Closed January 27/28

Tweet

January 26, 2024

In the twenty-plus years of running all this. something written in granite is I will never lie about conditions. Things look good from town. They are not. Sky Tavern doesn't have enough snow to open for the Jr Ski Program, yet.

Sky Tavern JR Ski Program is Closed for the January 27-28 weekend. Rain is expected from 3 am to 3 pm on Saturday, followed by warming for a few days. Wrong weather for this time of year. If you purchased a bus ticket for this week it rolls over for next weekend.

There is an area on the 4 Hill that High School and other race programs are practicing on by skiing around shrubs. There is snow in most of the back trail and because the wind has not blown, snow at the top after we used a snowcat bucket and hauled snow up for days. That’s the good news. The bad news is it has been warm enough that the base area, where the little and new kids make their first turns, is turning to mush. Dirt and water are coming up through the snow. A dad was walking on the snow and fell through into a creek. He was all right but justifiably upset. That was a first.

I have a 7-year-old SkyBridge granddaughter. She can out-ski way over half the kids at Sky Tavern and skiing in the trees is her private playground. I don’t want her out there in these conditions, your kids either. That said, we possibly may have some of the upper-level race and freestyle team kids here to see if they can make something out of nothing. Get features set up in the terrain park or ski over willows.  A little extra effort is what they do to get special jackets but skiing while wearing a garbage bag to stay dry is zero fun. Some of the coaches are already shaking their heads from side to side.

When it is warm after any rain we do not want to touch the snow and let the water drain out. That snow will last longer and be manageable because of a little patience. Stuart, from our snowmaking company TechnoAlpin said don’t touch it. Stuart knows snow. Sky Tavern has become the absolute best at “snow farming” out of necessity.

Delaying puts the program back a week. We have been here before and actually in much worse shape with more delays and still ended up with a full season. I have seen green grass in February and then snow until May. We always pull this off for the kids and will keep doing everything to get open. Go look at that card your passes came on. Do it all!

Just one of the problem areas.

A story about why I hate having to write this message. 100% true.

Years ago, snow was lacking.  January came and went, and February was ticking off days too. I tried to keep a positive attitude and not take it out on my pets or start a fight with my wife over the laundry. Neither are good for my long-term Karma or instant existence.

Go grocery shopping with wife Teri. Be a good husband and push the cart through Raleys. “YOU! IT'S YOU. THE SKY TAVERN GUY”.  Umm, a really red-faced ten-year-old boy is standing in front of my cart with his finger pointing rather ominously at my nose. Teri takes the cart, makes a left-hand turn, and heads off to produce. “YOU. YOU’RE THE REASON I CAN’T USE THE SNOWBOARD I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS. YOU, YOU HAVEN’T OPENED SKY TAVERN. YOU! IT'S YOUR FAULT. YOU”. My new adversary’s Mom’s chin is sitting on the tile floor. Eyes wide open. A bit of drool in the corner of her mouth, speechless, mortified.

Gestured to Mom, I got this. “You’re right. Sky Tavern guy. Yep, no snow. My fault. I’m sorry. Really sorry. Sky has no snowmaking, and it just has not snowed. Trying, honest.” I made some lame reference to needing Anna and Elsa from Frozen. He looked at me like I was the biggest idiot in town and made some snide remark about being a guy. Mom apologized. I told her he was standing up for himself and what he wanted and that I was good with him. I got the message, rather bluntly.

Every time there is a delay in opening because of low conditions I hear his voice, see the look on his face. He was generally upset, deservedly so. He is most likely in med school by now, but his words echo each time snow is lacking. Maybe next year I won’t hear him. Maybe when the snow-making system is finished, I will never hear him again, but right now, I hear him loud and clear.

We are working with what we have, yet we have what we have. I will keep in touch and never be anything but honest with you. We will get open. It may not be postcard-pretty when we do and there might be some restrictions but we will get open because kids deserve this.

Bill

Anytime you want to talk about anything Sky Tavern.

775 530 6266

bill.henderson@skytavern.com

I live by Galena High. One hill north of under the big G. Top of the hill. Look for the Sky Tavern truck in the driveway and the LET IT SNOW signs in the yard.