The countdown has ended and snowmaking is officially underway!

November 1st is probably my favorite day of the year as the guns are fired up and snowmaking operations start on the mountain. It might seem a little strange but it is so exciting to see a cloud of moisture hanging over the base area as you round the final curve to the parking lot. The roar of the guns, the white piles (called snowmaking whales)  slowly getting bigger, and a general excitement in the air all combine for an exciting start to the season.

Temps early in the week were cold and ideal for snowmaking. Things have warmed up a bit as Halloween turned into the first of November, but the Snowmaking crew has been able to get some decent production near the Base Area.  Temperatures are currently inverted with warmer temps at the top of the mountain and the coldest temps near the Base Area. The forecast cals for overnight temperatures to begin to drop at the beginning of next week so hopefully we will see guns running in the Upper Basin soon!

See you on the mountain soon!

-Tony

I want to thank you all for making it such a great season here at The Ridge, and what an excellent winter it's been! I'll never forget the roughly 80" of snowfall this February and the consistently great snow conditions we had. The Mission Ridge team hopes you got your fill and have plenty of great memories to reflect on during the long hot days of summer until we’re all back here next fall for 7-day a week operations, to salute the wing, and ski some of the best snow the Northwest has to offer!

It looks like April has another beautiful day in store for day 2 of Flamingo Days and our final day of operations for the 2018/19 season! The sun's expected to be out again, and winds should be calmer, allowing temperatures to rise a bit earlier in the day. Remember to remain cautious of thin, late-season coverage, and enjoy the snow!