It appears the area made a good decision when it announced it would be open til Memorial Day -- that's the first time in history the area has been open in May.
Peaks 6&7 are open so some pretty good terrain is available.
Vail resorts has pparently made a committment to the early and late season crowds with Keystone expected to enter the "first to open" contest next October, and now apparently a committment to keep Breck open late.
bob wrote:
Vail resorts has pparently made a committment to the early and late season crowds with Keystone expected to enter the "first to open" contest next October, and now apparently a committment to keep Breck open late.
VR needed some place in the U.S. to compete with Squaw and Mammoth for extra late season travelers as an enticement to go for an Epic Pass instead of Ikon. Mammoth announced July 4th a while back. Squaw decided to go all the way until July 7. Ikon holders can also consider Snowbird in May. Of course, being open only means a few lifts and limited trails for intermediates and up.
Seis de Mayo 2019 at Breckenridge was great. I got a nice tour of the mountain from a friend who is a local. I really enjoyed seeing how the layout will operate in late spring conditions, which will hopefully be a regular thing in future seasons. There was a ton of acreage open for skiing, basically most of Peak 6, 7, and 8 with a tremendous snow base and NO people.
The base of Peak 7 is a key entry point for the late spring ski operations at Breck. Instead of accessing it with the Breck Station Gondi, a shuttle bus is used. Parking is free at Breck station, just steps from the bus pick-up spot.
I've been to Breck for about 8 days in mid-season and have never seen this groomer near base of peak 7 this empty! Yet it still had great snow coverage this exceptional late season of 2019.
Ditto for this groomer halfway down Peak 6.
This is George's Thumb off the Imperial Chair. Again Empty.
Horseshoe Bowl, this friend was my guide. He raced against Franz Klammer in World Cup events in the 1970s. This snow was chunky and fairly hard. He makes it look easy in this photo. The mountain was not very slushy during my visit and skied more like late March, than early May. We experienced a brief snow shower and a temperature drop around noon time.
The Imperial chair goes almost to the top of the pyramid in center of this photo. George's Thumb is the bowl below it facing this way.
This is the view from Peak 6/Kensho Chair looking south towards Peaks 7 and 8. Great skiing here on 5/8/19.
Jikm's pictures are not showing. Not on my phone either.
The reason the gondola is inoperative late season is that it runs thru Cucumber Gulch -- a wildlfe conservation area. Moose and deer use the area for birthing and rearing their young. I order to get agreement on the late season, Breck needed to agree to not use the gondola.
It was snowing in the CO mountains last night. Wife's driving back from Utah and went the "back" way thru Vernal until she eventually ended up on I-70. She ran into a lot of snow and even whiteout conditions at times. She sent me a couple pics where it looked like she was going warp speed with the snow coming at her.
Crazy we're at mid-may and the snow's still coming down out there.
Jim - I can see them fine on computere, but not iphone. not your problem. Thanks, good report, I always like to see reports from somewhere good and familiar. -Dave
Nice may 12th mothers day crowd at Killington today skiing away...and if you check out the mount Snow cam in Southern,Vt https://youtu.be/sjBS4vzo_D0 ..... it looks like a winter wonderland!...East Coast rat back atya Co....at least trying!
26 degrees mid day in the sun on the summit of Stratton,Vt...moisture is shaving off to its south..mt snow is just on the northern fringe of it with snow....would love to see it move up to Killington to give those diehards a Mothers day to remember!
Hunter mountain even further south getting it....lonely Snowy top cam...
https://huntermtn.roundshot.com/
Breck just got another 14 inches of fresh ..and..
extended the season beyond Memorial Day. It'll now be open at least the first two weekends in June. Never thought I'd see the day -- given that Breck has never been open in May.
