VAIL SUCKS

[kingslug]

Worst winter i can remember...and I've been coming here regularly for 25 years...
Alta opened the high T ...very slabby snow on Greely...but it was better than running groomers.
This next storm looks good..

 

[thetrailboss]

Worst winter i can remember...and I've been coming here regularly for 25 years...
Alta opened the high T ...very slabby snow on Greely...but it was better than running groomers.
This next storm looks good..

Silky and creamy at Alta today. Nice base building snow!

 

[Tonyr]

That should open lots of new stuff up...

 

[ThatGuy]

The catch, beyond the fact this is literally the only spot on this massive property that got that much snow? No Daybreak terrain has opened for the season. Vail literally reported out the maximum snow on one spot on the mountain, and on 100% closed terrain that you cannot ski, as their "snow report" snow total for the day's skiing.

I got a kick out of that, they reported 9” but if you watched the webcam the snow stake maybe got 3

 

[kingslug]

Silky and creamy at Alta today. Nice base building snow!

Today even better..tomorrow..even better.
Broke out the new powder skis.

 

[doublediamond]

Is Wildcat having more wind holds than previously?

I ask as in relation to when they changed their chairs on the HSQ? The old ones were “heavy weight” but Vail changed to regular weight with new ones I suppose…

Doc from 05/21 here:

https://mm.nh.gov/files/uploads/fmo/remote-docs/tramway-minutes-05252021.pdf

That's a bit of an interesting find from the Tramway Board considering avail was touring publicly that new chairs would have slatted backs (do they?) and would thus be more wind tolerant.

 

[ThatGuy]

Today even better..tomorrow..even better.
Broke out the new powder skis.

What kind of skis did you get?

 

[pinion]

That's a bit of an interesting find from the Tramway Board considering avail was touring publicly that new chairs would have slatted backs (do they?) and would thus be more wind tolerant.

If those chairs have slats, they are covered in pads.

re: the 2 wind cancellations last week: it wouldn't matter how heavy the chairs were... 70+mph winds coming across the mountain south to north. Brutally bad luck there. I've seen the Bobcat run in those winds in the past, but I believe those winds also scarred the trail surface and exposed the boilerplate underneath a bit too much for Wildcat to consider opening.

Snowcat ran tests a few times last week, once under backup diesel power. Not sure if the plan is to have it loading every other chair until they can work out whatever bugs are left, but at least they'll likely have a beginner lift coming into MLK weekend.

Wildcat has been DEAD. Attitash not so much. I skied Tightrope around 10:30 Saturday and was surprised they opened it... a sheet of ice for the whole dropoff after you pass under the summit lift.

Vail still sucks, but if I were to highlight some positives: 1) Wildcat pub new menu items are pretty good and Rockpile IPA is on tap now instead of the Hairball koelsch; 2) groomers did an amazing job restoring the open trails after Saturday's wind closure. Upper Lynx > Polecat and Upper Catapult down through Bobcat (and Cheetah) were cruising delights yesterday.

 

[kingslug]

What kind of skis did you get?

Soloman QST 112

 

[thetrailboss]

Today even better..tomorrow..even better.
Broke out the new powder skis.

Waiting at Alta for thundersnow to pass. My skis are number one in line.

 

[urungus]

Saw this on r/skiing … just to make everyone’s experience just a little more Epic, Vail is giving away a Bluetooth speaker so you can share your wonderful music with the whole mountain !

 

[jimmywilson69]

the Bluetooth speaker losers are some of the worst people on the mountain. When I can hear your music over my helmet speakers, that's ridiculous and lame. The music ALWAYS SUCKS. ALWAYS...

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

the Bluetooth speaker losers are some of the worst people on the mountain. When I can hear your music over my helmet speakers, that's ridiculous and lame. The music ALWAYS SUCKS. ALWAYS...

i’ve noticed a few on the gondola this season, one absolutely had to be squelched

 

[jimmywilson69]

in a strange turn of events, Vail offering a "locals" night. Has the revenue stream gone so dry corporate wide they are now open to offering discounts?

This is exactly the type of thing THEY SHOULD BE DOING at the "feeder hills" to get people interested in the sport. Maybe this will lead to bringing back the night pass which was definitely something people bought and when they forced everyone into Epic Passes, they lost customers. How many? no one knows but Vail...

https://www.skiroundtop.com/explore...8dc-7b7185c25f82}&sd=12/31/2025&ed=01/31/2026

 

[BenedictGomez]

Soloman QST 112

The QST 188 was my #1 powder ski draft pick I was searching for used until the limited edition Line Bacon Tom Wallisch fell into my lap on clearance.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Waiting at Alta for thundersnow to pass. My skis are number one in line.

Interestingly I didn't hear any thunder. Not sure where the R/S line set-up, but it poured rain here all night long and most of today. I'm guessing about 6,500 feet.

in a strange turn of events, Vail offering a "locals" night. Has the revenue stream gone so dry corporate wide they are now open to offering discounts?

Someone's gone rogue. Right now Katz is probably feeling a disturbance in the force.

 

[BenedictGomez]

the Bluetooth speaker losers are some of the worst people on the mountain. When I can hear your music over my helmet speakers, that's ridiculous and lame. The music ALWAYS SUCKS. ALWAYS...

April 2025, last ski day & run of our ski season, Breckenridge. I'm trying to film my little one going down some moguls so I can show her progress to her, and this guy is right nearby absolutely blasting Flo Rida's Low. "Them apple-bottom jeans with the boots wit duh furrr".

That song will always instantly remind me of Tom Cruise dancing to it in Tropic Thunder, but it doesn't belong on the slopes.

 

[eatskisleep]

Snowcat Update – NEW Update 1/5

As planned, our Lift Maintenance team conducted some additional testing with a motor and electrical drive vendor on Friday to better understand the appropriate path forward to certifying and opening the lift as soon as possible. It’s been determined that there will be additional upgrades needed for the lift to be able to operate at full capacity. That being said, we do have a plan in place to get the lift open while we pursue these additional upgrades for a spring installation. We have scheduled the final load test with our key stakeholders for the middle of next week, and are aiming to open the lift shortly thereafter.

I also wanted to address questions around timing on this project and would share that unlike replacing like for like parts, modifying and upgrading a lift with an all-new electrical system takes time. This includes design, engineering, and building components and new buildings. After spending significant time and outside resources last season to repair the existing lift control system, ultimately we made the decision in March to modernize and upgrade. Upgrades like these are generally planned out and executed over 12 months, and were attempting to do it in 8, giving us little room to address issues.

Safely operating our lifts is a responsibility that we take seriously, and we continue to appreciate your patience and understanding. We will continue to work closely with our partners from the NH State Tramway Safety Board and the USFS to ensure full alignment on our path forward, and look forward to providing an update later next week.

 

[deadheadskier]

Maybe they hired the same team that installed Magic's quad....

 

[Edd]

Snowcat Update – NEW Update 1/5

As planned, our Lift Maintenance team conducted some additional testing with a motor and electrical drive vendor on Friday to better understand the appropriate path forward to certifying and opening the lift as soon as possible. It’s been determined that there will be additional upgrades needed for the lift to be able to operate at full capacity. That being said, we do have a plan in place to get the lift open while we pursue these additional upgrades for a spring installation. We have scheduled the final load test with our key stakeholders for the middle of next week, and are aiming to open the lift shortly thereafter.

I also wanted to address questions around timing on this project and would share that unlike replacing like for like parts, modifying and upgrading a lift with an all-new electrical system takes time. This includes design, engineering, and building components and new buildings. After spending significant time and outside resources last season to repair the existing lift control system, ultimately we made the decision in March to modernize and upgrade. Upgrades like these are generally planned out and executed over 12 months, and were attempting to do it in 8, giving us little room to address issues.

Safely operating our lifts is a responsibility that we take seriously, and we continue to appreciate your patience and understanding. We will continue to work closely with our partners from the NH State Tramway Safety Board and the USFS to ensure full alignment on our path forward, and look forward to providing an update later next week.

This post reads like they’re taking cues from Erik down the road.