LATEST NEWS FOR 2010

Updated Thursday EVENING  3-04-2010

We will update this page as news comes in or we have schedule changes to announce.

                       Be sure to check this page each week before you head up to the mountain for lessons!  As  

                                   well as check the Powderpig phone for any changes in schedule.

This year’s motto: 

I will remember my season pass every week!  So will my children!!

The forecasts for this weekend tell of very good weather for lessons - with sunshine on Saturday, after lowering freezing levels have made the snow firm up - very good for Friday evening's lessons.  Sunday with further lowering of snow levels we might get a few showers and we have lowering snow levels all during the coming week.  At this time all programs are go!  If Mother Nature should decide to mess with our schedule, that information will be on the Pig line at 425 392 7277 by 4:15 of Friday afternoon and for Saturday and Sunday after 8:15 of the morning involved.  Further nature news from your mountain:  Last week the spring birdies returned to the slopes and so early morning concerts are both very musical and quite enthusiastic.

Of the weekend days, Saturday is supposed to be the most sunny day, while Sunday could have some showers.  So come on up for a picnic in the sun along with a great day of skiing!

Do check below for Left and Found news.  Last week, among other things,  a man's wedding ring was found out in the snow and it is here waiting for its person to come claim it. 

Do check the Powderpig message line for any last minute rearrangements of our schedule that Mother Nature might have in store for us.  For Friday evening after 4:15 and for Saturday or Sunday after 8:30 of the morning involved.

At this time all programs are go!  If Mother Nature  should decide to mess with our plans,  that information will be announced on: The Powderpig Message Line (425 392 7277) - check there first! 

For VERY late breaking news on your way up, check the Powderpig Phone Message Line - Especially if conditions do not seem to be what you anticipated based on the weather forecasts.  Sometimes Mother Nature provides sudden and at times even dramatic weather shifts after you all have left for the mountain.  At other times we are privy to  "insider" information about temporary road closures for snow removal or avalanche control and even power outages.  Whenever information reaches us, we will get it onto the message line as quickly as we can.  Although we don't often have Late Breaking News to share,  when we do, it is usually worth hearing about before you get all the way up the mountain.  So just call 425 392 7277 if you begin to wonder. . .

Occasionally we are unable to update this page - usually when the weather is particularly energetic, like when there is a sudden power outage like we had a week ago on Wednesday or our internet host decides to do a little housekeeping at an inopportune moment.  It is a good idea to check the date and time of the update on lesson days.  If you think what you saw on this page does not agree with what you are hearing from other sources or are seeing out your car windows, check the Powderpig Phone Message Line as well.   (425 392 7277 ). 

Because of some really "interesting" snow conditions on what would have been the first Saturday morning,

where we could pick up chunks of the rock hard snow surface (commonly called Boiler Plate) and carry it around with us,  produced by the freezing rain, we decided to opt on the side of caution because of the hardness of the surface on which many of our students would be experiencing their first day of skiing.  In our experience, it would have made a very big difference for them.  The parents on the staff agreed with the decision to cancel our first Saturday of lessons.  We will tack this missed lesson on to the end of the season so the last Saturday will take place on March 20.    When these kids tossed the chunks of ice onto the icy surface, it sounded like dropping dinner plates on to a city sidewalk!  "After the fact" feedback only reinforced the wisdom of not holding that first Saturday lesson. 

h IMPORTANT LEFT and FOUND NEWS: 

Make sure to get all your gear with you when you are staging your pack up operations down in the parking lot at the end of the day. If your Powderpig's poles have gone missing, they are very probably right here at command central waiting patiently to be claimed.  Just check with Nancy.

LEFT! (by some of you guys) and FOUND (by us)  As of 2-18-10, MUCH OF THIS IS STILL IN THE LEFT AND FOUND BIN.  Several pairs of sun glasses were also found and are still keeping Nancy company at command central.  I have not had a chance to go through this week's haul and to see what is still here yet.  The last weekend of lessons produced yet another fine selection  of beloved belongings left  behind after everyone had gone home - especially on Saturday and Sunday.  Interestingly enough,  most of it was in adult sizes.  That makes really good sense to me!  There were sunglasses (several pairs - and good ones too)  assorted gloves and mittens as well.  Some were in pairs, while others?  only one!  the first one showed up at lunch time and I can only imagine how lop sided skiing was for its owner that afternoon.   This one big red glove is very lonely and looking desperately for its mate!  It has been lollygagging and whining here at command central all week long.  Poor old glove!  And the most interesting thing about it all?  NOT ONE NAME on any of it.  Otherwise you would have gotten a message from me telling you about your missing items.  Year before last it got to the point where we didn't have enough storage for everything that was left behind - so we started taking pictures of it along with the help of some of our piggy friends - just to keep things fun and interesting.   Found also was the pair of new poles that got left outside over by the chair lift.   Above is a part of the Left and Found:  Miss Piggy was willing to model some of the left belongings - from top to toe.

We are still missing a pair of Marmot mittens left by an instructor a couple of weeks ago.  Did they have a name on them?  Nope!  Of course not!!  Why is putting one's name on one's belongings so difficult?  Do I have my name on everything?  Nope!!  Can anyone tell me why we don't put our names on our beloved belongings?  I have never been able to figure that one out.  I have a number of black sharpie pens and silver ones as well, which pretty well get names on any surface - and usually last the whole season.  Having names on things really helps us get them back to their owners. 

Miss Piggy is particularly fond of the cute little hat with the pink pom which is still languishing in the "Left and Found" bin which is located right behind her head just to the right of the far door as you would come in.  The clam shell case with the glasses and contact cases is in front of her right foot, along with the slaps that got left for Lily to play with under the table at Command Central.  The black mittens in front of the case are really all black, but look like they have gray tops because of the reflection from the flash.  The black gloves in the middle are really quite nice and are almost brand new.  The mittens on Miss Piggy's left side are both children's mittens.  Very nice ones, too.  Very new.  All these items can be found in the lost and found bin - along with the mittens found waiting for me when I returned to the mountain this week.  Oh,  and the left goggles will be hanging at command central as well.  No names on any of these items that I could find.  I am very willing to share both my black and silver sharpie pens for putting names on things. Just ask me! The silver sharpie is particularly good for dark items - like mittens and gloves and goggle bands.  See you at command central,  Nancy

h At this time of year, the parking lot crowd has left us just about all the spots and so getting here very early is not quite as necessary.  Each week brings a few more parking spots and by the end of lessons the parking lot (and the Area) is basically ours (except for the Condo parking, of course).  We will be here early and your are always welcome to come up and have a cup of coffee with us before lessons. 

Our returning Powderpig families remember how to do Powderpigs, but there are a few reminders we would like to share with you  "oldies" as well as our new Powderpigs. So, here are our most popular

 HELPFUL HINTS FOR HAPPY DAYS ON THE SLOPES:

h  Make sure you have your Season Passes with you before you leave for the mountain! 

Ticket sales at the Pigpen are cash or check only.  Please be sure your Powderpig has either a ticket or their season pass WITH THEM when they come to class.  They may not ride the chair lift without a ticket or season pass - and not having a ticket or pass with them will hold the class up substantially if they come unprepared.  Thanks in advance for your help with this. 

h Remember to come up early enough in order to have time to find a spot to put your belongings, relax, refuel, rehydrate and get refreshed (visit to the restroom) before classes begin -  and still have time to get to class on time without having to rush.

h PUT YOUR CHILD'S NAME ON ABSOLUTELY ALL THEIR BELONGINGS! Sharpie pens do a wonderful job.  Nancy has lots of them, just ask if you would like to use hers.  She is very willing to share. 

h Remember to deliver your child to the instructor and pick your child up from the instructor at the class sign.  Check with the instructor each time to make sure they know you are either delivering your child into their care or taking them out of their care.  This is a very important safety issue.  Never, ever snag your Powderpig as they come in before the whole class and the instructor are stopped at the sign.  Never ever assume the instructor knows you have taken your child home with you.  Make sure you know they know - by letting the instructor know with words exchanged.  We will not allow a child to leave their class to meet you somewhere else.  This is another very important safety issue.  Questions? Objections?  See Nancy.

h PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN YOUR CHILD IS GOING TO BE ABSENT! This helps us get the classes out on time and makes the make up program possible.  Thanks in advance for your help with this!  You guys have already been wonderful about letting us know this year!  :0 )  Thank you all!

h SECURITY ALERT:  Never, ever leave anything in your vehicle (hidden or otherwise) that you don't want stolen.  This is especially true of money and credit cards (no matter how stealth you are in hiding them in our vehicle, you may might not know you have been ripped off until your cc is maxed out and you didn't do it),  as well as computers and other attractive electronics, Skis & Snowboards and other gear.  Don't take a chance!  These guys are real pros and they are organized.  This is particularly true in the earliest and latest weeks of the ski season. 

The Pigpen and surrounds seem to be a safe haven for all of us and our equipment.  Probably just too many bright eyed children around for anything untoward to take place. The only problems we have with missing equipment is when people mistake someone else's gear for their own because it wasn't clearly marked with its owner's name.  If you have put your name on your gear in big enough letters and in plain sight, it will probably be waiting for you right where you left it.  At least that has been the case for years and years.  We even had an extra pair of adult skis left one year when everyone had gone home at the end of the year.  Good ones.  Nice bindings.   NO NAME ON THEM.  Sigh. . .  :0 (

h Traffic Flow Management will be in place when the forecasts predict lots of lovely new snow on the roads as well as the slopes . 

h When the Traffic Funnel is in place, we may experience many late arrivals.  If this is the case, we may opt to start (and end) lessons later.  When you hear that lots of snow is expected, start for the Pass early and avoid participating in the biggest slow downs the I-90 parking lot ballet.  Give the Ppig Message Line a call and if you have any "late breaking news" from the road to share, leave us a message.  Lest you get frustrated with the Funnel - these slow downs are just more civilized - in the wild and woolly old days before we had the Funnel, we had the I-90 Parking Lot Grid Loc.  When it snows, traffic slows - waaay down.  The Funnel just makes it a whole lot safer - at least on the roads.  I won't speculate about the impact all the frustration about this experiment in traffic management has produces!

ESPECIALLY FOR NEW POWDERPIG FAMILIES:

h If you have not taken the opportunity to read through the Powderpig Brochure, now would be a really good time to do so.  It is not only our brochure, but your Powderpig Handbook and Survival Guide.  In it you will find important information about daily operations and policies that will impact you and your child.

h If you are a new Powderpig parent and missed the parent meetings in December, just go to "Parent Meeting on the main menu for an overview of what we covered.

h HOW TO FIND US:   Just click here for  DIRECTIONS TO POWDERPIGS

            WE WILL UPDATE "LATEST NEWS" WHENEVER THERE IS FRESH NEWS!

If you have questions, just email us at <thinksnow@powderpigs.com>