Snow Conditions Guarantee

[highpeaksdrifter]

As you know many ski areas allow you to take one run and if you are not satisfied with the conditions you can get a full refund or a voucher for another day.

Has anyone ever used this option?

Personally I can’t see myself using it. I follow the weather reports, so I pretty much know when conditions are going to be “unpleasant”. If I decide to drive to the mountain anyway, I just can’t see myself taking one run and turning around and going home. I’d just make the best of it at that point.

 

[severine]

I have never intentionally cashed in on this. However, I was offered a voucher for Mt. Snow one time after I posted on here about how horrible the ski day was for me. (That was post-injury in 2008 when I made 3 runs on some pretty crummy spring conditions and called it quits--despite having driven 2.5/3 hours one-way to get there.) That spoke volumes on their customer service to me. I didn't even look for reimbursement, but received it nonetheless. And IIRC, it was April and one of the days that they were not guaranteeing conditions.

 

[Dr Skimeister]

I agree with HPD in that I try my best to follow weather and conditions reports before making the decision to head to a mountain or not. The largest majority of the time I'm going out skiing, I have at least 1 1/2-2 hours travel, so I try to get as good as possible an understanding of what to expect once I get to the mountain. If it looks to be iffy enough that I might not ski once I get there, I don't bother going.

 

[riverc0il]

I recall having seen a few areas that offered this through the years but I think they are quickly fading out. I think Wildcat may have allowed a skier or rider to get a voucher if unsatisfied after the first run (or still do perhaps?). Any ways, if I drove all the way to a ski area, unless it was a local area, I would probably make the best of it that I could. I usually ski on passes and prepaid tickets so it really does not factor into the decision making process. And I certainly respect ski areas saying all sales final.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

As you know many ski areas allow you to take one run and if you are not satisfied with the conditions you can get a full refund or a voucher for another day.

Has anyone ever used this option?

Personally I can’t see myself using it. I follow the weather reports, so I pretty much know when conditions are going to be “unpleasant”. If I decide to drive to the mountain anyway, I just can’t see myself taking one run and turning around and going home. I’d just make the best of it at that point.

My Dad always used to because he preferred to ski on machine groomed ice so if it was sloppy spring snow he'd get a voucher..me personally..I am way to hardcore to ask for a refund due to poor skiing conditions..and some of the worst skiing conditions I have experienced at Stowe Vermont..

 

[Terry]

I have never asked for a voucher when skiing. I pretty much know what to expect by the weather conditions and I will go anyways because a day skiing beats a day of doing nothing. You just have to make the best of it.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

never used it...pass to the home hill, and if I'm somewhere else I'm either staying right near the mountain and know what I'm in for or I'm there for work and it wouldn't be an option anyway. Besides, skiing in crappy conditions builds character.

 

[campgottagopee]

Nope never used it. If I'm skiing I'm not at work and we all know a shitty day of skiing is better than a good day at work.

 

[drjeff]

never used it...pass to the home hill, and if I'm somewhere else I'm either staying right near the mountain and know what I'm in for or I'm there for work and it wouldn't be an option anyway. Besides, skiing in crappy conditions builds character.

Yup, me too!

 

[playoutside]

I used it several years back when I was at Sunday River (when ASC gave you until 10 to decide) for a long weekend in March. I think it was the last day of the weekend, it was raining hard, we gave it a shot, but by 10 realized it really sucked. We were given vouchers that were good for east coast ASC resorts for the next year. We took them with us to the Canyons the next year and figured it couldn't hurt to ask if we could use them (we pointed out that they had checked off east ASC only). The ticket seller thought about it a minute and said sure they would honor them. I have to say the day of skiing at the Canyons was much better than the morning in the rain at Sunday River.

 

[jarrodski]

Nope never used it. If I'm skiing I'm not at work and we all know a shitty day of skiing is better than a good day at work.

may this ring true for all those who strap sleds to their feet

 

[2knees]

may this ring true for all those who strap sleds to their feet

yeah, but you get paid to ski!!!!!

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I used it several years back when I was at Sunday River (when ASC gave you until 10 to decide) for a long weekend in March. I think it was the last day of the weekend, it was raining hard, we gave it a shot, but by 10 realized it really sucked. We were given vouchers that were good for east coast ASC resorts for the next year. We took them with us to the Canyons the next year and figured it couldn't hurt to ask if we could use them (we pointed out that they had checked off east ASC only). The ticket seller thought about it a minute and said sure they would honor them. I have to say the day of skiing at the Canyons was much better than the morning in the rain at Sunday River.

ASC ended real bad obviously, but they where good for vouchers. On the first day we skied the Canyons high winds shut the place down at 12:30. We where on our way to the parking lot when a guy axed us if we got our vouchers. They gave us full day vouchers that could be used at any of there places. We where going to save them for Sugarbush, but decided to use them at the Canyons on our last day in Utah.

 

[jsul]

I've received vouchers when the lift stops spinning due to high winds or mechanical problems. If the lift is spinning I'll ski regards of conditions. I go by the old adage, a bad day on snow is better then a good day at work.

 

[kcyanks1]

I've never taken up a resort on such a policy. But my dad did once write a letter to Killington after an awful day there (don't think they had a policy at that time), and they sent us vouchers. It was Thanksgiving weekend. When I was younger we would go to Gore every year, but Gore wasn't open that year. Killington's ski report on the radio was extremely optimistic, saying how great it was, how they had lots of terrain for early season, etc. Aside from Superstar, perhaps, the conditions were pretty awful, thin cover all of the place (and crowds didn't help). I think I was offended less than my dad, and my thin-cover tolerance is much, much higher now than it was back then (now thin cover warnings are an attraction!). But we skied for a couple/few hours, and called it a day. They sent us vouchers and we returned in February(?), and conditions were great. It wasn't a powder day, but it was sunny, as I recall, with good coverage all over, including natural trails. This was probably early 1990s.

 

[Riverskier]

Never used it, but I have had a season pass for most of my years of skiing. If I didn't though, I could see using it for windholds, but never for conditions. Some days are MUCH better than others, but I have never had conditions so bad that I couldn't enjoy myself.

I do remember way back, the first hour of the day at Sunday River was free, in order to allow you to assess the conditions before buying a lift ticket. I remember many people taking advantage of that hour with no intention of buying a lift ticket. Probably why that policy was short lived.

 

[bobbutts]

I used it at Loon once after some lifts were put on wind hold.

 

[andyzee]

Killington once. We'll typically ski in just about anything, but the one time conditions were total crap and we paid regular price for the ticket.

 

[mountainman]

Come on!

Skiing and riding is suppose to be adventure not how many rides on the lift you get or how many runs you get. Conditions always change. The only part is when a mountain let's every thing freeze in to boiler plate cause of bad dissucions on maintaning the mountain. The style of the this sport is sad today. Groomed trails, fast lifts what ever. Take the challange in any conditions. Learn to ski and ride whats there that day it will make you better appreciation of how this all started. I could not give a crap if any thing was groomed. If my skies will slide over it i will come down it. I used to ski on nothing less the 210's. Today skies are a joke. You can't even buy long boards. Bad enough we have shaped boards. I still break out the old Fisher 215's once and a while. If you want to learn how to ski take up ice skating, basic techinques are used for skiing.

 

[mattchuck2]

Never used it.

But I have been to Gore a few times and left before noon (nothing besides the Sunway chair open), so if I had bought a day pass (instead of having the season's pass), then I would've taken them up on the offer.