AZ Challenge 2011 Results: Killington

[steamboat1]

Here is what they should run through the third weekend in April, and possibly through school April vacation week.


Snowdon Quad (long weekends only?)

Hey don't touch my Snowdon chair, keep that baby cranking everyday...:smile:

 

[skiadikt]

As a logical, easy measure, when you have made the decision to close Bear/Needles for the season, go take the fences down on the SS Crossover/Old GE, take some groomers and push snow up on it, and there you go. Now you can keep a significant portion of the trails open, at no additional operational cost besides slightly increased patrol/grooming needs.

That gives you the top half of everything from Skyeburst to Vertigo, all accessible off the Superstar Quad

they did that last season and maybe the season before. don't expect it this year. from what i understand, they plan to plow the ss crossover as soon as they shut down the east side (bear/needles) to provide access to the summit to pour the concrete for the new peak lodge so they can open it for xmas. that was supposed to happen this summer but got derailed because of irene.

agree w/ hs. once you start shutting the mtn down, you send a message to peeps that the season is over and it's time to play golf. becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. last year the bear lot was packed for it's closing weekend (1st weekend of april). because of the dew tour there was more than enough snow to keep it open one more week. were they really gonna go from a full lot to nobody in a week. going back to the old daze you'd still have supe, k-chair and a snowdon lift open 1st weekend of may.

 

[Newpylong]

Hey don't touch my Snowdon chair, keep that baby cranking everyday...:smile:

Love the triple over the Quad too, think it will get yanked when the HSQ goes in Snowdon?

 

[millerm277]

Love the triple over the Quad too, think it will get yanked when the HSQ goes in Snowdon?

That is the oldest chairlift at Killington besides the Glades Triple....I wouldn't have your hopes up for it staying.

 

[oakapple]

All this talk about season pass holders does not make any sense to me. IMO, if Killington stayed open later, and with a better product, than the other mountains, then the day trippers from those other mountains would come and buy their day tickets. As proof, I offer this year's November skiing. . . . In May you will see the skiers come. Just like they do in November.

One must be careful about the word "proof". In November, most of us haven't skied in over six months. We are eager to get back on the slopes as soon as possible. By May, most people (except a small percentage of real die-hards) have turned their attention to summer. My last time on skis last season was a week at Whistler-Blackcomb in mid-April. Anything I would have done at Killington after that would have been an anti-climax.

The old saying in the ski industry is that what brings out customers is not the conditions on the mountain, but the conditions in one's own back yard. In November, it's starting to get colder, and people say, "Where can I ski?" In May, it's starting to get warmer, and people say, "Where can I swim?"

It is entirely believable that the economics of May skiing would be totally different than the economics of November skiing, even if the snow conditions are identical. Whatever complaints you may have about POWDR, they are adept at chasing a dollar. If they say it is not profitable to remain open in May, I strongly suspect it is true, as it would surely be in their interest to be open if they could make money at it.

 

[Ski the Moguls]

All this talk about season pass holders does not make any sense to me. IMO, if Killington stayed open later, and with a better product, than the other mountains, then the day trippers from those other mountains would come and buy their day tickets. As proof, I offer this year's November skiing. When you are the only game in town you draw a lot of extra people - and they buy day tickets. When you shut down in Spring at the same time (or even earlier ) than the other mountains you get nothing.

Dear Mr. Nyberg, Please try staying open as long as possible, with as much terrain as possible. In May you will see the skiers come. Just like they do in November.

One must be careful about the word "proof". In November, most of us haven't skied in over six months. We are eager to get back on the slopes as soon as possible. By May, most people (except a small percentage of real die-hards) have turned their attention to summer. My last time on skis last season was a week at Whistler-Blackcomb in mid-April. Anything I would have done at Killington after that would have been an anti-climax.

The old saying in the ski industry is that what brings out customers is not the conditions on the mountain, but the conditions in one's own back yard. In November, it's starting to get colder, and people say, "Where can I ski?" In May, it's starting to get warmer, and people say, "Where can I swim?"

It is entirely believable that the economics of May skiing would be totally different than the economics of November skiing, even if the snow conditions are identical. Whatever complaints you may have about POWDR, they are adept at chasing a dollar. If they say it is not profitable to remain open in May, I strongly suspect it is true, as it would surely be in their interest to be open if they could make money at it.

POWDR has not yet tried keeping Killington open far into May. There is no definitive proof of their position, either. The economics should make May more profitable than November because you do not need to pay for snowmaking in May.

POWDR says day tickets sales fall off at the end of the season. I say, TRY staying open later than the other mountains, when you are the only game in town. Sure there are less skiers, but they will all have to come to you!

 

[oakapple]

POWDR has not yet tried keeping Killington open far into May. There is no definitive proof of their position, either. The economics should make May more profitable than November because you do not need to pay for snowmaking in May.

POWDR says day tickets sales fall off at the end of the season. I say, TRY staying open later than the other mountains, when you are the only game in town. Sure there are less skiers, but they will all have to come to you!

We have moved on a bit, from "November success proves May would succeed too"

to

"There is no definitive proof of their position, either."

The difference, though, is that they have the data; we don't.

 

[Ski the Moguls]

We have moved on a bit, from "November success proves May would succeed too"

to

"There is no definitive proof of their position, either."

The difference, though, is that they have the data; we don't.

A game of semantics, on an Internet forum, really? Well you sure showed me. :roll:

Would this statement be okay with you?
I think November's success proves that skiing in May is worth trying again.

And hopefully the new umbrella bar's orientation towards Superstar is an indication that they are thinking the same thing.

 

[mediamogul]

Love the triple over the Quad too, think it will get yanked when the HSQ goes in Snowdon?

It was a surprise that the south ridge triple got yanked. Obviously the triple will be replaced in the future. Im not a huge fan of snowdon having a hsq but on the bright side at least the south ridge will get the quad when its removed.

 

[Highway Star]

That is the oldest chairlift at Killington besides the Glades Triple....I wouldn't have your hopes up for it staying.

Lol. Rode up the gondi with some woman who tried to tell me the SRT was the oldest lift on the mountain before it was removed, and the ST was the oldest. Said it was told to her in training by the mountain. Riiight.

 

[MadPadraic]

I've never been to Killington before mid April.