AZ Challenge 2009: Chris Nyberg, Killington/Pico

Chris Nyberg, President & General Manager, of Killington/Pico Ski Resort has agreed to participate in the 2009 AlpineZone Ski area Challenge! This is your opportunity to ask questions, offer suggestions, or say some praise to the men and women who are in charge of the Northeast's ski areas. Please post some suggested questions in this thread and we'll select ten to present for official response.

Also please don't be offended if we edit/change your question for grammar, tone, or some other minor thing. In order to get in all of the questions we MAY merge some questions but we'll do our best to keep the substance of your question. If we don't get your question in, feel free to post a follow up after we get the results...we are encouraging the representatives follow the feedback threads.

As always, please be respectful of Mr. Nyberg and keep it civil. Also, please refrain from asking specifics about skier visit numbers, financials, demographic information, etc. Chris needs to be discrete about certain information.

Ask away!

Killington/Pico Profile

I skied Pico last season for the first time in a long while. The main trail under the summit quad had practically zero cover in early February except for a small ribbon on the skiers left side of the trail. Was this a snowmaking malfunction that caused this issue?

deadheadskier said:

Who would you consider to be the top 30 skiers at Killington?

kidding

Click to expand...

OMG, I literally laughed out loud rolling my head back. Nicely done dhs!

Ok on a more serious nature...I've been skiing at Killington since my childhood. Overall, I enjoy it there despise some unpopular decisions over the last few seasons. Now, the lack of The Crossover and the new trail network off Skye peak leave me confused. On more than one occasion, I wound up at Bear due to a wrong turn. Any plans to re-visit the trail routing or add better signage?

Hi Chris. I've seen you around the mountain and said hi several times, many of my friends have met you also. You seem like a nice guy and seem to be doing a good job at Killington. Thank you for all your hard work.

I've skied all over the east for 25+ years, first time at Killington was in 1987. When we were there in 1992, there was 20 feet of snow on superstar, monster bumps, and I'll never forget it. I've been a passholder at Killington the last five years and ususally ski every weekend, or about 60 days a year. My brother runs a snowboard park at an area south of you. I'm not in the industry, but I pay attention. Anyway......

I REALLY like the new Skye Peak Quad and trail layout, eliminating the crossover. It's not at all complicated for anyone who can read a map, and makes those trails ski much better. Only major drawbacks are the excessive lines for the skye peak quad (due to poor line management!!), the traffic on the main trails going into Bear, and the super dangerous intersection of the new great eastern with upper skyelark/bittersweet. I've also never seen so many jibbers bombing down upper skyeburst and dreamaker to get to the park.....it makes little sense that the stash and dreamaker parks are completely separated. Dreammaker is a fantastic trail when it can be skied top to bottom.

Question: Have you given any thought to re-arranging the lower bear setup, for better flow of traffic? Perhaps putting the big park on lower Wildfire again, and re-installing the superpipe ropetow? That would give you both skyeburst and dreamaker as full length, uninterupted trails. Lower wildfire could be turned into a continuation of the stash, using the woods next to it and the skyepeak quad liftline (you know, the one with the cliff that people always poach)? People could session the pipe with a rope tow. Upper wildfire would continue to be bumps. Upper bear trapclaw(whatever) would still be the mini park. Oh, and please don't blast the viper pit. Having seen the park on lower Wildfire, and how much better it was than Dreammaker, this makes much more sense.

Question: Why hasn't there been snowmaking on Devil's Fiddle for the last few years? Without any doubt, Devil's Fiddle is the best trail at Killington, and quite possibly the best expert trail in the northeast. Historically, it has been a snowmaking trail due to the southeastern exposure, and rocky nature. It also used to be much wider at the bottom before it was allowed to grow in. Cutting back the brush, making snow, and perhaps incorporating the old lift line and nearby glades with it would make for one amazing expert skiing area. Doesn't even need to be that much snowmaking, just enough to set a base.

The Killington-Pico Interconnect is by far the most important project for the re-growth of Killington and it's position in the eastern skiing market. Not the Ski Village. At full buildout (four lifts), plus some glades, it would put you at 1500 skiable acres, by far the most in the east. It would improve access for day trip skiers coming from the west. It would improve revenue yield per visit due to spending at lodges from people exploring the mountain. It would certainly increase skier visits. And, it would sell real estate, or at least give the town a good reason to support building a Ski Village. QUESTION: Why has there been little to no talk about the Interconnect? At least ASC, dead broke, would talk about it. I understand Phase 1 involves 2 lifts (1 HSQ), 110 acres of trails, snowmaking, and a lodge....at a ~15 million price tag. Has there been any efforts to get SP Land or E2M to pay for part of this, to jump start the building of the village? Could Killington fund a reduced scope inital phase, such as just the Pico side lift (fixed quad), traversing trails, and limited snowmaking.....for a sub $5 million price tag?

Question: I see that Killington is aiming for a season "early November to early May". While encouraging, will there be any enhancements to the strategy to bring this about? Opening top to bottom on the K-1 is proven difficult in the past. Needing to produce 100+ acre feet of snow in variable weather is an obvious challenge. In 2006, Killington wasn't able to open until Thanksgiving day, even though Stowe had 2ft at the summit in late october. Eastern weather is unreliable, and I think it's entirely possible that poor weather could cause a delay of opening until early December, as a worse case senario. Have you considered an alternate strategy, such as opening on Superstar/Skyelark, or installing an new upper mountain lift and using downloading on the K-1? What about the spring? I'm sure most diehards would rather you stayed open until mid-May or Memorial day. Oh, and opening on a Sunday, and closing on a Saturday.....will you be changing that?

Question: Could the south ridge triple be replaced by a fast (550 ft/min), straight, double chair, similar to the castlerock chair at sugarbush? This would lower capacity and decrease the ride time from 10 minutes to 7.5 minutes.

Question: Ever consider cutting more narrow natural snow trails like Roundabout, or like "Rumble" at sugarbush?

Question: Can you talk about any plans for changing Great Northern? It is quite possibly the worst trail on the mountain.

Question: Any thoughts about reopening lower sunrise? With a used double chair for cheap, and limited snowmaking? How about upper ramshead, with a poma lift?

Question: Ever consider replacing the snowdon triple with a lift that ends at the top of conclusion, to serve racers on Highline and bumps on Conclusion?

Question: Ever consider removing the Needles Eye Quad and relocating it to replace the Snowdon quad? Could it be done with a minimal amount of investment in new parts...? The NEQ is redundant...

And finally:

Question: Why does Stowe charge $4.75 for a magic hat in their new spuce peak lodge, while Killington charges $6.25 for a long trail in mahogany ridge....?

Thanks, and looking forward to another great season!

My question is in regards to your grooming philosophy last spring. It seemed to me that killington groomed more aggressively then in the past with a result of less in the way of spring bumps. Not to say there werent any, just that there wasnt the same quantity some people have come to expect at killington in the spring. Is this something we can expect in the years to come from powdr?

Also, in regards to moguls, its been stated that you will be setting up and maintaining two seeded runs on superstar and O.L., if I recall correctly. My question here is more out of curiosity as to what caused a change of heart on this. Not to bring up old wounds, but I asked about this very thing a few years ago on Killingtonzone and the response was that it wasnt needed as the terrain is steep enough that bumps form naturally and quickly.

Thanks for any response on these.

Why do you continue to kill what Killington has always been about? The longest season, the most snowmaking, first to open, last to close (by a lot), etc.

Do you hate the access road business owners or is putting them out of business part of your master plan or just a by-product of horrible decision making on your part?

Why are you chasing your future customers away with absurd pricing for the childrens programs?

Why are you not quicker to change your decisions when they don't work out? Is it arrogance on your part or do you really think the decisions that you make are good for the ski area and the surrounding town?

Why are your employees not given the proper resources to do their jobs and then fired for lack of performance?

Why has the ski areas' recovery time from a weather event gone from 1 day to 3 days?

Why do you charge such ridiculous prices for food and beverages in the base lodges while food quality remains at an all time low?

Why did you kill the branding that has made Killington the best in the east for 50 years only to offer very cheap deals in season to get people to come back and ski/ride at K?

Do you understand that Utah and Vermont are 2 different states?

Do you understand that what works out west does not always work in the east?

Do you enjoy the hatred and animosity that your decisions have created?

Why was Pico not open full time all season? VASS runs out of Pico? Do you have a problem with special needs children? Do these children not meet your standards of who should be skiing and riding at Killingon and Pico?


I know, I know. Nuke away mods.

What is being done to fix the BMMC? What made it special in the past was that amateurs got to compete in front of a massive crowd; now it's just like any other Saturday/Sunday, except you get scored.

JerseyJoey..go easy on Chris...he was generous to accept the challenge..be kind..

JerseyJoey said:

Why do you continue to kill what Killington has always been about? The longest season, the most snowmaking, first to open, last to close (by a lot), etc.

Do you hate the access road business owners or is putting them out of business part of your master plan or just a by-product of horrible decision making on your part?

Why are you chasing your future customers away with absurd pricing for the childrens programs?

Why are you not quicker to change your decisions when they don't work out? Is it arrogance on your part or do you really think the decisions that you make are good for the ski area and the surrounding town?

Why are your employees not given the proper resources to do their jobs and then fired for lack of performance?

Why has the ski areas' recovery time from a weather event gone from 1 day to 3 days?

Why do you charge such ridiculous prices for food and beverages in the base lodges while food quality remains at an all time low?

Why did you kill the branding that has made Killington the best in the east for 50 years only to offer very cheap deals in season to get people to come back and ski/ride at K?

Do you understand that Utah and Vermont are 2 different states?

Do you understand that what works out west does not always work in the east?

Do you enjoy the hatred and animosity that your decisions have created?

Why was Pico not open full time all season? VASS runs out of Pico? Do you have a problem with special needs children? Do these children not meet your standards of who should be skiing and riding at Killingon and Pico?


I know, I know. Nuke away mods.

Click to expand...

Wow, what pushed you over the edge? I thought you were Killington's head cheerleader on A-zone?

Thanks for making me look positive in comparision!

Question: Can you please, please, please, put a proper deck off of Superstar Pub, above the parking area? It would be great for spring skiing, etc.

Question #1: I am concerned about the impact on day skiers with the long-term SP Land proposal to obliterate the Snowshed, Rams Head, and Vale parking lots. In the renderings, the main Killington lot is also shrinking. A fortress gated community and a sprawl of trophy homes are slated to be built on that land. Close-in day parking is a competitive advantage. Remote parking lots incur large operating expense and result in a less-than-desirable first impression for day skiers. Does KSRP support this plan?

Question #2: Do you have any progress to report on creating a Killington brand and marketing plan? The Preston Smith brand was all superlatives. Most vertical drop. Most acres. Biggest snowmaking system in the world. Longest season. Biggest, longest, steepest mogul trail in the east. Best apres ski east of the Mississippi. The data on the contraction of tourism in the town over the last half-dozen years is irrefutable based on Vermont Department of Transportation traffic counts and Vermont Department of Taxes revenue reports. Few of those Preston Smith superlatives have changed but most of the northeast shuns Killington as being a complete zoo on weekends and holidays. From a lift line, trail crowding, and base lodge crowding point of view, the ski product is the best it has ever been. How are you planning to get the word out?

Question #3: Devils Fiddle provides fantastic southeast-facing terrain that is always the first thing to soften in March and April when the rest of the resort is frozen concrete. It was designed as a snowmaking trail and is rarely skiable on natural snow. Are there plans to blow snow on it and make this attraction available to your customers again?

Question #4: With the new lift and trail reconfiguration, the Great Eastern route is a choke point for novice and family skiers. The first few hundred yards from the new lift down to Bittersweet is a daunting icy mogul field on weekends and holidays with mixed ability traffic on the trail. Do you have plans to correct this choke point?

Question #5: Killington got to where it is by bringing a huge number of people into the sport. Your child ski school programs are the most expensive in the east. They are significantly higher than known-expensive competitors like Stratton. The second most expensive child ski school program in the east is at Pico. Your learn-to-ski and learn-to-snowboard programs for adults are also significantly higher than your competition. As your core customer base ages, it is critical to replace them. Do you have plans to address this?

Are they really going to renovate coopers cabin??

Highway Star said:

Thanks for making me look positive in comparision!

Click to expand...

Ha, I was thing the same thing reading that.

JerseyJoey said:

Why do you continue to kill what Killington has always been about? The longest season, the most snowmaking, first to open, last to close (by a lot), etc.

Do you hate the access road business owners or is putting them out of business part of your master plan or just a by-product of horrible decision making on your part?

Why are you chasing your future customers away with absurd pricing for the childrens programs?

Why are you not quicker to change your decisions when they don't work out? Is it arrogance on your part or do you really think the decisions that you make are good for the ski area and the surrounding town?

Why are your employees not given the proper resources to do their jobs and then fired for lack of performance?

Why has the ski areas' recovery time from a weather event gone from 1 day to 3 days?

Why do you charge such ridiculous prices for food and beverages in the base lodges while food quality remains at an all time low?

Why did you kill the branding that has made Killington the best in the east for 50 years only to offer very cheap deals in season to get people to come back and ski/ride at K?

Do you understand that Utah and Vermont are 2 different states?

Do you understand that what works out west does not always work in the east?

Do you enjoy the hatred and animosity that your decisions have created?

Why was Pico not open full time all season? VASS runs out of Pico? Do you have a problem with special needs children? Do these children not meet your standards of who should be skiing and riding at Killingon and Pico?


I know, I know. Nuke away mods.

Click to expand...

So....did you buy your pass yet? :razz:

Seriously, how about rephrasing some of these and we'll be glad to include them. Putting him on the defensive will not get a genuine response. Criticism is fine, and I would think in a way helpful as long as it's done with tact. Ironically, I thought Highway Star's questions were pretty good and plan to include some. I wish he would post like that all the time.

Question #6: This is more of a suggestion box item than a question but trash cans at the bottom and top of every lift would be both environmentally friendly and customer-friendly. Kleenex dispensers attached to the trash cans would be a nice touch. Basic tools for snowboard binding repair at the top of every lift is another nice touch.

Question #7: Another suggestion box item.... The two heated gondolas were a huge competitive advantage. Have you considered making them functional again and running spot advertising in your target market areas whenever there is a cold snap?

Question #8: 250" of natural snow is a significant competitve advantage over your main (or is that Maine) competition. It enables tree skiing and natural snow cut-trail terrain that just isn't available in snow-starved southern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Have you considered expanding the on-the-map gladed terrain and promoting it?

Question #9: The new lift has created high traffic in the easier parts of Bear Mountain. Your younger testerosterone-ladden customers have a traffic flow where they come out of The Stash and then mingle with the intermediate / low-expert skiers on Skyeburst and Lower Wildfire. Frankly, this is unsafe and I encourage people to avoid that part of the mountain on weekends. Have you considered blasting some ledge and installing snowmaking under the new lift to create a terrain park attraction that diverts some of this traffic flow? It still has a trail intersection crossing Wildfire but it would allow you to rope off The Stash entering Skyeburst so you have a top-to-bottom cruiser.

Greg, can we assume Chris is reading this thread and will see the questions even if they are not officially submitted?

Oh, and please don't lock this until Tin Woodsman and gpetrics gets a chance.....

Thanks!

Question: Several eastern ski areas hold an "extreme skiing" competitons, including Jay Peak, Magic, and Mad River Glen. Killington would certainly be a viable venue for such an event - on both Devils Fiddle and Big Dipper. Would you consider hosting one? Thanks!

Highway Star said:

Greg, can we assume Chris is reading this thread and will see the questions even if they are not officially submitted?

Oh, and please don't lock this until Tin Woodsman and gpetric gets a chance.....

Thanks!

Click to expand...

I really don't know if he's following the thread or not, although I assume he is.

Greg said:

So....did you buy your pass yet? :razz:

Seriously, how about rephrasing some of these and we'll be glad to include them. Putting him on the defensive will not get a genuine response. Criticism is fine, and I would think in a way helpful as long as it's done with tact. Ironically, I thought Highway Star's questions were pretty good and plan to include some. I wish he would post like that all the time.

Click to expand...

Yes Greg, I've bought my pass. Make sure you get a hold of me when you make it over this year and try not to drink until 3am the night before we ski, ok pal?

I love Killington. I grew up skiing there and I remember all to well what she used to be. It was not that long ago. We have owners now that have the resources (read: personnel and finances) to bring Killington back to her former greatness. They have chosen to take the exact opposite approach. That's my take and I'm pissed about it.

Feel free to edit my post to meet AZ standards. Got no problem with that. See ya on the hill.

Greg said:

Ironically, I thought Highway Star's questions were pretty good and plan to include some. I wish he would post like that all the time.

Click to expand...

So, would you mind telling me what you are interested in using, so I can go back and clean them up a bit? Thanks!