We're (I'm) Back!
Aug 19, 2024
Alright, alright, alright. I'm back. It has been a long summer, more on that in a little bit, but we are about 75 days and counting until we fire up the snowmaking system here at Granite Peak and we are gearing up! Let me give you a little insight into what we've been up to!
New Comet Deck for Fall Scenic Rides
Our boys have been busy on lifts all summer long. Maintenance on lifts & grooming machines seems never ending but we have some of the best mechanics in the business and they've been keeping our brakes, grips, bearings, tracks and sheave trains all in working order. The crew also added new loading and unloading decks to both Blitzen and Comet this summer that will help fall scenic rides as well as our winter operations.
The new deck on Comet will be huge especially for our fall chairlift rides. This new deck will allow us to load every chair top to bottom speeding up those up top and down below!
Fall Scenic Chairlift Rides
Fall Rides officially begin on September 20th, 2024 and will be offered this year
- 11am - 5pm Friday | Tickets $15 per person
- 11am - 5pm Saturday, & Sunday | Tickets $18 per person
- Offered through October 13, 2024.
- Tickets are on sale now
During our fall ride offerings, our deck will be open for guests to enjoy a cold beverage, a burger, a hot dog, a brat, or a snack. The retail shop will also be open for pre-season sales. When October rolls around, don’t forget to drop off your skis at our Tuning Shop for a pre-season tune and wax! Winter is coming, but first, let’s enjoy fall!
Lift Tickets & Rentals
Itching to snag your lift tickets for the upcoming season? Tickets will go on sale on September 3, 2024! This year, I'm excited to announce that we are offering dynamic ticket pricing. What exactly does that mean? The best way to describe it is to think of buying airline tickets. If you don’t mind traveling during off-peak hours or making a number of connections, you can find a great deal. The same applies here: on off-peak days, you’ll find some amazing deals if you act quickly. Tickets will be as low as $65 if you buy early. The sooner you buy, the better your chances of finding a great deal.
Of course, we know that some days are in high demand, and you won’t find as good a deal on those, but you can still find great rates the earlier you commit. As ticket availability decreases, prices will increase. I'm telling you right now: never buy a ticket at the window—whether here, out west, or at another Midwest ski resort. You’ll always find a better deal online. Even if you buy your ticket in our parking lot the morning you plan to ski, you’ll still save a few bucks!
Season Passes
Season Pass stock is in the house and we are already gearing up to print season passes starting after Labor Day. If you chose to have your pass picked up you can swing in the office 10am - 2pm after Labor Day and of course anytime our office is open for our fall scenic chairlift rides as well to pick it up. If you chose to have your pass(es) mailed we will get them out the door as soon as possible as long as all of your waivers are signed and pictures are up to date. If you have yet to purchase your season pass the next deadline is October 15, 2024. If you have any plans to purchase a Legendary + Pass - the unlimited option - I highly suggest you buy soon. These passes are limited and the # is getting close to that sell out point.
Why The Long Layoff from Writing?
There were a number of factors at play, but mostly, it was due to an illness that wreaked havoc on my family in July. Earlier in the summer, we lost our beloved Bear, and I broke my hand, which limited my writing in June. Then July arrived. Our oldest son, Ronan, was diagnosed with walking pneumonia right around the 4th of July, and a week later, Logan came down with a similar illness that was later confirmed as pneumonia. This required hospitalization for four days, (photo of Logan when he was on the mend at Marshfield Children's Hospital.
I was also terribly sick, though never diagnosed with pneumonia—just a severe viral infection. Logan and Ronan both recovered after a few weeks, but it took a toll on me. I lost 15 pounds and really wasn’t myself again until mid-August. This all happened during a time when my wife was scheduled to take a trip to Montana with her girlfriends, which she had to cancel.
I’m not looking for sympathy; life happens, and you roll with it. We're all healthy now and looking forward to a great school year and the excitement to come in the fall and winter. Snowmaking is getting closer by the day, and it's one of my favorite times of the year. Let’s have some fun!
Greg