$10 Parking at Gore

[mattchuck2]

Wait till they start charging extra for first chair!

Not to give them any ideas, but I bet that's next.

Resorts out west already allow you to buy "special" season passes (for like $10,000) that include line cutting privleges. I'm thinking at some point in the next 10 years, some resort will charge $10 a day ($150 or something for a season's pass) that will allow you to get on the lift from 8:00-9:00. People who don't want to pay the extra money miss out on 1 hour of fresh. Imagine having to sit there waiting in line at 8:45 and watching people get on the lift when you can't! That will be motivation enough to pay the extra money next time.

It's such a good idea, I'm surprised that no resort is doing it now.

 

[Harvey]

Matt...Stratton has it...I think it's called the ultra pass for $1500 or so.

http://www.stratton.com/tickets-and-passes/smartpasses/

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

"GOLD" Parking is coming to Gore next weekend.

$10 bucks for the UPPER LOT.

Mike Pratt is the Mountain Manager.

LET MIKE KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT IT:

His contact info is 1 518 251-2411, ext. 1100 and mike@goremountain.com

it seems like an asshole thing to post the mountain managers phone number an email on here!!!! Pay parking in close areas is reality..I'll walk a couple hundred yards and laugh at the people that pay for parking..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Not to give them any ideas, but I bet that's next.

Resorts out west already allow you to buy "special" season passes (for like $10,000) that include line cutting privleges. I'm thinking at some point in the next 10 years, some resort will charge $10 a day ($150 or something for a season's pass) that will allow you to get on the lift from 8:00-9:00. People who don't want to pay the extra money miss out on 1 hour of fresh. Imagine having to sit there waiting in line at 8:45 and watching people get on the lift when you can't! That will be motivation enough to pay the extra money next time.

It's such a good idea, I'm surprised that no resort is doing it now.

At Camelback season passholders get an hour to themselves..730AM-830AM..Whistler has the first-tracks thing..at J-Hole you can hire a guide and get an early Tram or Gondola cabin..and Blue mountain the true mountain has a VIP season passholders line on the 6-pack and quad,,it;s reality..ski areas are businesses and they want to get extra money..

 

[Harvey]

it seems like an asshole thing to post the mountain managers phone number an email on here!!!! Pay parking in close areas is reality..I'll walk a couple hundred yards and laugh at the people that pay for parking..

GSS - sorry you're offended. Note I didn't say contact mike and tell him you don't like it. I just asked that you be heard. You might say...hey mike... I like sleeping til noon and parking right up front. I don't care about the cost.

The problem could potentially be solved if they would get the word out about how many spots they are talking about. Rumors are from 100 spots to half of all parking. While they are just rumors, they are coming from Gore employees. If it was half the upper lot...say 500 spots or whatever it is...it would be ok with me. With multiple trips I have to make with the family...I'll be riding the shuttle for a hour or walking...not sure how far. How far is it from the outer lot to the base lodge x 3? Maybe a mile? THAT's the rub...how much is going to be reserved for the wealthy?

I figure that by the time WE know what it will be...the decision will be made. And human nature/ego being what it is...it's hard to go back on what you decided.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Harvey..it's just walking across half a parking lot..it's not the end of the world..and you can always pay 10 bucks if you want to park closer..it's their property they are entitiled to do what they want with it..you are entitled to nothing..

 

[Harvey]

Like I said...if its half a lot I got no problem with it.

 

[Phildozer]

Wachusett does this and has for a couple years now. It is three or four rows and it isn't even the closest ones to the lodge.

Seriously people. If you don't want to pay, get there earlier. "I want to arrive at 10:30 and not have to walk.."

WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!

 

[mattchuck2]

Maybe we can look at it that way . . . A little bit of a walk, but no real biggie . . .

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Here's a hypothetical for people who say "it's not that long of a walk, suck it up and hike". . .

What if the walk were a quarter of a mile? What if the walk were half a mile? What if they charged $25 to park anywhere within 1 mile of the resort?

I'm not saying this is the case, but where do you draw the line between acceptable hike and unacceptable? You're right, Steeze, that it's their property and they can do what they want with it, but don't you think that Harvey is doing the right thing here by speaking out? Should we just bend over and take whatever the ski resorts give us?

Most importantly to a lot of people, at what point does one take their business elsewhere?

Too bad I can't seem to win that Mega Millions . . . I'd buy Hickory and run it the way a ski area should be run . . .

Do they have parking lot shuttles??

 

[mattchuck2]

They do have shuttles . . .

 

[Phildozer]

What if the walk were a quarter of a mile? What if the walk were half a mile? What if they charged $25 to park anywhere within 1 mile of the resort?.

What if they offered free helicopter rides? What if it was helicopters flown by monkeys? What if....

 

[mattchuck2]

For helicopter rides, I'd pay $10, For helicopters flown by monkeys I'd pay $150 (just to say I did it). What are the other questions?

 

[bvibert]

I find it odd they're doing this half way into the season, any reason for that???

If I remember correctly they announced this plan before the season started, but not before many people had bought passes.

 

[Glenn]

Mt. Snow offers parking like that. I think it's a few hundred bucks a season or $15/$20 a day.

We skirt the issue by getting there early and getting a good spot. I really don't see what the big deal is. You can't expect to roll into any ski area at 9:30, during the height of the season and expect to get a nice close spot on the weekend.

 

[Harvey]

We skirt the issue by getting there early and getting a good spot. I really don't see what the big deal is. You can't expect to roll into any ski area at 9:30, during the height of the season and expect to get a nice close spot on the weekend.

Our normal arrival time is 7:15. I rarely miss the first chair.

The plan is to charge everyone on the way out. Not sure how it will work, or if it will but that is the plan.

Like I said...if it's a hundred yards, whatever. The lower lot is probably a quarter mile.

I think the plan was leaked in November, well after two of the pass deadlines. It's somewhat irrelevant for us as we have property. Just sell me a parking pass with some kind of discount and I'll go away.

Not sure if it's accurate but the original justification that I heard was the cost of fuel for snowmaking.

 

[Geoff]

I pay for a season weekend/holiday parking pass at Killington even though I'm usually an early arriver. Even if I'm straggling to the hill, I still have the same prime parking spot. I think the pass was $279.00 this year if you bought it early. Among other things, it saves a huge amount of wear and tear on the car since I'm parking next to the same people all the time and we know to give ourselves enough separation to avoid door dings. (Almost) nobody parks like a moron so you don't have people bashing into you trying to enter and exit the lot. I'm right next to the trail and the lifts so I'm not walking any distance in ski boots. That prolongs the life of my ski boots. Since I'm slopeside, my car is my locker. I keep my day pack in the car in the morning and grab it at lunch time. I usually have a spare pair of skis and a few spare clothing options. I can drop down to the car for a beer break. In the spring, I'm perfectly positioned for a slopeside BBQ. A month ago, I broke a pole in the morning, drove back to the condo, grabbed spare poles out of the basement, and was back in the same parking spot in 15 minutes. It improves the quality of my experience and, amortized over 45 or 50 days, it's not a whole heck of a lot of money.

 

[campgottagopee]

If I remember correctly they announced this plan before the season started, but not before many people had bought passes.

Hmmmm.......If they did announce it b4 the season started then it is what it is. I don't b elieve that those who bought passes wouldn't have if they would've known prior.

 

[madskier6]

The walking is fine I guess.

For me walking from the lower lot can be an additional disadvantage on first tracks. There are days when the Gondola is running and I'm standing by the door at daycare waiting for it to open. Now I've got to do three trips from the lower lot (or pay) to bring the family's gear up. And then wait for the daycare to open.

It just feels like I'm hurdling obstacles. If you have to charge me do it. Sell me a parking pass over the summer when I'm laying down that huge pile of money for season passes. Essentially the pay for parking hits the loyal customers the hardest, if you don't have some kind of discount for buying in bulk.

Let's face it nobody WANTS to ski holidays...it's more crowded and conditions (all things equal) aren't as good. We ski holidays because we have a FAMILY and that is when we can go. The parking fee will hit passholder family's with school age kids ...the hardest.

I believe they do extra charge for first tracks at Stratton.

I agree that this practice sucks especially the timing of the announcement after many season passholders have already bought their passes. At the same time I understand the capitalistic argument of it's their property they can do what they want. If they can charge high rollers who want to pay to park close & this results in keeping lift ticket or season pass prices down, then I'm in favor of it. It just leaves a bad taste in customer's mouths when you do it like this.

harvey44: Is it possible for you to drive up close on arrival, drop your gear & young children (if possible) & then go & park in the lower lot for free? I also have children & always do this at any resort whenever I can. Maybe it's not possible or practical at Gore but just thought I would ask. I think any pricing policy that unduly burdens families is not good for the long term interest of the resort or the sport.

 

[Harvey]

Is it possible for you to drive up close on arrival, drop your gear & young children (if possible) & then go & park in the lower lot for free? I also have children & always do this at any resort whenever I can. Maybe it's not possible or practical at Gore but just thought I would ask. I think any pricing policy that unduly burdens families is not good for the long term interest of the resort or the sport.

Ultimately I think that is the solution. It's a disadvantage for first tracks for sure.

If I knew the schedule of when they were going to be charging, I could make a better decision...if it 10 days total and I'll be there 8 of those days...I'd probably suck it up and pay. Right now, to my knowledge...mgmt hasn't provide that info.