One resort needs to step up to the plate!

[Treeskier]

I just do not get it. Here we are at another beautiful weekend and there is still snow in the hills. But no New England resort is open. Lots of resort will re-open in a month to offer chair rides and MT biking for a few tickets. But right now there is a need. Last Friday every chair at Killington had people on it. Sugarbush had 370+ people show up each day to ski. But now no one is open.

I've been told it is time to hike. I even hiked Monday. But I am sorry 1 or 3 runs in a day is not 20+ runs on a good lift accessed day. Plus the bumps get really fun with lots of people skiing them.

It's been said that there is no real demand at this time of the year. But Dubie in the middle of a desert built a ski area inside because there is a need. Why do you think South America ski areas survive.

So here is my suggestion. Like A basin, Snowbird, Mt Hood and Whistler in the other regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Let get the NE resort together and pick one resort to be open in the "Spring/Summer season" Have winter season run till the first weekend in May (season passes good through then) Then start the new season. Charge lift tickets to all who ski. yes even winter employees who are are paying to go to other resorts that are open and theirs is not. (or have an add on to your season pass) Blow that extras snow to make it last. Now in this new season do not offer all the amenities you would expect in the winter. No or very little food service. Keep your staff down. Keep the big lodges closed or with limited access. Keep the bars open and make that extra $$ there.

So please one New England area with steeps and bump.....JUST BE OPEN!

 

[AHM]

Hike more, go faster................

GS: just keep hikin' and you'll find you can actually log a whole lot of verts, just ask Andy, he seems to be able to get 35 k of earn your own. Its time you try it, you guys are the same age, kinda look the same (well Andy does have a beard). Real skiing uses human power...........

 

[wa-loaf]

I'd say the candidates are:
Sugarloaf
Sugarbush
Killington and
Wildcat

 

[ckofer]

I suppose even if you could sell some tickets, it would be tough to keep a reliable staff around based on maybe working for a few more days.

 

[Newpylong]

Not enough snow left at Wildcat.. and you would need to walk at the Bush to get to what snow is left.

Killington could Superstar another weekend. Sugarloaf I am sure has plenttyyyyy left.

 

[threecy]

You're going for an even more limited market than the ski industry normally goes for...most ski areas make their money off families...kids have spring sports now and soon summer camps. It may seem to be worthwhile, but it's a large investment in snowmaking to go that much further - especially with the risk of having a rainy May or June.

 

[ckofer]

It would be cool if Killington would put together a concert/party/skiing event on Superstar. I remember going up (but not competing in) to the triathelons they had. What a hoot! Skiing and mountain biking - same day same mountain.

The key would be to make it fun for non-skiers too. They've got the parking, buildings, etc.

 

[snoseek]

You're going for an even more limited market than the ski industry normally goes for...most ski areas make their money off families...kids have spring sports now and soon summer camps. It may seem to be worthwhile, but it's a large investment in snowmaking to go that much further - especially with the risk of having a rainy May or June.

i agree about the weather. remember last year (endless rain). however if you have the snow and your the only ones open, it could be slightly profitable. I would pay extra $$ to ski at the loaf this weekend, i'm probably not the only one.

cool temps, sunny skies, lot's of snow still i'm sure.


btw... i really can't stand superstar, i wish they had a more interesting choice.

 

[riverc0il]

You guys are dreaming. There just isn't the demand. We got late season all the way until the end of April this year, so we should be happy about that. If ski areas could make a profit skiing in May, I am sure they would go for it. But the trend is to have a shorter season, not a longer season. This year was very abnormal due to the April dumps. At the end of March, it looked like most resorts were going to be closing earlier than expected rather than extending the season.

The lifts are closed but there is still skiing. The choice is yours. There is no right choice or wrong choice. But if enough people were desperate enough and willing to hike for turns, I suspect a potential market would be created based on demand. When people start working on house projects, break out the clubs, put the boat in the water, and take the kids to baseball practice instead of putting their money where their mouth is in regards to late season skiing, the market and demand is not evident.

 

[bobbutts]

Selfishly I couldn't agree more.. I have complained and pissed people off about the short spring. In reality though, see riverc0il's post above. I think that pretty much sums it up.

IMO Killington is the only place with a real shot to make it work, and it's all speculation until next season on whether they are going to be the one again. As others have said, based on the new owner's history it's not looking good.

 

[threecy]

When I was at Wildcat April 29th I think it was, there was still decent cover (considering it was almos May)...it wasn't raining...there were very few other options open for skiing at that point...yet it was foggy...thus, I was one of only a handful of people on the mountain. I doubt they paid their bills that day.

 

[jerryg]

Not enough snow left at Wildcat.. and you would need to walk at the Bush to get to what snow is left.

Killington could Superstar another weekend. Sugarloaf I am sure has plenttyyyyy left.

Actually, there is enough snow left at Wildcat, just not all on one trail. The upper mountain had a lot of deep pockets that are high enough in elevation have sustained snow over the week. Last Sunday there were people skiing glades.

For ANY of the above to be open this weekend there would be farming involved to have a top-to-bottom run. I suppose the Loaf would be the closest to being able to pull it off, but the best bet there would be to use DR East to bring folks to and from the base of Spillway and then run Spillway East. Although they could patch Boardwalk to the bottom without too much work.

Wildcat would need to move too much snow to go top-to-bottom and they don't have an upper lift. Like I said, they have the snow, but it would be too expensive to move it around. Plus, they have already taken the chairs off and may already have the gondis on the haulrope.

Killington could move some snow around and have Superstar open, but with all the Joey's that would be there, it would get skied off and bare, real quick!

 

[ckofer]

Apart from the obvious bookkeeping of staying open late (probable losses), you can't help but wonder how much advertising that it replaces, or could replace (probably a gain) through the news, etc.

 

[loafer89]

Superstar, would and did require walking today and I doubt it could be put back into lift serviced shape. The heat and rain from this week melted lots of snow and mass skier/rider traffic would scrape it bare fast.

 

[Mike_451]

Sugarbush could be open at the top of Mt Ellen and possibly all they down to the bottom of the northridge chair if they had concentrated the extra snowmaking there instead of on lower mountain trails at south this season.