{"id":600,"date":"2018-09-26T16:24:13","date_gmt":"2018-09-26T16:24:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greatnorthamericanskiadventure.com\/?page_id=600"},"modified":"2018-09-27T14:02:08","modified_gmt":"2018-09-27T14:02:08","slug":"how-wind-impairs-skiing","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/greatnorthamericanskiadventure.com\/index.php\/seven-deadly-sins\/how-wind-impairs-skiing\/","title":{"rendered":"Wind"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Wind<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"\"I like to be positive. Wind at its best is like the wind at Big Sky. The wind creates its own climactic conditions lifting and positioning snow across the mountain. Certain areas like chutes and gullies can be replenished nightly with fresh snow. This makes those in the know able to ski powder long after a storm has passed.<\/p>

However, I grew up skiing the lava dome known as Mammoth Mountain. The resort is situated in a kind of storm alley that seems to suck in any whether flowing off the Pacific ocean between Eureka and Los Angeles. Mammoth\u2019s base starta at around 8,000 feet, its peak topping out above 11,000. The mountaintop is a giant bowl above the tree line. When storms hit Mammoth, they almost always bring high winds, especially to these exposed peaks.<\/p>

Wind Speeds That Close Ski Lifts and Gondolas<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>

Warning \u2013 I\u2019m nerding out here.<\/p>

There are no official requirements to close ski lifts and gondolas when winds reach a certain speed. It\u2019s a case by case determination made by resort management, usually, heavily influenced by ski patrol. Variables examined include wind speed, wind gusts, the direction of the wind, the effect of the wind on getting on and off the chair, and the possibility of the storm getting worse.<\/p>

Generally, when winds start blowing close to 40 mile per hour, resort management will seriously consider closing down lifts and gondolas.<\/p>

The table below exhibits how increasing wind speeds place greater and greater force against impacted objects.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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