Superpasses: more crowds?

machski · Jan 7, 2020

nhskier1969 said:
Went to Tremblant aka "Disney Land". Photo taken Dec 30th. The line was on Both sides of the lift. You also had a line coming up the middle for Ski School.
My Favorite line was their Gondola around 11a. After waiting 40 minutes in line, you come close to the Gondola but there is another line coming in, aka local pass and ski school. My family got separated when that happened and we took separate gondolas.

View attachment 25925

We went during Max pass days over MLK weekend. Saturday looked just like that, TGV quad line from both sides and easily a 30 minute wait. At least Lowell Thomas is a HSQ now on the North side vs a FGT. Alterra really needs to spend some $$ up there still. The North TTB HSQ needs to be upgraded to a bubble 6, maybe even an 8 like Big Sky. And both South Quads could easily be 6's too.

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Jcb890 · Jan 7, 2020

Oh man, that's brutal!
Ugh... lift lines...

Smellytele · Jan 7, 2020

machski said:
We went during Max pass days over MLK weekend. Saturday looked just like that, TGV quad line from both sides and easily a 30 minute wait. At least Lowell Thomas is a HSQ now on the North side vs a FGT. Alterra really needs to spend some $$ up there still. The North TTB HSQ needs to be upgraded to a bubble 6, maybe even an 8 like Big Sky. And both South Quads could easily be 6's too.

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How would the trails handle all those 6’s and an 8?

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BenedictGomez · Jan 7, 2020

deadheadskier said:
Stowe has had a history of a big crowd at 7:30 on weekends peak season going back since I moved there in 95. As long as the weather wasn't total crap, there's a healthy crowd.

I cant recall Sunday non powder day lines like what's in that picture at 7:30am @ Stowe. And the lines fill the photo, so I'm going on the presumption that it's even worse than what Kingslug was able to capture.

deadheadskier · Jan 7, 2020

Probably worse today sure, but I had definitely waited in some long lines at the Forerunner at 7:30 all the way back in the 90s. Full coral. I'm just stating there has always been a culture of early birds at Stowe that lines up early for the quad. After the first rush, it mellows out for an hour or so, then gets packed.

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Razor · Jan 7, 2020

Worst crowd I ever experienced was on a Sunday at Tremblant a couple of years ago. Luckily we were skiing for 3 days after, and the midweek scene was so much better.

kingslug · Jan 7, 2020

It was a cold snowstorm that everyone thought would produce some pow skiing. Minus 10 windchill and heavy winds scoured it ..but we kept at it..The line mellowed out around 10 but the Gondi was on hold. The guy next to me was a long time local and was amazed at how crowded it was. Since I've only been going there for 2 years I have nothing to go on..But I'm sure the Epic has something to do with it. Met a lot of first timers there who said that the pass brought them there.

machski · Jan 7, 2020

Smellytele said:
How would the trails handle all those 6’s and an 8?

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Probably pretty well. They have a lot off of both sides and a lot of snowmaking firepower. For now, when it is open, The Edge pod usually has fairly short to non-existant lift lines due to much less snowmaking over there and only a FGQ. Much more interesting terrain in my opinion too, though the lower half is quite flat back to the lift.

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machski · Jan 7, 2020

Well, Sunday River has always had some crowds on weekends and holidays, but seems like this year has been worse. Crowds stayed up on Thurs/Fri last week, usually with Jan 1st being midweek, it goes quiet from NYD to the next weekend. Not this year, wonder if Ikon drove any of that. Most NH, ME and MA schools were back in session on Thurs. the 2nd I think.

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Smellytele · Jan 7, 2020

machski said:
Well, Sunday River has always had some crowds on weekends and holidays, but seems like this year has been worse. Crowds stayed up on Thurs/Fri last week, usually with Jan 1st being midweek, it goes quiet from NYD to the next weekend. Not this year, wonder if Ikon drove any of that. Most NH, ME and MA schools were back in session on Thurs. the 2nd I think.

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Saw some have that whole week off. Not my son but some others

KustyTheKlown · Jan 7, 2020

nhskier1969 said:
Went to Tremblant aka "Disney Land". Photo taken Dec 30th. The line was on Both sides of the lift. You also had a line coming up the middle for Ski School.
My Favorite line was their Gondola around 11a. After waiting 40 minutes in line, you come close to the Gondola but there is another line coming in, aka local pass and ski school. My family got separated when that happened and we took separate gondolas.

View attachment 25925

made that mistake, twice. tremblant between x-mas and new years, and tremblant on "family day" weekend. awful terrible no good very bad experiences.

the only other time i skied tremblant was a random late-ish season (march or april) saturday, solo. that was ok. singles line was tolerable

its just too close to a major population center and too popular for holidays and peak season weekends.

KustyTheKlown · Jan 7, 2020

Smellytele said:
How would the trails handle all those 6’s and an 8?

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they wouldn't. its already a nightmare on the slopes with their current uphill capacity. you've never seen more novices in canada goose jackets on their butts on icy groomers in your life.

nhskier1969 · Jan 7, 2020

KustyTheKlown said:
they wouldn't. its already a nightmare on the slopes with their current uphill capacity. you've never seen more novices in canada goose jackets on their butts on icy groomers in your life.

It's also fun waiting in those crowded lines with them. Hey I can force my way forwarded with the best of them, I grew up in Mass. But lines up in Tremblant is a whole new level.

nhskier1969 · Jan 7, 2020

Thats not the problem. The Mtn has way to many people on it. If you've been there you would know, they are a lot of beds at the base. And to make matter worse, they have all the main lifts off each face run to the top of the mtn. Its a cluster F**k ontop. Not much room up there with all the people.

machski said:
We went during Max pass days over MLK weekend. Saturday looked just like that, TGV quad line from both sides and easily a 30 minute wait. At least Lowell Thomas is a HSQ now on the North side vs a FGT. Alterra really needs to spend some $$ up there still. The North TTB HSQ needs to be upgraded to a bubble 6, maybe even an 8 like Big Sky. And both South Quads could easily be 6's too.

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Edd · Jan 7, 2020

Don’t go to Tremblant on a weekend or holiday. Ever. Why would you even try to do that? Just don’t.

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medfordmike · Jan 31, 2020

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/28/travel/ikon-epic-skiing-crowds.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Not much new but I was surprised to hear Eldora is getting impacted. I have an Epic pass so guilty as charged but it is nice to see Ikon share the “love”.

Los · Jan 31, 2020

medfordmike said:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/28/travel/ikon-epic-skiing-crowds.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Not much new but I was surprised to hear Eldora is getting impacted. I have an Epic pass so guilty as charged but it is nice to see Ikon share the “love”.

Bottom line for me is that the epic pass is nearly worthless if it brings epic crowds, and includes lame offerings like Mount snow, Okemo, sunapee, and crotched (although i do like crotched. It’s still lame though haha).

Having said that, we’ve hit Stowe 4 or 5 times this year, each on a Sunday afternoon, and every time have parked right next to Mansfield lodge and had no lines at the forerunner quad... so that’s been a pleasant surprise.

Sugarbush is our home mountain so we’ll give ikon a shot next year. But if it’s unbearable, we might switch to the white mountain superpass for ‘21-‘22. Would love to go “indy” but their overall lack of snowmaking capabilities is a deal breaker...

slatham · Jan 31, 2020

Los said:
Bottom line for me is that the epic pass is nearly worthless if it brings epic crowds, and includes lame offerings like Mount snow, Okemo, sunapee, and crotched (although i do like crotched. It’s still lame though haha).

Having said that, we’ve hit Stowe 4 or 5 times this year, each on a Sunday afternoon, and every time have parked right next to Mansfield lodge and had no lines at the forerunner quad... so that’s been a pleasant surprise.

Sugarbush is our home mountain so we’ll give ikon a shot next year. But if it’s unbearable, we might switch to the white mountain superpass for ‘21-‘22. Would love to go “indy” but their overall lack of snowmaking capabilities is a deal breaker...

As I've said before, I foresee the full pass being altered where you identify a home mountain for anytime skiing, and for all other mountains you need to "reserve" your spot on holidays and weekends. For the 2nd tier pass you always need to reserve for non blacked out weekends.

cdskier · Jan 31, 2020

slatham said:
As I've said before, I foresee the full pass being altered where you identify a home mountain for anytime skiing, and for all other mountains you need to "reserve" your spot on holidays and weekends. For the 2nd tier pass you always need to reserve for non blacked out weekends.

Interesting idea...I kind of like that.

BenedictGomez · Jan 31, 2020

slatham said:
I foresee the full pass being altered where you identify a home mountain for anytime skiing, and for all other mountains you need to "reserve" your spot on holidays and weekends.

I think that's a solid guess, with the caveat that I think there'd be a status quo version offered at a perhaps not insignificant price increase. But I also think EPIC & IKON wont do any of this until ramping ends, as neither would want to be the first to make that capitulation to their pass & concede a competitive disadvantage.

Superpasses: more crowds?

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