"...and now, let's hear from the Marketing Department..

[ChileMass]

Gotta think the MRG webmaster is loving this. 8) Don't think for a minute the marketing guys from the ski areas don't lurk.

Josh B - good point - I hadn't thought of the mktg guys/gals at various mountains getting unfiltered info from this board. Wonder what the Wawa management thought of us trashing their hill last week - ? It would be interesting to get some feedback directly from them. Wonder if they'd have the guts to ask some direct questions or tell us what changes they'd consider to make us more likely to go to their hill.......

Snippets gathered at random this year (mktg dept take notice):
MRG - everyone loves MRG cuz we are all hardcore
KMart - prob too big, but lots of terrain and after ski stuff
Stratton - too expensive and sterile - lots more interesting hills to try
Magic - MRG south but could use more snowmaking
Gore - snore
Wawa - like skiing on the subway
Jay - yay
Burke - little Jay
Loon - convenient but expensive
Bretton Woods - for the Range Rover crowd
Wildcat - cold but go for the views and the locals
Sugarloaf - too far away, but great if you do it
Saddleback - hope they continue to expand
Sunday River - commercial but great for younger crowd


More - ? Additions? Comments - ?? C'mon kids - we have to help the hills help themselves, and maybe they'll actually get back to us..... For over $70 per day at KMart and Stratton, you'd think we might get some feedback.....

 

[Greg]

This has the potential for being a really interesting thread. I'm torn about notifying some of the resort marketing folks I know about it. Perhaps I'll just wait and see how this thing evolves.

 

[ChileMass]

I'm gonna bump this back up just because I wanna see some hits from the ski industry professionals....... :roll:

 

[Joshua B]

I think the main reason industry insiders don't participate in public forums is because of the potential for a backfire. Let's face it, there are some psychos on boards like this who would like nothing better than to make certain ski reps' lives a living hell. I think a good idea would be to invite a particular mountain rep to participate in an interview, where we the members generate the questions in advance. Greg can send him the questions and then post the results of the interview on this fine web site.

 

[Bumpsis]

Q. I'd like to ask: snow reports

I think a good idea would be to invite a particular mountain rep to participate in an interview, where we the members generate the questions in advance. Greg can send him the questions and then post the results of the interview on this fine web site.

On that subject, I'd love to ask if the area snow conditions reports would ever contain a trace of truth. For instance, I love Mad River, but if they are short on snow, man, the mountain just sucks. It's then just a choice between ice moguls or a couple of really mediocre cruisers.
Yet, the area's snow report always makes it sound like you'd be a fool to miss a day on the mountain. The snow/trail conditions have long became an extention of the marketing departments.

This board ought to have a section just for ski condition reports by us, the public. Granted, they would be retroactive but together with watching the weather one could more accurately guess what's really up on the mountains.

 

[Joshua B]

I gotta disagree with you, although I love your username. 8) I think out of all the big New England areas, Mad River Glen's reports are the most honest.

Also, Greg already has a system in place for ski conditions. That's the trip report forum. Think about it.

 

[Greg]

I think the main reason industry insiders don't participate in public forums is because of the potential for a backfire. Let's face it, there are some psychos on boards like this who would like nothing better than to make certain ski reps' lives a living hell. I think a good idea would be to invite a particular mountain rep to participate in an interview, where we the members generate the questions in advance. Greg can send him the questions and then post the results of the interview on this fine web site.

You make a good point. Ski area marketing folks have little to gain by participating here. It probably would invite more hostility than it would provide exposure. However, your interview idea is an excellent one. Anyone have any additional thoughts? I know a few marketing reps that may be interested in participating in something structured like that.

 

[Bumpsis]

MRG may have the most honest report from all the others but they still way too shiny and happy for the report to have veracity.
My last visit there was on 3/6, I think it was their Telemark festival weeknd (which is a zoo by its own right).
Their site was reporting couple of fresh inches and overall good conditions.
I guess I should have paid more attention to the word "edgable" use in the report.
Reality: bumps hard as rocks, hell, some of them WERE rocks. Ice, dirt and roots in between, lots of it too.
I'm all into "ski it if you can" but there are limits. After an early rip out of bed and 3h drive, hacking down icy obstacles and rock was not my cup of tea.
Summa Sumarum: MRG gumbys up the reports as good as the rest of them.

Trip reports: yes, there is a place from which one can devine current conditions but not without wading through lots of prose and other verbage
(of which I've been gulity as well from time to time).
Oh, thanks for the good word on my moniker :wink:

 

[jimme]

For snow depths, I look at Yahoo's listings, and take them with a grain of salt. Most area's hype these numbers. The most "honest" have been Gore, Magic, MRG and Plattekill. So I use them as a guideline for the rest of the areas.

I don't think Magic reported a low base greater than 12, maybe 18" this year when surrounding areas were reporting a minimum of 26+". . .now that's being honest. Jiminy Peak has hyped snowfall amounts, but they also don't get over excited about conditions unless they are truly good. At times they've even mentioned future days that did not look good.

Now Magic and MRG are known for NOT blowing tons of snow. And while that doesn't entice me to go every weekend, when I do go I know what I'm getting into. I love fake snow before Thanksgiving and I love it after April 1st, but in between I'd really like the real stuff.

Admittedly I avoided Magic partly due to the low snow figures. Partly because I had a few other areas to try for the first time. Magic had an absolutely dismal snowfall season. Plattekill did much much better in snowfall this year. (Last I knew they totaled over 145") I'm lucky enough that my drive times are just about the same.

Those of us who are vocal on the ski fourms are, unfortunately in the un vast minority. Think about what we say we like in a ski area and compare that to what the areas offer. We like MRG, Magic, Plattekill, Cannon, Burke, B'east, and other "non-commercial" areas. Who draws the masses? Killington, Stratton, Stowe, Gore, Jiminy Peak. . . All because they are catering to family oriented skiers who average 3 - 7 days a year and have to travel several hours to get to the resorts. This is not a bad thing, but rather the way it probablly is. Some of my friends fall into the 3 -7 day a year category simply becuase of where they live and their current lifestyle. When they do ski, they must travel, stay at a hotel, like to have a hottub and a pool if possible, etc. and I enjoyed that too when I made my trip to Utah last season. I'd like to think that ski area reps watch these boards, but wonder if we represent their client base.

Jimme
Jimme

 

[Greg]

All right everbody. Eric Friedman from MRG agreed to take "The AlpineZone Challenge"! Have a look here:

http://forums.alpinezone.com/viewtopic.php?t=1454

8)

 

[Joshua B]

Sounds good. Looking forward to it.

Greg, can you try to get a rep from Magic Mountain next time? Now that could be hot!

 

[Greg]

Sounds good. Looking forward to it.

Greg, can you try to get a rep from Magic Mountain next time? Now that could be hot!

I'll work on it. I'd like to be able to do this monthly, at least. It'll be a great way to keep us thinking about skiing throughout the warmer months! I potentially have a few others lined up and I'm sure that if this resource grows, others may be more inclined to participate. It'll be kind of a badge of honor. Maybe we can give them tee shirts that say "I survived the AlpineZone Challenge!"

 

[riverc0il]

i gotta say, MRG has the best snow conditions reporting hands down. i often check their site to see the real conditions in the area when i'm not even skiing MRG. they even use the R word, and i've seen reports that indicate conditions are anything but ideal.

MRG has co-op members to answer to. if they post "hyped up" conditions and co-op members drive up and don't think conditions are as indicated, they own a part of the place and can raise hell, and rightly so. although, even if MRG wasn't co-op'd, i'd like to think they'd still have the best snow conditions page around. disclaimer - i hardly ever ski MRG and it's far from my favorite area, so i don't think i'm biased in my view point.

glad to hear about the AlpineZone challenge, awesome!

 

[Bumpsis]

Maybe MRG is more honest about its conditions than other ski areas but I found them to be streching the truth every now and then. They too use "special" language to sugarcoat the truth. For instance, "edgable" is a code word for rock hard.
I found that the hard way (pun intended) and I thus downgraded their credibilty. I suppose that I was really peeved about that because I actually did trust their ski reports. As to the other areas reports, that's just polite fiction at best.
I still really like MRG and will continue to ski there but to estimate the real conditions it's best to keep a close eye on the weather, tracking snowfall and teperatures as well as sites like these for real reports.