Mount Cain is not opening this weekend – there is not enough snow to cover the rocks and stumps (yet), so we will wait another week and see what Ullr brings. There is snow in the forecast, so keep your fingers crossed, do not walk under any ladders, don’t open any cans upside down, only open your umbrella outside, and if you find a penny, make a wish.
In the meantime, we are getting ready for you. Last weekend was Training Weekend, and the hill was buzzing. Ski patrollers, liftees, ski shop elves, and ticket booth staff were honing their skills to keep Cain running smoothly.
Since we have a bit of time to kill while we wait for snow, I thought doing a Mount Cain refresher might be helpful so we are good to go when the snow arrives. Hope this helps:
How to say hi to people when you can’t remember their name or do not recognize them – First of all, don’t panic. This happens to everyone. There are 3 possible ways to respond:
Fake It Till You Make it – Give the person a warm embrace, start chatting, and hope they drop a hint that triggers a memory from a past season.
Run and Hide – Pretend you don’t see them, run to the bathroom (see number 4 below), and then ask Campbell or Linda if they know who the person is. Those two know everybody and can usually be found at the corner table in the Lodge around 4:00.
Concede Defeat – Come clean. Admit that you can’t remember their name. Blame your age / alcohol consumption / poor vision / the time your hit your head when you were a kid.
And if someone you know has purchased new gear without telling you, it is not your fault if you don’t recognize them. They really should have sent out a memo.
Getting here: You must have chains for your car and know how to use them, so this week is an excellent time for your pre-season “how do I put on chains again?” practice run. Your driveway or nearby parking lot makes a great training ground. If you have kids, there is no time like the present for them to learn how to lie in wet snow under a vehicle – it is a right of passage.
Parking Your Vehicle: One thing that makes Cain unique is camping in the parking lot. We love the parking lot community that organically grows every weekend. At the same time, we need to have a few rules to fit in as many vehicles as possible, so the grader can still clear the road, and people are safe. The super amazing Jeff Gaetz is returning this year as our Parking Lot Attendant, and he can help you find the right spot when you arrive on Friday. Better yet, read our Parking Lots Rules on the website and come prepared. Payment for camping is by donation. Once the online store is open, you can make a donation there. Until then, please make a donation at the ticket booth.
Bathroom Rules. There will be a test on this, so listen carefully. The new bathrooms are for women only. They are located in the Coyne Building and will be open from 7am-8pm. During this time, the old women’s bathroom is gender neutral, and the old men’s bathroom is for men. Then, at 8pm the new bathrooms close, and we revert back to the old system with the old bathrooms. We understand that gender is a social construct so if you fit somewhere else on the gender spectrum, please use the bathroom that you are most comfortable using.
What time does ________ open?
Ticket Booth: Friday evening 7pm-9pm; Saturday and Sunday 8:30am-1:30pm.
Ski Shop: Saturday, Sunday, Monday, 9am – 4pm.
Turks Tavern: Friday 5pm – 11pm; Saturday and Sunday 8am – 11pm; Monday 8am – 4pm.
Also:
The online shop will not be open until January;
On holidays we are open (Christmas Break, Family Day, etc), we follow the Saturday schedule;
On Magic Mondays, purchase your tickets at the ski shop;
Last call at the pub is at 10:00.
Quiet time starts at 11:00 (and lasts all the way till the morning).
Hope this list gets you in the swing of things while we wait for a bit more snow to smooth out the rough spots. And the snow is coming. It is -1.8° and snowing on the Ridge Run.
