AZ Challenge 2011: Jessica Pezak of Hunter Mountain

[Nick]

Jessica Pezak, Marketing & Communications Manager at Hunter Mountain, 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.

Hunter Mountain Profile

2009 AZ Challenge Results
2007 AZ Challenge Results
2005 AZ Challenge Results
2004 AZ Challenge Results

 

[JimmyPete]

I need an honest answer re Hunter on the weekends. Some friends want me to go in on a Winter rental. I ski Hunter on 3-4 weekdays a year and really like it. It is only two hours from my home, but I have bad memories of weekends in the 90's and stopped going on weekends. I am a decent skier but getting too old for bumps [especially icy bumps] and crowded slopes.

 

[JimmyPete]

One other thing

Everybody I know who skied last year weekdays, hated the Music played in the base lodge. Sirius Pulse, I'm a big Sirius radio fan but even the workers would whisper what a crappy channel .

 

[180]

1. We saw a lot of glades being cleared on the West Side last Spring, what is the plan for them?
2. What is the plans for snowmaking on Clairs and West Way with Z lift being removed?
3. Are there plans for more ski runs next to K-27 or the West Side?

 

[catskillman]

1. WHY can't you do something about the floor in Colonel's Hall. Everyday (not kidding) I am in there I see at least 1 person fall in the doorway due to the floor being wet, and have done it myself. I have seen several people taken out of there in wheel chairs. This has been a problem for over 20 years.

2. What's up with the restroom's at the Summit Lodge?

3. Can you put up signs by the seasonal locker rooms saying that they are for locker holders. The squaters are a problem. We all know about the $1,000 seasonal locker room with controlled access, so don't suggest that.

4. Will Mike the greeter be back?

 

[nycskier]

The Big Lift card used to offer 1 free ticket, year long discounts AND free skiing in April.

For the last few seasons the free skiing in April option was not included in the Big Lift Card. I dont understand why that was taken awy. It was a great feature to have on the card. Any chance of adding that back to the card this season?

 

[andrec10]

The food in the summit lodge was much better last season..but:

How about those bathrooms! They are just plain nasty. Time to rip em out and start over!

How about refurbishing the entire summit lodge. It has a great stucture to start with, just seriously needs to be updated.

 

[RichT]

How about getting rid of those mechanical gates on the 6 pack, and also extend the platform a little farther out?

 

[RichT]

How come you don't play radio WRIP in the lodge?

 

[oakapple]

Does Hunter Mountain have plans to add any new trails or terrain?

 

[nycskier]

I have to give you guys credit you do run AMAZING demo days. I love that you get different ski companies in at the same time to Demo their gear.

Only I never seem to know when your big Demo days are! Twice I just happened to be at Hunter by random chance when you had the Demo Days. This year I would love to know when the Demo Days are coming so I can make sure to make it out.

Is there any way you can promote your Demo Days better? Put it on your big calander or email Big Lift Card holders and other people on your mailing list about it?

 

[catskillman]

1. Took the skyride this weekend. Great job with the deck at the top. BUT why are the restrooms locked??? How can you expect people at weddings etc to use a port a john at the top.

2. The summit lodge was open with the exception of the bathrooms. There were a lot of folks very interested in the museum, it really is great but it needs to be cleaned up a bit. The old decrepid signage (I really don't know what to call it) by the fireplace is embarassing. It has so much potential! You could even use it to encourage folks to pay to go see it.

3. Is the mountain going to do any benefit for Hurricane Irene victims? It is getting kind of late, but there is such a need still.

 

[JimmyPete]

I know many Mountains don't like to put up grooming reports because it has a tendency to increase traffic on recently groomed runs, but some places put up "Bump" signs at the top of trails that have been left bumped up to make sure that intermediates don't get in trouble. I think that would be very useful at Hunter. Simple sign at the top put up by the Ski Patrol , it allows you to make a reasoned decision before you commit.

 

[catskillman]

Why do you make everything so difficult??

One day you get sky ride tickets in the learning center, the next time it is in skier services and then another day it is at the information desk or maybe the ski shop.

At the passholder party you had to walk over to the learning center, kids in tow to pick up season passes. WHY open a second building ..... Not sure where you got skyride tickets that day.

You have to go in the ski shop to fill out an entry for the prizes at the passholder party. You have to track down someone who is not busy to hand you a form. Never any verification to see if you are a passholder.....
Why could you not have us do that when you checked us in for the party?

By the way a lot of negativity on the party going around. No free dricnks for the 1st time in about 20 years. Not even soda for the kids!! The prizes?? 20% off hotel nights - what passholder needs that? Noone!!

 

[izzy]

The food in the summit lodge was much better last season..but:

How about those bathrooms! They are just plain nasty. Time to rip em out and start over!

How about refurbishing the entire summit lodge. It has a great stucture to start with, just seriously needs to be updated.

I agree........................bathrooms are almost against health code on weekends and upgrading them would benefit the mountain with a higher level of clientel if some improvments are made.

 

[Daniel]

1. I currently don't see any torchlight parades on the 2011-2012 schedule? Will there be a torchlight parade this season?

2. Historically speaking, what weekend is the busiest at Hunter?

3. On mountain entertainment is satisfactory (B- Grade) at Hunter, is there a way to keep the party going past 7pm? More off mountain activities post mountain hours, maybe affiliations with local businesses? Show a lift ticket get a free drink at a local bar (slopes)? Maybe have a ladies weekend? Ladies get reduced pricing on select services, get the girls and you know the boys will be there.

 

[catskillman]

What is the status of the west side quad? The word on the street is that it is running behind and that you may have to open with with Y lift. It is understood that Y&Z were condemmed by the state and you only have until Dec 31, 2011 to run it. We all know Z should have been shut down years ago.... Can this possibly be true???