What is there to do today?

What is there to do today?........asked by many on a regular basis.  Well, we certainly think there is a lot to do at Seven Oaks but we know you can't come here everyday.......even though you might like to..........so I am including the "Boone County Bucket List: Top Ten things to do before you kick it"......taken from the Chamber of Commerce website.  I think you will find it informative.  A lot of people make a weekend trip to the Boone area and take in a lot of these things........

1. Zipline at Sunstream Retreat
2. Bike across the 1/2 mile long, 130' high, High Trestle Trail Bridge
3. Ride the Boone and Scenic Valley train out into the valley
4. Float the Des Moines River, or ski the slopes with Seven Oaks
5. Marvel at the 40 acre Living Library, the Iowa Arboretum
6. Witness the IMCA Supernationals in September at Boone Speedway
7. Gawk at the 190' high, double-track Kate Shelley Memorial High Bridge
8. Catch a meal at Jimmy's BBQ, the Gigglin Goat, or the Lucky Pig
9. Wash it down with a classic ale from Boone Valley Brewery or sip a crisp red from Snus Hill Winery
10. Shop til you drop in Boone's downtown specialty stores

Come see us in Boone County..........

Hear Ye .....Hear Ye.....

As of fifteen minutes ago Willett's Way, Elwood's Hideout, Central Park, Kenzie's Korner, the terrain park and the snow tubing park are added to the  list of trails now open at Seven Oaks.  There is only the top of Drop Zone that is not yet open............and it will be opened when we groom tonight!  Hoooooray!

A BIG Thank You to the team that made snow and pushed snow and groomed snow on Christmas Eve Day and Christmas Day........You made it happen!

And........I am told that snow is in the forecast for Thursday night.........some say 2 to 3 inches............bring it on!

Going to be an awesome 2012 - 2013 Holiday Ski, Snowboard and Snow Tube season.........and don't forget we are open til 11 pm on New Years Eve......

Let's talk about snow......

I sit here waiting in great anticipation for our FIRST recognizable snow event in a long, long time.....hoping each meteorologist is right and that we get about ten inches.....10"..........oh my gosh won't that be great on Friday  Even with this much snow coming, we plan to turn on our snow machines tonight as soon as the conditions allow it.  Which brings me to the question we are often asked............

Q: How cold does it have to be to make SNOW?

A: The humidity is just as important as the air temperature when we consider making snow. 

As a rule of thumb, if you add the air temperature to the relative humidity together that sum total needs to equal 100 or less for us to make decent snow. 

We will typically start making snow at 105 IF we know the temps and or humidity will continue to drop. The lower that sum total number is, the more water we can flow to each machine and the more snow per hour we can produce.

Example: If it is 24 degrees with 88% humidity ...112...we will not try making snow. If it was 24 degrees with 75% humidity, which when added together equals 99,  we would be making snow. 

When the humidity is 60 or less and the air temps are in the low teens, we have the maximum amount of water flowing through the snow machines.........and are making a LOT of snow per hour with those conditions........

So we'll set here tonight........waiting for the right temps and humidity and hope we can add to what mother nature is giving us.........during the snow storm.........and we like it.........

Opening Day is Here!

We open today at 4 pm for day one of the 2012-13 season.....and we are anxious to see all our winter friends and especially YOU!

The snow is made, pushed into place and groomed.........



The chairlift is ready to carry you to the top....for a fun ride down.........



Some features have been set for the adventurous.......



The new approach to Abby's Alley and Freeway is covered with snow.............



.......and check out the new pipe.........

















........employees are trained, instructors are ready, the rental shop with the new boots is ready, Snow Joe's has plenty of food and Coal Creek Lounge is stocked......

.....IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT SEASON!

Getting Ready........You and Us

As we are rapidly approaching the end of November....... and since early December is the usual time that Seven Oaks opens for the winter season, we have had multiple lists of things we have to accomplish to be ready.  And those lists are dwindling down to almost nothing left......which is a good thing.

And speaking of lists, let's review another check list to make sure you too are ready for opening day.  It's been about nine months since you were last on the snow and you put your winter stuff in the closet or maybe the basement or even the garage.

• So first things first........find your equipment!  Where exactly did you store it?  Can you locate your skis,  snowboards, boots, ski poles, helmet and goggles?
• Once you have relocated your equipment, check it over to make sure you have no surprises when you're ready to go out the door and hit the slopes.  Might be time to wax the board or skis ....and maybe a tune up as well.
• Kids especially need to make sure they didn't outgrow their equipment over the summer.  Try on those boots and helmets. 
• Might as well get clothing located too.  If you think remembering where you stored your boots is challenging, wait til you try to remember where you put all your winter clothing!  Jackets, pants or bibs...........got 'em..........but where did you put the favorite socks.......and your classy beanie and the gloves or mittens?  
• Once again........those kids in the family might have grown some since they last had their winter clothes on so to avoid the last minute panic, they should be tried on to make sure they still fit.  And hey......that big Thanksgiving meal might have changed your size too..........so to be on the safe side, maybe everyone needs to try on the clothing.
• We know everyone uses their legs a lot when skiing or snowboarding.......so a few extra minutes of walking, climbing, stretching and general exercising will pay dividends on day one.

Taking a few moments to run through the checklist will help you be ready to enjoy your first of many days on the slopes this winter.  Let's have some fun!

Unique

Today is one of those unique days that only happens once in a while...............October 11, 2012...................or 10-11-12.........we'll have to see if something special happens.......

Speaking of special........last week was special to me......ran a dozer for six straight days.....We decided it only made sense to enlarge the upper pond to create more water holding capacity for snowmaking during the winter months.  I think we now have enough water to make it through any normal cold snap early on the season and not run out of water when the temps are still low enough to be blowing snow.  All that dirt Joel excavated wasn't relocated very far from it's origin.  We moved it to the Valley View......Riblet........chairlift unload to make the top section larger........both the east side and the west side.........but especially the east side..............and we made the profile of the unload better for skiing at a uniform angle all the way to Abby's Alley and more uniform leading into Freeway as well.......think you will like it.........

We are getting real close to the annual Season Pass Sale and Equipment Swap........Sunday October 21 from 10 to 5.............we are looking forward to seeing all the equipment Matt from Waynes Ski and Bike in Mason City brings to sell.

Believe it or not............canoes and kayaks are still floating the river..........leaves are still colorful but were probably at peak about ten days ago............they were so beautiful for several days.............then we had the windy day and it was like a blizzard of leaves for several hours............

Paintball continues to be active........weather is so conducive to playing......fifty and sixty degrees is pretty ideal.........

The lodge continues to be as busy as ever too.............still a lot of weddings, wedding receptions, birthday parties, anniversary celebrations and business meetings ...........and ISU house parties too...........our event planner Brandie is so good at keeping all the details straight and helping each group hold a successful event.

Winter is coming..........we are getting ready and excited at Seven Oaks............when Wild Mountain got a trail open last weekend..........first in the nation............it really got us pumped...........

See YOU at the swap.........

A quick update

I haven't posted for a while but it doesn't mean we are not here.  Quite the contrary.  Yep canoes and kayaks are still floating despite the drought.  We shut off river tubes a while back due to low flow more than low depth of water.  The rain we got two nights ago is causing the river to rise a little........not a raging river by any means but we'll take every inch we can get!

Paintball groups keep on coming and the campgrounds still have campers every weekend.  Last weekend was the 24 & 12 & 6 hour mountain bike race........

Tomorrow is the Dragoon River Romp with about 200 volunteers picking up garbage in and along the river from Highway 30 boat ramp to the E57 boat ramp.........followed by a meal in the lodge.  Looks like the weather is going to be ideal tomorrow.  Geez I wish people would NOT throw their old tires and old stoves into the river!!!!

Had a meeting today with 41 North Racing........you know the guys that put on the Adventure Race consisting of canoeing, trekking and running....oh and orienting too.......with participants choosing the 8 hour course or the 12 hour course that takes them all over the county!  Their second Boonecrusher is being planned for April 2013.

Loaded all the materials from the Gladiator race that was here this past spring onto a semi..........destined for Wisconsin for their Gladiator Challenge coming up in a couple weeks.        Yep.......we will be hosting another Gladiator Challenge here in May 2013.........WOW.......

Kris finished servicing all the snow making guns.........chairlift grips have all been tested for this year.........and we spent a couple hours today planning the Annual Seven Oaks Season Pass Sale and Equipment Swap that will be held on Sunday October 21............which will be here before you know it.  Check out the other resorts that are part of the Seven Oaks Sister Ski Program this season.........

Later..........