http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html? Blog http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=29&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Dear Whaleriders; Thanks to you and your support Whaleback Mountain is an incredible resource for this community. It is also one that has been a great joy to be a part of. In tomorrow’s local paper there will be news about the mountain’s future, and we want to try to let you know what is happening. It is with deep regret that Frank, Dylan and I, owners and managing members, inform you that we have no option but to close our business. We sincerely hope that our departure is not the end of skiing and riding at Whaleback. On the contrary, we believe that this is an opportunity for the community to Save the Whale and continue to maintain this beloved place. We strongly believe that Whaleback could be a sustainable and vital resource with appropriate funding and leadership, especially after our 8 years of developing strong programs and relationships. It would be a tremendous loss to this region and the industry if Whaleback closes for good. Currently, multiple schools and towns utilize Whaleback for after school ski and snowboard programs. Every Thursday Night 47 teams of 4 racers eagerly anticipate a night of racing under the lights. The Whaleback Core Team and Whaleback Mountain Club thrive with families who choose to spend their weekends and nights on the slopes here. Whaleback also has been a resource for Ford Sayre Ski Club, which utilizes our great terrain to train future stars of ski racing. Whaleback has become a favorite spot for people to host events of all types from weddings to skiing and snowboarding competitions to motor sports events. Unfortunately, the positive gains that we have made over the years have not been enough to overcome our debt. We have tried numerous avenues to recapitalize the business to put ourselves on surer footing without success. Our only option at this point is to close. We thank you so much for your support and for believing in the value that our small mountain has for you, your friends and family. Needless to say, we believe in it too. There have been many discussions and plans are emerging to raise money through a non-profit to purchase the mountain and continue operating. This is an option that many believe is the best hope for the future of Whaleback. If you would like to comment or contribute, please contact Frank directly (frank@whaleback.com). When this plan is ready to go live you will be among the first to know. Finally, while this a certainly a bittersweet time for all of us, we want to relish the remainder of the season together. Please join us to say goodbye and to enjoy a few more runs down favorite trails as we all contemplate what this place means to us. For us it has been a big family that we will dearly miss. Sincerely, Evan, Dylan, and Frank en-us Thu, 14 Mar 2013 07:25:15 -0400 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=28&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail OKAY OKAY. I know that I haven't written a word this winter, so why break with tradition. Here are some words that are better than anything that I could write and come from the keyboard and heart of a CORE Team parent, Dan Gaudet. Please read what Dan has to say... I witnessed and experienced amazing things yesterday that I must share with you... First, as is often the case after an event, there were many long faces and a few tears shed by athletes who did not finish on the podium. This is by far the hardest lesson for our young athletes (and even parents) to learn. It's not about winning the trophy; it's about getting out there, doing your very best, and most importantly - having a fun time doing it. It's about the camaraderie that comes with competing in these events. Parents sound like broken records trying to teach these lessons to our children. Unfortunately, our words often don't ease their pain. We're their parents, and we're supposed to comfort them and impart these life lessons unto them. As I witnessed yesterday, a more powerful voice sometimes comes from other sources. As the crowds were dispersing from the awards ceremony, I noticed my wife engaged in a consoling conversation with Zach. Neither the hand around his shoulder, or her words was helping make this easier for him. Then, his coach approached. Greg sat down beside Zach in the snow and told him how proud he was of him. He showed him a video of his run, and they discussed the highlights. The tears were slowly disappearing. Greg delivered the same message that Chris had tried to convey, but was clearly having more success. These are the reasons why every one of the Core Team members looks up to Greg. He has a huge impact on every one of them and he handles it remarkably. What I witnessed next was perhaps even more amazing. Preston, who had a great day and finished third in his age group (way to go, Preston!) saw what was happening and came over and sat down with Zach. He spoke with him in a language that only resonates with young boys. I just sat back in awe, and let this experience unfold. I remember thinking – wait a minute, don’t older boys usually razz the younger ones that are emotional and upset? Not this young man. Preston was more concerned about his teammate(s) than celebrating his success. It was an amazing display of humility and selflessness. By this time all of Zach's tears were gone and he and Preston had made arrangements to ski together for the rest of the day. Later, I observed Preston take a break from skiing (which in itself is amazing) to go offer the same encouraging words to his younger brother, who was obviously upset and sitting on the sidelines. Again, I thought of the stereotypical sibling relationship where the older sibling teases the younger one. Not this young man. These are the values we try to instill in our young ones. It was inspiring to see it on display. I spent some time in the lounge après skiing and had great conversation with some of the other team’s coaches, parents, and grandparents. They were expressing how much they admire the culture of the Whaleback Core Team. They were thoroughly impressed when they visited Whaleback for the Masters of the Mountain event last month. They were especially impressed by how cohesive the unit was and how well all the kids and parents get along. The word ‘family’ was used over and over in the discussion. They were envious. They indicated that they don’t have the pleasure of experiencing that with their group. We truly are blessed to be part of such an amazing group. These are perfect examples of why I enjoy being a part of the Whaleback Core Family. Thanks again for all you do to make it such a rewarding experience for all of us! Dan Gaudet en-us Tue, 05 Mar 2013 23:27:10 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=27&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail When we reopened Whaleback in 2005, we started offering ski and snowboard camps for kids. First off it was our background in the sports. I started working at summer ski camps after winning US National Championships in 1994, and my partners started Zero Gravity Camps in 1990. Camps are fun and offer a perfect environment for kids to quickly and successfully be introduced to the sports, or to improve on the skills they already have. Our guiding principles for our camps and programs are: Safety First- To effectively learn any new skill one must feel that they are in a safe environment both physically and emotionally. A good teacher starts with safe terrain and creates an environment where everyone feels that they belong and are a part of the group. FUN- We all learn better when we are having fun. At camp kids and coaches have the opportunity to get to know one another and to look forward to the time that they spend together. We encourage our coaches and campers to be playful and goofy and have fun as long as they are safe and nobody is left out. Consecutive Days- Skiing and snowboarding are difficult sports that take time to learn. Becoming truly proficient to safely enjoy all types of terrain that modern resorts provide can be a slow process. It is much easier to teach your body new skills if you practice them each day. Most learning programs for snow sports happen once a week and it is difficult to retain the memory of a previous lesson for your brain and your muscles. So when one attends a camp for 3 to 5 days in a row the opportunity to improve is greatly increased. We work to build on the lessons of the previous day and progress skills throughout the camp. Please take a look at our snow sports camp this winter and consider if they are right for your child or grandchild. We are serious about providing a fun and successful on snow experience to engender a lifelong passion for the sports and welcome the opportunity to work and play with you here at Whaleback. en-us Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:30:00 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=25&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail One of the greatest aspects of being a small mountain is being part of a community. The people of this region are the lifeblood of Whaleback and I truly enjoy working with people who choose this place as their source for snow sports. This is especially true for the Core Team, our most dedicated group of athletes, parents, and coaches. These people have made a commitment to ski/ride Whaleback every week this winter and many of them do so as a family. They volunteer for events that are critical to our success and are friendly faces in the lodge and on the hill. It is great to get closer to winter and see Core Team folks and many others as they filter into the lodge for passes, sign up for programs and start coming to the mountain regularly for fall training or volunteer work days. Winter can't start soon enough. The other reasons that I appreciate Whaleback and its size are numerous and often cannot be distilled into a few words. We do not have to compete with big resorts to be the first to open and start filling thousands of empty hotels and condos. As much as it would be great to cover the mountain with white stuff early and get our season started, it is a total waste to make snow the first night that it gets cold and watch it melt away and have to start all over again. I personally totally appreciate being able to drive a few minutes to the mountain and spend a few hours on the snow, instead of burning an entire day driving to a bigger resort, struggling to find parking close to the lodge, paying exorbitant prices, and feeling like I have to spend the entire day on the slopes to get my money's worth. My body doesn't appreciate hours and hours of skiing. I especially enjoy the terrain at Whaleback. I can and do challenge myself regardless of the conditions. If there is little natural snow, groomed runs can become boring, so I ski backwards and work on carving turns that way. Terrain parks provide new challenges if I am feeling up to it. But when it snows and the trees and some of the natural snow trails and steeps are skiable -- that is when it really becomes fun. Best of all there is rarely a long line and lots of runs and fresh tracks are easy to find. Every season hundreds of children in this area are in our programs learning to ski/ride here or are getting out and enjoying the freedom and independence that snow sports offer. Many parents feel that their kids can be dropped off for a day or night of skiing or riding with their friends. They won't get separated and stuck at the wrong lift or base lodge, and there won't be thousands of other people crammed down the slopes. Finally, I have greatly enjoyed watching my own kids learning how to navigate the slopes and enjoy the sun on their cheeks and the wind in their faces. Sometimes I'm fearfully watching as they swoop next to the trees on the side of the trail or even duck off to hit that jump. Best of all is sitting next to them on the chairlift and hearing them ask if I saw them hit that jump or didn't fall once that run. A small community mountain like Whaleback is a great way to enjoy snow sports and I feel very lucky to be able to be a part of it. Join us and you'll see for yourself. en-us Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:19:51 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=22&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Here is a closer look at how we inspect the chairs each season. Yesterday, we had Scott Shanaman and David from Aerial NDT, inspecting each chair and their welds, each grip for each chair, and even calibrating our torque wrenches (this is important because certain pieces have to be tightened by a torque wrench and the wrench needs to register the appropriate amount of torque). In the photo above, you can see David testing each chair weld with a magnetic yoke while he sprinkles a fine steel powder that is dyed red over the weld. If there is a crack in the weld and it is compromised, the powder will gather along the crack. Each chair passed the test. In the next photo, Scott is running the grips through the florescent liquid magnetic resonance wash, which in addition to being a mouthful is a pretty cool machine that looks carefully at the machined component of the chair, the grips. The florescent wash covers the pieces and the black light picks up any cracks or signs of deterioration in the metal. Scott also sticks a small magnet onto the metal which illustrates that everything is working properly. Once again, the grips all passed the test and we are good to put everything back together and put the chairs back on the lift. Finally, David runs our torque wrenches through a series of tests to calibrate the wrenches and make sure that the tool is putting out the right amount of torque. Torque wrenches are used in many different applications in the shop and on the chairlift. en-us Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:03:25 -0400 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=21&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Here is a little look at the process of testing the chairs and grips. As I stated in an earlier article, we test 20% of the chairs each season with a Non Destructive Test known as NDT. It is basically an x-ray for metal and welds. On each chair all critical welds need to be cleaned thoroughly of paint (see the photo of Dylan grinding the paint off the chair), and the same is true of every grip (the piece that holds the chair on the cable, shown in the photo below- sorry the photo is sideways). After all of this is done, Scott Shanaman of Aerial NDT stops by and NDT's each piece. If there is any issue with any part of any chair, it has to be fixed by a certified welder or replaced. We also have to keep each grip, and every piece of each grip together with the corresponding chair. You can probably see in the sideways photo that the grips, and their pieces are all kept together and labeled with the appropriate chair number. It would be great if Dylan could take such good care of his cell phone. He averages 4 to 5 broken or lost cell phones a year. en-us Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:28:06 -0400 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=20&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Over the years, we have been working to improve our snow making capacity and efficiency. Starting in 2005 when we first reopened Whaleback, we added 2 new fan guns and 20 new HKD tower guns, and added an entirely new snowmaking line to increase our snowmaking acreage. The benefits of fan guns and tower guns are that they use less compressed air than traditional ground guns. Compressing air uses a tremendous amount of energy and is very expensive. Ground guns use more compressed air because that is how the snow crystals are formed before they hit the ground. Tower guns reduce compressed air because they rely on the snow crystal having more time to freeze as they fall to the ground. Fan guns eliminate the use of compressed air entirely, by blowing the snow in the air with a fan run by an onboard motor. The drawbacks of tower guns and fan guns are that they are not as portable as ground guns. Tower guns are big and heavy, hard to move, and require a good mount to keep the long arm of the gun in the air. Most big resorts don't even bother moving their tower guns, they just stick them on the side of each trail and leave them there. Fan guns are even bigger and harder to move and they need to be on a flat surface (not something that we have a lot of on ski slopes) and they require a 3 phase electric outlet, which means running a lot of new cable all over the mountain. Plus each fan gun is tens of thousands of dollars, and tower guns are thousands apiece. However, they save money in the long run. Last year, Whaleback added even more tower guns to our fleet and this year we are adding some more. You will see some new guns on the face that we will be leaving there permanently, because they are just too big and heavy to move around the mountain, and the Face is a tough trail to place guns on in the winter. The end result will be more terrain open sooner, if we have good temperatures to make snow. Last winter not only was there very little natural snow fall, it was also unseasonably warm, making it very difficult to even make snow. Let's hope that our efforts to improve our system are not thwarted by mother nature this season. Evan en-us Wed, 19 Sep 2012 11:52:05 -0400 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=18&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Last week, I shared a photo of the chairlift maintenance and "Chair Migration" that we were doing. This promoted some questions about chair migration and a bit of a discussion about our chair maintenance. I thought that it would make for an interesting Blog article and as you can tell, I haven't been blogging much (sheepish smile). Well here is what I know. Each year we have a long list of items that we do to the chair, and since I am going to do this from memory and will just freestyle it, as is my MO, please forgive me if I leave something out. First, let me be clear that my business partner, Mt Manager, and best dude one could every want to work with is Dylan Goodspeed and he is the one that gets it done. The photo associated with this article is Dylan and Paul doing "chair migration." Each year we have to measure how much a chair has moved on the metal cable or "rope" that the chair rides on. Then we move each chair along the rope 3 feet so that chairs to do not ride on the rope in the same spot year after year. This is one of many steps. We also take 20% of the chairs off the line and have each critical weld on the chair inspected by Aerial NDT. This means that we have to grind every bit of paint of the welds and the grips that hold the chair onto the rope for Aerial NDT to test the strength of the metal and the weld. We also have Brian Lemay come in each season to inspect the rope to see if it needs to be replaced. The electric drive motor for the chair and the diesel back up for the lift are also inspected, tested, and maintained to ensure proper operation. Then there is the line work. Each tower, tower base, sheaves (the wheels on the tower that hold the rope), sheave trains, and bullwheels are inspected. Many sheaves get replaced in the off season which means that the rope has to be pulled up off the sheave train and the sheave removed replaced and repaired to be used again somewhere along the line. We are also maintaining and repairing or replacing sheave trains each season. This is a job that is too big for Dylan and our crew, and we contract out to Tim Pfister. (Last year, Pfister repaired some sheave trains and raised the counter weight on the bull wheel, which is the huge concrete block at the top of the mountain that helps counter the weight on a loaded chair.) All of this work is overseen by the NH Tramway Board that does regular inspections of our chairlift and all aerial tramways and surface lifts in the state of NH. This year we are also going to be carrying out a load test that maxes out the load capacity on the chair and then it has to past a series of safety tests. All of this is done to ensure that we can safely carry you and your loved ones to the top of the mountain, so you can safely and happily enjoy the ride down! Thanks for your time. e en-us Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:07:16 -0400 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=19&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Dylan is back at it on the chairlift, this time on top of the work basket doing the line work. This means that he is inspecting each sheave that the rope passes over and replacing any that are worn, cracked or generally unsafe. To replace a sheave, Dylan has to lift the cable up off the sheave with a special tool (he isn't that strong yet), remove the sheave, and then replace it with a new one. Dylan is assisted by Brandon in the work basket handing him tools, sheaves, grease, rags, and giving him moral support as he is clearly high in the air on top of the work basket. Also, Paul is working at the base of the chairlift moving the work basket forward with the controls at the base of the mountain. Dylan calls down on the radio for a 1 foot "bump" or to move to the next tower to reposition the work basket to continue the line work and sheave inspection. It is awfully nice to have this beautiful weather to get this work done, although the cold is in the air. I am sure that you can feel it in the chilly nights. It is also worth mentioning that both Dylan and Brandon are wearing harnesses tethered to the work basket, just in case... Thank you for posting your comments, and I will try to keep you all informed of what we are doing this fall as we prepare to open for our 8th winter of skiing and riding. Best wishes, Evan en-us Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:05:19 -0400 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=17&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Volunteering is such an important part of what makes Whaleback a vibrant and fun mountain to ski/ride in the winter. The same is true with summer sports. Zero Gravity built the West Lebanon Skate Park in 2002 and it hasn't had a major layout change since. With the volunteer help of Whaleback Co-Owners and Zero Gravity founders, Frank and Dylan, Paul Cotes- Lebanon Recreation Department, Tom Hyser from Rollerblade, and a few other folks the Leb Skate Park got some much needed flow attention. All major features in the park were moved to give skaters a very different feel. "My kids love skating here and the new layout has better lines to skate. It will be fun to have something new," said Tom Hyser. There is a healthy skate community in Lebanon and these changes will be welcomed. While there is still a lot of work to do on the park to repair ramps that have been used hard by the skaters, it is nice that sweat and volunteerism can still make a difference. We count on that at Whaleback. Stop by the Skate Park and check it out and let the Lebanon Parks Department and Whaleback know that you like the improvements to the park! en-us Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:48:23 -0400 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=16&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Whaleback ended with a BANG, despite a tough snow year. We scraped together what remaining snow we had and managed to host Lift Festival March 16 & 17, which was an unbelievable production for our little mountain. Two days of music and skiing/riding at the Whale! Friday was a bit of a dreary day, but festival goer's started rolling in Friday afternoon with their gear and hit the slopes as the music started. Lifts closed at 8PM and the music played until almost midnight. Saturday was a totally different story with blue skies and 60 degree temps in the afternoon people started riding around 1PM and kept going until the lift shut down at 8PM. Spring conditions with the back drop of mind numbing bass and blue bird skies is something to enjoy. My personal favorite acts were the McLovins and Lettuce, but to see the full line up of artists head to Liftfest.net and check out what you missed. Whaleback also managed to clean up and set-up for our closing day Junk Show on Sunday, March 18th, the day after Lift Festival. The Junk Show is always a great event to thank our loyal season pass holders and friends of Whaleback for a great season. The day consists of pond skimming in front of the deck, the much anticipated cardboard sled race, and shovel race. Of course it also is about making the last turns of the season with the chairlift spinning. Which I personally enjoyed the most catching last chair and enjoying one final run down the Face on some spring bumps! I was too exhausted from Lift Festival to take photographs, but some folks definitely took some as well as some video and posted them on our Facebook Page. But wait there is MORE. Motor Mayhem was next weekend and it was an event to remember and tradition in the making. We had motorized vehicles of every make at the mountain March 26th. The mayhem started with our first ever on snow motorcycle hill climb on Lower Spout, followed by a snowmobile hill climb on the Face, then a MEGA Truck hill climb on Humpback Canyon, and finally a freestyle snowmobile show right in front of the deck. Special thanks to Event Pro Entertainment, Treeline Sledstyle, and Vermonster 4x4 for making this event so awesome. It was a little rough on the hill, but it was worth it! en-us Sat, 07 Apr 2012 14:50:07 -0400 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=15&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Whaleback is such a great place to host events as was proven again this past weekend. On Saturday, we had the Spring Shoot Out- a USSA mogul event on the Face with a twist. What made this event unique was that we had a separate non-USSA event for parents, coaches, and non-USSA kids. HERE are the downloadable results of that event for anyone that is interested. It was awesome to have competititors of all ages and abilities competing together and the weather and venue couldn't have been better. On Sunday, we hosted the second annual Master's of the Mountain- a mixed discipline event for skiers and riders 5 years old and up. The first run was judged in the terrain park and the second was a timed panel Slalom run on Lower Spout. With around 100 young competitors shredding the mountain, it was truly a great day for snow sports. You can download the results from this event HERE. Thanks to the Whaleback Mountain Club and the Whaleback Crew that make hosting such successful events possible. It is truly rewarding see the mountain shine during these events and the tailgate scene isn't bad either. en-us Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:23:52 -0400 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=14&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Whaleback has a rich history of providing the communities of the Upper Valley a convenient affordable fun place to ski/ride. Each season that Whaleback is open, we teach hundreds of kids and adults to ski/snowboard. It is hard to imagine that all of those people would make the treck to a bigger resort that is further away and would cost a lot more money. We pride ourselves on being a fun safe place to learn and advance in these sports. We continue to offer great programs like our popular After School Programs, February Zero Gravity Camp for kids, and season long Core Team. These programs are what make Whaleback work. If it weren't for the dedicated parents that sign their sons and daughters up to participate in these programs it would be tough to keep Whaleback going. Despite the challenging weather and lack of natural snow fall, these programs are thriving and people, kids especially, are having a great time on the snow that our snowmakers have provided. Skiing and riding are a great part of living in New England, and we at Whaleback are working hard to keep that tradition alive. Be a part of keeping this tradition alive; check out our programs and support your local mountain. en-us Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:39:04 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=13&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail The first stop of Friday Night Lights Rail Jam Series opened up Jib Port for the season. The incredible Skiing and Snowboarding that was done during Friday night left not much room for new tricks on this feature, but I urge you to come and give it your best shot. Also located next to Jib Port is a pretty fun jump. Its not the biggest jump we've ever built but its good for learning new tricks. Come and check out what were doing over here... I bet you'll have a good time! en-us Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:37:27 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=12&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Despite recent obstacles such as lack of snow and higher then normal temperatures, Whaleback is not only open for business but is super fun. The Whaleback crew has been hard at work blowing snow and setting up fun features for you freestyle riders. We have hosted multiple events this winter and have many more happening in the near future. The New Year’s Eve torchlight parade and after party were a blast, and last Saturday’s snowmobile hill climb was wildly successful, bringing in almost 1000 people to compete, watch, and and enjoy the Whaleback Pub! Friday, January 13th, RAMP Sports Company will be bringing ski and snowboard equipment to Whaleback for a free demo. This demo is open to all skiers and riders interested in demoing equipment from a cutting edge company. The demo will be followed by live music and food in the Whaleback Pub. Other events to watch out for is Friday Night Lights Rail Jam Series which is happening on Friday January 20th. Registration for this event is from 5:30-6:30pm with the event starting @ 7:00pm. With some of the best skiers and snowboarders from around the area compeating for prizes and money, this is an event you won't want to miss! en-us Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:41:35 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=11&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Whaleback's Mighty Dubble Bubble Chairlift opens for the season on New Year's Eve. With some of the warmest temperatures on record we are just squeaking in under the wire to open the chairlift for the 2011-2012 season while we are still in 2011, phew! We are adding a twist to opening our historic chairlift this season. You see some resorts with big budgets and expensive lift tickets zoom people uphill in high speed quads or six packs with bubbles! which results in more people on the slopes in shorter periods of time/crowded trails. We can neither afford nor desire to have people zipping up the hill in this fashion. Therfore we are introducing the Dubble Bubble! We will happily hand out Dubble Bubble gum to anybody skiing or riding this weekend. The result will be the same casual ride up the hill only blowing bubbles with your lift companion and enjoying the ride that much more. We hope to see you at the Whale! en-us Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:48:32 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=10&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail WCAX Click the link above to see Whaleback on WCAX this evening. We trust, as all New Englanders do, that we can all enjoy cold temperatures and maybe even some natural snowfall this winter; not to mention the steadfast support of our loyal customers. The Economy, Hurricanes, and ridiculous November and December temperatures cannot keep us from providing quality programs, events, and activities for you. Thank you WhaleRiders! en-us Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:27:24 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=9&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Yesterday it was close to 50 degrees and it was a beautiful day, but not for Dec 22 when you are trying to make snow. However, there couldn't have been a better opportunity to rally some folks and clear the remaining down trees off of the new terrain park trail, which once was Splash. Thanks to David Rancore, Whaleback Mountain Patrol Director, for helping us do a ton of cutting to get this trail cleared out. Also thank you to the many volunteers that helped us haul and burn brush and then move some big ol' trees the old fashioned way. This is a critical improvement to the trail system at Whaleback. It moves the terrain park to skiers right of Schrimshaw which opens up Schrimshaw for a dedicated lower mountain beginner trail. Now we have top to bottom beginner terrain on the east side of the mountain and don't have two different ability levels being funneled into the terrain park! en-us Fri, 23 Dec 2011 08:15:33 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=8&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Great snowmaking temperatures have allowed us to turn on our guns and start building the big piles of snow we need to open runs. Whaleback Mountain Crew has been working around the clock making Whaleback a white winter wonderland. Our new Lenko tower guns are on the hill in operation, and as long as we have the temps we'll be making snow for your skiing and riding pleasure. Thanks to Lars Blackmore of Ameridane Press for the fan gun photo. One rarely sees what it looks like behind the scene and Lars did a fabulous job of capturing some beautiful images in this tough line of work. If you want to check out more photos of the Whelaback crew making snow, CLICK HERE . You can also see a couple of photos of our New Terrain park run that is still being cleared of down trees to prep it for snow. The amount of work to do and pieces that need to fall into place to to open for the season are overwhelming at times, but we have a truly awesome crew of people working here and enjoy tremendous support from the community. We are all eagerly anticipating the day when we are finally open and the Whale is alive with the sounds of skiers and riders enjoying winter. See you at the Whale! en-us Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:35:53 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=7&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Pssstttt! Have you heard? Whaleback has 20 new high efficiency tower guns! Yeeaahhh!! We can make more snow faster than ever before. As we set our new fleet of Lenko tower guns on the trails to make snow, it is hard to believe that we are well into December, but Mother Nature rules this industry. C'est la vie. With a rescheduled opening date of December 26th, I and every other Whaleback Fan is itching to make some turns on the Whale's Back. In the meantime, we are adding project to our list of to do's before we open. Check out our Facebook Page to see some images of what we have going on- Like us if you haven't already. We are putting on a new coat of new paint and eagerly anticipating the day that we open to enjoy local skiing/riding like it is meant to be. Needless to say we are excited about the Lenko snowguns and anticipate a fantastic season this year. Thanks for reading! e en-us Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:28:35 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=6&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail 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! en-us Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:37:02 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=5&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail As spring sets in at Whaleback and the signs of rebirth and new life are all around, it naturally makes me think of new life in myself. Needless to say winter is a very intense season for me and the entire Whaleback Crew as is evident from the lack of posts on this Blog. So part of my spring rebirth is to reflect, write, and think about the potential of the warmer months and what I want to accomplish in what in ski area terms is called the off season. What I think about is wanting to change that with roller sports. For me, summer has always meant play and specifically playing on wheels in some sort of roller sport. I learned to ride a bike at age 3, when my cousin Amy would push me down the driveway on a bike until I learned to ride. From then on, I have spent each summer on some sort of wheeled apparatus and thus was my introduction to roller sports and a larger world of Sole Sports. (I prefer saying “sole sports” instead of “action sports” or “extreme sports” but this is my own name invented from a dislike of the names given to individual alternative sports like skiing, biking, skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, rock climbing and the list goes on…) It wasn’t until I turned 7 and got into snow sports, specifically downhill skiing, that my Sole Sport career took a significant turn. I thoroughly enjoyed skiing, I was good at it, and it was readily available to me living in VT. For the past 29 years, I have spent each winter season on snow enjoying skiing all the way to the Olympics and then here to Whaleback. However winter ends snow melts and it is time to pull out the wheels and get rolling. It is this passion that led to the partnership with Zero Gravity who has shared the same blend of summer and winter passions and has been actively running summer programs, operating summer roller sport facilities, and even building roller sports parks for everyone to enjoy for the past 17 years. This is the whole reason that we are in existence here at Whaleback to bring these sports together in one location with a common goal of sustaining our passion with the passion of others for winter and summer sole sports. While some roller sports are considered “fringe” sports, specifically skateboarding, some are sports that are considered a right of passage, like riding a bike. More people bike in the US than ski, play golf, and play tennis combined. I believe that they have a lot more in common and that they are the closest siblings to the winter sports of skiing and snowboarding. So as summer approaches and the snow melts, I am excited for the start of the new season and the start of new opportunities for self growth. Summer means continuing to participate in sole sports with my friends and my community. It means trips to the skate park for me and my children and passing along the joy of learning and growing as a person. It means new challenges and new tricks, and I hope to see you all enjoying summer with me at Zero Gravity Whaleback. en-us Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:36:27 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=4&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail The energy in anticipation of Whaleback’s Opening Day is palpable. There has been so much going on over the past months, but the pace and excitement picks up a lot as the 18th draws nearer. Loyal customers have been filing into the pass office to get their passes, the Whaleback crew is all over the mountain inside and out getting everything ready for the season, the new Volkl/Marker demo fleet is in the rental shop, new cushy Nordica/Tecnica/Blizzard seat cushions are on every chair, their are freshly custom painted chairs on the line for everyone to enjoy, the smells of fresh made brownies and cookies filled the lodge, and even as I write this I can here the hum of the fan guns outside my office, so finally it is starting to feel like winter is here. Mother nature has been on our side with decent snowmaking temperatures, with the exception of 50 degrees and rain on Monday. Since we had not yet pushed out our snowmaking piles, we did not suffer from the rain as much as one might expect. On the contrary, conditions should be great now that the groomer has pushed out those piles and with the several inches of fresh snow from a couple days ago it will be all the better. I want to do a special shout out to Volkl for hooking me up with some sick new Bridges that I can wait to shred tomorrow, and also to Simple Energy for come through when we needed them. Whaleback is fueled by Simple Energy and that is the way we like it; friendly, local, and understanding our needs. Time to get my nose back to the grind stone and finish a couple more projects before we open for the 2010 – 2011 season. I hope to see you at the Whale! en-us Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:33:13 -0500 http://www.whaleback.com/blog.html?blog_id=3&module_params[name]=blog&module_params[mode]=default&module_params[action]=detail Wow, skiing/riding is fun but it is so much more fun when the snow falls in abundance from the skies. Today was an epic day. Patrol was dropping ropes and opening terrain throughout the day, and I saw many a snow covered happy face pouring through the doors of the lodge where I spent the better part of the day:( However, a busy day at the Whale is a good thing:) Check out our Facebook Page for a few photos of the snow and the start of Dec Camp. Yeah it was in the teens and a little chilly, but the snow fell throughout the day and there were good tracks to be had on much of the open terrain. Also, the wind is supposed to pick up a little overnight which should fill things in again for tomorrow when it is supposed to be sunny and a little warmer. So, my recommendation is to bundle up and head out the the White Whale for a little skiing/riding at your local mountain. See you at the Whale! en-us Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:32:48 -0500