Hunter Feb 28

Hi All,

Last day of Feb - can you believe it?  March is roaring in like a lion! Brrrrrrr  -2 this am at the base and minus 9 at the top (without the wind) but now a heat wave at 15. The wind had died off after a wicked white-out squall last evening that left about 2" of snow in a half hr. Very strong sun today with a cobalt blue sky but it did nothing to warm things up - just made visibility great. Grooming once again was very good (except on the steeps like Racer's & Claire's) and the surface was corduroy powder on a rock hard base. The west side was very cold and hard packed - like skiing into a freezer - so one Rt 80 and done there. All front side groomed trails were flat and easy. There were no crowds at all.

The long range forecast shows unseasonable cold for the next two weeks. http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Hunter&state=NY&site=ALY&lat=42.2112&lon=-74.2157#.UxDayc4XIxA   The storm that is due on the east coast Sun into Mon according to the Albany weather services now looks like most of the snow will fall to our south in NJ, LI & NYC with maybe 4 - 6" here but this could change.

Movies:  http://www.catskillmtn.org/retail/movie-theater/index.html

Be safe,

Jon

Hunter Feb 26

Hello Hunter fans,

This week and today grooming is everything and let me say it was fantastic today. Everything including Claire's and Racer's was double groomed last night making for some very sweet powder (not sugar) on a hard base today - great job Skip and the groomers!! LowerK  & 44 were closed as usual.  The weather was cold 16 base and 10 on top with a stiff wind and some flurries. The sun was in and out this am but now very sunny. Every run front and back was sweet although with some flat light issues earlier. Crowds - what crowds? There was a mechanical issue with "B" lift and for a short time period the "D" was put into action until it was fixed (Scott to the rescue!). We are in for an arctic blast well into next week with snow flurries and some light accumulation:  http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Hunter&state=NY&site=ALY&lat=42.2112&lon=-74.2157#.Uw5Ax84XIxA

Weekend movies:  http://www.catskillmtn.org/retail/movie-theater/index.html

Hello to the NJ Ski Council trip members out in Vail - some 140+ of you - enjoying a great western trip!

Happy hour and wing / shrimp night resumes tonight at Van Winkles.

Be safe,

Jon

Hunter Feb 24

Hello All,

Hunter just experienced its biggest 9 day holiday week crowd in decades. Great conditions sure helped.

Well it's back to winter today and all this week. Everything froze overnight as temps dipped into the teens and basically stayed there. It was 12 on top and 22 at the base but getting colder now. The wind was strong out of the west and would almost stop you on Huega and knock you sideways on lower Kennedy. Skiing was hard and fast with sugar shaved from frozen courduroy on a very hard packed surface - it was noisy and you needed good edges. The sun was in and out with some flat light situations on several runs. I did not go west due to the wind and was subsequently advised by ski patrol that Wayout was very cold, windy and slick (wind blown). One could only ski where it was groomed which did not include any of the steeper trails.  Lower K and Claire's were closed, Cliff & Racers ungroomed frozen moguls. The main line, Eside & Minya were okay. A Local Motion race was held on Madison today with the party at MacGregors. Here is the NWS forecast for the week - cold and snowy:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Hunter&state=NY&site=ALY&lat=42.2112&lon=-74.2157#.UwuOJs4XIxA

The Bakery/Cafe changed its hrs: Mon - Tue 7 - 3, Wed thru Sat 7 - 5, Sun 7 - 2.

Ski on.......

Jon

Hunter Feb 21

Hi All

Hunter has been experiencing some of the best crowds and conditions ever for a President's Week until today. Fog and light rain this am with heavy rain now and temp at 42. The problem is that it could all freeze tonight.

NWS forecast:  http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Hunter&state=NY&site=ALY&lat=42.2112&lon=-74.2157#.UwejMs4XIxA

The water has no where to go and is ponding all over the place. Flood, fog and black ice warnings have been issued.

Movies:  http://www.catskillmtn.org/retail/movie-theater/index.html

Hunter's new bakery / cafe has now posted a dinner menu per attached.

Drive and ski safely,

Jon

Hunter Feb 12 & powder alert

Hello snow diggers,

It was a "Trifecta" week - 3 bright sunny days in a row of squeaky groomed powder. Yes it was cold as overnight lows dipped to -10 last night but recovered quickly to 22 now. Everything (front & west side) was very good today as once again the grooming excelled. There was no wind and no lift lines but a few more skiers & boarders than over the past 2 days.

The local radio station WRIP is saying that a winter storm warning has been issed from 7am Thurs thru 10 am Fri with 5 - 7" tomorrow plus another 5 - 7" Thurs night for a total of 10 - 12". Other forecasts vary depending on the actual storm track & speed.

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

 

 

Weekend movies:  http://www.catskillmtn.org/retail/movie-theater/index.html

 

Fireworks Saturday night and a Billy Joel tribute band for presidents weekend - based on i-net ticket sales and room bookings a huge crowd is expected up here.

Happy B'day to Abe Lincoln today.

Get ready to P-A-R-T-Y!

Ski ya,

Jon

Hunter Feb 11

Hello Hunter Fans,

Just another day here in paradise. Great sun, exceptional grooming (kudos to Skip and the groomers) but cold and windy. Temps from an early 0 to 16 now for the high. Very light crowds, no lift lines at all and lots of groomed corduroy powder. Best run of the day: Claire's with Wayout a close 2nd. Every front side trail was groomed too except Racer's and that was still okay. It really felt like a private country club today as many runs had hardly anyone else on them. The polar ice caps may be melting but I think they are reforming here in the Catskills - ha! This is by far the longest & coldest stretch of weather in the 9+ years I have been living here - we can't even break 20°. The cold will continue with snow coming in Wed pm and Thurs but I haven't seen any accurate accumulation predictions yet. It all depends on the track of the storm. Tomorrow looks like another great sunny day.

NWS forecast: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Hunter&state=NY&site=ALY&lat=42.2112&lon=-74.2157#.Uvp2R_vDWEs

Ski ya,

Jon

Hunter Feb 10

Hi All,

The weekend hoards are gone.  With 2" of snow overnight there were freshies most of the am due to a very light crowd. Everything on the front side was groomed except LowerK & UpperCross. Cliff / Racer's was a very nice run. Rt 80 was very nice but windy. Claire's was flat but slick and 44 was all fozen wind blown bumps. It was quite cold today with temps still in the teens and a steady wind 15 -20 mph out of the west. The sun was in and out and there were some flurries recently. Overall great conditions but slick underneath the thin layer of powder. Tomorrow looks to be a nice day but cold and there is a storm watch for Wed pm into Thurs.

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

The Local Motion race today was in the Highlands with the party at Cosmic Charlies.

Be advised Van Winkles will suspend happy hr and wing night Feb 14 - 23 for the holiday week.

Ski ya,

Jon

Hunter Feb 6

Greetings from the snowy north country.

We had a total of between 10 - 12" yesterday in a blinding snow storm - powder powder everywhere!

The sun was out strong today with early temps at 10 but now 23 and no wind. The surface conditions were groomed but still a bit bumpy dry powder on most trails. Claire's, Racer's and 44 were not touched and looked / sounded very scratchy between moguls. The entire front side and Wayout were in great shape although Minya was a bit bumpy / not groomed. There were more people than usual for a Thursday but a good snowfall brings them out. The crowd was well spread out over the mountain.  "F" was running but not busy at all and the lines at both the Flyer and Z were very minimal. It really was a beautiful and pleasant day to be on the slopes. Tomorrow is looking to be a repeat of today but with even better grooming. The rest of the week will stay cold and the snow storm previously predicted for Sunday now looks like a bust.

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

Weekend movies:  http://www.catskillmtn.org/retail/movie-theater/index.html

The new Bakery/Cafe has added home made soups to its menu along with daily specials - excellent!!

Be safe on the roads and slopes,

Jon

Hunter Feb 4 Powder Alert

Hi All,

What a beautiful weather day to ski with bright sun, no wind, temps from 2 overnight to 28 now. Surface conditions were only consistent on the groomed trails: HBK, Ike, Gunhill, Eside Dr, Huega/Dropoff, Belt and Rt 80 otherwise there was dust on crust and you needed sharp edges. We had 2" of wind driven nuisance snow yesterday that cut visibility way down and just barely covered the hardpack. High clouds are moving in now in anticipation of a storm that is forecast to begin around 3am and dump 10 - 15" in our area per the below map. There is another potential major storm brewing for Sunday but forecasts are still sketchy. Don't be surprised if the Gov's of NY & NJ declare states of emergency.

 

 

 

NWS forecast:  http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Hunter&state=NY&site=ALY&lat=42.2112&lon=-74.2157#.UvEwhPv4Jp0

Albany WNYT: High pressure will keep us dry today and through the evening hours tonight.  Sunshine will give way to increasing high clouds by late afternoon and highs will be in the lower 30's.
A storm developing over the western Gulf of Mexico will slide up through the Deep South and into the Ohio Valley by this evening.  On this track, light snow will begin after midnight tonight. The storm will reach to about Pittsburgh before transferring its energy to a new low south of Long Island.  This will keep snow going, heavily at times into the day tomorrow.  Snow will wind down tomorrow evening with most locations picking up 7-12 inches.  Highs tomorrow will be near 30.
Dry and colder weather with highs in the mid 20's for both Thursday and Friday.
Click here for video, radar, maps and more weather info

 

Powder hounds get ready!

Jon