VAIL SUCKS

[thetrailboss]

I am Ikon (in addition to Epic) solely because the window price of DV tickets + buddy tix discount for the fam. I wish I were joking. Alta/Snowbird days are a bonus.

Maybe it was one of your buddies I rode up with yesterday (the folks from Boston).

 

[pinion]

Maybe it was one of your buddies I rode up with yesterday (the folks from Boston).

Maybe! Hahaha.

The folks on the Wed/Thu BOS > SLC direct flights are usually of 2 camps: the "I'm skiing Alta / Snowbird" and then the "I'm staying at Montage / St. Regis and maybe actually skiing Deer Valley for a run or two". Occasionally the "I came to Park City to party" people. That's the way it's always felt anyway Regardless, lots of fancy boots and jackets in the overhead bins.

We thoroughly enjoy Deer Valley for what it is, but I also grew up skiing NH so no second thoughts about coming down off of Empire dripping sweat and entering the Veuve Yurt, disrupting all the Instagram models' photos. And always Alta. Sometimes Snowbird. Kids' first time at Alta this year, so fingers crossed for some snow!

 

[Tonyr]

I skied Deer Valley twice last year and paid the window price both days as it wasn't part of the Mountain Collective pass, it wasn't worth it. (We shuttled over to Park City the other days) I was not that impressed with the mountain either although I did like the terrain off of the Empire lift, I thought the grooming was fine though but they certainly market it up.

It doesn't shock me at all that people buy both passes, If I lived in the area I would too. For under 2k you get full access to Park City and Solitude then 7 days of Alta Snowbird, Deer Valley, Brighton, and Snowbasin. It's a no brainer, a season pass to Deer Valley alone costs close to 3k. Your also striking distance to 7 days of Big Sky, Jackson Hole, and Telluride.

 

[thetrailboss]

Maybe! Hahaha.

The folks on the Wed/Thu BOS > SLC direct flights are usually of 2 camps: the "I'm skiing Alta / Snowbird" and then the "I'm staying at Montage / St. Regis and maybe actually skiing Deer Valley for a run or two". Occasionally the "I came to Park City to party" people. That's the way it's always felt anyway Regardless, lots of fancy boots and jackets in the overhead bins.

We thoroughly enjoy Deer Valley for what it is, but I also grew up skiing NH so no second thoughts about coming down off of Empire dripping sweat and entering the Veuve Yurt, disrupting all the Instagram models' photos. And always Alta. Sometimes Snowbird. Kids' first time at Alta this year, so fingers crossed for some snow!

The lodging, food, and entertainment options in Park CIty can't really be beat. Especially if one does not want a car.

And FWIW I think that after December's snow that Alta has skied pretty well overall. ss20 can add more as he is there almost daily. The off-trail options are getting beat up though.

 

[Kingslug20]

I hit it right last year at PC..dumped pretty well...
I used to base near alta/bird.. ut pc has mire stuff to do/ eat..and alta/bird is close enough

 

[deadheadskier]

I skied Deer Valley twice last year and paid the window price both days as it wasn't part of the Mountain Collective pass, it wasn't worth it. (We shuttled over to Park City the other days) I was not that impressed with the mountain either although I did like the terrain off of the Empire lift, I thought the grooming was fine though but they certainly market it up.

It doesn't shock me at all that people buy both passes, If I lived in the area I would too. For under 2k you get full access to Park City and Solitude then 7 days of Alta Snowbird, Deer Valley, Brighton, and Snowbasin. It's a no brainer, a season pass to Deer Valley alone costs close to 3k. Your also striking distance to 7 days of Big Sky, Jackson Hole, and Telluride.

You paid the window rate?

For two days?

Baller!

I thought people who paid the window rate once the price jumped over $200 a day were mythical creatures.

No judgement here by the way.

I pay stupid amounts of money for other forms of entertainment myself.

 

[ss20]

The lodging, food, and entertainment options in Park CIty can't really be beat. Especially if one does not want a car.

And FWIW I think that after December's snow that Alta has skied pretty well overall. ss20 can add more as he is there almost daily. The off-trail options are getting beat up though.

Honestly, it is starting to get rough. I did not get up the hill today but heard it is icy as this front has passed through and brought wind, scouring whatever was left of loose snow.

Favorite quote from the locker room...
"I saw the wind and was hoping maybe there'd be some wind buff"
"There's nothing left to buff!"

There is a deep, solid base. 80-90% of the mountain is open, and pretty much all the easy hiking stuff is decently covered. We've had a couple days where we get 2-4" and it's fun for a couple days. Off-trail is better than on-trail. What few groomers we have are s-h-o-t with high traffic and repeated grooming. That's another of my few complaints about Alta... essentially 1.5-2.5 runs off Collins and Sugarloaf are groomed regularly. Alta is absolutely uncrowded skiing at it's finest but Devil's Elbow literally has me flashing back to the trails I swore I would/could never instruct on a weekend.... Long John at Mount Snow, Belt Parkway at Huntah, Great Northern/Eastern at Killington.

So in summation...we're close but we need a couple 6" storm days to get things good again. But much better than Park City, Snowbasin, etc. Even the lower parts of Snowbird are pretty rough.

 

[machski]

Attitash has a new named GM hailing from.....Hidden Valley, Missouri. Yup, Vail has figured it out for sure!

 

[Mainer]

The last GM came from Missouri too. It kind of makes me sad that I won’t be able to ski atticat next year. Besides when I lived out west for five years I’ve had an Attitash pass since they put in Bear Peak. I’ve had a wildcat Pass for the last 13 years or so. I should’ve bailed after last year, I thought it was growing pains or Covid, but vail just sucks. I’ve skied all the other mountains in Mount Washington Valley this year and they been normal. Atticat is trash

 

[Edd]

Attitash has a new named GM hailing from.....Hidden Valley, Missouri. Yup, Vail has figured it out for sure!

Jesus fucking Christ.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Has this person at least run an entire ski area before? If so wouldn't that be a step up from the guy Wildcat has who was the F&B manager somewhere else?

looking for a silver lining for you folks in NH...

 

[thetrailboss]

Attitash has a new named GM hailing from.....Hidden Valley, Missouri. Yup, Vail has figured it out for sure!

Is that another former Peaks Resort?

 

[chrisw]

Has this person at least run an entire ski area before?

Per his LinkedIn profile, Brandon Swartz has briefly run the whole operation at Hidden Valley, MO (for Vail). Before that he ran Mtn Ops and Lift Ops at Wilmot, MI and Heavenly. IMO these are two departments that Atticat struggle with the most. So I'd say he's more experienced in critical areas than an F&B manager would be.

 

[MogulMonsters]

Per his LinkedIn profile, Brandon Swartz has briefly run the whole operation at Hidden Valley, MO (for Vail). Before that he ran Mtn Ops and Lift Ops at Wilmot, MI and Heavenly. IMO these are two departments that Atticat struggle with the most. So I'd say he's more experienced in critical areas than an F&B manager would be.

Think Brandon can drive a snow groomer and push out some of these whales?!

 

[Mainer]

Let’s go Brandon

 

[MogulMonsters]

Holy small hill.

 

[pinion]

Holy small hill.

More working lifts than Attitash

 

[Mainer]

It wasn’t just Missouri that the old Attitash gm Greg gavrilets ran a ski area in. He ran hidden valley. That is insane. Holy shit. I guess vail didn’t learn the first time

 

[machski]

Holy small hill.

IIRC , this area is just to the WSW of St. Louis and just SW of Spirit of St. Louis airport. Smallish rolling hills out that way. At least they have something nearby and are open 7 days a week (though mon-wed they just have night skiing).

Edit: To say I'd take this schedule over at Crotched anyday!

 

[2Planker]

Attitash has a new named GM hailing from.....Hidden Valley, Missouri. Yup, Vail has figured it out for sure!

Another Food & Bev Manager ???
How long did GG last ? 3 months ?
Heard that the new WC GM is actively looking & applying. Prob a good idea.