A couple of big lifts opened last month, first up is Windham NY’s new high speed six pack. This replaces one of the older lifts (triple if I recall correctly) on the original “west” mountain; ribbon cutting seen above…if bigger is better then surely Big Sky MT has the right idea. Their new Dopplemayr lift, named the Ramcharger 8, is the USA’s first 8-person lift and, according to Big Sky, “the most technologically advanced lift in the world.” I don’t know what they base that on, but I ain’t about to prove ’em wrong, so there it is…next we move over to Mammoth CA where the much anticipated big snow storm is…still being anticipated…well it may not be the same thing, but Boston Mills OH and and sister area Brandywine have the big guns on trying to recover from the recent big rain. While the former is open and looking good, the latter is trying to get enough of a base down to reopen…FIS World Cup action moves to Zagreb CRO this weekend, slalom event with the gals Snow Queen or whatever they call it Saturday, boys ski on Sunday…rain knocking the snot out of much of the northeast; no such problems at court-appointee-run Jay Peak and Burke Mountain in northern VT. Burke has all but one run open, and Jay is skiing deep pow today. Rain supposed to hammer the region tomorrow, but some models have Jay getting a bunch of snow somehow…Peak Resorts has some unhappy customers at Attitash NH, seems some of the faithful feel that it is overdue for improvements. Base area homeowners and other regulars voicing big complaints about the triple chair being out of commission and lack of readily open terrain. Peak has put a band aid on all of this by pointing up the road to sister resort Wildcat, where tickets are honored, but patience is finally wearing thin. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a new lift announcement soon…as for the big loss, three unique talents who made us laugh or dance…thanks for the memories