The "Sugarbush Thread"

[cdskier]

Yes, we got the message as to how offended you are. Don't take it personally.

I may start using "The Bush" all the time now.

So I figured that there would be more crazy comments and feedback, but honestly now having skimmed over all of the comments, the wide majority are from people who invested some time and serious thought into providing thoughtful constructive feedback. It is not hard to see some consistent themes--lifts, snowmaking, off-season activities (or lack thereof), lack of local control, cost and value (especially of food and beverage), and multiple feedback about missing Win and local ownership. Alterra central would have to be really blind not to see the concerns. And honestly they echo what a lot of folks have said here. Very interesting. Thanks to the person who shared this. It is very eye opening to see what folks said.

Considering that the survey targeted people owning properties/condos in the immediate area, it is not surprising that the feedback was from people who overall have a vested interest in providing thoughtful and constructive feedback. Some weird odd-ball comments, but overall I'd say 80% were in line with my expectations. I'm somewhat curious who had the idea to send out this survey in the first place. And more importantly, will anyone listen to the feedback? The only thing that surprises me a little bit is the lack of more comments about snow-making. Yes, there were some. But overall I think the lift comments far out-weighed the snow-making ones. I expected a little more balance there with a bit of a skew towards lift comments.

 

[ThatGuy]

Slidey-B your way into the Bush for a great time

 

[cdskier]

Here's some more interesting ones now that I had a chance to read more (shooting for ones that TB missed posting!)

A washer and dryer that work - the "Green" washer and dryer that we were forced to install afew years ago is awful and has been from day one.

Maybe this was something that happened in a particular condo complex? Claybrook? Rice brook? Gadd Brook?

Lodge at top

Has this person been to the top? (perhaps they mean top of GH...but that isn't what they wrote).

Snowmaking/Cloud-seeding

Umm...yea...cloud-seeding...that's the ticket!

less wind holds

No problem...I'm sure a simple request to mother nature will be all that is needed to reduce wind on the mountain...

There seems to be more emphasis now on ungroomed trails. For example, Moonshine and Upper Birdland were usually groomed. For the past several years they have not been and even though I am a good skier, those trails are no longer accessible to me. It seems there are plenty of ungroomed trails. A few more groomed trails would be appreciated.

Moonshine has never been regularly groomed so not sure what this person is talking about with that....I do wish they went back to at least grooming half of Upper Birdland though. I always liked cruising straight down under the chair...

Higher end food options, more gluten free options, uncrowded Apres options

Good news for this person...they can now purchase a Reserve pass for an exclusive Apres lounge!

Walt's is a 10,change NOTHING.

We love Ellen! We love Walts!

Walt’s needs an overhaul big time!

Simply posting these 3 together to show how interesting it is how different people view the same thing in completely different ways...

Icy conditions is what I hear from other skiers in New Jersey

They certainly didn't hear that from me...

I do too much schlepping at Sugarbush. At other resorts I don't have to fight to get a place to eat lunch, or a drink after skiing. You have reserved so many priority parking spaces that I have to park a great distance from the lifts.

Weird...there's 1 row of spots at LP reserved for valet parking (sometimes more like only half that row is blocked off). If someone has to park a great distance from the lifts, that simply means you're getting there late.

 

[rtjcbrown]

It's unfortunately the same monopolizing and corporatizing that's taking over the ski industry and outpricing a lot of skiers so they can all cater to the ultra wealthy. Major bummer, because every resort that falls to Alterra eventually loses all culture and personality.

Any other thoughts, Bernie Sanders?


I am hearing it in his voice as I read it

 

[cdskier]

On the snow-making front looks like they pivoted back up high. I see guns running on Jester and Allyn's Traverse from the Allyn's lodge webcam.

 

[VTSkiBike]

Almost 10 inches of snow yesterday sure helps too.

 

[thetrailboss]

Here's some more interesting ones now that I had a chance to read more (shooting for ones that TB missed posting!)



Maybe this was something that happened in a particular condo complex? Claybrook? Rice brook? Gadd Brook?



Has this person been to the top? (perhaps they mean top of GH...but that isn't what they wrote).



Umm...yea...cloud-seeding...that's the ticket!



No problem...I'm sure a simple request to mother nature will be all that is needed to reduce wind on the mountain...


Moonshine has never been regularly groomed so not sure what this person is talking about with that....I do wish they went back to at least grooming half of Upper Birdland though. I always liked cruising straight down under the chair...



Good news for this person...they can now purchase a Reserve pass for an exclusive Apres lounge!




Simply posting these 3 together to show how interesting it is how different people view the same thing in completely different ways...


They certainly didn't hear that from me...



Weird...there's 1 row of spots at LP reserved for valet parking (sometimes more like only half that row is blocked off). If someone has to park a great distance from the lifts, that simply means you're getting there late.

I left some for you. The comment about the dryers and washers made me laugh.

 

[thetrailboss]

On the snow-making front looks like they pivoted back up high. I see guns running on Jester and Allyn's Traverse from the Allyn's lodge webcam.

"Hey good morning skiers and riders. It's your buddy, Frankie B with the morning snow report. Man, oh man, how much snow did we get last night? Let me tell you it was more than six-seven inches of snow up there! And for those who are wondering, yep, we are blowing quite a load of snow on this 'bush! And we're working as fast as we can to open this place. Faster than Trump flies off of Epstein Island! So just hold tight. And last comment, though we are owned by Alterra, we truly are a Sigma ski area. We'll be with you all soon!"

 

[cdskier]

"Hey good morning skiers and riders. It's your buddy, Frankie B with the morning snow report. Man, oh man, how much snow did we get last night? Let me tell you it was more than six-seven inches of snow up there! And for those who are wondering, yep, we are blowing quite a load of snow on this 'bush! And we're working as fast as we can to open this place. Faster than Trump flies off of Epstein Island! So just hold tight. We'll be with you all soon!"

Don't give them too many ideas!

 

[thetrailboss]

Don't give them too many ideas!

I know. I actually added one more comment as you were responding.

 

[Mak]

Weird...there's 1 row of spots at LP reserved for valet parking (sometimes more like only half that row is blocked off). If someone has to park a great distance from the lifts, that simply means you're getting there late.

And the shuttle does a great job of making that great distance very tolerable too.

 

[cdskier]

And the shuttle does a great job of making that great distance very tolerable too.

Good point. The parking lot shuttle is fine.

 

[MadPadraic]

Looks like they are blowing on upper jester and the bravo dismount. Hurray.
Maybe we'll have more than the WROD next weekend, or is that too optimistic?

 

[JimG.]

A K stand alone unlimited pass currently costs more than an Ikon pass (and I fully realize that Ikon is limited at K, but for purposes of a comparison to Sugarbush where Ikon gets you full access, it would be pointless to have a stand-alone SB pass at a similar price-point to the K stand-alone pass when Ikon is cheaper). So great that K still offers it, but there's no alternative if you want unlimited K access. So somewhat an apples to oranges comparison. Beast 365 is a completely different offering since it gives you access to golf, etc.

OK

 

[fulgoreXC]

Looks like they are blowing on upper jester and the bravo dismount. Hurray.
Maybe we'll have more than the WROD next weekend, or is that too optimistic?

Yeah probably too optimistic. No activity on Downspout/Lower Jester/Coffee Run or Gondo so far. With the wintery mix Saturday night and marginal base temps through next Thursday my guess is it'll likely be Super Bravo->Allyn's Trav.->HG Trav.->HG Lift->Jester back to Allyn's. Maybe throw in Murphy's. The way out to the base area may be... down loading Valley House or hiking up the knob to Bravo for the down load.

 

[MrGlen]

I’ll take download any day over skiing gatehouse.

 

[elfnif1016]

Yeah probably too optimistic. No activity on Downspout/Lower Jester/Coffee Run or Gondo so far. With the wintery mix Saturday night and marginal base temps through next Thursday my guess is it'll likely be Super Bravo->Allyn's Trav.->HG Trav.->HG Lift->Jester back to Allyn's. Maybe throw in Murphy's. The way out to the base area may be... down loading Valley House or hiking up the knob to Bravo for the down load.

I've downloaded from Bravo in November a while back. Probably 8 plus years ago. I wasn't bad. Snowball/Spring Fling require a LOT of snow (man made and/or natural) in order to open. That's no likely for a while.

There was a Thanksgiving a few years ago where I was able to ski all the way down, though the options were limited. That was an unusual exception though. Still, things are not looking bad overall.

 

[thetrailboss]

And now for the final installment of interesting comments from the October Survey. The category is, "what would [Sugarbush need to do to] make you ski more days at Sugarbush than other resorts?" Let's see how this one went.

More Powder

More consistent snow

Less ice!

More snow

Better snow

As another member of my household said, less ice!

We'd all love that.

Move SB to EU and with terrain and pricing.

I have no clue what this means.

Moving it closer to Boston. I’m kidding but not really

For us, long time owners at Snow Creek, Sugarbush needs to be the anti-Killington. Sure your needs ski visits we get that. Your Boston area has such a great potential for folks interested in pure Vermont. Don’t be Killington light. B Sugarbush accentuated! Get that unique, mad river Valley charm, and put it out there for everyone to see.

The Red Sox/Pats fans have chimed in again.

Fewer Snowboarders

The MRG Passholder has spoken.

More discretionary time to snowboard!

This snowboarder had better avoid the reviewer above.

Competency

Needs new management that focuses on its employees and the community. We have lost all the great people that made this mountain special.

The one-star Yelp reviewers.

nothing. Unfortunately Eastern skiing can’t compete with Western skiing. The terrain, snow & amenities are just so much better

So why are you still here?

I would like to feel that Alterra cares about sugarbush. we feel abandoned

Alterra just canceled this person's pass.

Reliable lift operations. Monitor employees not to use their media platform to push their own political agendas

This is clearly J.D. Vance.

Crown management on Saturdays, greater presence of Ski Patrol to monitor speed/out of control skiers on weekends.

I know that Sugarbush was once Mascara Mountain, but damn, none of you told me that Royalty ski at Sugarbush!

Better snow. Water at Allen's lodge Use CASH

OK, we get that you are pissed that there is no water at Allyn's.

And finally.....

The return of the Win Smith method of running a ski area.

Apparently not the return of Win, but the "Win Smith method".

Bonus: the ones who did not understand the question.....

Time and money. Can we afford the time off and can we afford the travel and lift tickets. Making the decision to buy a pass when on sale or not

Retirement!

less work!

spending more time

time off

Stronger legs

 

[MadPadraic]

I’ll take download any day over skiing gatehouse.

Gatehouse actually has great runs. Sleeper and waterfall are both a lot of fun. However, we know that they aren't going to open with that.

 

[ducky]

WFO BTV Storm Total Snow Forecast

Lots of action at higher elevations in Stowe and Jay, 24"-30" potential. Maybe a foot up top for us with not much in the valleys.