Mt Snow Thread

[Whitey]

"3 lifts with issues - Challenger, Seasons, and Ego. And on each one, it took the mob to out them on the status of the lifts. Zero transparency."

I think you are missing another 2, at least. Grand Summit Express is a Frankenstein monster of mashed together parts from different manufacturers. Major failure of that lift coming sometime in the next 2-3 yrs or less. And Bluebird. While it feels like a "modern" lift, people forget that it was the first 6 pack and the first bubble lift in the US and is now 15 years old. There's a reason conventional wisdom states; "never buy a vehicle in the first year of its production run" and I agree with that "rule" (I was in the auto & truck business and saw it 1st hand - You need to let them "get the bugs out" from the experience they get with the first gen before you buy it). Bluebird was a 1st gen version of that type of lift and they've never really gotten all of the bugs out. Whether they can keep it going without major overhaul/replacements, remains to be seen.

 

[urungus]

"3 lifts with issues - Challenger, Seasons, and Ego. And on each one, it took the mob to out them on the status of the lifts. Zero transparency."

I think you are missing another 2, at least. Grand Summit Express is a Frankenstein monster of mashed together parts from different manufacturers. Major failure of that lift coming sometime in the next 2-3 yrs or less. And Bluebird. While it feels like a "modern" lift, people forget that it was the first 6 pack and the first bubble lift in the US and is now 15 years old. There's a reason conventional wisdom states; "never buy a vehicle in the first year of its production run" and I agree with that "rule" (I was in the auto & truck business and saw it 1st hand - You need to let them "get the bugs out" from the experience they get with the first gen before you buy it). Bluebird was a 1st gen version of that type of lift and they've never really gotten all of the bugs out. Whether they can keep it going without major overhaul/replacements, remains to be seen.

Bluebird (2011) was not the first 6 pack in the US. Boyne installed the high speed 6 “Mountain Express” almost 20 years before that in 1992. First 6 pack in North America was installed a year before that at Mont Orignal, Quebec - the Télésiège Sextuple

 

[Whitey]

Bluebird (2011) was not the first 6 pack in the US. Boyne installed the high speed 6 “Mountain Express” almost 20 years before that in 1992. First 6 pack in North America was installed a year before that at Mont Orignal, Quebec - the Télésiège Sextuple

A distinction without a difference. . .

I should have said "1st bubble 6 pack lift in the US".

 

[urungus]

I should have said "1st bubble 6 pack lift in the US".

Yes, since it was neither the first 6-pack, nor the first bubble lift in the US



https://www.facebook.com/HighlandsHarborSprings/posts/️-throwback-to-1963-when-we-were-building-the-worlds-first-triple-bubble-chairge/1207541384743509/

 

[Whitey]

Yes, since it was neither the first 6-pack, nor the first bubble lift in the US, both of which you claimed

https://www.facebook.com/HighlandsHarborSprings/posts/️-throwback-to-1963-when-we-were-building-the-worlds-first-triple-bubble-chairge/1207541384743509/

Thank you for the admonishment. It is really important to get these details correct that change nothing about my overall point which was made on a lightly trafficked skiing website that will be read by less than 50 people.

I hadn't intended to spend more than the 2 minutes I did to make that post with info that was off the top of my head. But thanks to you policing this, I've now spent 3 minutes on this thread. Next time I will make sure to consult the Lift Blog, Wikipedia, the Vermont state archives, and do site visits before I comment on anything.

 

[SLyardsale]

today 12/31/25

11:31am Lift 11 Grand Summit Express will be delayed for mechanical issues. No ETA at this time
(it was scheduled to run starting at 9am, so their friendly notification was 2 1/2 hours late)

12:28pm Lift 11 Grand Summit Express is now open

1:07pm Lift 17 Bluebird express is now closed for mechanical hold

 

[Zand]

They should replace Grand Summit with a Dopp Bubble 8 and put Bluebird out to pasture.

 

[oldfartrider]

Except Vail doesn't buy bubble lifts

 

[SLyardsale]

they had a clown "entertaining" customers in the 25-30 min bluebird line this morning - as seen on the facebook MS season passholders page - with the then closed GSE in the background. So clown show moniker is in play for this operation. I skied this morning and was over there once around 10:20 but went back and lapped sundance after waiting 15 mins in the singles line

 

[Zand]

@drjeff must've had a break from setting up gates and found a side gig

 

[icecoast1]

They should replace Grand Summit with a Dopp Bubble 8 and put Bluebird out to pasture.

I was surprised the grand summit didn't get replaced before sundance. Canyon quad is getting up there in hours too because of mt biking in the summer, thats either going to need replacement or major overhaul too

 

[drjeff]

@drjeff must've had a break from setting up gates and found a side gig

Nope, clown was an interesting touch. Northface after they dropped the ropes for the day with 3-4" of fresh over a mostly groomed subsurface was worthy of 4 or 5 repeats, then laps over at Carinthia was fun.

The main base area lift situation needs to be fixed for sure. Not sure how that happens this year. Likely going to require multiple new lifts.

Another 3-4" on my deck this morning, cold and windy. About to go get some laps. Active snowmaking in progress on multiple trails

 

[SLyardsale]

Nope, clown was an interesting touch. Northface after they dropped the ropes for the day with 3-4" of fresh over a mostly groomed subsurface was worthy of 4 or 5 repeats, then laps over at Carinthia was fun.

The main base area lift situation needs to be fixed for sure. Not sure how that happens this year. Likely going to require multiple new lifts.

Another 3-4" on my deck this morning, cold and windy. About to go get some laps. Active snowmaking in progress on multiple trails

That 3-4 on your deck was at least 8 on the hill. This little storm over performed. Still issues from the operators of Mt Snow, though. To Vail, New Years Day is not a holiday so lifts opened at "9am" Bluebird was down at the bell. GSE was scheduled but delayed for no reason given - it did finally open approx 9:45. I lapped Sundance in the meantime as Canyon coral looked like a large mess. Hop was A+ early. I got on GSE just before 10 and went to NF. Freefall primo, but only 2 routes down at NF, Freefall & plummet. Snowmaking at Chute had it roped and Skyline was closed too so it was the schlep back from Outpost lift.

Some other observations...

• It was very crowded, prob due to the 8" pow - but lift lines were not overwhelming except on Canyon and later Bluebird when it opened around 11am. I attribute that to no seasonal groups cutting the lines at each lift (New Years is not a holiday) maybe they should rethink that line cutting perk which was just given after covid.
• Lift communication by Vail still sucks. No tweet when Bluebird opened and the My Epic app was never updated to show Bluebird opened. It was on hold all day in the app. No mention as to why GSE did not open until 9:45.
• North Face was meh. How is that the case at this point ? Why hasn't snow been made on timbers?
• Iron Loft at Carinthia base lodge - might as well close it down. It's a nice spot but Vail won't staff it.
• Normal people you interact with on the lifts hate Vail with a passion, especially those just visiting for the holiday week but also long time passholders. Patrollers are not shy about saying so too. Employees also chime in about "pathetic decisions"
• I did not see a rope drop all day. I did hear Uncles did eventually open. Tons of poaching

Freefall



Chute from Outpost

 

[SLyardsale]

morning shift only today. still lift issues - GSE down for maintenance again at bell. Still not a holiday schedule here. Okemo is on holiday schedule for some reason which included yesterday & today but not MS. No holiday means 9am open and midweek food options so clearly a staffing and/or cost cutting issue so Lea & Paul decided to scale back hours ??. Did not see Dr Jeff juggling in the bluebird line today but I was only a 1x customer on bluebird. I went over to Northface all morning and lapped the 2 options Freefall & Plummet 3x. Annoying they had a rope across Plummet access from Freefall - I guess they expected you to skate around the summit building to access Plummet from Challenger lift (nice to ride challenger). Easy rope duck for such a stupid situation. Both Freefall & Plummet excellent groomed options for fast carving. Cold day but no wind. What was opened was good to OK. But big crowds with limited terrain and lifts - I came back at 11:30. I would have rather gone 8-11:30 but since we are in midweek skiing mode with holiday crowds, it was 9-11:30. No pics - too cold.

 

[Hastur]

I would think that mt snow gets enough skier visits for vail to take it seriously. But I guess not.

 

[SLyardsale]

i would say today was a better day for lifts. Except Nitro was on mechanical delay at the bell over at Carinthia. But the two base to summit lifts running helped out on the crowd side out of the main base. Over at northface, options were added but NF did not perform as well as yesterday. They added Chute - and I ask - what happened to the philosophy of letting the whales drain before pushing them out ? Well, they pushed them out, mowed them flat and big suck ensued. Why not let us ski some whales? PDF was also added but I didn't need that connect from Freefall to Plummet as I had already been down Plummet and it was a downgrade from yesterday.

Groups were back to line cutting today and they all hit bluebird at the same time - just before GSE opened at 8:45 - and I again made that timing mistake.

This is a gruesome Chute mowed flat

 

[slatham]

Very surprised they didn’t let the whales drain and people ski them. No reason to push them out so quickly, and obviously doing so makes a worse ski surface.

 

[SLyardsale]

Make a bunch of snow... let it drain for a few days... push it out and open the trail... been their M.O. for a few years now...

And yup, while they got 8-10" or so yesterday, its apparently fairly dry snow and on top of basically bare ground. Definitely low tide stuff... Either need a thaw/freeze cycle to set a base and them another 6-12" of snow on top of that or another 12-18" of natural ontop of what's on the ground now to get the natural stuff into reasonable play... not exactly rocket science, just reality

12/10/25
Pretty sure that the natural falling today will be enough to get that connector part of Skyeline from the top of Outpost over to the top of Freefall open, as well as a few other flat, mainly natural snow, connector trails around the mountain as well. Sometimes those flat connector trails end up being way more important for flow around the mountain than folks realize


Hey doc - from 12/3 - your post - your still on vail pr right? Also above is your post from 12/10 on connector trails i.e. Skyline

whats going in the OP's department ? Skyline has been roped for 3 days at least. You can't access Plummet from Freefall - Vail wants you to schlep around the BullWheel to get to Plummet? Somerset road hasn't been open all year so you can't cut across from main face to Carinthia at S.R. High Traverse from top of Sundance is a joke that it has been roped - everyone ducks that one to get to Southbowl. WTF is going on. Would love to hear what you hear. As I've said, even the employees are speaking out. (I've been out everyday since last Sunday - I don't usually ski holiday weeks, but I had a change of plans, so have been out every day in some form)

 

[Newpylong]

From an operational perspective it's crazy to not be running Timbers right after Chute. They share the same line which was already charged.

 

[drjeff]

12/10/25
Pretty sure that the natural falling today will be enough to get that connector part of Skyeline from the top of Outpost over to the top of Freefall open, as well as a few other flat, mainly natural snow, connector trails around the mountain as well. Sometimes those flat connector trails end up being way more important for flow around the mountain than folks realize


Hey doc - from 12/3 - your post - your still on vail pr right? Also above is your post from 12/10 on connector trails i.e. Skyline

whats going in the OP's department ? Skyline has been roped for 3 days at least. You can't access Plummet from Freefall - Vail wants you to schlep around the BullWheel to get to Plummet? Somerset road hasn't been open all year so you can't cut across from main face to Carinthia at S.R. High Traverse from top of Sundance is a joke that it has been roped - everyone ducks that one to get to Southbowl. WTF is going on. Would love to hear what you hear. As I've said, even the employees are speaking out. (I've been out everyday since last Sunday - I don't usually ski holiday weeks, but I had a change of plans, so have been out every day in some form)

Been probably 10yrs, since my quality Ops connections were there.

Nowadays I could tell you what trails for training and Events will likely be closed on such and such a day, but thats it.

Definitely wish some connectors were open now, especially low traverse, which would of let me and my crew get from the top of Carinthia over to the top of Charlie's Chase without an additional lift ride, this weekend. Hopefully now that the snowmaking pipe issue on Ego Alley has been fixed, based on the excavator now being by the pump house by Coopers Junction vs on Ego like it was yesterday, that all the fan guns and air/water equipment stationed by that area, will be lit up soon.

Had fun skiing the terrain I got to this weekend. Not nearly as crowded as I was expecting..

Forecasted to be a COLD (as in that rarely used for ski tuning "geeks" like me) Blue, "polar" temp wax, kind of day!