Saturday, December 31, 2011

It's Gonna Get COLD for a while.......

Just checked the weather forecast from four different sites and while they aren't the same......never are........they do all show that we will be cooling down a bit starting tomorrow, New Years Day........in fact, cold enough that we should be able to get some more new snow made at least three nights.........finally.........FINALLY...........

.....snow got soft yesterday but all the trails are in good shape........we pushed snow from 9 pm til 11:30 pm last night in the areas that were rutted and thin..........then went to bed until 3:30 am when we cranked up the cats and did a full groom.........finishing at 6:30 this morning..........then back to bed for a couple more hours of sleep............yawn.......

.....but the trails are lookin good this morning............so it's worth the sleep deprivation.......I think.......

......we open at 10 this morning and have the Family Friendly New Years Eve party tonight til 11 pm..........obviously no snow tubing today or tonight.........but you can ski and/or snowboard on a park pass tonight and have a slice of pizza or hotdog with a soft drink included in your lift ticket......and party favors just before we watch the NYC Times Square ball drop on the big screen in the lodge..........and yes, if you need a lesson we will offer those for free tonight as well.......

......Happy New Year! Come on 2012........give us some snow........

Friday, December 30, 2011

History Lesson

Here is a little history lesson......recent history that is........you don't have to read it all but you will get a real good idea of what the lesson is just by giving these numbers a quick review.

50.....48.....39.....45.....47.......47.......39.......32......45.......33.....37.......53.......40......32.......39......52.....45......42
...41........

......those are the day time highs for Seven Oaks starting with yesterday and going backwards........pretty amazing isn't it?!

....What else is amazing is that we still have all the trails open that we got open over two weeks ago.......and have pretty decent ski conditions........spring like conditions today.........in spite of all these unusually high temps.......

......we talk to other ski resort owners and managers in the midwest.......some are a little better off than we are......but others have had a tougher time than we have.........a couple not open yet, some partially open.......very few completely open......not that misery loves company but it is reassuring that we are doing EVERYTHING possible to give our patrons the very best conditions we can give them........and that the only real problem is the temps we are getting.......

......so with all that said........we are still open.......we still have snow.......and we are ready for New Years Eve on Saturday.......

......hours today, Friday, are 10 am to 9 pm.........Saturday hours are 10 am to 11 pm........Sunday hours are 11 am to 8 pm.........Monday hours are 10 am to 6 pm.........Tuesday we are closed and then start the regular season days open and hours........

.....I am going to go grab some french fries.........talk to you again soon.......

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Snow Update

We continue to have warmer than normal temperatures........both during the day and night.........but we still have great ski conditions on the seven of eleven trails that are open. We are really close to having enough snow to open Central Park...........my guess is that it will happen the first of the week...........but maybe sooner.

Temps did drop enough at 6 pm last night that we were able to have seven snow guns running til about 8 am this morning.........not a lot of volume but snow none the less. In the areas we chose to set the guns we covered a pretty sizable area with about six inches of fresh snow. Our strategy was to get some more snow on trails that are already open to ensure we didn't have issues the next four days when we are forecasted to see temps in the mid forties.

With all that said, in spite of a goofy December we have been open every day that we were scheduled to be open and have offered really good conditions..........and most important...........a lot of you have came to Seven Oaks to ski and snowboard...........some for their first time ever............and even though I am not a big fan of these temps........it sure has made very comfortable conditions for everyone........

We will be open from 10 am to 6 pm today, Wednesday and again on Thursday. Friday's hours are from 10 am to 9 pm...........

Snow tubing is NOT off our radar........we will get snow there asap............maybe next week...........but like you, we will have to wait and see..........

Looking forward to our Second Family Friendly New Years Eve Party Saturday night.......hope you can be here...

Be safe........

Monday, December 26, 2011

Christmas Break is HERE!


Here it is already Monday, December 26............hope everyone had a Merry Christmas........and we open today from 10 am to 6 pm.............same hours for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week as well............



Friday we are open from 10 am to 9 pm...........Saturday is New Years Eve and we open regular hours from 10 am to 9 pm .........but.........since it is New Years Eve..........we will be having our family friendly party until 11 pm...........you can find all the details on our web site............



Sunday hours are 11 am to 8 pm..........



No snow tubing yet..........no snow there yet..........but we have 7 of 11 trails covered with snow for those that ski and snowboard...........includes the terrain park open too..........



Here are a couple pics taken this morning...........moments ago.......it's going to be too warm to make snow today..........BUT NOT TOO WARM TO PLAY ON THE SNOW THAT ALREADY EXISTS! Let's have some fun..........






Friday, December 23, 2011

More trails open

After making a lot of fantastic snow yesterday, last night and this morning, we got the lower half of Drop Zone open today with features set, the first half of Willett's Way open and Elwoods Hideout open.

It's coming together..........

A little help from the sky would help!

Merry Christmas

Thursday, December 22, 2011

What a difference 2 degrees can make

We saw temps drop first thing this morning so we got all the guns going at 10 am and they are still going as I post..........but.......can they stay on all afternoon?........if the temps raise a couple more degrees we will have to shut them off til they drop again..........but for right now we are throttled back but making snow. Temps are supposed to drop into the teens tonight so it should be good snowmaking.

Open at 4 pm today. Had the Ogden Middle School here today and had a good group here last nite too.

Gotta run to Minnesota to get some snow cat parts...........

see you tonite............oh yeah, we open friday (tomorrow) from 10 am to 9 pm.........what a good way to start Christmas break........

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Elwood's and Christmas is close!

With the snow that was made last night, Elwood's Hideout is close to having enough snow to open. We will be making more snow tonight..........which should be enough to open it. Mother nature hasn't been all that cooperative this year so far..........but we are gettting there.........one snowflake at a time.

......And Christmas is only four days away. If you are looking for that last minute gift or a stocking stuffer you might want a Seven Oaks gift certificate or one of our Seven Oaks hoodies, long sleeve T's or a beanie..........

.......We open at 4 pm Wednesday night..........

Merry Christmas

Sunday, December 18, 2011

I can't believe it.....

"I can't believe it" was the comment I heard a LOT yesterday and today from people who came to play when they saw the amount of snow on the trails. Yep, it is kinda hard to believe after the tropical weather pattern but we do have a bunch out there.

Derek told me that we needed more snow. I replied that we would partner up.........he was responsible for getting the cold temps and I would be responsible for making the snow........wish it was that easy.

Small but still nice crowds yesterday and again today. Steve.........head snow makin guy........is coming to the office in a while to strategize with Joel on where to set the guns for the first night of snowmaking. Still looks like Monday night.........that's tomorrow.......we should be able to make snow flakes by the thousands........

Went to the Community Methodist Church Christmas Cantada in Ogden this morning before we opened. They did a really nice job. One grand daughter was in the youth choir at the end and she/they did a great job too. Sure can put you in the Christmas spirit........

....We open Wednesday and Thursday of the coming week at 4 pm for ski and snowboard......see you then........

Until then........

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Amazing

I know I am biased but I really think it is amazing that we have as much snow as we do, have as many trails open as we do and can access both chairlifts............in spite of the 55 degree days with over one inch of RAIN last week! The snow got rode pretty hard last night so the grooming after we closed was awesome. We did yesterday get a loop of snow opened below Central Park and Elwood's Hideout........with three features in it. Then last night Ken and Nick with help of others got the pipe set..........which will give you a little air......

Finally the forecast looks decent for making snow after this weekend..........which is going to be pretty warm...........won't hurt the snow one bit.........will make for great sking and riding today and again tomorrow. Would appear the first we could get snowmaking turned on again is Monday night.........but EVERY night next week looks like it will be cold enough.

I think two good nights of snowmaking will let us open Elwoods, Willet's Way and Central Park from top to bottom..........and let us get the lower half of the Drop Zone open.........which is where we will relocate all the features........

If all goes well, that is the plan.........Push all the snow made Monday night and Tuesday night on Wednesday morning...........and be ready to open next week on Wednesday at 4 pm.

We'll keep you posted............Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Groomed and ready for tonight!





Open at 4 pm today. With these pics I don't think I have to say anymore......see you this weekend!













Thursday, December 15, 2011

Rain has moved out east to make our neighbors mad now

Finally, the system with all that Gulf moisture has left our state and moved on east. A friend told me last Saturday that none of the ski areas in the state of New York had been able to open yet..........warm temps and rain........so for us to get open last weekend........the same weekend as the past three years........wasn't so bad........

........all the trails have been groomed twice this morning. Snow guns are all set and ready to fire tonight as soon as the temps drop low enough. Not sure it will get cold enough to go 100% wide open but just to get on again will be GOOD........

.......then we plan to push out the snow on the bottom half of the Drop Zone, Elwoods Hideout and Central Park......and set some more features...........even though the upper half of each trail may not have enough snow to get open.........but you can bet we are trying...........

......at least there is no more hurtful days in the immediate forecast..........

......such is life...........such is Iowa........

see you on the slopes tomorrow night...........

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Neither you nor I.........

Those of us that like winter sports, don't particularly like the forecast for the next couple of days............but clearly there is nothing we can do about it but wait and watch............

.......looks like we are not going to avoid the rain but as of now it does look like it will be heavier rainfall south of us........good........

.......as much as anything, these warm temps are keeping us from making more snow............we are so close to getting the lower half of Drop Zone open and so close to getting Elwoods Hideout and Central Park open too..........

.........what I see is snow making should be possible Thursday night and Friday night............

.......so hang in there with us and we will all wait and see what exactly happens..........and know that we are poised to get the guns on just as soon as we can............

...see you on the slopes........

Saturday, December 10, 2011

It's Saturday Morning - Day 2

Last night was a great opening day. Lot of people anxious to get on the snow again......and they did just that! It was cold but it didn't seem to bother anyone.

We continued to make snow last night and after we closed, in addition to grooming everything, we got Freeway OPEN.......and at noon today we will have both chairlifts running.

One more good night of snow making and we will have Elwoods open and maybe Central Park too. We also got a great start on making snow in the lower half of the Drop Zone.......which will allow us to put more features out.......and get some jumps built.

Once that is all done we will hit the snow tubing park.....

Ken set the pipe last night on the bend of Abbys Alley and it is getting used a bunch......also have three rails out on the lower end of Carters Crossing.

It is a beautiful day for riding and skiing........hope you can make it out.

Friday, December 9, 2011

We are open!!! Here we go 2011-2012 !

Thank goodness the temps dropped and we got open on schedule just moments ago. Made a lot of snow since Sunday night. Abbys Alley, Carters Crossing and the School Yard are open. We have enough snow made today to open Freeway tomorrow. Have a couple rails set for tonite. We are also making snow on the lower half of Drop Zone so we can get some features and jumps in there. Also making snow tonight on Elwoods Hideout........

See you soon.........

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Keepin on keepin on

Yep, we are keepin all the snowmaking on.........the snow guns are still gunning snow.........cool.......will start the pushing and grooming early tomorrow morning.

Are you coming to ride this Friday night or Saturday??

Monday, December 5, 2011

It's paying off.......

Building another pond, going thru each snow gun with a fine toothed comb and investing in a newly rebuilt pump has allowed us to really crank out the snow since we turned on yesterday afternoon. As of 3:30 pm today we have gone 24 straight hours at full throttle..........with no let up for the next 24 hours...........and then it still looks like we will go at least another 12 hours.............awesome...........and we haven't even come close to running out of water..........

........it does appear however that I will delay my first day in the snow cat from what I originally thought would be tomorrow.........Tuesday........til Wednesday morning.............

.......gonna let the guns pound on school yard, carters crossing and abbys all night tonight so we are deep on those three runs............then move to the freeway.............

.......I don't know if we can have the Freeway open Friday night or not.............but there is a shot.........and we are going for it............

..........so who is going to make it out Friday night?????? leave me your comments.............

........this Saturday and Sunday look like highs in the thirties.........but snowmaking temps at night..............let's go.........

Sunday, December 4, 2011

tic toc tic toc...........getting close to opening day

If you are into snow and into riding and into skiing...........then you gotta like the forecast with the falling temps that start in earnest tonight. Finally going to get some 24, no make that 36 or more continuous hours of snow making........

.............. Really getting pumped about spending some hours in the snow cat on Tuesday, getting the snow leveled out on the SchoolYard and Abbys Alley........I love the process.......it is truly one of my most favorite things to do.

The heavy snow yesterday was to our northwest............the heavy rain was to our southeast............so we are OKAY with it all.............lost a little of our snow but not a show stopper at all!

see you on the slopes in a short five more days!!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Friday morning update









Guns got on about 9 pm last night and the temps continued to drop........we were at maximum capacity at 11 pm and still going strong now.......a lot of snow was made during the night.......the School yard and Abbys Alley are starting to knit together real nice...........about one more night and those two will be in pretty good shape............at least we will be able to get on them with the cats and get the snow leveled out to really know if we need more or not...........

.......then the plan is to move the guns to the Freeway........

......Friday after Five tonite.......with live music, food, cold beverages, good conversation........and the annual sacrifice of skis and snowboard to the snow god.....Ulr......and geez.......based on the forecast it looks like Ulr knows we are going to be doing it based on what is predicted for Saturday weather.......!!

......most of the new Seven Oaks clothing delivered yesterday so Austin will be on hand from 5 to 7 tonight in the sales office if you want to browse through them........

.......did you see the piece on the 10 pm KCCI news last night??........they called at about 4 pm and said they were on their way up to do an interview and shoot some footage in a half hour......and they were here in a half hour..........good update on our snow conditions for everyone........thanks KCCI........Patrick and Spencer for doing that........

we'll be posting to you again soon.........