Sugarloaf to close on May 5th

[loafer89]

The rumor that I am hearing is that Sugarloaf will stay opened through May 5th as they want the rights of last to close in the East. There is alot of employee grumbling about this decision.

BobR says he saw a sign at the Superquad stateing this new closing date. I will inquire about it tomorrow.

 

[Newpylong]

Grumbling that its bad? There may be a lot of snow, but honestly, how busy is it up there?

 

[loafer89]

Grumbling that its bad? There may be a lot of snow, but honestly, how busy is it up there?

Grumbling as in I guess that they have other spring/summer positions to start and the closing date keeps getting postponed causing some inconvenience to the employee's?

 

[Newpylong]

roger that.... : )

 

[jerryg]

Grumbling as in I guess that they have other spring/summer positions to start and the closing date keeps getting postponed causing some inconvenience to the employee's?

When you work in the ski industry and you have a job, there is no such thing as inconvenience. Besides, the staff on had was very limited. They could easily reopen for one more weekend at the least with the snow they have and would have an easier time finding employees to work.

 

[loafer89]

When you work in the ski industry and you have a job, there is no such thing as inconvenience. Besides, the staff on had was very limited. They could easily reopen for one more weekend at the least with the snow they have and would have an easier time finding employees to work.

I agree with you but I was just stating facts from what I overheard coming from a number of employee's on the mountain this weekend. I would think that most of them would be happy to work during an extended season.

In particular an employee maning the grill outside at the beach commented that Sugarloaf was only staying opened because John Diller? wants to have the mountain be the last to close in the east. I stated that there was nothing wrong with that and I got a blank non responsive stare back at me.

 

[AdironRider]

I worked for a ski resort, in a ton of ways it really sucks. I can feel their reasoning.

Most ski resort employees (being that its a seasonal business) have other job commitments that start up come spring time. Would your boss like it if you kept pushing back your start date more and more, sometimes at a moments notice? No, think its any different for them? Plus theyre making at best, ten bucks an hour, to stay open an extra day, when their free pass only gets them access to one lift. Sorry but the incentive to cater to a bunch of season pass holders for an extra day just isnt there most of the time.

Which brings up another point, season pass holders, in my experience at least, often can be the biggest pain in the ass, thinking they deserve the world just because they dedicated themselves to one mtn for a season. I couldnt tell you how many times I wanted to punch a season pass holder in the face when they asked for a special deal on service at my on mtn restaurant as if they deserved it. They also tended to be the worst tippers, and of the three people who got kicked out of the bar this season, all of them had a season pass. Just sayin....

 

[ski_resort_observer]

In particular an employee maning the grill outside at the beach commented that Sugarloaf was only staying opened because John Diller? wants to have the mountain be the last to close in the east. I stated that there was nothing wrong with that and I got a blank non responsive stare back at me.

You got a blank stare cause spinning one lift for one day just to be the last resort open is totally lame.

It's been a long busy season, resort employees, especially core employees, work 6/7 days a week during the season and are abit burned out and probably looking forward to alittle time off.

I have never seen my fellow employees in 17 years having any animosity towards season pass holders.

 

[drjeff]

I have never seen my fellow employees in 17 years having any animosity towards season pass holders.

Publically AND privately??

 

[Vortex]

I would think many of the late season employee's are year round anyway, or they would just leave when the spring seasonal job opens. There is competion back in the market. Its good for all of us. I also think its Boyne not specifically Diller that wants to be the last open. 1st oganization to open last to close. Ie SR Oct turns loaf may turns.

 

[Geoff]

Which brings up another point, season pass holders, in my experience at least, often can be the biggest pain in the ass, thinking they deserve the world just because they dedicated themselves to one mtn for a season. I couldnt tell you how many times I wanted to punch a season pass holder in the face when they asked for a special deal on service at my on mtn restaurant as if they deserved it. They also tended to be the worst tippers, and of the three people who got kicked out of the bar this season, all of them had a season pass. Just sayin....

Season pass holders are the people who show up at a Mountain Restaurant when it's death cookies, -20F, or pouring rain. It's wise to do whatever you can to attract them. I suppose if the season pass holders are low income ski bums and retirees, you have a beef.

 

[SIKSKIER]

Would your boss like it if you kept pushing back your start date more and more, sometimes at a moments notice? ....

Huh?What are you talking about?Sugarloaf pushed it back ONE day.They had announced the first weekend in May as a closing date goal more than a month ago.

 

[BLESS]

simple solution to an employee who wants to complain. If you don't like it, move on with your life and f*@king quit.

 

[AdironRider]

Huh?What are you talking about?Sugarloaf pushed it back ONE day.They had announced the first weekend in May as a closing date goal more than a month ago.

Its comments like these that illustrate the point Im trying to make. Season pass holders not thinking its that big a deal, or what the ramifications of being open an extra day can do to the employees that are there, making peanuts, just for you to ski an extra day.

So next time your going to start a job, try pushing back the start date a couple weeks a month in advance, then when the time comes push it back another day at a moments notice and see how it goes over. No employer is going to be stoked tabout the situation, not one. This thread is filled with a bunch of people who've never worked at a resort and are season pass holders. Notice how they all dont see the problem.

Ill conceed that season pass holders are going to be the ones there when the weather isnt all that great, but I stand by my statements that they tend to think theyre owed something more just for being a season pass holder. None of this stuff mentioned is a big deal, but added up over a 6 month season, just to find out you need to stay open another day at a moments notice, and you wonder why they werent celebrating in the streets? Come on now man. Most ski resort jobs suck,.but you get a free pass. Its a tradeoff. They make nothing over the course of a ski season (with no benefits, etc) so you can ski. Cut em a break. Sure its there decision, but noone likes to be jerked around, especially at the end of the season, when it can cost you a job for the summer.

Most season pass holders are ski bums or retirees, at least that I saw at Jackson and in my years as a Whiteface season pass holder. Thats just my observation, not based on stats (Id love to see some real data). As such, they might frequent the restaurant more often, but often order cheap stuff or just drinks, then expect a deal because they are "pass holders", and tend to not tip as well. I dealt with it everyday in Jackson. So unless you've been in my position and experienced something different, trying to argue otherwise is pretty dumb if you ask me.

Not trying to bash Sugarloaf here for staying open, thats never a bad thing. But just trying to be a voice of reason for why they arent as psyched as the people skiing to be at work.

 

[AdironRider]

simple solution to an employee who wants to complain. If you don't like it, move on with your life and f*@king quit.

Id love to see what your employees would think of you in a managerial position. Keeping happy employees means keeping happy customers. This is critical in the ski industry. You want a pissed off lifty not giving the extra effort bumping chairs, or a nice one giving that little extra effort?

 

[BLESS]

i dont manage employees. I'm speakong from experience. Why would you want job that all you did was complain about?

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Id love to see what your employees would think of you in a managerial position. Keeping happy employees means keeping happy customers. This is critical in the ski industry. You want a pissed off lifty not giving the extra effort bumping chairs, or a nice one giving that little extra effort?

Amen to that....it's a key managerial skill now more than ever in every industry/business. The "my way or the highyway" attitude is still out there but your philosophy is much better IMHO.

 

[abc]

Why would you want job that all you did was complain about?

because you aren't good for anything else?

You treat employees like trash, you'll get nothing but trash as employees. Simple as that.

 

[bobbutts]

I watched the quad cam for a few minutes today and the lift was EMPTY

 

[klrskiah]

I didn't hear any employees complaining... most of the employees i know were laid off back in early april, and lifties were notified a couple months ago that they were shooting for mid-may and they could stay on if they wanted to, so i don't think anyone was surprised.