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Hermitage club

Jcb890

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You're joking but I always like to point out: bubble chair > gondola.

How so? Why? Gondolas are nice and fully enclosed. A bubble chair you still have some elements and cold you are exposed to while a gondola is enclosed, so no wind and you can take off your skis/board and relax.
 

Domeskier

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You're joking but I always like to point out: bubble chair > gondola.

I would ordinarily agree, but I imagine a gondola at a luxury ski club would have a well stocked fridge, reclining seats, climate control, an entertainment system and concierges to remove and put on your skis for you when you get on and off.
 

jaytrem

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How so? Why? Gondolas are nice and fully enclosed. A bubble chair you still have some elements and cold you are exposed to while a gondola is enclosed, so no wind and you can take off your skis/board and relax.

Gondolas have their place, but I don't think this would be it. The hassle of taking skis/snowboard off every time for a 5 minute ride = bah!!! Now if you got a lift that's double the length and is also needed for foot traffic, then a gondola makes sense. If the lift is primarily for skiing I'd go with the bubble every time.
 

Jcb890

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Gondolas have their place, but I don't think this would be it. The hassle of taking skis/snowboard off every time for a 5 minute ride = bah!!! Now if you got a lift that's double the length and is also needed for foot traffic, then a gondola makes sense. If the lift is primarily for skiing I'd go with the bubble every time.

Again, these aren't people worried about getting in as many runs as they can and ripping up the best terrain they can. It is about a social experience and being able to be alone with their families and other rich people.

Gondola is much more aligned with that. Much more fancy and relaxing compared to a chair lift.
 

Newpylong

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I disagree. A gondola is a very poor fit for Haystack, the socializing goes on in that massive clubhouse at the bottom, no a 4 minute ride that you have to take skis off for.
 

Edd

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How so? Why? Gondolas are nice and fully enclosed. A bubble chair you still have some elements and cold you are exposed to while a gondola is enclosed, so no wind and you can take off your skis/board and relax.

Gondolas aren't nice. They're often gross, breath-filled chambers. Taking your skis off every run blows. Bubble chairs provide a good amount of protection. It's a perfect compromise in my book.

Edit: I'd really like to try the Peak to Peak at Whistler, though.
 

Jcb890

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I'll never go and don't really care. But, a gondola is or can be more luxurious than a chair lift. I'm picturing the Maybach of gondolas, haha.
 

Jully

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Again, these aren't people worried about getting in as many runs as they can and ripping up the best terrain they can. It is about a social experience and being able to be alone with their families and other rich people.

Not that I am in any way supporting this kind of ridiculous expense. Even if I had unlimited money I wouldn't spend it on a membership like this. However, I don't think it's necessarily fair to assume that the motivation for these people to join the club is a malevolent one. There are certainly going to be some snobs there for sure, but I think for the majority of the people buying memberships there it's different than trying to avoid other people who are not members of the 1%.

There are different motivations to join a fancy country club than simply to turn your nose at others who can't afford it. From what I've heard many of the members ski elsewhere in the area and are even pretty avid skiers.
 

Jcb890

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Not that I am in any way supporting this kind of ridiculous expense. Even if I had unlimited money I wouldn't spend it on a membership like this. However, I don't think it's necessarily fair to assume that the motivation for these people to join the club is a malevolent one. There are certainly going to be some snobs there for sure, but I think for the majority of the people buying memberships there it's different than trying to avoid other people who are not members of the 1%.

There are different motivations to join a fancy country club than simply to turn your nose at others who can't afford it. From what I've heard many of the members ski elsewhere in the area and are even pretty avid skiers.

Yeah, that was a bit harsh, I'm sure they're not all that way. I have no problem with people doing stuff like this either way. It's their money to spend on what they want and who they want to spend it with. It is a genius idea by the people who came up with the Hermitage Club, really.
 

Newpylong

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Any mountain with snow is superior in my book :snow:

I had lots of fun at the "Stack in the early 90s when you could ski there or Snow on the same ticket.
 

abc

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I'll never go and don't really care. But, a gondola is or can be more luxurious than a chair lift. I'm picturing the Maybach of gondolas, haha.
Show me a gondola in existance that are in any way "luxurious"? I certainly don't know of any.

It "can be" more luxurious but for the most part it never "is" any more luxurious than a typical chair!

While I've never skied in any private club mountains but I've skied in quite a few places in US and Europe where the rich and famous go skiing. None of those mountains I've been to have gondola that are anything but basic transports. So I'm extremely skeptical of Hermitage club would be any different. That is, if it even gets off the ground!
 

Jcb890

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Show me a gondola in existance that are in any way "luxurious"? I certainly don't know of any.

It "can be" more luxurious but for the most part it never "is" any more luxurious than a typical chair!

While I've never skied in any private club mountains but I've skied in quite a few places in US and Europe where the rich and famous go skiing. None of those mountains I've been to have gondola that are anything but basic transports. So I'm extremely skeptical of Hermitage club would be any different. That is, if it even gets off the ground!

Fair enough.
 

Newpylong

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Show me a gondola in existance that are in any way "luxurious"? I certainly don't know of any.

It "can be" more luxurious but for the most part it never "is" any more luxurious than a typical chair!

While I've never skied in any private club mountains but I've skied in quite a few places in US and Europe where the rich and famous go skiing. None of those mountains I've been to have gondola that are anything but basic transports. So I'm extremely skeptical of Hermitage club would be any different. That is, if it even gets off the ground!

It's long past gotten off the ground...
 

machski

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Gondolas have their place, but I don't think this would be it. The hassle of taking skis/snowboard off every time for a 5 minute ride = bah!!! Now if you got a lift that's double the length and is also needed for foot traffic, then a gondola makes sense. If the lift is primarily for skiing I'd go with the bubble every time.

+100000
 

drjeff

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Show me a gondola in existance that are in any way "luxurious"? I certainly don't know of any.

It "can be" more luxurious but for the most part it never "is" any more luxurious than a typical chair!

While I've never skied in any private club mountains but I've skied in quite a few places in US and Europe where the rich and famous go skiing. None of those mountains I've been to have gondola that are anything but basic transports. So I'm extremely skeptical of Hermitage club would be any different. That is, if it even gets off the ground!

700 memberships sold now. They just sold about 16 million of property in 1 day, about a month ago the day they they put units in their about to break ground and scheduled for occupancy for the '16-'17 ski season, base area hotel up for sale (24 units sold during the kick off event for members they had) - As I have heard from members, they have passed the "critical mass" point of memberships sold so that the dues income will cover annual estimated operating expenses. They are expecting to reach their "maximum capacity" membership point in the next 12-18 months. It is off the ground for sure.


Agree with the gondola thing - the only possible exception that I've experienced is the Jordanelle Gondola at Deer Valley where they took a cabin designed for 6 people and put only 4, very comfortable, leather seats in it, along with heat - not your typical plastic seat gondola there ;)
 
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