Archives: November 2023

We now have 21 trails open. Today we opened Lower Rumrunner and it’s groomed. We just opened Poacher’s Woods and Highlander Glades also.

Last night we made snow on Black Snake, Birch Run, and Sir Henry’s Learning Hill. Yesterday we made snow on Upper Rumrunner, Crossover, Treasure Run, and Lower Exhibition. Today we have the Sterling Lift operating with 20 trails open. We have terrain for intermediates and experts only at this time. We received 22 inches of new snow in the past 4 days! 5 trails have been groomed for today, that’s a total of 20 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Surface conditions are packed powder and machine groomed with average base depths of 12 to 36 inches. Currently, it is partly sunny and 23 degrees at the summit of Sterling. Today’s forecast is calling for decreasing clouds with a high of 35 degrees at the base and 30 degrees at higher elevations.

Preseason uphill on Madonna will remain open at all hours for the next several days, but please be aware of the following:

• There will be one groomed pass on Lower Madonna I Liftline, Link, and Upper Chilcoot
• We are track-packing Link, Chilcoot, McPherson’s, Drifter, Playground, and Lower Liftline.
• Lower FIS will not be track-packed

There’s good cover on the Upper Mountain trails, but water bars are not filled in, and obstacles are present. Use caution, and remember, it’s at your own risk!

We’ll have an update on opening Sterling uphill later in the week.

The Sterling Lift will be closed on Wednesday, November 29^th, for safer snowmaker working conditions to build up snow depths on Upper Rumrunner, Crossover, Treasure Run, and Lower Exhibition. These 4 trails are linked as the main way down the mountain, serving low intermediate and above-level skiers and riders. With the intensity of maximizing our system with HKD Tower guns, snowmakers on the trail, and possibly a grooming fleet pushing the whales, we feel a wait for one day will be worth it to have a season of deep snow depths on these main trails. We apologize for any inconvenience. Give your legs one day of rest, and then come back on Thursday to even better snow conditions!

Preseason uphill is open on Madonna at your own risk, as always. Snow conditions are crusty, with about 7” at the base and over a foot at the top. Water bars are not filled in and may be open in places.   Obstacles are present. Equipment may be on the hill at times.  A light touch and a high degree of caution are recommended!

Sterling and Morse Mountain are presently closed to uphill travel.

We received 10 to 14 inches of snow in the past 24 hours. The trail count more than doubled today! The new snow was a great base-building snow with a nice high density. I want to thank our patrollers for all their hard work to get so many trails open today. There is even more snow in the forecast for tomorrow! Currently, it is cloudy and 26 degrees at the summit of Sterling. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for snow showers with 1 to 3 inches of accumulation possible, with a high of 28 degrees and 18 degrees at higher elevations. We have terrain available for intermediate and experts at this time. 5 trails will be groomed for tomorrow, including Smugglers’ Alley, for a grand total of 20 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Surface conditions are packed powder and machine groomed with average base depths of 8 to 30 inches.

Employees are allowed to ski and ride tomorrow!

Uphill Travel is closed at this time. Sterling is closed for snowmaking and grooming operations. Morse is closed due to a lack of snow. Madonna is presently closed due to the high moisture snow and falling temperatures that have caused a crust layer. We will continue to monitor the snow conditions, and this report will be updated.

We received a foot of new snow overnight! The patrollers have been very busy dropping ropes on Upper Exhibition, Hangman’s Drop, Bootlegger, Thomke’s, Upper Pipeline, Hangman’s, Chute, and Thomke’s Express. The new snow is a little heavy, which is why we could open multiple trails with natural snow cover. We have Sterling Lift operating with 13 trails open. Exhibition is open from top to bottom.

Last night and early this morning, we made snow on Lower Rumrunner, Black Snake, and the Burton Riglet Park. Tomorrow, we plan to have the Sterling Lift operating with 5 trails open. We have intermediate and expert terrain available at this time. All 5 trails will be groomed for tomorrow; that’s a total of 20 acres of freshly groomed terrain. Surface conditions are machine-groomed and variable, with average base depths of 8 to 18 inches. Currently, it is cloudy and 26 degrees at the summit of Sterling with winds of 0 to 5 mph. Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for rain becoming mixed at the base, mix becoming snow at higher elevations, 1 to 2 inches of accumulation possible, a high of 38 degrees at the base and 34 degrees at the summit.