• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Lodges that don't allow outside food

Glenn

Active member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
7,691
Points
38
Location
CT & VT
I've heard some rumblings that the new Carinthia lodge at Mt. Snow won't allow outside food to be brought in. I've seen ski areas that don't allow coolers and I get that. They're bulky, can't go in the bag check slots and they don't want people camping out a table for 2 hours during lunch whilst they lay out a three course lunch.

Are there other places that don't allow outside food in their base lodges? I can't say I've come across that in recent years. My wife and I often bring in snacks in our bags or coats and have never had an issue.
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,329
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
Yes there are. In my experience though if folks are respectful and don't take up too much space or time, they are fine.

And I love your comment about people camping out. I used to see it at Sugarbush North and Burke a lot. I know we have at least one thread somewhere with folks commenting about this phenomenon. I haven't really seen that out here much. Mainly because most folks boot up at their cars and don't really use the lodge per se. Some places don't even really have a true "lodge".
 

tumbler

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
Messages
1,404
Points
83
I've heard some rumblings that the new Carinthia lodge at Mt. Snow won't allow outside food to be brought in. I've seen ski areas that don't allow coolers and I get that. They're bulky, can't go in the bag check slots and they don't want people camping out a table for 2 hours during lunch whilst they lay out a three course lunch.

Are there other places that don't allow outside food in their base lodges? I can't say I've come across that in recent years. My wife and I often bring in snacks in our bags or coats and have never had an issue.

Where does the crock pot full of chili fall in this? And have to find a table to camp out at near an outlet to plug it in. I chuckle when I see the mom trying to carry the overflowing crock pot up the stairs and into the lodge. I do think that is a bit much, like the cooler.
 

drjeff

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2006
Messages
19,180
Points
113
Location
Brooklyn, CT
Where does the crock pot full of chili fall in this? And have to find a table to camp out at near an outlet to plug it in. I chuckle when I see the mom trying to carry the overflowing crock pot up the stairs and into the lodge. I do think that is a bit much, like the cooler.
See this a TON at many of the races my kids go to. Table cloth set up with the crock pot on the table, and that table is strictly off limits all but any immediate close friends/teammates all day....

As for the Carinthia lodge situation, I look at it not so much like a base lodge but more like a mid mountain or summit lodge.

Going to be interesting to see how this all plays out in the new Carinthia lodge. I hope they put extra trash cans in the parking lot, since my hunch is they'll be lots more eating (and drinking) out of cars in that lot....

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using AlpineZone mobile app
 

BenedictGomez

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
12,119
Points
113
Location
Wasatch Back
Where does the crock pot full of chili fall in this? And have to find a table to camp out at near an outlet to plug it in. I chuckle when I see the mom trying to carry the overflowing crock pot up the stairs and into the lodge. I do think that is a bit much, like the cooler.

This is a weird phenomena that you occasionally, though rarely see. Except at Gore. At Gore you'll see 5 to 10 crock pots going in the lodge. I find it very strange.
 

BenedictGomez

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
12,119
Points
113
Location
Wasatch Back
See this a TON at many of the races my kids go to. Table cloth set up with the crock pot on the table, and that table is strictly off limits all but any immediate close friends/teammates all day....

Is that a rule established by the mountain, or is that just obnoxiously entitled "race people" behaviour?
 

FBGM

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 19, 2016
Messages
794
Points
63
Location
Your Moms House
Do you bring your food to Applebee’s? How about your own 6 pack to the bar.

People who camp and cook out at ski resorts are dirty hippies or cheap bums.

I’ll funnel my own beers in the parking lot and throw crushed empties at Jerry’s off the lift. That $25 burger tho goes to the bottom line. How else is Mt Blow going to be able to spread mulch? They can’t borrow any more funny money.
 

AdironRider

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 27, 2005
Messages
3,483
Points
63
When I was a teenager we used to love just sitting down, start smelling the chili. Mom would get all pissed off and we'd ignore her. Not once did any of her supposedly family show up and claim these supposed reserved seats. You don't own the lodge.

That all being said, I do find it funny that someone would get all in a huff about them not allowing food (ala start this thread). You going to roll into a restaurant and break out some sandwiches?
 

jimk

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 1, 2012
Messages
1,790
Points
113
Location
Wash DC area
Oooh. This is a subject I get fired-up about. I’m cheap and old. I’ve been a DIY lunch person for 50 years of skiing. (I’ve been a brown bagger at work for nearly as long.) When my kids were young I did the crock pot in the ski lodge thing. Occasionally, I do my own grilling in a base lot, or even better, somewhere up on the slopes. To this day the vast majority of my ski lunches consist of a can of soda (sometimes other beverages), PB&J sandwich, chips, fruit, and candy, all brought from home in a backpack that I keep in my car, hide in a lodge, or bury beside a trail. I have been told to cease and desist my PB&Js at some of the finest mtns in the country including Snowbird Summit Restaurant in 2017, Keystone Dercum Summit Lodge in 2015, etc. going way back. Does that food court at Stowe/Spruce base prohibit outside food? I try to be discreet about pulling out my own food inside a ski lodge (or on lodge decks) whether there is a sign posted prohibiting outside food or not - to avoid awkward moments. I have identified good spots at some of my favorite ski areas where I can eat my stuff without being bothered. I buy my lunch once in a while, but sometimes those bigger lodge meals make me feel like a slug in the afternoon. Even when I was doing the crock pot thing, I was sensitive about not hogging an empty table.
 
Last edited:

drjeff

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2006
Messages
19,180
Points
113
Location
Brooklyn, CT
Is that a rule established by the mountain, or is that just obnoxiously entitled "race people" behaviour?
It's not so much the "entitled" race parents from larger mountains as much as it is the race parents from smaller mountains. Since for most races, you need to have your kids at the mountain before 1st chair, the "crock pot crew" gets their pick of prime tables with outlet access before the masses hit the base lodge, and then if those parents aren't skiing that day (some racer parents will ski on race day, while others just hike to watch their kids runs) they're hanging out at the table, and holding spaces for when their kids come in, basically all day

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using AlpineZone mobile app
 

abc

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
5,801
Points
113
Location
Lower Hudson Valley
We all KNOW almost all restaurants demand "no outside food". We rarely violate that rule. After all, the very existence of a restaurant is to SELL food for a profit.

A ski lodge is a bit funny though. The restaurant is only part of the lodge. The rest of the lodge are usually for people booting up and just resting. It's no surprise people feel they should be allowed to drink from their Camelpack or eat a power bar. Cooler and crokpot? It's really pushing it. But what about a sandwich and soup out of the backpack?

The unreasonably pricy lodge food makes the water even murkier still.
 

crystalmountainskier

Active member
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
240
Points
28
Base lodges are much less of a thing in the Western US. Particularly base lodges where you can camp out all day and leave your stuff everywhere. Outside food? Mostly nope.
 

Not Sure

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 14, 2013
Messages
2,858
Points
63
Location
Lehigh County Pa.
Website
www.youtube.com
Forrest for the Tees?.......I love cheap passes , cheap food ,but complain when my favorite ski area goes NELSAP??????

I do my best to save on passes but will spend $$$$ in the Cafe "IF" the food is good ....although pisses me off to see tables and chairs with Shit on and no one around.
 

dansherpa

New member
Joined
Dec 20, 2011
Messages
15
Points
0
Race parent here. Consider this. You arrive at the mountain at 7am, before they are serving any food. By the time food is being served your kiddo is up on the hill inspecting the course. They do their first run, come in for 30 minutes to eat something before they have to head back out to inspect the course for the second run. Those 30 minutes are typically right around rush hour for the cafeteria, so they can either spend 20 minutes buying food and wolf it down in 10 minutes, or they eat the brown bag lunch you brought for them and relax a little. No crockpots for me. It's not about money, it's about time. Trust me, the mountain is getting their money's worth. After the race the kids are going to be buying plenty of $5 candy bars and $10 onion rings. And, I just paid $69 for her two runs.

If I'm sitting in a chair, the only expectation is that I get that chair. If I get up - no longer my chair. Did I get a "nice" chair because I got there early? Sure. You're welcome to come early too though. Any empty chairs are up for grabs - no saving seats.
 
Last edited:

AdironRider

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 27, 2005
Messages
3,483
Points
63
No one is going to feel bad that your kid only has 30 minutes for lunch.

This is literally every working person's daily life as an adult. I think they'll survive.
 

dansherpa

New member
Joined
Dec 20, 2011
Messages
15
Points
0
Not asking you to feel bad - just outlining the thought process for bringing my own lunch.
 

Not Sure

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 14, 2013
Messages
2,858
Points
63
Location
Lehigh County Pa.
Website
www.youtube.com
Brown bagging is one thing .Setting up your own kitchen ? :slap:

I always eat early or late, never noon and somehow there still tables that look like Mt Everest with shit piled up .
 

ss20

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2013
Messages
3,919
Points
113
Location
A minute from the Alta exit off the I-15!
People who camp and cook out at ski resorts are dirty hippies or cheap bums.

This May I'll make you a banner with this printed on it and you have to hold it above your head at the bottom of the Superstar lift at Killington, pointed towards the campers/tents/grills on the access road. Those dirty hippies are gonna stick some ski poles and grill tongs up holes you didn't even know you had!
 
Top