10 replies to this topic

[poloxskier]

The Lower, Beginner Hill
 Cranor_Hill__Beginner_Area.jpg (424.48K)
Number of downloads: 18  Cranor_Hill__East_Beginner_Area.jpg (333.33K)
Number of downloads: 15

The Western Advanced Slope
 Cranor_Hill__West_Slope.jpg (290.29K)
Number of downloads: 13

Looking Up the Lift Line
 Cranor_Hill__Up_Line2.jpg (225.5K)
Number of downloads: 17  Cranor_Hill__Up_Line3.jpg (184.55K)
Number of downloads: 15  Cranor_Hill__Up_Line.jpg (188.72K)
Number of downloads: 16nt]

Looking Down the Lift Line
 Cranor_Hill__Down_Line.jpg (344.99K)
Number of downloads: 24

Lower Drive Station
 Cranor_Hill__Drive_Station.jpg (371.6K)
Number of downloads: 27

Upper Return Bullwheel
 Cranor_Hill__Return_Bullwheel_and_Counterweight.jpg (591.42K)
Number of downloads: 25

The Old 10m Ski Jump
 Cranor_Hill__Ski_Jump2.jpg (256.06K)
Number of downloads: 20  Cranor_Hill__Ski_Jump.jpg (281.9K)
Number of downloads: 16

The Old Snowmaking Line
 Cranor_Hill__Snowmaking_Lines.jpg (582.03K)
Number of downloads: 20

[caroth]

That looks like fun! How was the snow?

[poloxskier]

Cranor Opened with this lift in 1962 as a private ski area on the Cranor Family's Ranch. They opened it to the public in 1966 and it was later sold to the city but with the stipulation that it always be operated as a ski area. They originally offered night skiing but the power draw for the lights was too high for them to run the lift at the same time. The snowmaking system suffered a similar fate in that it drew too much power away from the lift and the spring that feeds the system produces 60 degree water year round and they have no refrigeration system so the ambient temp has to be -30 for the system to work and the snow it produced had a brown color to it. The area now operates friday-sunday when snow allows and offers $40 season passes.

Thanks to Walt Cranor and Dan Ampietro for the information about the hill.

[poloxskier]

caroth, on Mar 22 2005, 12:59 PM, said:

That looks like fun! How was the snow?
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It was really nice. The area is definitely a place I would go back to. There are some areas where powder accumulates and it has some runs that are comparatively steep to some of the more difficult black runs in Colorado. There are also three places to unload the poma for beginner, intermediate, and advanced and the advanced area they allow moguls to form so this is an area where you can learn to ski or bang the bumps. The area is 455.5 Acres and the best part was that since the day I was there was closing day the tickets were only $2.50.

This post has been edited by poloxskier: 22 March 2005 - 11:07 AM

[coskibum]

cool! looks like they had some good snow!

[liftmech]

Where is Cranor Hill? Heard of it but that's all.

[coskibum]

near gunnison on the way to CB

[Duck]

Thanks for the photos! The weather certainly looks like it was on your side. :)

-Iain

[poloxskier]

Yeah it was actualy almost too warm. It was 55 that day but it sofened the snow nicely. I was skiing in a T-Shirt. The sun was really bright so it kinda messed up my cameras sensor so the pictures turned out really light.

[Duck]

Your camera may not have quite fast enough shutter for that amount of really really bright light. When it is super bright like that the time the shutter spends open must be a lot shorter (say, 1/1500 sec.) vs. in a dim room (maybe 1/8 sec or more). I have done a few photos at 30 sec. exposure. That's fun. :)

I always wanted to board somewhere where there are huge open spaces like that. It reminds me of the photos I see of Europe. Most of the places I have been the hills are very wooded (which is okay too! But I'd like the change).

-Iain

[poloxskier]

It most likely doesn't have a good shutter speed range since it was a 4 mega pixel by Mustek for under $100. I'm hopefuly getting a good camera soon.

Well you should go there if you don't mind riding a poma. Especially since high season tickets are $5.

BTW that jump was really fun, especially if you started at the top.

This post has been edited by poloxskier: 23 March 2005 - 06:52 PM