AZ Challenge 2011: Darcy Morse of Sunday River

[Nick]

Darcy Morse, Director of Communications at Sunday River, has agreed to participate in the 2011 AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge!

The AlpineZone Challenge is your chance to offer up questions, suggestions or praise to the people who run the mountains in the northeast. For more information on the challenge itself, please see the stickied post at the top of the forum.

We will pick ten of the questions asked here and submit them for review and response, and post them in the Challenge area when complete!

Caveats: we may edit/change your question for grammar, tone, or something similar. Questions may be merged. If we don't get to all the questions, we will encourage followup from the representatives, but no promises.

Please be respectful as well to those answering questions - please refrain from asking specifics about skier visit numbers, financials, demographic information, etc. as these may be confidential to the mountain.

Also: in recent years, Boyne has participated at a company level. I am pursuing Boyne for other resorts but this challenge is strictly related to Sunday River. Thanks!

Sunday River Profile

2009 AZ Challenge Results (under Boyne)
2007 AZ Challenge Results (under Boyne)
2006 AZ Challenge Results
2005 AZ Challenge Results
2004 AZ Challenge Results

 

[deadheadskier]

Any plans in the near future to replace the Tempest Quad? I think White Cap is the best place for a day trip skier to start their day at Sunday River. It's the first base area you get to and unlike Barker, it has almost level parking. My only gripe? The long slow Tempest Quad ride to get out of there and access the rest of the mountain. Whitecap base seems underutilized to me. I think the Tempest Quad is a big reason why.

 

[Vortex]

What grooming and snow making improvements/ upgrades have taken place recently? Start the guns early again Please.
Thanks for taking the challenge.

 

[MonkeyBrook]

Thanks for agreeing to take our questions SR and Darcy:

1) Are there any immediate plans for rennovations of the South Ridge and White Cap Base lodges. I think everyone who skis at SR on a regular basis would suggest some improvements. Little things like paint and carpet and carpet would go a long way.

2) Any thoughts or plans to add some sort of warming hut / bathroom out towards Jordan. Outside of North Peak...there is no where really to stop to use rest rooms without shuffling through the Jordan Hotel

3) How is the "Vision Plan" progressing? Will updates be posted somewhere for the general public to see?

4) It is obvious the SR Ski and Snowboard Club is scaling up their efforrts, would you mind giving the mt's perspective on the clubs goals, your vision for a unified alpine, freestyle program, etc?

Thanks again

MB

 

[MassBoarder]

Hi Darcy.

Earlier this summer, I read on the Sunday River message board that a '10 year plan' (similar in detail and scope to the Sugarloaf 2020 road map) would be released before the end of the summer. But, I haven't seen an update on if/when such a road-map would be released since this initial post. Could you provide an update on this? Thanks.

 

[Watatic Skier]

Are there any chances that some more low-angle moguls will be added this year? Whenever I was there it was kind of hard to practice moguls because most were on steeper trails. IMO even 3D is a bit steep, would you guys ever consider seeding moguls on Spectator under the Southridge quad or Upper Sundance where the double used to run? Would be a great way to introduce people to moguls and maybe have the accessable at night.

 

[thetrailboss]

Hi Darcy.

Thanks for adjusting the price for the night skiing tickets. I recall that the first season it was too expensive for us to consider but the current price looks reasonable. Are there any plans to expand nightskiing to any other terrain? Do you have a night race league (beer league)? Any thoughts about starting one up? The programs at Pats Peak and other places is quite popular.

Also what is the plan for future lift improvements? Any plan to replace the Tempest with a faster lift to help encourage people to use White Cap Base Area?

And a comment: many thanks for your commitment to opening the ski season as early as you can. I was one of the many who made the trek last season for one of your pre-season weekends and it was well worth it.

 

[thetrailboss]

And good call on bathrooms in Jordan Bowl. Even a small facility would be perfect.

 

[Newpylong]

Any plans in the near future to replace the Tempest Quad? I think White Cap is the best place for a day trip skier to start their day at Sunday River. It's the first base area you get to and unlike Barker, it has almost level parking. My only gripe? The long slow Tempest Quad ride to get out of there and access the rest of the mountain. Whitecap base seems underutilized to me. I think the Tempest Quad is a big reason why.

Agreed! White Heat Quad is good as-is, only serves 4 trails. Tempest Quad could use an upgrade,

White Cap is definitely underutilized, I love that Mountain...

 

[Razor]

+1 on speeding up the Tempest lift. We own at the Summit, and it's a pain to start every day with a loooong, sloooow and often freezing trip up. Just to slide down to Barker for another lift ride. It would also be nice if the Tempest lift were extended up enough to allow one to directly reach the base of Spruce lift. Plus we never ski over by White Cap because that forces you to use the Tempest lift. Kind of a waste of some decent terrain.

 

[Johnskiismore]

Don't mean to repeat what others have said, but I would also love an upgrade to the Tempest lift. A lot of nice terrain is accessed but man the speed of the lift kills me.

That's my only gripe! Keep up the good work opening early, see you in October!

 

[snowmonster]

Hi Darcy.

1) Are there any plans to make Jordan Bowl more day-tripper friendly? I don't think management likes the idea of a bunch of folks turning the Jordan Grand's lobby into one big day lodge. However, Jordan has great terrain and it's a shame that the only alternatives are to boot up in the car or ski out of South Ridge/Barker/White Cap.

2) Thanks for expanding Blind Ambition and allowing us to add the Corner Store. Are there any other glade expansions in the works?

3) Given the number of people going in and out of the lodges with so much gear just sitting in cubby holes, are there plans to expand the complimentary bag check at SR? Are there plans to start similar bag checks at Barker and White Cap?

By the way, I heard that Cho Sun will be operating a stall in the food court this year. Thank you! As a person of Asian descent, I have to have my rice fix every day. This probably means that I don't have to brown bag as much as I used to.

 

[Razor]

Darcy, any chance of cutting out a small exit from Last Tango to come out under the Spruce lift? You can exit there now, but it requires some bush whacking. Something like the arrows that were installed at the bottom skier's left of Last Tango at the end of last season might work.

 

[Gnarcissaro]

.....allowing us to add the Corner Store.

Did the resort absorb this prized stash? Not sure how I feel about this.

I'll look at it as a positive until I see otherwise. Just hope it doesn't end up looking like the top of Flying Monkey. :-(

And I'll echo others sentiments on the Tempest Chair, a major drawback to skiing or staying on that side of the mountain.

Darcy, any chance of cutting out a small exit from Last Tango to come out under the Spruce lift?

When it was originally cut, it had one that came out around the second or third tower. Maybe it has grown in and just needs to be re-trimmed.

Any other glade maintenance going on around SR besides Blind Ambition? I remember in recent seasons past, many downed trees and new growth remaining there and clogging up lines. Chutzpah and Last Tango come to mind.

 

[snowmonster]

Did the resort absorb this prized stash? Not sure how I feel about this.

I don't think it's on the trail map (yet). However, I do appreciate management organizing a trimming crew last year.

 

[cannonist]

Not to repeat... and I know the tempest lift has been brought up, but what are your future plans (if any do exist) for lift replacements. What will come first?

 

[AndyEich]

Hi Darcy--
As you may have noticed above, everybody calls it the "Tempest lift." Wouldn't it be a great idea to change the official name to match?
Thanks!

 

[Gnarcissaro]

Hi Darcy--
As you may have noticed above, everybody calls it the "Tempest lift." Wouldn't it be a great idea to change the official name to match?
Thanks!

Ha, OK you're right. White Cap Quad!! Replace it, please. But when on mountain, I've always called it "Tempest chair."

 

[Black Phantom]

Will you have any new healthy additions to your menu? Are/will you be using locally sourced meat and produce?

 

[bigbog]

Hi Darcy,
Any chance of a Maine resident day, or maybe ½ day...(Maybe at some point in the season..:idea