The "Sugarbush Thread"

bdfreetuna · Mar 12, 2018

tumbler said:
Uh, kinda sounds like you posted on SB's FB page looking for this type of reaction. So they support the LGBT community after a mass shooting in the first state that legalized same sex marriage? Express disappointment in the USA pulling out of a global warming accord because they are in the business of winter sports? I recall many ski areas expressing the same feelings.

The employees are locals that work hard, the same locals that work at MRG, Bolton Valley, Jay and all the other places you profess your love for. Did you go looking for a fight on their FB pages?

No but nice try. It was in regards to the Florida shooting by the way.

Personally, I've never worked for a company where I was allowed to escalate political arguments and make personally offensive comments to customers.

In your view I have a duty to not respond to political statements made by businesses, and if I do, it's me "looking for a reaction". Gotcha.

So how far, in your view, should employees go in response to a *paying long time customer* who disagrees? Anything they say is right, and anything I say is wrong, correct?

Hawk · Mar 12, 2018

bdfreetuna said:
It just strikes me in bad taste when companies decide to get up on a moral high horse on issues like "hate" and "the environment" and then cannot handle the slightest debate on a subject that they've gone out on a limb with in the first place.

Really hoping to avoid debating any of these topics *here*... my message is more one for Win S to absorb. I really have nothing else to say about it unless Win or an SB employees cares to respond.

I wouldn't never speak for Mr. Smith but I would think that his views and his employees views on such divisive topics are not the unified stance of the corporation. I doubt he would even address this. But standing here outside of this debate, and knowing the totally liberal atmosphere in Warren VT, I can understand why you were not received very well. You only have to go to the 4th of July parade to fully understand how they feel about the current administration, the environment and the LGBT community. It would be like me going to a bar in Montana and preaching gun control. Why bother? It not the place for that. Now if you feel that you have to go and do that, then expect what you get. I would. But then again I shouldn't talk as I have been on the outside also. Oh well, I guess it is a free country.

Hawk · Mar 12, 2018

bdfreetuna said:
So how far, in your view, should employees go in response to a *paying long time customer* who disagrees? Anything they say is right, and anything I say is wrong, correct?

Neither is right or wrong. They are opinions and I doubt that the people that attacked you were current employees. I am sure that the Management would not allow people to do that on the company page. That is my opinion at least.

bdfreetuna · Mar 12, 2018

I get that Hawk. But I do not enjoy being labeled a "hater" of LGBT or anti-environment... which are absurd statements to folks who know me... because I point out a different angle.

Every company needs to do it's own math on this stuff. I'm just letting SB know that there are folks paying attention who disagree.

Hawk said:
Neither is right or wrong. They are opinions and I doubt that the people that attacked you were current employees. I am sure that the Management would not allow people to do that on the company page. That is my opinion at least.

I no longer have social media to go look it up, but I assure you this was the case. If it were not I wouldn't be mentioning this at all, obviously.

I am all about a company's right to virtue signal however they want. I simply decide if I will keep supporting them based on that. But the reaction from SB employees was very cult like and gave me a very bad taste for the entire organization. SB management *must* have been aware, or else they are negligent of their customer relations.

NYDB · Mar 12, 2018

Hawk · Mar 12, 2018

bdfreetuna said:
I get that Hawk. But I do not enjoy being labeled a "hater" of LGBT or anti-environment... which are absurd statements to folks who know me... because I point out a different angle.

Every company needs to do it's own math on this stuff. I'm just letting SB know that there are folks paying attention who disagree.

Fair enough. It pissed you off enough to go into depth about it. Maybe someone is listening. I guess if I was labeled I would be pissed off too.

bdfreetuna · Mar 12, 2018

oh man I want that sticker

ThinkSnow · Mar 12, 2018

Peace, Love, and a Ton of snow

BenedictGomez · Mar 12, 2018

slatham said:
I too do not like ski areas chiming in on political issues - not the right forum - whether or not I agree with them. Plenty of opportunities in this country to be divided, let's leave the ski areas out of it.

Agreed.

And from the opposite standpoint (i.e. that of the ski company), from the business management aspect it's like nails-on-a-chalkboard to me. Simply self-destructive behavior financially.

cdskier · Mar 12, 2018

There are a lot of ski resorts and skiing related companies that spoke out on the climate change topic...just look at all the partners of organizations like POW. Any organization that supports POW essentially made the same statement that Sugarbush did on that topic. You can debate whether this is right or wrong for these companies to do, but to single out Sugarbush as the only one that did this is a bit of a stretch. They were absolutely not alone.

1dog · Mar 12, 2018

The sell them

bdfreetuna said:
oh man I want that sticker

@ the Warren Store and MRG - $47.95 for season pass holders. Free for those not able to afford passes.

We got a Constitutional Republic and everyone has the same leverage - a vote.

I know plenty of people who intensely disliked the previous Occupant and just waited till the Constitution took its course.

Patience and the attitude of the Rhode Island fellow is called for ' I disagree with all you say, but I'll fight for your right to state it until death.' Paraphrasing of course.

And skiing /riding is this forums subject. Lots of other places for debating open markets as opposed to central control ( and that is what this is all about in politics these days)

Imagine if we get our season average this year - thats 150 or so additional inches between now and May!

Could happen.

Ski on

bdfreetuna · Mar 12, 2018

cdskier said:
There are a lot of ski resorts and skiing related companies that spoke out on the climate change topic...just look at all the partners of organizations like POW. Any organization that supports POW essentially made the same statement that Sugarbush did on that topic. You can debate whether this is right or wrong for these companies to do, but to single out Sugarbush as the only one that did this is a bit of a stretch. They were absolutely not alone.

You are right, many resorts did virtue signal around the same time on the topic, mostly ones that are aligned with that POW lobby group.

So, that's not my complaint. And I'm not singling out SB on that. The Florida shooting / LGBT commentary I think was even more politicized and irrelevant from a skiing perspective. But they are free to have their views.

I think instead of going over this again and again you can figure out my actual complaint from what I've already stated.

cdskier · Mar 12, 2018

bdfreetuna said:
You are right, many resorts did virtue signal around the same time on the topic, mostly ones that are aligned with that POW lobby group.

So, that's not my complaint. And I'm not singling out SB on that. The Florida shooting / LGBT commentary I think was even more politicized and irrelevant from a skiing perspective. But they are free to have their views.

I think instead of going over this again and again you can figure out my actual complaint from what I've already stated.

No, I understand your complaint. It was that you didn't agree with the response you received. I remember the climate related posts on FB and do remember there being some heated comments on there so I just looked back at them. Other than a response from Win, I only see one response from an employee that I recognize (or maybe a former employee as not even sure he still works there). That response was quite professional and didn't tell anyone to go elsewhere if they disagreed. If you are no longer active on FB, then it is possible your post (and any responses) wouldn't show. I'm not saying it didn't happen, but without seeing what was said and who said it, it is difficult to say whether it was out of line. The other post you referenced I couldn't find and I really don't remember that one.

All I can say is that I've never personally experienced any non-professional behavior from any staff and never seen anything like that on social media either.

bdfreetuna · Mar 12, 2018

^^ You are mostly correct, although I already knew the response would be disagreement, as I posted in respectful disagreement to their political posture (twice).

I just remember two incidents, already described what events they involved, treated with hostility from a number of SB workers. Perhaps I should not have tried to engage the second time, but as I said I don't have accounts with that garbage any more and glad to hear my posts aren't on there anymore as one would hope when they leave a platform.

From what I remember vaguely, Win did come on and post diplomatically at least on one occasion. I'm not laying this on Win. But, perhaps the thread is deleted, I have no idea, I will state plainly again that the behavior of his employees on social media towards myself was completely unacceptable for a local liquor store let alone a ski resort.

I have been off this platform for most of a year now so it's going to be hard to parse details. I expect if you are looking at the relevant posts already and don't see my comment and then a 100 reply heated discussion involving mostly SB employees after that-- then it just ain't there anymore.

Just so it's clear -- I'm not trying to escalate some dispute. I am just stating the truth of what happened. If Win wants to chime in, fine. No idea why I decided to bring this up today to be honest.

tumbler · Mar 12, 2018

This is the type of debate for bad snow times. Let’s talk the snow and skiing!!

cdskier · Mar 12, 2018

tumbler said:
This is the type of debate for bad snow times. Let’s talk the snow and skiing!!

Sure...why not!

Mt Ellen on Saturday:

Lincoln Peak Sunday morning:

ThinkSnow · Mar 13, 2018

Nice shots

rtjcbrown · Mar 13, 2018

In the almost 30 years that I have been going to Sugarbush, I have never had an issue with an employee. They have been nothing but professional. I especially remember on summer that I went hiking, and left my boots and some expensive equipment behind, in the base lodge after getting changed. It was not until I returned to NJ that I realized my mistake. I made a call to the SB main office to ask if anything had been turned in. She made some calls, and got back to me within an hour. Not only had everything been located by the cleaning crew, but they had also UPS'd it back to me at their expense. A display of honesty and integrity that is so hard to find these days. I will be forever grateful, and loyal to them for their actions.

Hawk · Mar 13, 2018

They upped the forecast to 18 to 24 up top. The only rub is the wind. I am thinking that late Wednesday or Thursday will be a good call considering possible lift closures. Worth monitoring.

benski · Mar 13, 2018

From what I here Sugarbush's GM under the ASC in the late 90's used to throw temper-tantrums in parking lot on people, so they have had issues with employees.

The "Sugarbush Thread"

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