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Ticket Sale Limit - how many is too many for a Hunter Mtn Size mountain ???????

cdskier

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Why don't they just remove some of the Chairs if they don't want to run the lifts at full capacity. That would make more sense when a lot of trails are closed. I wish Sugarbush would do that early season.

Huh? Remove chairs? Taking a chair on and off isn't exactly a 2 minute job... Plus on a detachable (not sure about fixed grip lifts) there are sensors for chair spacing from what I recall. If you alter the number of chairs, that impacts the spacing and now you need to reprogram the chair spacing algorithm... I somehow doubt that is simple to do either.
 

benski

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Huh? Remove chairs? Taking a chair on and off isn't exactly a 2 minute job... Plus on a detachable (not sure about fixed grip lifts) there are sensors for chair spacing from what I recall. If you alter the number of chairs, that impacts the spacing and now you need to reprogram the chair spacing algorithm... I somehow doubt that is simple to do either.

I was thinking do it in the summer, so you would never need to slow the lift to reduce the capacity, unless many trails are closed.
 

raisingarizona

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You are a bit of a snob.

Yeah, you are probably right but I’ve spoiled myself over the years living the hedonistic ski bum life so it is what it is. If I’m on crowded slopes I feel threatened and stressed, I really can’t have fun in that environment.
 

JimG.

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Yeah, you are probably right but I’ve spoiled myself over the years living the hedonistic ski bum life so it is what it is. If I’m on crowded slopes I feel threatened and stressed, I really can’t have fun in that environment.

I get it...but don't impose your standards on me. I'm not that spoiled.

Still spoiled, but not that spoiled.

Let's leave it there and not wreck the thread.
 

cdskier

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I was thinking do it in the summer, so you would never need to slow the lift to reduce the capacity, unless many trails are closed.

So what do you do when all the trails are open now that you have less chairs? If you're overall advocating that Sugarbush should reduce lift capacity...I completely disagree. It is fine the way it is. Reducing capacity would result in longer lines on days when there are a lot of people. That makes no sense. The lift capacity is well matched to the terrain generally speaking when most of the mountain is open. You don't plan lift capacity around the scenario where you have a lower number of trails open.
 

raisingarizona

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I get it...but don't impose your standards on me. I'm not that spoiled.

Still spoiled, but not that spoiled.

Let's leave it there and not wreck the thread.

Right on. I’m not a dick even if that post sounded that way. I’ve never felt so stressed as when I had my 6 year old daughter out there being buzzed over and over again by people going way too fast for conditions and honestly I’m a weenie with it.
 

deadheadskier

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Huh? Remove chairs? Taking a chair on and off isn't exactly a 2 minute job... Plus on a detachable (not sure about fixed grip lifts) there are sensors for chair spacing from what I recall. If you alter the number of chairs, that impacts the spacing and now you need to reprogram the chair spacing algorithm... I somehow doubt that is simple to do either.
Several places do take detachable chairs or gondola cars off nightly. I'd assume that means it's less than a two minute job. Fixed grip chair is likely a different story and longer process.

I know Wildcat frequently runs their HSQ with fewer chairs, but for the opposite reason being discussed. Midweek days where they simply don't need the capacity

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cdskier

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Several places do take detachable chairs or gondola cars off nightly. I'd assume that means it's less than a two minute job. Fixed grip chair is likely a different story and longer process.

I know Wildcat frequently runs their HSQ with fewer chairs, but for the opposite reason being discussed. Midweek days where they simply don't need the capacity

Do they have a rail coming out of the lower terminal to move/store them on without needing to completely take them off the line manually? I know some areas have those and yes that would make it easier, however at Sugarbush where benski was talking about they don't have them so it would not be so simple as areas that have those. I've been at SB in the summer when they're taking chairs off for maintenance and it takes a while for each chair from what I was seeing. Way more labor than it would be worth.
 

deadheadskier

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Do they have a rail coming out of the lower terminal to move/store them on without needing to completely take them off the line manually? I know some areas have those and yes that would make it easier, however at Sugarbush where benski was talking about they don't have them so it would not be so simple as areas that have those. I've been at SB in the summer when they're taking chairs off for maintenance and it takes a while for each chair from what I was seeing. Way more labor than it would be worth.
Yes, Wildcat has chair storage at the bottom. Places like Stowe and K have storage for the gondola cars.

I assume with Wildcat, they take the chairs off because of how windy the mountain can get, so doing so prevents damage from occurring overnight

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cdskier

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Yes, Wildcat has chair storage at the bottom. Places like Stowe and K have storage for the gondola cars.

I assume with Wildcat, they take the chairs off because of how windy the mountain can get, so doing so prevents damage from occurring overnight

Yea, Sugarbush has storage on the North Ridge Express chair at Mt Ellen...but I'm not sure if they use it at all. I've never seen it used and even days when NRX isn't running all the chairs are still on the line. At Lincoln Peak none of their lifts have storage.
 

Jully

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Right on. I’m not a dick even if that post sounded that way. I’ve never felt so stressed as when I had my 6 year old daughter out there being buzzed over and over again by people going way too fast for conditions and honestly I’m a weenie with it.

Never had too much fear for myself on crowded slopes, but when my girlfriend started learning I suddenly became aware of all the people skiing out of control on easy blues and greens. Trails that barely seemed crowded before were suddenly death traps. I now get it for sure.
 

catskillman

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total shitshow yesterday at hunter. Broke my rule and went up on a nice warm Saturday because some friends were pushing to ski. 10-15 minute wait for the flyer all day. F lift broke down around 1030 and didn't reopen until we left at 3. Need that lift to spread out crowds.

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You are correct. Hunter 1 was also overwelmed.. The line for the E lift went totally across the mountain to the carpet! And it was solid, you could not get through, and the instructors were forced to take the beginners off the carpet to the left so that side was mobbed to the extent it was a total s show. Little kids sprawled everywhere, out of control skiers - same as usual on learning terrian, only 2-3X as many people on the trail.

Imagine you pay for a lesson, and spend all day in lines. they did not have ski school lines at all the lifts.

I can't understand why the mountain would not have someone directing traffic at E to avoid that mess. Ski patrol was out of their mind, but as always overwelmed with calls......
 

So Inclined

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You are correct. Hunter 1 was also overwelmed.. The line for the E lift went totally across the mountain to the carpet!

Around noon one of the lines (one!) for C looped all the way back up the hill, not far from the entrance to the learning center.
I've never seen that before. And I don't know what they can do about it, in a way that wouldn't impact business (eg cut off ticket sales.)
 

dhmcgill87

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The trail expansion below Belt Parkway should definitely help. On the main mountain, there's simply not enough options for lower intermediates outside of Belt. Hunter One and Belt get jammed up, and trails like Minya, East Side Drive, Milky Way and Crossover are almost deserted. Give the lower intermediates a separate chairlift on the new trails, and things should thin out nicely on the flyer. And find a fix for F lift - wasn't it also down repeatedly the second half of last season?
 

So Inclined

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I hope and assume the expansion will help spread things somewhat, but I don't know if it'll really do that much on days like Saturday around Hunter One. Being the de facto "bunny slope" in the eyes of the average joe, and being right off the rental shop, H1's always going to be where the vast majority of the absolute beginners and once-every-couple-year novices spend their time. On days like that there are just a ton of them, and most aren't (and shouldn't) going to pick up their rental gear and go across the mountain to the new intermediate pod, especially if it requires a ride up the Flyer to get there.
 

JimG.

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Right on. I’m not a dick even if that post sounded that way. I’ve never felt so stressed as when I had my 6 year old daughter out there being buzzed over and over again by people going way too fast for conditions and honestly I’m a weenie with it.

All 3 of my boys learned to ski at Hunter. I hear you.
 

kartski

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6 - 8 K is about as busy as it gets anymore and if all the lifts are running, it's OK. Long ago, passholders used to have to trade the pass for a lift ticket, so they knew how many were there that day. Used to hear the stories of 12 K, with people parking in town. Back when the main lift was a Fixed Double. The reputation the place has with some people came from somewhere..........long ago and far way.
 
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