Slate Article on the Duopoly of Skiing and Riding

[4aprice]

The complaints (at least in NH) aren't about capital improvements. They are about operational efforts such as: lackluster snowmaking, not running lifts, higher priced yet lesser quality concessions and shortened seasons.

Who cares if Attitash puts in a new lift when there's little to no snow being made on the trails? Save for Crotched (which only has maybe 100 acres to cover) Vails snowmaking efforts in NH are perhaps the worst in the state every year since they bought in.

Cannon
Bretton Woods
Cranmore
Loon
Waterville
Pat's
Ragged
Gunstock

Every single one of them makes a greater effort with snowmaking and running lifts than the wealthiest ski company on the planet.

Vail does not care. They know that as long as the pass product is super cheap, the masses will still buy them. They do the bare minimum and hope for the best from Mother Nature. If she doesn't come though, oh well.

DHS your complaints have always been clear and thought out. If they are not making snow while the competition does I have no explanation for that. Wildcat is one that due to its location should be cold enough to warrant lots of snow making.

I would just think that financial backing to solve these problems exists with Vail. I know you are a huge fan of Wildcat and having skied it in the past, know why. I haven't skied Wildcat in a while but I remember thinking it needed some upgrading the last time I was there. Talking about late season skiing, I really think the lift from mid mountain to the top should be reinstalled. But Vail has been good with late season out in Colorado, when A Basin dropped them they went over to Breck so I don't know why they are choosing close when they do. I also don't follow closely enough to know if their other venues (mostly thinking Stowe here) are closing earlier or still trying to feature late season.

 

[4aprice]

Interesting article on crowding at the resorts:

By Popular Demand

Overcrowding is a problem for both operators and guests. The solution? Create resort-wide balance.

www.saminfo.com