By Popular Demand: MOUNT SNOW: The 2007 AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge

[thetrailboss]

Chris Lenois, the Communications Manager of Mount Snow Resort has agreed to take the 2007 Alpine Zone 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 responses.

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 threads. :wink:

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

We are honored to have Mount Snow and Chris join us for their SECOND AZ Challenge!!! Please take advantage of this special opportunity!


Ask away!

Mount Snow’s Profile

Previous Snow Responses:

2006 Responses.

 

[darent]

chris
thanks for the great skiing,the wife and I both enjoy Mt Snow, We both came up with the same suggestion, Bathroom facilities, baskets that fit gloves and such, little shelves don"t hold much, stalls would be nice with more than one hook,I think a majority of skiers use a helmet . must praise the free basket check, good move. drew arent

 

[snoseek]

I realize this is a very broad question, but what kind of changes can we expect in day to day operations at mount snow with new ownership?

 

[maplevalleymaster]

Can we expect a replacement of the Summit Express soon? I recall reading that the reason you are not going to replace the Summit Local because it can run during high winds. However, I have been a passholder for five years and only remember it closing once for wind. Will it be a six pack, gondola, or are you still undecided.

 

[drjeff]

Chris, what are you planing on doing to top your "boring" first year as communications director at Mount Snow?

Seriously though, any idea on when prices for kids programs will come out, and will there be any major changes in the kids programs under Peak Resorts??

Also, any idea about when the pass holders meeting with the new mgt. might happen? (Brewfest weekend maybe???)

 

[Talisman]

Chris I am interested in what the impact of Mt Snow's new approach to snow making will be on some of the 'character' trails such as Ledge, Challenger, Jaws, Choke or Uncle's? While I realize that many skiers and riders like wide open cruisers there are some who enjoy the quiet challenge of a narrow trail classic New England style trail.

 

[Vinny]

Chris, I think the switch to Peak Resorts is going to be a very welcome change. Hopefully the planned changes should keep you extra busy this year with lots of positive updates.

Here are a few questions:

Most important is the Somerset Reservoir status. Everything sounds like it's going very well, but with these types of issues "it ain't over 'til it's over". How confident are you that this will be resolved in time for snowmaking at the beginning of this season?

Related to the above, will Peak Resorts start installing the new technology snow guns before the reservoir deal is finalized or do they need to wait until the reservoir deal is finalized?

It appears that there will be many improvements to the base facilities. (Can you hear the cheers?) Can you give us any specifics?

Any plans, this year or in the near future, to add some type of wind breaks at the top?

 

[thetrailboss]

Very good questions thus far. Keep them coming! :beer:

 

[roark]

What, if any, are the plans to help deal with wind at the peak. Have you considered wind barriers or some reforestation?

 

[Greg]

Has staff morale changed in any way since the purchase of Mount Snow by Peak Resorts? What's the overall vibe up at the mountain?

Please describe one best and one worst thing that ASC did for/to Mount Snow?

Any word on the approach to an early opening next season? In the recent Attitash press release, it was stated that their goal is to open mid-November and no closing date will be set. Will Mount Snow be following a similar approach? You guys did a great job last season with the opening despite the challenging start via downloading on the Canyon quad. Is there any chance that approach may be followed this season to work towards an early November opening? It would certainly be impressive if Mount Snow can be the first to open!

 

[thebigo]

Your new parent company, Peaks, has a signifigant preference for fan guns over traditional guns. I have read elsewhere that fan guns are preferable over a wide range of temperatures but are actually less efficient at optimal temperatures. They also carry a signifigant expense.

What are the advantages of fan guns and does the expense justify the advantages?

Do fan guns, in general, help lengthen the season? How about snow quantity as a function of operating expense? Snow quality?

 

[Euler]

Learning Terrain Parks

I thought moving the tubing hill to Ski Baba and placing the jiblet mini park under the lights in the Mixing Bowl area was a great idea last year. I think it'd still be nice, though, to have a mini park back where Grommet was two years ago at the Sundance base area. My kids both want to mess around in a park, but I'm usually reluctant to get totally off the main hill and go over to the Mixing Bowl. If there were a beginners park on the main hill somewhere families could ski the hill and let the kids go through the park at the bottom.

 

[tree_skier]

any chance of bringing a palmer cross type terrian park back. Key features were rolls, banks, small and mid sized jumps without rail (those of use who like our skis don't hit rails) and a course that lended itself to a continued flow down the hill rather then the hit a feature and stop, line up and wait etc in un blanco gulch and the monster features of inferno.

 

[Newpylong]

After much debate both at the Passholder's meeting during the season, and on the All4one website, has there been any progress on the placement of the new park on Nitro for next year? If this is going to happen, has mountain ops talked about making snow on Upper Titanium to relieve congestion? Will the park over on the Canyon continue or be moved if this happens?


Thank you

 

[powhunter]

Beartrap is one of my favorite mogul runs!!!! What about a seeded bump run on the main face??

steve

 

[maplevalleymaster]

Chris, thanks for taking the AZ challenge!

Why did you move your tubing park to Carinthia? I would have said having the tubing park at Mixing bowl is a better location due to the closeness of the Grand Summit Hotel and the base lodge. Now, people have to drigve over to Carinthia to go tubing. Also, night tubing is a popular activity and you are unable to do this at Carinthia.

What was the result of the, "Name the Park" contest? I never head anything about it.

 

[Talisman]

At Carinthia there are the remains of an old colonial era iron mine visible from the Nitro Express in the woods to the right side of the chair riding up. Are there other old mine shafts located at Mt Snow? Other than the mine themed trail names what plans does Mt Snow have to celebrate the mining histroy of the mountain?

 

[Greg]

Any word on the approach to an early opening next season? In the recent Attitash press release, it was stated that their goal is to open mid-November and no closing date will be set. Will Mount Snow be following a similar approach? You guys did a great job last season with the opening despite the challenging start via downloading on the Canyon quad. Is there any chance that approach may be followed this season to work towards an early November opening? It would certainly be impressive if Mount Snow can be the first to open!

Sort of an addendum to this question. With Killington officially announcing that their season is scheduled for mid-Nov until mid-April, does this give you guys any more incentive to strive to become the new early/late season player? Obviously early season is harder to control, but I would think it's possible to hammer Chute, Upper Canyon and River Run with snowmaking all winter and keep that loop open late with downloading on the Canyon quad. Thoughts?

 

[thetrailboss]

OK. We're all set here...closing this now.