures in the valleys should be warm enough to cause some of the snow to mix with light rain while the elevations above 1000 feet will see mainly snow. Accumulations are expected to be light. An in or less in the valleys with 2-3" possible in the higher elevations..
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On Wednesday the storm to our will get better organized and a steadier, heavier snow is more likely. Once again in the Hudson Vally south of Albany will see the possibility of some rain mixing in while higher elevations in will see some heavy, wet snow. Upslope areas in the eastern Catskills and Berkshires and Southern Vermont have the potential for the heaviest amounts. The temperature profile will be critical in determining the amount of snow because of this the snowfall will be highly variable across the region..
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By Thursday night and Friday a storm that this afternoon is near the four corners in the southwest U.S. will give us a chance of more snow and perhaps strong winds. Stay tuned....
Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Generally cloudy. High around 35F. Winds light and variable.
Tonight: Variable clouds with snow showers. Some sleet may mix in. Low 27F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected.
Tomorrow: Occasional snow showers. High around 30F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 70%. 3 to 5 inches of snow expected.
Tomorrow night: Snow likely. Low 27F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Significant snow accumulation possible.
Wednesday: Snow early. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the upper 20s.
Thursday: Chance of a few snow showers. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the mid 20s.
Friday: Periods of snow. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid 20s.

Hunter skiing Feb 18

Sorry guys - I was off the mtn top today so have no first hand trail report except that it was cloudy, windy & mid 20's to 31. Doesn't look like I will be around tomorrow either.
Ski ya,
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Tonight: Evening flurries with a better chance of snow showers overnight. Low 21F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 40%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Tomorrow: Variable clouds and windy with light snow flurries possible. High 31F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph.
Tomorrow night: Snow flurries or snow showers. Low 21F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Saturday: Snow flurries early. Then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 32F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Sunday: Cloudy with flurries. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s.
Monday: Cloudy with flurries. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid teens.

Hunter skiing Feb 17

Wow - 10" of light powder. It was fun while it lasted but was quickly trashed by the early powder hounds. All slopes were semi-groomed except Apurna, Claire's, Racer's, K27 & 42nd St. Temps hung in the 20's most of the day and only now about 32 with light flurries. The sun wasn't out but visibility was good most of the time and there were some periods of very flat light. Crowds were surprisingly light with little or no quad line. All lifts were operating normally. Skiing did become bumpy by late morning as the clumps of powder got packed down. It will stay cold at night and good grooming should make for a great Thursday & Friday.
Ski ya,
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Variably cloudy with snow showers. High 27F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 60%.
Tonight: Snow showers early with a chance of lingering snow showers later. Low 22F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 60%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Tomorrow: Scattered snow showers and flurries becoming less frequent late in the day. High 31F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tomorrow night: Partly cloudy skies. Low 19F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Friday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the upper teens.
Saturday: Snow showers at times. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid teens.
Sunday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the mid teens.

Hunter special weather & powder alert for Feb 16 -17

Powder day Wednesday!!
The national weather service now saying that Hunter is in a pocket to receive 10" by later this evening and based on what is happening here I can confirm that - it is non-stop dry fluffy powder!
Ski ya powder hounds,
Jon

Hunter skiing Feb 16

Hi All,
Snow snow snow = fun fun fun! It has been non stop since early this am with 6" down and still snowing heavily as the forecasters blew this one! The temps were 17 summit and 25 base with dry snow, some fog up top and no wind. The skiing was incredible early with freshies as the crowd was very light to begin with but later was building and forming moderate lines at the quad. Visibility was limited and although the snow got cut up by the skiers & boarders it was light enough not to create much resistance while blasting through it and tracks were quickly covered over by new snow. I didn't think any one run was better than another. Tomorrow should be awesome! The roads here have yet to be plowed and are totally white.
Movie: Wed - Sun "Up In The Air"
Attached here is a link to an ice climber that fell and was killed Sunday in Hunter along Rt 23A
http://www.thedailymail.net/articles/2010/02/16/news/doc4b7a2f0f573c6269974594.txt
Ski ya,
Jon


Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Snow likely. High near 25F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. 2 to 4 inches of additional snow expected.
Tonight: Light snow this evening will give way to snow showers late. Low 17F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Tomorrow: Flurries and a few snow showers throughout the day. High 28F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tomorrow night: A few snow showers around in the evening, otherwise mostly cloudy. Low around 20F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Thursday: A few snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the upper teens.
Friday: Cloudy with occasional flurries. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the upper teens.
Saturday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the mid teens.

Hunter skiing Feb 15

Hi All,
What a great day of skiing! Early clouds gave way to nice sun as temps hit 36 (a heat wave!). The mtn was groomed to perfection including Racer's & Claire's and it was ego snow again - powder over softening base. It was not crowded until around 11 am and by 11:30 it was time for me to leave (spoiled skier that I am). All slopes were consistent but Racer's & Claire's were my trails of choice today. All lifts including "Y" on the west side were open and loading. We are going to get some new snow tonight - about 2-4" plus flurries tomorrow which could bring another 2-4" to keep things fresh but it will be colder and windy.
If you should miss a report or want to see previous reports just GOOGLE " hunterskiscene" or go directly to the blog site below.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon



Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Partly cloudy. High 28F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tonight: Snow showers early, with a steadier snow developing late. Low around 20F. Winds light and variable. 2 to 4 inches of snow expected.
Tomorrow: Snow during the morning will taper off to light snow during the afternoon. High 26F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. 2 to 4 inches of snow expected.
Tomorrow night: Snow showers. Low 17F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 60%.
Wednesday: Snow showers at times. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the upper teens.
Thursday: A few snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s.
Friday: Cloudy with occasional flurries. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the upper teens.

Hello skiers,
Another great day of skiing! If tomorrow is as good as today then this could be the best or equal to the best full ski week of the season. The snowfall total yesterday was 4 - 6" depending on where you were. The wind blew it around last night which made the grooming perfect on all trails except Racer's & Claire's which were left "as is". The corderoy powder was real ego cruising snow under bright sunny skies but there was a bit of nasty wind out of the west. Temps ranged from 19 to 27. Claire's & Racer's were good early but once they got scraped off it was fairly slick underneath but not to despair, the rest of the mtn stayed sweet all morning. Apurna was open but I didn't care to try it. The main line H-B-K held up the best under another fairly light crowd. The east side trails held pockets of wind blown powder and were fun to ski also. Rt 80 was good but windy with excellent grooming as well. There was no snow making (except from mother nature) and no need for it now as the mtn is in excellent shape. Lifts were operating normally.
The temp should remain cold and preserve all that nice new snow.
This weekend's movie Fri - Tues is: "Invictus" then Wed - Sun of next week: "Up In The Air".
Reminder that Saturday is Orville's 93rd, the big Mardi Gras party by the main bar followed by a rail jam, torchlight parade & fireworks.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon
Sorry, I will not be around tomorrow pm to issue a report.
Detailed Local Forecast
Tonight: Snow flurries early. Then partly cloudy overnight. Low near 10F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny skies. High 23F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow night: Mostly clear skies. Low 9F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Saturday: Windy with a few snow showers developing later in the day. High around 25F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Sunday: Windy with afternoon snow showers. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the mid teens.
Monday: Snow showers at times. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the mid teens.

Hunter skiing Feb 10

Hi All,
So far only about 4 - 5" on the ground. It is falling lightly without wind and temp about 30. Not at all what we expected unless the worst is yet to come. Skiing was great for most of the first hour with freshies all over but then it started to get chopped up and clumpy but still light dry powder. The surface underneath remained flat and hard but not icy. Both the front side and west side were equal today and everything was good except Apurna which remained closed. Crowds were very light considering all schools were closed. Tomorrow looks to be colder and windy.
This Saturday will be Orville's 93rd b'day.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon


Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Periods of snow and windy. High 24F. Winds NNE at 20 to 30 mph. 2 to 4 inches of snow expected.
Tonight: Snow this evening will give way to lingering snow showers late. Low 17F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches.
Tomorrow: Scattered flurries and snow showers. High 26F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tomorrow night: Snow flurries in the evening hours will give way to mostly cloudy skies overnight. Low 11F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph.
Friday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the upper single digits.
Saturday: Snow showers at times. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the low teens.
Sunday: Snow showers at times. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the low teens.

Hunter skiing Feb 9 & powder alert

Hi All,
Skiing was great today!! The wind was gone, the sun was out at least until about 1pm, and the temps warmed from high teens to now 35. The mtn was very empty and the grooming again superb combined with the fact that the wind had blown fresh powder all over the mtn last night. The entire front side was excellent including Racer's which was not groomed. The best run however was to be found on Claire's which was groomed top to bottom and stayed fresh all morning. Rt 80 was also quite nice.
The big story of course is the weather for tomorrow and I will quote you below the latest from the national weather center out of Albany which seems to suggest a more northerly track which could bring us a good foot of snow.
Regarding the quad: I was told by a very reliable source that a decision may be made as soon as Feb 15 (for installation by August1st) for a six-pack from POMA to replace the quad and a reconfiguration of the quad for use on the west side. They have been seeking financing for this project. Stay tuned..........
I forgot to mention that last Friday the head of the ski patrol, "Red" took a bad spill at the bottom of lower crossover and tore up both a knee and a hip. Xrays for breaks were negative but he is waiting for MRI tests to determine the extent of the ligament and tendon damage.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon



Weather Advisories: MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW STORM MORE LIKELY AS OF THIS UPDATE FOR A LARGER PORTION OF THE REGION.
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WINTER STORM WARNINGS now issued for Greene, Columbia, Ulster, Dutchess, Otsego, Delaware, Berkshire and Litchfield counties from 5am Wednesday to 1am Thursday where snow accumulations ranging from 6"-12" are increasingly likely.
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Early afternoon trends are now suggesting Wednesday's coastal storm will develop and track somewhat further north along the New Jersey coast. That coupled with rapid development will create a band of heavy snow to the north and west of the low center. With a more northward position along the coast, the potential for that heavy band of snow to developed into the Catskills, Mid Hudson valley, Berkshire and Litchfield counties has increased. North into the Capital Region, Mohawk valley, and southern Vermont a borderline line to moderate snowfall, with a light snowfall in the Adirondacks..
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Terrain will likely play a key role in snow accumulations with significant upslope enhancement likely in the eastern Catskills, Litchfield hills and Berkshire County. East facing slopes in these regions potentially will see in excess of 12" of snow from the storm..

Thursday: A few snow showers possible, windy. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the upper single digits.
Friday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the upper single digits.
Saturday: Snow showers at times. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the low teens.

Hunter skiing Feb 8

Hi All,
The weekend crowds are gone but the cold and wind stayed. It was really cold today and the wind was howling steady but there was excellent visibility with a clear sunny sky. The early temp at the summit was 8 with mid teens at the base but now 28 and still very windy. The mtn was very empty and the skiing excellent as once again the grooming was exceptional (thanks Skip!). Best runs: Cliff or Hgate to Racer's which was groomed to perfection but the entire east side and midstation area were also sweet. The wind was coming out of the west which was 10º colder than the front. The wind would stop you dead in your tracks on upper belt, Huega or Whitecloud and also on Wayout which was not shielded as usual. One run down Rt 80 was enough for me and I headed back to the sunny side to warm up. Claire's was a windblown ungroomed disaster waiting to happen and Apurna was closed. The chefs were racing today on Madison in their white chefs garb.
There is a storm brewing for Wed and it could be a blizzard so we'll keep a close eye on that one. We really need snow and hope that something comes out of this storm as no snow is being made or planned. Mgmt again spoke with POMA last week and are considering several options for lift replacements for both the quad and west side so stay tuned............. This coming weekend will feature a big Mardi Gras party on Saturday with all the usual bells & whistles (torchlight & fireworks etc.).
The movie from Feb 12 - Feb16: "Invictus" followed by "Up In The Air Feb" 17-21 for the holiday week.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Becoming windy. Off and on snow flurries are possible along with variably cloudy skies. High 22F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph.
Tonight: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 11F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow: Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 27F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow night: Cloudy with snow developing after midnight. Low 18F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Some snow accumulation possible.
Wednesday: Periods of snow. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the mid teens.
Thursday: A few snow showers. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the low teens.
Friday: Plenty of sun. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the upper single digits.

Hunter skiing Feb 5

Hi All,
It was nice to see many of you up here today playing hooky from work to take advantage of the good skiing. Strange weather day but very nice skiing.
Today started off very cloudy with poor visibility. Temps were 14 up top and 21 at the base with some wind but now about 30 and no wind. The clouds gave way to muted sun so visibility became much better after about 10 am. It was very damp but no precip. Grooming once again was near perfect on all front side trails and the snow was a bit softer than yesterday. The quad was running fine as was F. Best run of the day: Hgate to Racer's but everything was easy skiing. Everything on the front was better than anything on the west side. Wayout was groomed but hard, Claire's was not groomed and hard, Apurna was groomed. I skied Apurna late morning but once was enough as I thought it was dark, a bit slick and inconsistent with grass and rocks along skier's left side of the headwall. Other's who skied it earlier thought it was very nice so I guess it got scraped off quickly. There was a lighter than normal Friday crowd with no real lift lines. There was no snow making but plenty of powder along the edges of most trails. Sat pm there will be a rock band out of Albany at the main bar for happy hr.
The snow storm coming up the east coast will not reach much above the Rt. 80 line in NJ so unfortunately nothing for us but clouds, wind and cold.
Weekend movie: " It's Complicated".
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon
Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. High 27F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Cloudy skies this evening. A few snow showers developing late. Low 12F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Tomorrow: Cloudy. High 19F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.
Tomorrow night: Clear to partly cloudy. Low 6F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.
Sunday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the upper single digits.
Monday: Partly cloudy and windy. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the low teens.
Tuesday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 20s and lows in the upper teens.

Hunter skiing Feb 4

Hi Boys & Girls,
We experienced one of the top 5 midweek ski days of the season today. Yes it was cold (6 at the summit early and 20 at the base) with a bit of wind but what a cobalt blue cloudless sky with plenty of sun. The weather combined with a fabulous grooming job top to bottom that left corderoy powder on every skiable trail made for a great day. The mtn was empty so to ski-on / ski-off a smooth and fast running quad was a treat. I was like a kid in a candy store: which trail to try first so I had to ski them all. The main line H-B-K was a slight favorite but Claire's, Racer's and Rt 80 were close behind. Cliff, Ike, Minya & Eside were also excellent as was Upper K27 where the wind deposited pockets of powder. Apurna was closed for lack of snow. There was more wind up top, on the west and Huega but the surface conditions and sun made it worth it. The high today was about 25 /26 º. It will be very cold over the weekend with some snow showers but the bulk of the storm will be way south of us so we are not expecting much accumulation if any. There has been no snow making. F was running but without customers.
Weekend movie: "It's Complicated"
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon


Detailed Local Forecast
Today: Sunny. High 23F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tonight: A few passing clouds. Low 12F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy skies. High 28F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow night: Scattered flurries and snow showers. Low 12F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 30%.
Saturday: Snow showers in the morning. Highs in the upper teens and lows in the mid single digits.
Sunday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the upper single digits.
Monday: Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 20s and lows in the low teens.