The Countdown Begins

It is amazing how much the pace picks up at the mountain in the fall. Once the leaves start changing the phone starts ringing. Everyone is shifting gears and I am eager to have the lodge busy with skiers and snowboarders, instead of me, Frank, Dylan, and the growing Whaleback Crew running around trying to make all of the pieces fall into place to be ready for Opening Day. (Which is planned for Dec 17th if mother nature permits.)

Since Whaleback is a small organization, we spend our summer focused on our summer operations. We certainly talk about winter, think about winter and even get some projects done in preparation for winter, but the vast majority of the work is done from September to December after the skate park is closed and packed away for next year.

This season there is even more to think about and work on, given mother natures fondness for curve balls. The hundred year storm, named Irene, blew through our region and made things look pretty rough around the base of the mountain. Frank wasn’t even able to reliably get into work for a couple of week. Gradually we are getting things cleaned up as we are working away at the other list of projects to do before opening. Season passes have to be sold, trails need to be cleared, the chairlift serviced, lights hung, snowmaking prepped, groomers serviced, staff hired and numerous other details. The amount of work is overwhelming, but somehow it gets done

Then finally, the temperatures drop and ready or not we turn on the snow guns and start making the Whale white. Snow covers the rough rocky terrain that the Granite State has to offer and we strap on our sliding implements to propel ourselves at impossible speeds and into impossible tricks. Snow sports are thrilling and exhilarating. This is why we do this, and we do it to bring together our friends our family our community.

So join me as we count down the days until winter really begins and we convene on our White Whale for some skiing and riding this season. See you at the Whale!