Hunter March 30

Hello Hunter fans,
Finally a great spring ski day in spring. Today is what its all about! Fun ego snow, soft, groomed, no clouds, no wind, no crowds and the Flyer running fine. (It had electrical problems yesterday that kept it down for over an hour in the am) The overnight temp dipped to 18 but by 10 am it was 35 and now 45. Heading back out to the sun deck to catch some rare rays. Claire's, White Cloud, Upper K and Apurna all closed but the rest of the mountain was terrific - especially Cliff / Racer's. There are some very thin and bare spots developing in the usual areas but a new storm forecast should well take care of that. Hunter has posted the following and no, it is not my usual April Fools forecast - this is the real deal from Mother Nature folks:

QUOTE:
Ready? 8-14 inches of snow coming FRIDAY! We've got a winter storm watch from Accuweather , and we are gearing up for some serious late spring powder!

That said, we are moving Pondskimming to April 9. So put your wet suit away for another week, and get out your midwinter gear!!
UNQUOTE

Should be real interesting and fun.
Ski ya,
Jon


The NWS forecast below: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Hunter&state=NY&site=ALY&lat=42.2112&lon=-74.2157

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH
LATE FRIDAY NIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBANY HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM
WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE
FRIDAY NIGHT.

* LOCATIONS...MOST OF EASTERN NEW YORK AND ALL OF ADJACENT WESTERN
NEW ENGLAND.

* HAZARD TYPES...MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL. SNOW MAY MIX WITH
SLEET...FREEZING RAIN AND RAIN IN THE MID HUDSON
VALLEY...NORTHWEST CONNECTICUT AND PORTIONS OF THE BERKSHIRES
THURSDAY NIGHT.

* ACCUMULATIONS...6 TO 12 INCHES OF SNOW...WITH 8 TO 14 INCHES
POSSIBLE INTO THE HIGHER TERRAIN.

* TIMING...PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD THE REGION
THURSDAY NIGHT AND BECOME MODERATE TO HEAVY AT TIMES AFTER
MIDNIGHT THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL SLOWLY TAPER
OFF TOWARD SUNSET FRIDAY.

Hunter March 29

Hi all,
Basically a repeat of yesterday however without the sun for most of the day. The light was very flat and the high winds kept the lift from running continuously until close to noon. The sun only came out around 1pm. The temps went from low 20's to 35 now but still very windy. Not a very inviting day to ski.
I hope the forecast is wrong but it looks ugly for the end of the week.
Movies: Barney's Version, Battle: Los Angeles, The Lincoln Lawyer http://www.catskillmtn.org/retail/movie-theater/index.html
Hunter posted the following today:

We've got big plans on Saturday, starting with our annual Pondskimming & Beach Bash !
Registration starts at 11am and there are only 100 participants accepted so get up there and register!
The competition kicks off at 1pm... there will be lots of prizes, live music and fun!
2010-2011 End of Season Specials
Valid Starting March 28, 2011 through the end of the season
Hunter Mountain is offering lots of late season special deals, not only for our loyal regular customers but also for skiers and riders who call other mountains their home. We'd like you to see just how much snow we have left.

For EVERYONE, we've reduced our ticket prices for the rest of the season! See the chart below.
For our Big Lift Card holders, you'll take your discounts from these lower prices. Plus, you'll get your 50% midweek discount EVERY DAY for the rest of the season, including weekends!
For Season Passholders from other mountains, we understand and appreciate your passion for winter sports. If your home mountain is currently closed, just show your valid 2010-2011 season pass (plus proper ID if it's not a photo pass) and get a 1/2 price ticket EVERY DAY for the rest of the season!


Prices affective March 28, 2011 Midweek Weekend
Adult (ages 18-64) $49 $56
Young Adult (age 13-17) $43 $50
Junior (age 7-12) $31 $38
Senior (65+) $31 $38


Ski ya,
Jon

NWS Forecast:

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 19. Northwest wind between 7 and 14 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 41. Northwest wind around 6 mph.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24. Light north wind.

Thursday: A slight chance of snow before 10am, then a slight chance of rain and snow between 10am and noon, then a slight chance of rain after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 43. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thursday Night: A chance of rain and snow before 11pm, then a chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Friday: A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 33. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Friday Night: A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 27. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday: A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 45.

Hunter March 28

Hi All,
We seem to be stuck in this weather pattern that keeps the slopes hard, fast and flat. The temps dipped down to about 16 last night and now 34 but very windy all day with bright sun and a cloudless sky. I did not ski today - quite frankly, I am actually bored of it. Vic gave it two thumbs up and Laura D. said there was some corn snow on Minya. I do not believe Claire's, White Cloud or Apurna were open today but everything else was. Crowds were very light as expected. The rest of the week looks to have cold nights and variable days with mixed precipitation. Pond skimming is slated for Saturday weather permitting.
Ski ya,
Jon


Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 15. Northwest wind between 11 and 14 mph.

Tuesday: A slight chance of snow showers before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 36. Northwest wind between 11 and 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 18. Northwest wind between 7 and 11 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 39. North wind between 3 and 6 mph.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain and snow showers before 9pm, then a chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a low around 26. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41.

Thursday Night: A chance of rain and snow. Cloudy, with a low around 26. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday: A chance of rain and snow. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Hunter March 25

Hi All,
Finally a very pleasant day to ski this week. Early lake effect clouds and flurries disappeared by 11:30 and out came the sun. Temps went from mid teens to 34 now. Surface conditions were hard and fast, well groomed and consistent. It was getting scraped off by late morning but also started to soften up a bit. The un-groomed trails were not really an option unless they soften considerably like they did late pm yesterday. "Thin Cover" lolly-pops still dominated the steeper west side trails and White Cloud remained closed. It will be cold but clear this weekend per below forecast. The crowds were light as they were all week. The Flyer was running fine and "F" was running today for the first time this week.
Winter is still here so don't put away those extra layers yet. Movies: http://www.catskillmtn.org/retail/movie-theater/index.html
Ski ya,
Jon

NWS Forecast:
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. Wind chill values as low as -1. West wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 29. Wind chill values as low as -1. Northwest wind between 9 and 17 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 10. Wind chill values as low as zero. West wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 32. West wind between 7 and 13 mph.

Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 9.

Monday: Sunny and breezy, with a high near 31.

Hunter March 24

Hello Hunter fans,
Dust on crust for the morning! The first inch of wet snow fell when the temp was 33 and then it froze as the temp dropped to 22 followed by 2" of light snow. The light was flat with low cloud cover, some fog on top and there was a damp cold penetrating breeze. First tracks were okay for an hour then it got noisy. One could only ski the groomed trails unless you liked frozen bumps and, for the most part, it was very consistent. Upper & Lower K and White Cloud were closed. Wayout was nice but Claire's, which I did not ski, had blue ice showing through and skier's right below the tower 6 lip was almost bare with numerous lollypops marking it and other sections as "Thin Cover". I spoke to two skiers who tried Apurna and both thought is should have been closed - survival skiing! Temps did finally warm up a bit to 35 now and the sun came out at noon so it looks like the pm skiers will have a decent day as the snow softens a bit. The weekend looks to be unseasonably cold but clear with sun.
Movies: The Adjustment Bureau, The Last Lions, Gnomeo and Juliet. For times: http://www.catskillmtn.org/retail/movie-theater/index.html
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

NWS Forecast:
This Afternoon: A slight chance of snow showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 33. North wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 16. Northwest wind between 7 and 10 mph.

Friday: A slight chance of snow showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 30. Northwest wind between 9 and 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 11. West wind between 7 and 9 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 33. Northwest wind between 7 and 14 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 12.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 30.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 10.

Hunter March 23

Hi Skiers,
Today was a non-event for me. It just didn't make sense to even put on the boots. We had light snow on and off all day with temps at 32 and a light wind but other than partially coat the grass with a white dust, there was no accumulation and nothing stuck to paved surfaces. The top of the mountain was in a snow fog and I can't imagine that skiing was any good today after yesterday's nasty conditions but hey, I have been wrong before. I did not speak with anyone who ventured out today.
The storm forecast is below but unless the temps drop, I can't see any major accumulation other than slush although it would be nice to see the brown tinge on the slopes covered in white. The weekend looks to be nice clear skiing weather.
No movies have been posted yet but that's typical for the CMF.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon


NWS Forecast:
Late Afternoon: Snow. High near 29. East wind between 3 and 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Tonight: Snow. Low around 23. Northeast wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.

Thursday: Scattered snow showers, mainly before noon. Cloudy, with a high near 36. North wind between 9 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 16. Northwest wind between 9 and 14 mph.

Friday: A slight chance of snow showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 31. Northwest wind between 10 and 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday Night: A slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 27.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 9.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 30.

Hunter March 22

Hi all,
Worst conditions I have skied all year. Ski patrol told me to say on the groomed trails but even they were treacherous with nothing but broken up ice clumps, cookies and frozen granular / cat tracks. West was closed. The weather also sucked - cold damp breeze, low clouds, poor visibility and temps around 33. Needless to say, even though I waited until late morning, I did not stay out for long and neither did anyone else who had any common sense. There were no good trails. Should have stayed in Sun Valley! The weather does not look good for the rest of the week even with the 3 to 5" of wet snow expected (per RIP97) late tomorrow into Thursday but, hey - this is Hunter in March and anything can happen.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

NWS Hunter Forecast
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. North wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Wednesday: Snow, mainly after noon. High near 30. North wind around 7 mph becoming east. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Wednesday Night: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 22. Northeast wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Thursday: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. North wind between 9 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 14. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 31.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 9.

Hunter March 21

Hi All,
Happy first day of spring but you wouldn't know it from today's weather. After a very warm & sunny Sunday afternoon on the deck with spring snow, it was blizzard-like conditions this am with temps around 30, high winds, 2 - 3" wet snow and white out visibility. The roads were slick and there were lots of car accidents in the area. Typical of Hunter in March it is now 37 with spots of sun since 2 pm and most of the snow is gone. I did not ski today nor did I speak with anyone who did so no trail reports. Looks like more typical March variable weather for the coming week.

For those of you who wish to see pics & videos from last week's trip of 24 Hunter skiers to Sun Valley: http://www.facebook.com/barcharlie
Ski ya,
Jon

NWS forecast for Hunter:

Tonight: A slight chance of snow showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. West wind between 5 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tuesday: A slight chance of snow showers before 10am, then a slight chance of rain and snow showers between 10am and 11am, then a slight chance of rain showers after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 43. North wind between 14 and 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. North wind between 3 and 9 mph.

Wednesday: Snow likely, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 31. Northeast wind between 3 and 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday Night: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 23. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Thursday: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Thursday Night: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday: A chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 33. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Hunter March 10

Hi all,
It is a nasty cold wet day with steady rain and gusty wind since before daybreak. The rain has not stopped at all and the worst is yet to come. Hunter looks like a ghost town and the streams are rising rapidly. Temps are mid to upper 30's. No Flyer at all today, only "B" and "D" visibly running - can't say if "F" or "Z" ever got going. I am sure the surface conditions are soft and easy but, for me at least, not worth getting cold & wet. Following from the National Weather Service:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Hunter&state=NY&site=ALY&lat=42.2112&lon=-74.2157

Weekend movies (probably will be busy this weekend): http://www.catskillmtn.org/retail/movie-theater/index.html
Ski ya,
Jon

Hunter March 9

Hi All,
Well we didn't get a repeat of yesterday. Today was dominated by clouds, very flat light and a wind out of the east with temps from low 20's to 34 now. It was a damp penetrating cold morning. The surface conditions were very nice since the snow softened up a bit and the grooming once again was excellent. Cliff / Racer's was sweet but visibility was an issue. The east side trails and Hgate greeted you with a stiff wind for most of the way down. I did not head west today so really can't comment on it. The weather will be a major issue for the next few days and local streams could cause some flooding. Ice has been falling off the cliffs on Rt 23A so be careful when driving up the mountain road.
Bring your wet weather gear and prepare for spring conditions.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

NWS Forecast:
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY
AFTERNOON...
Tonight: Snow, mainly after midnight. Low around 26. Breezy, with a southeast wind between 15 and 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

Thursday: Snow before 11am, then rain and snow between 11am and 1pm, then rain after 1pm. High near 38. Southeast wind between 11 and 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Thursday Night: Rain. Low around 35. Southeast wind between 10 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Friday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 45. Southeast wind 8 to 10 mph becoming southwest. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday Night: A slight chance of rain showers before 10pm, then a slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. West wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Saturday: A slight chance of snow showers before 10am, then a slight chance of rain and snow showers between 10am and 1pm, then a chance of rain showers after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday: A chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy and breezy, with a high near 38. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Hunter March 8

Hello Hunter fans,
What a day! Great skiing on perfectly groomed fresh natural corduroy powder, brilliant sun, no clouds, no wind and temps from a low of 12 to 39 now (feels like mid 60's on the deck - March T-shirt weather has begun). All main line trails including Racer's were exceptional, as was Wayout. Claire's, which was not groomed, became excellent by late morning as it softened up and had some traffic to break it up a bit. There were a surprising number of people for a Tuesday even taking into account that the East Coast Firefighters race which was postponed from early Feb was held today. The Flyer at times had a minor line but there were not enough customers to justify opening "F" lift. There are full spring conditions in effect now. Tomorrow looks like a repeat of today at least until mid-afternoon.
A note about yesterday: After talking to more people today, putting aside visibility and wind issues, the surface conditions were described as equal to the best of the season on soft granular 4 - 6" cream cheese like snow, especially the entire west side ( Happy now Bruce?).
The mountain is gearing up for some Mardi-Gras activities this weekend.
Weekend movies: Rango, The Other Woman & Unknown http://www.catskillmtn.org/retail/movie-theater/index.html
The full 7 day NWS forecast is below.
Happy spring skiing, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

NWS Forecast:

This Afternoon: Sunny, with a high near 36. Northeast wind between 3 and 5 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 11. Light and variable wind.

Wednesday: A slight chance of rain and snow after 4pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 36. Calm wind becoming east between 5 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Wednesday Night: A slight chance of rain and snow before 7pm, then snow. Low around 23. Southeast wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Thursday: Snow before 10am, then rain and snow between 10am and noon, then rain after noon. High near 39. Southeast wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Thursday Night: Rain. Low around 35. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Friday: Rain, mainly before 1pm. High near 39. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28.

Saturday: A chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday Night: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: A chance of rain and snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 36. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 14.

Hunter March 7

Hi All,
Crazy March weather! After raining all day yesterday it turned to sleet and snow around 6 last night and dumped about 4-6" of heavy crusty sugar on top of about a 1/4" of ice making for a rough start to the day. The Flyer opened around 9:40 and "B" around 10:20 due to de-icing operations. Roads were a mess and schools were closed again. The top of the mtn was colder and dry so there was more of a powdery mix of snow - up to 8" in spots but very windy and cold at 20. The sun broke thru around 2 pm and temps now around 32. I did not venture out but reports were from "just okay" on the front to "very nice" on the west side which opened near 11:30. No steeps were groomed - not even Cliff or Hgate. There was Localmotion # 5 on Madison but I heard there were not alot of racers. The post race party is at Bear Creek. Tomorrow and Wed should be great ski days.
Ski ya,
Jon

NWS Forecast:
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 6. Wind chill values as low as -7. West wind 14 to 17 mph decreasing to between 5 and 8 mph.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 35. Wind chill values as low as -8. North wind around 6 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 13. Light and variable wind.

Wednesday: A chance of rain and snow after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. South wind between 3 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Wednesday Night: A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 27. East wind between 7 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Thursday: Snow likely before 10am, then rain and snow likely between 10am and 1pm, then rain likely after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 38. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: Rain and snow likely, becoming all snow after 10pm. Cloudy, with a low around 29. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Friday: A chance of rain and snow. Cloudy, with a high near 38. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Hunter March 4

Hi All,
Another very pleasant day to ski adding to an overall sweet week of skiing. Temps stayed in the low 20's last night and now up to 30 with lots of sun. The wind was a bit strong out of the east today so the east-side trails proved a bit tough to reach but sweet once on them and out of the wind. The rest of the mountain was in very good shape thanks to great grooming yet again with granular surface conditions. Wayout via White Cloud was very nice but Claire's, which was open, was un-groomed and looked too slick to attempt - the few people on it were all sliding sideways. Apurna was closed. Saturday am looks like the best bet to ski weather-wise and Sunday looks like wet spring-like conditions will prevail.
Just spoke to Jimmy Wagman who is home & OK (still with some headaches and sore neck muscles) considering his yesterday's concussion. Helmets, helmets, helmets people!! There was a bit more of a crowd today with a minor lift line but "F" was also open which helped.
Have a great weekend!
Ski Ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

NWS Hunter Forecast:

Tonight: A chance of snow, freezing rain, and sleet between 1am and 4am, then a chance of rain, snow, and sleet after 4am. Cloudy, with a low around 28. South wind between 9 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Saturday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. South wind between 9 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: Rain likely, mainly after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 38. South wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Sunday: Rain. High near 43. South wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Sunday Night: Snow. Low around 22. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Monday: Snow likely, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Hunter March 3

Hi All,
Another great day to ski although cold with temps from 2 to a high of 22 and very little wind. Great sun all day and great grooming again on all main trails. Didn't ski one I didn't like. Surface conditions were granular and frozen granular - hard and fast. Crowds were minimal and the Flyer was running well but no "F" again.

A word of caution to those of you who still refuse to wear helmets: Our good friend and fellow excellent skier Jimmy Wagman was blindly hit by a snowboarder this am on the flats just above the Flyer base. His head hit the hard-pack and he was briefly unconscious but his new helmet cracked instead of his skull and a cat-scan fortunately showed no brain bleeding tho he has quite a headache and whiplash. Had he not worn a helmet he would have been in serious trouble. Feel better my friend!

The weather looks very variable over the next 3 - 4 days so dress and ski accordingly. Movies: http://www.catskillmtn.org/retail/movie-theater/index.html
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon


NWS Hunter Forecast:
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 3. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 31. Calm wind becoming south between 12 and 15 mph.

Friday Night: A chance of snow before 1am, then a chance of snow and sleet. Cloudy, with a low around 22. South wind around 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Saturday: A chance of freezing rain and sleet before 10am, then a chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 45. South wind around 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 38. South wind between 14 and 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Sunday: Rain before 3pm, then rain and snow. High near 39. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Sunday Night: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 17. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Hunter March 2

Hello skiers,
Just a quick note to those of you who are new on the list (95 now), I only ski and report on the morning conditions as they are "generally" better. What happens in the afternoon as you all know is usually totally different as the conditions can change by the hour especially when it is crowded and/or with spring-like weather.

It was a great day to ski today. Grooming was fantastic and consistent on all main line and west side trails (except Apurna which was closed). Cliff/Racer's or Ike were the best frontside runs today but H-B-K, Minya/Lowercross & Eside were also quite nice. Wayout and Claire's were also very nice and UpperTaylors into Claire's was groomed out flat and was easy to ski. There were no crowds at all and "F" was closed again. The temp at the base was mid 30's but on top it was 24 and very gusty, in fact the wind would stand you up straight on the upper section of the Belt or Huega. The sun disappeared around 9:30 and only made spotty appearances until 11 when clouds and flurries took over and in fact it is snowing lightly now as the temp starts to drop. Tomorrow will be full winter conditions again for a day.
The 3 weekend movies: Rango, Another Year & Just Go With It. For times/details click on the link: http://www.catskillmtn.org/retail/movie-theater/index.html
Ski ya soon, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon

NWS Hunter forecast:

This Afternoon: Scattered snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Windy, with a west wind around 26 mph, with gusts as high as 43 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 1. Wind chill values as low as -12. Breezy, with a northwest wind 18 to 21 mph decreasing to between 8 and 11 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 20. Wind chill values as low as -13. Northwest wind between 8 and 10 mph.

Thursday Night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 7. Light north wind.

Friday: A chance of snow, mainly after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 32. South wind between 5 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday Night: A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 27. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 34. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 40. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Hunter March 1

Hi All,
Wow - March already! After a day of heavy wind driven rain ( a condition which Hunter's yesterday's snow report referred to as "balmy" - ha!) and temps in the 40's (the Flyer never opened before noontime if at all) it was a very pleasant day to ski mainly due to brilliant sun, light wind and consistent frozen corduroy grooming. It was hard and fast with great visibility. The surface was getting scrapped off before it had a chance to soften up. It was in the teens this am and only 6 on top but now 31. The west "Z" had not opened by 11:30 so I imagine it must have been a sheet of ice. All front side trails (Cliff, Racer's, Hgate, Kennedy, Minya, Eside, LowerCross, Gunhill) were good with the exception of Ike which seemed to have more frozen cat-tracks and ruts than the rest. Crowds were very light and there was no "F" today. Based on the below forecast it should be an interesting weather week.
Ski ya, http://hunterskiscene.blogspot.com/
Jon


NWS 7 day forecast for Hunter:

This Afternoon: Sunny, with a high near 31. West wind around 10 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 20. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.

Wednesday: A chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 31. Breezy, with a south wind 11 to 14 mph becoming west between 20 and 23 mph. Winds could gust as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 1. Wind chill values as low as -11. Northwest wind 15 to 18 mph decreasing to between 7 and 10 mph. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 19. North wind between 8 and 10 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 5.

Friday: A chance of snow after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday Night: A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 26. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday: A chance of rain and snow. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain and snow. Cloudy, with a low around 33. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Sunday: A chance of rain and snow. Cloudy, with a high near 38. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Chance of precipitation is 40%.