VAIL SUCKS

[thetrailboss]

Pretty sure that's exactly what's going on.

Maybe Vail has finally thrown in the towel on keeping Attitash and Wildcat Employees separate due to low staffing. Maybe they just pulled all the Wildcat Snowmakers over to Attitash this week so that they can have one full snowmaking team operate between the two mountains instead two understaffed teams that were doing nothing.

If that is true then wow, just wow.

 

[deadheadskier]

In addition to the Abenaki, they very much need more terrain open off the Yankee. Spillway and Most to lower Grand Stand should be major priorities.

Speaking of the Yankee, it's not spinning today. More cost cutting by Vail I guess. Does this new GM not realize that the triple is one of the most hated lifts in New England?

 

[deadheadskier]

If that is true then wow, just wow.

This was not uncommon under Peak. It was very obvious they shared snowmaking personnel. Plenty of days over the past several years they were making snow at Attitash, but not at Cat and vice versa. It's why both areas have always been a bit slow to expand terrain December into January. But, it's never been this slow. Not even close

 

[1dog]

This was not uncommon under Peak. It was very obvious they shared snowmaking personnel. Plenty of days over the past several years they were making snow at Attitash, but not at Cat and vice versa. It's why both areas have always been a bit slow to expand terrain December into January. But, it's never been this slow. Not even close

Whats the unemployment rate in Carroll County?

 

[deadheadskier]

Whats the unemployment rate in Carroll County?

I don't know, but I don't believe that's the primary factor. I think they just see two mountains twenty minutes apart, so might as well move people back and forth.

 

[thebigo]

Whats the unemployment rate in Carroll County?

I am not in the business of defending vail but the overall unemployment rate is not a factor. I would guess most of the unemployed in the area either worked in hospitality or the restaurant industry. A 60 year old female housekeeper or waitress is not going to be hauling guns across cat track in the middle of the night.

 

[McFatt]

In addition to the Abenaki, they very much need more terrain open off the Yankee. Spillway and Most to lower Grand Stand should be major priorities.

Speaking of the Yankee, it's not spinning today. More cost cutting by Vail I guess. Does this new GM not realize that the triple is one of the most hated lifts in New England?

I'm gonna get one of those triple chairs for my backyard someday. It's a life goal. I've spend a lot of time on that lift!

 

[1dog]

I don't know how many who are out of work but not 'in system'. Extremely low based on NH employment website:

New Hampshire’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November 2020 was 3.8percent, reflecting the impact on unemployment due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts to contain it. This was a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the October rate, which remained at 4.2 percent after revision. The November 2019 seasonally adjusted rate was 2.6 percent.
Seasonally adjusted estimates for November 2020 placed the number of employed residents at 722,310, an increase of 24,310 from the previous month and a decrease of 34,480 from November 2019. The number of unemployed residents decreased by 2,250 over-the-month to 28,150. This was 8,230 more unemployed than in November 2019. From October to November 2020, the total labor force increased by 22,060 to 750,460. This was a decrease of 26,250 from November 2019.
The unadjusted November 2020 unemployment rate for New Hampshire was 3.5 percent, a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the October rate, which remained at 3.8 percent after revision. The November 2019 unadjusted rate was 2.3 percent.

 

[FBGM]

A picture, that I didn't take, of the slide of the headwall on Ripcord at Mount Snow that happened this morning while the trail was closed and at the time the guns were running in the effort to get it open for the season.

The freezing rain from last weekend didn't make trying to bond some base layer snow to the headwall easy this year!

2nd slide of the season at Mount Snow after the Christmas Day monsoon induced wet slide on Lodge a few weeks ago!
View attachment 50010

This is why you track pack before making snow on steeper stuff with crap base in place.

 

[RichT]

I see me! After waiting 35minutes to load the chair, I took an hour and half long break at my truck and waited out the line. Talked to some folks in the parking lot who had just arrived from Wildcat and were able to get day passes for Attitash because the kitty was closed. Within an hour, some dude said he got a text from the bar tender at the kitty and they got power back, so he bounced from and headed back up to the cat. Probably had the place to himself.
By 1:30, the lines were somewhat better because a lot of folks were done. Sunday was night and day and I didn't wait more than 5 minutes at either lift...
This coming MLK weekend might be an absolute sh*tshow, especially if they don't open the Abenaki lift. oy vey

" he got a text from the bar tender at the kitty"
Wait what? The bar's open???? Shit I 'd go there just for that!!

 

[Smellytele]

" he got a text from the bar tender at the kitty"
Wait what? The bar's open???? Shit I 'd go there just for that!!

Quite a few ski areas in NH have bars open. Well can’t sit at the bar but tables are available

 

[drjeff]

Has anyone been able to load money on their kid's pass? I left my kid with $10 yesterday to buy snacks but forgot they are not taking cash this year. Seem to remember being able to load money on the Peak pass but cannot find anything on the epic website.

Can't load money on it, but can link it to your credit card, which your kids can then use at designated food and beverage outlets at the various Epic resorts

 

[thebigo]

" he got a text from the bar tender at the kitty"
Wait what? The bar's open???? Shit I 'd go there just for that!!

I haven't left NH since driving home from Killington on march 14, I don't know what is going everywhere else but our restaurants and bars have been open since memorial day. Some bars put up plexiglass, others just got rid of half the bar stools.

 

[Mainer]

I called attitash yesterday. Lady that answered said the reason yankee is not running is lack of staff. She says they have just half the staff of last year without the j1s. They knew about lack of j1s all summer but hired later and pay less than competition. Reading the Conway daily sun Today there is no ad from vail in there. Not sure if yankee is going to run midweek this year, same with Abenaki. Also snowmaking is either attitash or wildcat, not both at same time. And wildcat can’t groom it’s two trails every night. So frustrating

 

[Smellytele]

I called attitash yesterday. Lady that answered said the reason yankee is not running is lack of staff. She says they have just half the staff of last year without the j1s. They knew about lack of j1s all summer but hired later and pay less than competition. Reading the Conway daily sun Today there is no ad from vail in there. Not sure if yankee is going to run midweek this year, same with Abenaki. Also snowmaking is either attitash or wildcat, not both at same time. And wildcat can’t groom it’s two trails every night. So frustrating

Maybe they will pay their employees next year. Maybe not

 

[icecoast1]

Maybe they will pay their employees next year. Maybe not

Doubtful, they will be able to flood the mountains with j1s again

 

[Smellytele]

Doubtful, they will be able to flood the mountains with j1s again

Do j1’s make and groom snow? They do bump chairs though

 

[thebigo]

Tuesday Jan. 12, 2021 We are rolling into Tuesday with great views, great skiing and riding and more snowmaking. From our 4062 foot summit you'll get over 2,100 vertical feet of skiing and riding. Today you will have 2 lifts and our snowbelt turning to access terrain for all abilities. Wildcat's grooming team worked their magic on most of our open terrain, however Middle and Lower Polecat were not re-groomed last night. Snowmaking should resume there today.

Did not see that coming, they are moving back to polecat. Unless you want to ski a green under the guns, they are back to just the lynx. Unbelievable.

Guess I am switching our res to attitash, hopefully they do not close illusion again this afternoon. I understand the race teams need to practice but tough to loose the single decent trail in middle january.

 

[thebigo]

I called attitash yesterday. Lady that answered said the reason yankee is not running is lack of staff. She says they have just half the staff of last year without the j1s. They knew about lack of j1s all summer but hired later and pay less than competition. Reading the Conway daily sun Today there is no ad from vail in there. Not sure if yankee is going to run midweek this year, same with Abenaki. Also snowmaking is either attitash or wildcat, not both at same time. And wildcat can’t groom it’s two trails every night. So frustrating

She told you over the phone it was lack of staff? I am getting the impression from in person interactions that the few remaining staff are near their breaking point.

As much as it sucks, and I never thought I would say this, at this point it makes sense to make wildcat weekends/holidays/storm days only. A scraped off lynx for the 26 passholders that actually show up today is helping nobody. I dont remember whether that would trigger refunds.

 

[Mainer]

That what she said. I felt bad for her, she sounded extremely frustrated. the little staff they have is definitely working too much. When the triple breaks this weekend, hell is going to break loose.She encouraged me to email the gm. This upcoming holiday weekend is probably going to trigger employees quitting. Going to be easily hour + lines.