Stowe Thread

[MikeDeJ]

The season parking pass for Mount Snow last season, good for any of the paid lots, any day of the season, was $399 if I recall correctly. It was either $359 or $369 in prior years.

Think it worked out to about $10 a day for my families car we had the pass linked to (it was a non transferable pass that was assigned to a specific license plate)

Was the 5th or 6th year my family had purchased a parking pass at Mount Snow

Thanks Dr Jeff

 

[MikeDeJ]

I thought last year was the first year they had paid parking?

The years before it was preffered parking. The lot close to the lifts at Carinthia and another close lot at the main base, weekend/Holiday only, it was a fine idea that really did not take a lot of spaces, if you wanted to pay you got a great spot but there were plenty of free spots

 

[hovercraft]

Understood, thanks for the reply. Considering they are only charging Friday thru Sunday @ Stowe I wonder if they will even offer a season pass?

 

[skierinri]

Stowe was running the quad for employees today. Seems like a nice gesture. Not sure if they always do that. Stayed at the lodge this weekend(Easter tradition) and was considering trying to sneak on the lift for a few runs. Didn’t go through with it.

 

[drjeff]

I thought last year was the first year they had paid parking?

Widespread paid parking, yes. They have had a "preferred parking" (paid) lot which has been immediately behind the main base lodge, for many years now.

They also had a season or 2, pre COVID, where they had some paid valet parking near the main base lodge as well

 

[drjeff]

Stowe was running the quad for employees today. Seems like a nice gesture. Not sure if they always do that. Stayed at the lodge this weekend(Easter tradition) and was considering trying to sneak on the lift for a few runs. Didn’t go through with it.

I've seen on a number of social media feeds where Vail spun the lifts for 1 day, if they still had decent snow, for an employee appreciation day the day after the lifts close to the public for the season as a thank you

 

[snoseek]

I've seen on a number of social media feeds where Vail spun the lifts for 1 day, if they still had decent snow, for an employee appreciation day the day after the lifts close to the public for the season as a thank you

This was/is a tradition at Kirkwood and honestly its glorious and a really good time. Every ski area should do this IMO

 

[jimmywilson69]

They did this at Roundtop, on closing day they closed at 4 and ran the lifts until 9 for employees only with meal provided.

 

[slatham]

I've seen on a number of social media feeds where Vail spun the lifts for 1 day, if they still had decent snow, for an employee appreciation day the day after the lifts close to the public for the season as a thank you

Stratton diid it.

 

[machski]

so... about improving the toll house parking and lift access situation?

Well, they are going to take in a bunch of extra cash. Seems it should go 100% to this but it won't.

 

[machski]

And once again this year, Vail adds a resort into paid parking status AFTER they put their Epic passes on sale for a week or two. THAT should be illegal and anyone who purchased prior to the announcement should get free parking all season (I have no skin in the game BTW).

 

[drjeff]

And once again this year, Vail adds a resort into paid parking status AFTER they put their Epic passes on sale for a week or two. THAT should be illegal and anyone who purchased prior to the announcement should get free parking all season (I have no skin in the game BTW).

Get what you're saying, but there IS free parking available still at Stowe. And by far and away, Stowe and Mount Snow aren't the only Vail Resorts where there is some paid parking

 

[deadheadskier]

Free parking with a shuttle requirement. Not the same thing.

I'm with machski. All of this stuff needs to be announced prior to season pass pricing. It's not as bad as the crap they pulled at Crotched this winter, but it still is not exactly good customer service.

 

[cdskier]

Free parking with a shuttle requirement. Not the same thing.

I'm with machski. All of this stuff needs to be announced prior to season pass pricing. It's not as bad as the crap they pulled at Crotched this winter, but it still is not exactly good customer service.

And there's only a limited amount of free parking spaces. So people that don't get there first thing are not even going to have the option of free parking. I'm sure someone will say "well they should just get there earlier then"...but that's really a BS response (I always get to ski areas early, but I accept the fact that there are plenty of people that don't or can't for one reason or another and I simply don't think they should be automatically penalized for that).

 

[jimmywilson69]

I'm curious what the town folk want. Vail tried to build a satellite parking lot and were denied. the easy route is to limit days beyond blackouts and frankly I'm surprised they didn't do that with all of the issues this year. So instead vail decides to charge for parking, which essentially won't limit traffic at all and make more money.

The bus on the mountain road is incredibly unreliable and often full. are they going to fund more busses so that the people staying are incentivized to ride the bus?

the damn parking garage is the answer whether people like or not. I'm never letting this go...

 

[SnowRock]

Mountain road traffc was an issue pre-vail and losing the spruce parking also made things tougher… but vail offering such a discounted product only exacerbated the issue.

I’ve always thought a parking structure down by toll house, adding snow making and a new lift down there would be one of the better solves given the structural limitations with the road/existing parking infrastructure. Would also increase usage of an underutilized part of the mountain further spreading out the crowds.

But as noted the town rejected more parking there… so basically you have a town that is against something that might help and a greedy corporation that won’t limit passes. So we get the paid parking fake fix.

 

[drjeff]

Mountain road traffc was an issue pre-vail and losing the spruce parking also made things tougher… but vail offering such a discounted product only exacerbated the issue.

I’ve always thought a parking structure down by toll house, adding snow making and a new lift down there would be one of the better solves given the structural limitations with the road/existing parking infrastructure. Would also increase usage of an underutilized part of the mountain further spreading out the crowds.

But as noted the town rejected more parking there… so basically you have a town that is against something that might help and a greedy corporation that won’t limit passes. So we get the paid parking fake fix.

At somepoint the town is going to have to accept that their refusal to allow things such as offsite parking lot construction or a parking garage is actually making the prime season traffic issues far worse than being proactive in the permitting and design process for some extra parking solution. The reality is, just as it has been for a long time now, Stowe and the surrounding area will keep getting more popular, not less, regardless of what the locals want

 

[gittist]

Some people are like those who want cheap electricity but don't want coal, oil, nuclear, wind, hydro, or solar farms to produce it.

 

[ss20]

Could they ever get/keep the notch road open in the winter? I know not a lot of people come to Stowe from the north but if you could get something miniscule like 10% of your guests to come from up there I bet a lot of issues would be resolved.

Since moving to Utah I've learned how much I miss all the northeast mountains with multiple entry/exit roads and routes. Stowe is the only one I can think of that everyone funnels onto one road going one direction.

 

[kendo]

Stowe is never returning to a quaint village with a ski hill so...

Vail contributing to fund more free mtn road busses does nothing to incentivize weekend visitors to use. Add (10) am and pm busses and they will all sit in the same miles long 108 conga line.

Dedicated bus lane isn't happening with existing property a few feet off the shoulder for the majority of 108.

Only answer is a tram from I-89 Waterbury exit with a massive park & ride lot! Where's the politicians to help fund?!?

Or maybe electric light rail up 100 from 89 to a 108 bus terminal. Restrict 108 weekend traffic to residents, guests, and biz...