Chestnut Mountain - Skiing on fake snow? (Chicago: price, to move)

[BetterThanAliens]

So for Thanksgiving weekend, I'd love to take a trip over to the resort. According to their site, they are opening the day after Thanksgiving due to their snow making machines. How bad is fake snow? Can we have a good time?

Realistically, it could drop inches of snow by this date. But if not, is a 3.5 hour drive worthwhile to ski the fake snow? Any opinions are appreciated...

[Steve-o]

Ive ski'd on fake snow and thought it was semi-decent. Im not an avid snower so Im not picky, and could tell a slight difference between fresh snow and snow out of machines... felt kinda wet. But hey, I still got to move downhill, so it was worth it for me. haha

By Thanksgiving there might just be a good snowfall out there. We usually get a few inches around Thanksgiving...

[SJaye]

Unless you are a type 3 skiier (and if you don't know what that is- you are not one), I don't think the fake snow would be too much of a concern. I think the main concern, and the main reason rarely ski before the end of the year is that when they first start making snow they focus on one or two trails to get them open as soon as possible, while waiting longer to open the other trails and ski lifts. They don't, however, reduce the price. They might give you a weekday price on a weekend, but that is about it. So, you end up paying about $40 or so for a day of skiing on half, or sometimes even less than half, of the trails. This, I consider a bad deal. So, I would be much more worried about that, and keep track of the number of trails and lifts open, than the fact that the snow is fake.

[BetterThanAliens]

I appreciate both of your responses. Let's hope some real snow drops so all the trails are open!

[irish setter girl]

I've been at Chestnut when they were making snow. There was a decent base already and I found it to be just fine. I'm not a very good skiier so it served its purpose just fine for me. Good luck to you.

For those that go there in the summer, the Alpine slide at Chesnut is fantastic and the ride back up on the ski lift is beautiful!

[SubaruFiend]

All I have to say is if you can ski/snowboard here in the midwest on the fake stuff (ie the ice pellets) you can ski/snowboard up in the mountains no problem! :P (I just had to throw that out there).........

I'm from the Chicago burbs and have heard some comedian say that before. He was making fun of how you basically ski on ice out here cuz of the snow making machines and the machines that go over the hill to groom them after they've melted slightly and then refrozen....... ya, if you've ever skiied on any of the hills around here after they've melted slightly and then refrozen......... and you survived..... then you can ski anywhere........

the fourth time I EVER had snowboarded I went to villa olivia to try out my new board. ya, it had done the whole melt, refreeze thing and the machine had groomed the hill to break up the ice....... OMG! I thought i was gunna die! And I was only on the bunny hill! Of all the black diamond hills I've ever SKIIED nothing compares going down on freshly groomed ICE yeesh!!!

[BetterThanAliens]

Had a great time today at the resort! With the combo of fake and real snow, and their December lift ticket rates, today was perfect for an all day outside in the blistering cold. Thanks, Chestnut...