Killington Cluster F - 12/13/2008

[Geoff]

You'd think the resort would try to present a reasonable product on the day they're celebrating their 50th. At 8:20 when I pulled in the parking lot, the only lifts operating were the Snowdon Quad, the Glades Triple, and Rams Head. The line on the Snowdon Quad was staggeringly long by 9:00. The K1 finally started running around noon and the line there was probably the 2nd longest I'd ever seen. The longest was a Mogul Challenge Saturday where it dumped a couple of feet and they had no other lifts running on Main Mountain.

Killington exhibited this behavior last year after the ice storms. They're so short-staffed and cheap with their labor that it takes them forever to get lifts running. I really hope this makes the press since it's such a public embarassment.

I heard a lot of complaints about the grooming. Things were very firm and I hit some golf balls but I've seen worse.

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Killington exhibited this behavior last year after the ice storms. They're so short-staffed and cheap with their labor that it takes them forever to get lifts running. I really hope this makes the press since it's such a public embarassment.

.

I can see the Headlines:

800,000 without power in the Northeast
Governors declare state of emergency
Killington, VT
Amidst the minor inconveniences faced by millions in the Northeast, some patrons of Killington resort faced life-threatening delays while workers struggled with the simple task of getting lifts running. These patron's lives further endanged as they were forced to endure sub-par conditions.

 

[millerm277]

To be fair...Mt. Snow, according to their OWN website, didn't get their main lifts running until 11:30. However, their website made that very clear that it would be the case, instead of pretending like nothing is wrong as K's site is.

 

[andyzee]

I had a good time at K today.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

You have to cut them some slack..there was just an ice storm..my home mountain is under new ownership and it's not being run as well as it used to and it bothers me as well..especially things like garbage under the lifts and stuff..

 

[Moe Ghoul]

I had a good time at K today.

No you didn't, you just wanna feel like it wasn't a wasted ride up there....ROFLMAO!!!!

 

[andyzee]

No you didn't, you just wanna feel like it wasn't a wasted ride up there....ROFLMAO!!!!

No, I had a good time. Lifts were closed and as a result, lines were long, but moved fairly fast. Main thing, my wife has been working her way back after her broken ankle last season. She did really well today, tomorrow will be warmer, snow will be softer, we'll have even a better time. With regards to a wasted ride, no such thing. We could have drove up here had an awful time skiing, but it's still nice getting out with my honey and taking a ride up north.

 

[drjeff]

To be fair...Mt. Snow, according to their OWN website, didn't get their main lifts running until 11:30. However, their website made that very clear that it would be the case, instead of pretending like nothing is wrong as K's site is.

Mount Snow got A major lift running by 11ish(Canyon Quad) and that took a HUGE effort. Probably going to be lower mountain only at Mount Snow for a day or too more. This was one NASTY ice storm if you were in the ice band.

Kudos to MS groomers though, the only golf balls I saw today was on TV!

 

[ALLSKIING]

I can see the Headlines:

800,000 without power in the Northeast
Governors declare state of emergency
Killington, VT
Amidst the minor inconveniences faced by millions in the Northeast, some patrons of Killington resort faced life-threatening delays while workers struggled with the simple task of getting lifts running. These patron's lives further endanged as they were forced to endure sub-par conditions.

You have to cut them some slack..there was just an ice storm..my home mountain is under new ownership and it's not being run as well as it used to and it bothers me as well..especially things like garbage under the lifts and stuff..

I normally don't bash K but the mountain was closed all day on friday and had the whole time to work on the lifts. On top of that they are not blowing any snow. I thought the product was really bad today they should have put a few guns on to top coat things.

 

[millerm277]

I normally don't bash K but the mountain was closed all day on friday and had the whole time to work on the lifts. On top of that they are not blowing any snow. I thought the product was really bad today they should have put a few guns on to top coat things.

Supposedly they've been blowing snow on the backside of Skye in preparation for the opening....that is no excuse for leaving existing terrain alone though.

 

[thetrailboss]

You'd think the resort would try to present a reasonable product on the day they're celebrating their 50th. At 8:20 when I pulled in the parking lot, the only lifts operating were the Snowdon Quad, the Glades Triple, and Rams Head. The line on the Snowdon Quad was staggeringly long by 9:00. The K1 finally started running around noon and the line there was probably the 2nd longest I'd ever seen. The longest was a Mogul Challenge Saturday where it dumped a couple of feet and they had no other lifts running on Main Mountain.

Killington exhibited this behavior last year after the ice storms. They're so short-staffed and cheap with their labor that it takes them forever to get lifts running. I really hope this makes the press since it's such a public embarassment.

I heard a lot of complaints about the grooming. Things were very firm and I hit some golf balls but I've seen worse.

Before you complain, do you have any sense as to what kind of work it is to get a lift de-iced? Last year at Sugarbush, Mt. Ellen was closed for like 3 or 4 days. They have to chip that ice off by hand some times.

I know it sucks. I know it was bad timing, but nothing could be done about it. I will give you that there were fewer people to chip out the lifts, and I've heard reports that the grooming was less than stellar. It takes some time to recover though after such an ice storm. I think that they need to be cut some slack...some places didn't open today because they didn't have power. At least you skied...some folks had no heat or power last night and slept in a shelter.

 

[JD]

Before you complain, do you have any sense as to what kind of work it is to get a lift de-iced? Last year at Sugarbush, Mt. Ellen was closed for like 3 or 4 days. They have to chip that ice off by hand some times.

I know it sucks. I know it was bad timing, but nothing could be done about it. Cut them some slack...some places didn't open today because they didn't have power. At least you skied...some folks had no heat or power last night and slept in a shelter.

Another reason lifts suck.

 

[RootDKJ]

What's the risk in just running the lift during the ice storm, so the moving parts don't freeze over?

 

[thetrailboss]

What's the risk in just running the lift during the ice storm, so the moving parts don't freeze over?

They have to run the high speed detach lifts in icing events....at least what the lift manufacturers recommend they do. So at Burke last season they ran the Sherburne HSQ all night a few times. It prevents the line and grips from icing up. That said, the ice can raise hell with the lines and the derailers/chairs not gripping on the line.

Where is Jonni to explain?????? He is much more knowledgable. It sounds as if Killington took the gondi cars off but did not run the Superstar.

 

[Moe Ghoul]

I doubt the poobahs at Kmart sat around and came up with a plan to f it up. Ice storms have unforeseen consequences. And there's so many other reasons to beat up on Kmart.

 

[skiadikt]

perhaps they should be cut some slack for the lifts but you'd think it being the 50th with a big crowd expected they'd pull out all the stops. it was powdr's chance to shine and they spit the bit royally. sounds like the grooming ranged from mediocre to terrible. no excuse given they had a full 24 hrs to get ready. looks like they gave most of those 2000 medalion buyers no reason to come back.

 

[Geoff]

Before you complain, do you have any sense as to what kind of work it is to get a lift de-iced?

I sure do. ...but the icing at Killington was not anywhere that severe.

I know it sucks. I know it was bad timing, but nothing could be done about it. I will give you that there were fewer people to chip out the lifts, and I've heard reports that the grooming was less than stellar. It takes some time to recover though after such an ice storm. I think that they need to be cut some slack...some places didn't open today because they didn't have power. At least you skied...some folks had no heat or power last night and slept in a shelter.

There are no homeless people sleeping in shelters here. If you have a problem with discussions about ski area operations and want to discuss f'ing homeless people, go find some political forum. This was a ski forum last time I checked. Killington performed poorly. They deserve to be scolded for it.

My whole point here is that Killington is operating on a skeleton staff compared to previous years. They lost a huge number of employees with institutional knowledge of how to operate the resort. It really shows in times of duress. Recall that they screwed up with snowmaking on Double Dipper a week-ish ago and destroyed the snowmaking line on the trail due to a slide. You think that maybe that was preventable? They absolutely cannot perform well when the resort is stressed. We saw this over and over and over last winter since Killington had the most ice storms I can remember in my 30-ish years at the place. In my opinion, these owners are penny-wise, pound-foolish with their tight-reined operating policy. They simply don't have enough ops staff. The resulting bleed from their traditional customer base has been incredible. It's far easier and cheaper to retain customers than to try to win new ones. Saturday wasn't particulary useful for customer retention.

 

[skiadikt]

I sure do. ...but the icing at Killington was not anywhere that severe.

My whole point here is that Killington is operating on a skeleton staff compared to previous years. They lost a huge number of employees with institutional knowledge of how to operate the resort. It really shows in times of duress. Recall that they screwed up with snowmaking on Double Dipper a week-ish ago and destroyed the snowmaking line on the trail due to a slide. You think that maybe that was preventable? They absolutely cannot perform well when the resort is stressed. We saw this over and over and over last winter since Killington had the most ice storms I can remember in my 30-ish years at the place. In my opinion, these owners are penny-wise, pound-foolish with their tight-reined operating policy. They simply don't have enough ops staff. The resulting bleed from their traditional customer base has been incredible. It's far easier and cheaper to retain customers than to try to win new ones. Saturday wasn't particulary useful for customer retention.

amen. certainly running a ski resort is not one of their strong suits. they can't open lifts. their grooming after a thaw/freeze sux. and they're two for two in damaging snowmaking slides. doesn't leave much they can do right. and these clowns want to build a village. lord help us ...

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Another reason lifts suck.

True dat. That being said, de-icing skins can be a biznitch.

It does sound like K-mart is screwing the pooch, but I can't speak to that, as I haven't been there since the sale.

My home area is still closed. My parents are still without power, there's now power anywhere for at least three towns in all directions and they'd likely be staying with us or in a shelter if it wasn't for a lot of firewood and a 6KW generator I took up to them Friday night.

When you look at the extent of the damage from this storm, hearing complaints about K-mart sounds rather like listening to someone in New Orleans complaining that they took too long to open the bars after Katrina hit.:wink:

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

was at MRG late last season and the they were running the single all night as ice was expected...even with it running, it still froze in place, mtn was closed the next day...