hood staying open if 4,000 skier visits

[skiadikt]

interesting concept from the mt hood meadows website:

We operate weekends May 5-6, then daily May 8-13 while the U.S. Snowboard Team trains. Then it's the May Challenge - we'll continue operating weekends and Memorial Day into June so long as you meet the May Challenge of at least 4,000 skier visits the previous weekend (if weather and snow conditions permit).

i like the use of the word "you". laying it all on the skiers.

 

[kcyanks1]

interesting concept from the mt hood meadows website:

We operate weekends May 5-6, then daily May 8-13 while the U.S. Snowboard Team trains. Then it's the May Challenge - we'll continue operating weekends and Memorial Day into June so long as you meet the May Challenge of at least 4,000 skier visits the previous weekend (if weather and snow conditions permit).

i like the use of the word "you". laying it all on the skiers.

Mad River did a similar thing in 2001. The number was far less than 4,000, but they calculated on the homepage how much it costs them to run the lift and minimally staff the mountain, showed how many skiers it would require to get that much money, and said they'd stay open as long as enough people came. If I recall correctly, they did just close in the end on May 1st at least in part because of snow conditions rather than [only] skier visits, but it was cool to see such openness on their website. They didn't require many skiers at all to meet their target.

 

[andyzee]

I like it, except I think that number is too high. Don't think they need that many skiers to make it worthwhile. I think that if they projected a number that would allow them to at least break even it would suffice to justify staying open. The PR alone would be worth it, not to mention money earned on food, drink, etc..... Of course this target should apply to daily ticket buyers.

 

[skiadikt]

I like it, except I think that number is too high. Don't think they need that many skiers to make it worthwhile. I think that if they projected a number that would allow them to at least break even it would suffice to justify staying open. The PR alone would be worth it, not to mention money earned on food, drink, etc..... Of course this target should apply to daily ticket buyers.

don't know for sure, but i think they're talking 4000 skier days for the entire weekend, probably including season passes.

though i'm sure we'll never know the numbers, how many day tickets do you think k would have to sell to open for additional weekends.

 

[andyzee]

how many day tickets do you think k would have to sell to open for additional weekends.

No clue, ask Bubba, he pretends to know all

 

[nycskier]

It is a great idea! Wished the East Coast resorts did that. With the snow we got a lot of them would have stayed open.

On the brightside isn't Hood owned by the new owners of Killington? Do you think they might try something like that here?

 

[snoseek]

It is a great idea! Wished the East Coast resorts did that. With the snow we got a lot of them would have stayed open.

On the brightside isn't Hood owned by the new owners of Killington? Do you think they might try something like that here?

I don't know, I saw lot's of real slow days this month.

 

[nycskier]

I don't know, I saw lot's of real slow days this month.

Killington was packed the weekend of April 14 and 21! Cars where parked all the way down the access road. In fact on Sat April 14th Killington was soooo packed they had to plow the Rams Head parking lot just to accomidate the traffic. The K1 lodge was the most full I have ever seen it that weekend and the line for food at the Bay1 BBQ was sick on Sat April 21. If there is snow and the conditions are right people will come. If other resorts were open they would have got the traffic too.

 

[andyzee]

Killington was packed the weekend of April 14 and 21! Cars where parked all the way down the access road. In fact on Sat April 14th Killington was soooo packed they had to plow the Rams Head parking lot just to accomidate the traffic. The K1 lodge was the most full I have ever seen it that weekend and the line for food at the Bay1 BBQ was sick on Sat April 21. If there is snow and the conditions are right people will come. If other resorts were open they would have got the traffic too.

Do keep in mind that all the other lots were closed, hence all the people at K1

 

[snoseek]

Killington was packed the weekend of April 14 and 21! Cars where parked all the way down the access road. In fact on Sat April 14th Killington was soooo packed they had to plow the Rams Head parking lot just to accomidate the traffic. The K1 lodge was the most full I have ever seen it that weekend and the line for food at the Bay1 BBQ was sick on Sat April 21. If there is snow and the conditions are right people will come. If other resorts were open they would have got the traffic too.

yes i believe k was busy, and other areas also did well those weekends, but the midweek and last weekend have not really been busy. k is only one mountain. actually six they say.

btw- other resorts were open.

 

[nycskier]

yes i believe k was busy, and other areas also did well those weekends, but the midweek and last weekend have not really been busy. k is only one mountain. actually six they say.

btw- other resorts were open.

I just saying if there is snow and the conditions are good people will come ski (even in April and May).

In todays online world with ski message boards, online weather forcasts and mountain webcams skiers can get real realtime conditons about the ski resorts that they couldn't get 5 years ago. A skier like myself can sit in NYC in 60 degree April weather and see that there is still a lot of snow up in Vermont and good ski conditions and make a trip up I might not have made without knowing what it would be like on the mountain.

I just saying the old way of looking at late season skiing has changed and it probably makes sense for mountains to adjust their closing dates to the conditions and demand. A challenge like Hood has makes sense for everyone.

 

[skiadikt]

I just saying if there is snow and the conditions are good people will come ski (even in April and May).

In todays online world with ski message boards, online weather forcasts and mountain webcams skiers can get real realtime conditons about the ski resorts that they couldn't get 5 years ago. A skier like myself can sit in NYC in 60 degree April weather and see that there is still a lot of snow up in Vermont and good ski conditions and make a trip up I might not have made without knowing what it would be like on the mountain.

I just saying the old way of looking at late season skiing has changed and it probably makes sense for mountains to adjust their closing dates to the conditions and demand. A challenge like Hood has makes sense for everyone.

exactly. interestingly on da bush site win mentions that they had 325 diehards each day last weekend. seems like that, the weather and the snow has prompted him to open up one more weekend. here's the link

http://www.sugarbush.com/aboutus/cm.asp?pn=win'sword&pid=220

 

[snoseek]

I just saying if there is snow and the conditions are good people will come ski (even in April and May).

In todays online world with ski message boards, online weather forcasts and mountain webcams skiers can get real realtime conditons about the ski resorts that they couldn't get 5 years ago. A skier like myself can sit in NYC in 60 degree April weather and see that there is still a lot of snow up in Vermont and good ski conditions and make a trip up I might not have made without knowing what it would be like on the mountain.

I just saying the old way of looking at late season skiing has changed and it probably makes sense for mountains to adjust their closing dates to the conditions and demand. A challenge like Hood has makes sense for everyone.

last friday at sr there were never more than 10 skiers on the hill at once. i bet they sold little or no day passes. While this is one of the slowest days i've seen in a while, there have been lot's of unprofitable days (especially midweek). i really wish more folks got out there and bought tickets after march.