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Jack Frost 2022
- Thread starter gittist
- Start date
PAabe
Active member
Jackson Frost trip reports are regularly added here:
www.paskiandride.com
Jack Frost & Big Boulder
Jack Frost & Big Boulder, located in Blakeslee & Lake Harmony
www.paskiandride.com
PAabe
Active member
All I remember reading re: lodge is vax card may or may not be required to enter lodge depending on how many extra Roundtop or Liberty employees they have relocated there that day
So we took the risk and drove the 1.5 hours to Jack Frost. The atmosphere was much better than what we experienced at the Vail ski area that is on the other side of the Susqhehanna the day before.
Keep in mind that we visited on a WEEKDAY. Weekends are a totally different story.
Upon arrival we were enthusiastically greeted with a hello, how may I help you and good information.
JF has split the main lodge into two. The passage right after the food court and before the rest rooms on the way to customer service has been blocked off. To what end no one seemed to know.
The only way in is through gate control which is at the slope-side door where you’ll be greeted by two older ladies armed with tazers (just kidding) that will ask for your vaccination card. If you have one you’re free to enter and go anywhere. Those with season passes get a sticker on your pass. If you don’t have a vaccination card I think you’ll be told that your only food options are upstairs at the $it down. I don’t know if there are toilets upstairs. If there aren’t any you’ll have to exit the building and go in by the customer service door.
For those who need to change into ski clothes you’ll need to do it in the smaller original bathrooms with wet floors of questionable origins or go outside and back into the other half of the building to use the larger bathrooms.
There are less tables than pre-covid but now people won't be tripping over each other as much.
Now for the not so good. In line with Vail Resorts policy for a “great customer experience” they have removed all of the cubby holes for bags, there is a big sign when entering that forbids any bags in the building, eliminated the wi-fi and the general feeling we got seems to be similar to the feeling you’d get right after being told to ‘have a nice day’ as the police person gives you an expensive speeding ticket.
We understand the no-bags on or under the tables on weekends and holidays when it’s crazy but no bags and no dry place to change is XXX!
At this point we’ve canceled four New Hampshire trips to ski at Vail properties (two last year and two this year) and avoided ALL Vail owned Pennsylvania properties last year. I’ve been a Vail season pass holder for several years but I think that will be ending with this season.
The skiing was actually decent considering the weather we’ve had this year.
Keep in mind that we visited on a WEEKDAY. Weekends are a totally different story.
Upon arrival we were enthusiastically greeted with a hello, how may I help you and good information.
JF has split the main lodge into two. The passage right after the food court and before the rest rooms on the way to customer service has been blocked off. To what end no one seemed to know.
The only way in is through gate control which is at the slope-side door where you’ll be greeted by two older ladies armed with tazers (just kidding) that will ask for your vaccination card. If you have one you’re free to enter and go anywhere. Those with season passes get a sticker on your pass. If you don’t have a vaccination card I think you’ll be told that your only food options are upstairs at the $it down. I don’t know if there are toilets upstairs. If there aren’t any you’ll have to exit the building and go in by the customer service door.
For those who need to change into ski clothes you’ll need to do it in the smaller original bathrooms with wet floors of questionable origins or go outside and back into the other half of the building to use the larger bathrooms.
There are less tables than pre-covid but now people won't be tripping over each other as much.
Now for the not so good. In line with Vail Resorts policy for a “great customer experience” they have removed all of the cubby holes for bags, there is a big sign when entering that forbids any bags in the building, eliminated the wi-fi and the general feeling we got seems to be similar to the feeling you’d get right after being told to ‘have a nice day’ as the police person gives you an expensive speeding ticket.
We understand the no-bags on or under the tables on weekends and holidays when it’s crazy but no bags and no dry place to change is XXX!
At this point we’ve canceled four New Hampshire trips to ski at Vail properties (two last year and two this year) and avoided ALL Vail owned Pennsylvania properties last year. I’ve been a Vail season pass holder for several years but I think that will be ending with this season.
The skiing was actually decent considering the weather we’ve had this year.
jimmywilson69
Well-known member
where did you ski the day before?
I didn't ski at all. The doors to the lodge were locked upon arrival so I couldn't change. When we found someone we were told that my wife 'Probably couldn't stay in the lodge longer than 15 minutes" so we went home. I'm not sure I want to say where it was.
One other point I failed to mention about Jack Frost is that their lifts are really slow, at least on a weekday.
One other point I failed to mention about Jack Frost is that their lifts are really slow, at least on a weekday.
trackbiker
Active member
Under Peaks JF had a free bag check. They did accept tips and I gladly tipped them well for the convenience and keeping all the bags off of the tables and chairs.
Skied Shawnee today. Lodge is like normal. Booted up inside. Plenty of room over lockers or on shelves upstairs in the lodge for bags. Grooming and lifts were excellent. Vail sucks.
PAabe
Active member
Shawnee is nice. Terrain isn't anything epic but it's the best-run ski operation in the poconos IMO
Why wouldn't you want to say where?
jimmywilson69
Well-known member
Yeah weird I'm guessing it was roundtop but technically all 3 of the southern resorts are on the otherside of the Susquehanna
I have no idea what the lodge situation is at Roundtop as I never use it so I'm curious
I have no idea what the lodge situation is at Roundtop as I never use it so I'm curious
The following is from: https://www.snow.com/projects/epic-lift-upgrades
JFBB Pennsylvania Lift Upgrades
The replacement and consolidation of multiple lifts at both resorts will improve reliability and enhance the overall guest experience. Jack Frost will receive three new fixed-grip 4-person chairs (one to replace the B & C lifts, another to replace the E & F lifts, and the third to replace the East 1&2 doubles) and Big Boulder will receive two fixed-grip 4-person chairs to replace the Merry Widow 1 & 1 doubles and the Edelweiss Triple.
I hope new lifts mean a quicker trip to the top (Jack Frost)! I often wonder if they slow the lifts down during the weekdays to save money or are they always that slow?
Twice there this year is enough. The snow is usually pretty good but I get frustrated with the slow ride to the top. I go there b/c it's the closest and I want to get some use of my pass.
JFBB Pennsylvania Lift Upgrades
The replacement and consolidation of multiple lifts at both resorts will improve reliability and enhance the overall guest experience. Jack Frost will receive three new fixed-grip 4-person chairs (one to replace the B & C lifts, another to replace the E & F lifts, and the third to replace the East 1&2 doubles) and Big Boulder will receive two fixed-grip 4-person chairs to replace the Merry Widow 1 & 1 doubles and the Edelweiss Triple.
I hope new lifts mean a quicker trip to the top (Jack Frost)! I often wonder if they slow the lifts down during the weekdays to save money or are they always that slow?
Twice there this year is enough. The snow is usually pretty good but I get frustrated with the slow ride to the top. I go there b/c it's the closest and I want to get some use of my pass.
IceEidolon
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Doubles are allowed to run faster than fixed grip quads, but operationally any lift can be slowed down. Having larger, newer lifts should help with lines on off-peak days at least.
The 'improvements' may make mid week skiing worse then :-(. JF has has 3 (I think) double double lifts and they only run 1/2 half of the double during the week (if that section is even running) and generally if they don' t have the cattle fences up you can ski right up to where you sit down (at least for the lifts that serve the more advanced trails).
If the lifts were any slower they could put food kiosks on the lift towers, order at #1, pick up at # 2....
I hope they don't run the fixed grip quads at the same speed or slower than they do the doubles now unless they have infight services, wifi, free drinks, meals and a wake up call
right before arrival at top . Heated seats would be nice though!
Last edited:
PAabe
Active member
Most of those lifts have been overhauled by Partek quite recently I think, note the modern Partek-style chairs
B, C are triples so that is a definite reduction in capacity
The rest are double-doubles but double pairs have greater speed and capacity than a single quad.
Vail out here spending millions to be reducing lift capacity when if social media and forum posts are to be believed the place is swamped, just so that they can save $12/hr or whatever they pay in the poconos on a couple less lift operators.
B, C are triples so that is a definite reduction in capacity
The rest are double-doubles but double pairs have greater speed and capacity than a single quad.
Vail out here spending millions to be reducing lift capacity when if social media and forum posts are to be believed the place is swamped, just so that they can save $12/hr or whatever they pay in the poconos on a couple less lift operators.
PAabe
Active member
Well at least they are keeping D lifts I&II, that is a good quality recently-installed Partek double pair
Shawnee guy on Storm Skiing said they ultimately want to replace their Partek double-double (2001) I was kind of surprised, that lift is in great shape and is their 2nd newest lift, guy said it's a great lift, people like quads. Welp.
Shawnee guy on Storm Skiing said they ultimately want to replace their Partek double-double (2001) I was kind of surprised, that lift is in great shape and is their 2nd newest lift, guy said it's a great lift, people like quads. Welp.
Greaaaat
. I think that last time I rode the D lift was 5 years or so ago. Those Partex seats are pretty darn cold on your backside.PAabe
Active member
Shawnee put new pads on all their Partek chairs, they are actually pretty comfortable now although I will say the bare plastic seat without a pad is definitely not comfortableGreaaaat
Must be yet another supply issue though, Shawnee's lifts are all blue, blue seats, but the replacement seatbacks and pads are black. Some chairs on the quad even have half blue half black seatbacks combo. Doesn't look that bad, just interesting they didnt get blue
PAabe
Active member
Well I kind of get a kick out of seeing Partek lifts around because to my knowledge they are the only US-owned lift manufacturer left, they are local (Pine Island NY) and they look kind of cool or at least have a much different style
crystalmountainskier
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Skytrac, builder of the upcoming JFBB lifts, is a US manufacturer but not US owned.
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