Stowe Closing Just Does Not Make Sense

[snoseek]

LOL!

Near $2K last I checked.

Wow, that's alot!!!!!


BTW I'm shipping out of here maybe Friday. The weekend after next I want to finish it off back east. You in?

 

[snowmonster]

You bet I'm in. BUT, I can only do Sunday or Monday (Patriots' Day). Oh yeah, bring some snow from back there.

 

[Cheese]

Lots of near misses in my lifetime. I once poached a trail at SR that was fat and untracked but right beside a chair. While I was going down it, a patroller was right on the chair staring at me. He was smiling and giving me the thumbs up.

I remember poaching a similar spot with a friend. Skiing on an employee pass we both said, "whatever we do, we can't bin it!" Half way down I unearthed a snow making pipe and double ejected and my friend dropped into a water bar and double ejected as well. Both of us were running around gathering gear trying to beat the lifties radio call to patrol. Luckily we pulled it off but I think I lost 5 years of cardio lifetime from that one poach.

 

[Cornhead]

but was it worth it. this looks like "maybe" if you got firsts, there's enough pow in the troughs ... at k, lower skye lark was in a similar condition. patrol dropped the rope mid-afternoon. was not fun. frozen solid. ski patrol was at the bottom laughing. threw my back out skiing them.

Glad I didn't try them, they looked tempting.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I don't recall Stowe competing for last to close any time in the past ten years or so, I don't know if they ever have.

Correct. When I was there, I know the decision was certainly about money, as it should be.

I get a little tired of all the, "if they have snow on one trail, it should be open until August 31st" comments I read on this board. :smash:

It's a business.

They're in business to make money, and they dont "owe" anyone skiing until the last possible day when there is 1.5 inches of what is technically snow with numerous rocks poking through - not even to season ticket holders.

 

[ScottySkis]

Stowe always closes when the visitors stop going, and i understand that for sure.

 

[Riverskier]

Correct. When I was there, I know the decision was certainly about money, as it should be.

I get a little tired of all the, "if they have snow on one trail, it should be open until August 31st" comments I read on this board. :smash:

It's a business.

They're in business to make money, and they dont "owe" anyone skiing until the last possible day when there is 1.5 inches of what is technically snow with numerous rocks poking through - not even to season ticket holders.

I agree with you to an extent. You would have to be an idiot to think a ski area owes you anything in terms of when they open or close, and even more of an idiot not to understand that, like any business, the objective is to make money. However, I do understand the complaining and uproar from season pass holders when a mountain drastically shortens their season. It is like a popular restaurant cutting their portions in half, but charging the same amount. People are understandably going to be upset and complain. Other restaurants may serve the same small portions for the same price, perhaps even the same quality, but if they have done so all along, people either avoid the place or try it once and don't go back- no uproar. You hear very few complaints about mountains like Stowe closing early, because they have always done so. You hear the majority of complaining about open/close dates when mountains change their operatings strategy in a way that drastically changes the season length. I get that. Are the mountains well within their rights? Of course. Can you take your business elsewhere? Of course. However, if you have history with and love a mountain (or a restaurant as in my example) I can understand the desire to speak out and try to change things, as opposed to just bailing.

 

[180]

Not only did thye close, but they groomed the mountain Sunday night for all the hikers.

 

[snowmonster]

^ Now, that is a classy operation.

 

[AdironRider]

Look at how many people are on the chair in the picture and the reasoning is right in front of you.

Doesnt matter how much snow is still on the ground, if noone is showing up you close.

 

[steamboat1]

I'm kinda surprised in a way they closed this week. I don't know if any of you have ever been there for Easter sunrise service at the top of the gondola but it's a very popular service that attracts a significant crowd. Many of those people usually buy a lift ticket & ski afterwards. They're still holding the service Sunday with a free gondola ride up & down but the mountain will not be open for skiing. With the amount of snow still remaining on a few trails off the forerunner quad they could've stretched it another week. Still it's very good PR that they're still holding the service anyway.

 

[riverc0il]

steamboat1, I was there three weeks ago. I doubt there was enough snow left on Perry Merrill to run it last weekend, let alone this coming weekend. The only trails they have open now are the ones that get absolutely buried with snow at the start of the season. The gondola usually closes with skiable terrain, when they move to forerunner only for the last week or two. I'm sure this isn't the first time they'll be doing easter service up there without running the gondola all day.

 

[steamboat1]

I didn't say skiing off the gondola. My post read "With the amount of snow still remaining on a few trails off the forerunner quad they could've stretched it another week."

I think I skied the gondola one of the last days it was open this year about 3 weeks ago. Wasn't to bad but the trail from the top cutting over to Nose Dive was a trip. When I was there last week Centerline, Liftline, Lord & I think it was North slope still had pretty much wall to wall coverage Lower Nose Dive had a few spots where it was very narrow to get thru. Just surprised they closed the whole mountain because the amount of people that show for the Easter service sometimes fills 1/2 the Mansfield parking lots.