Sugarloaf West Mtn Expansion and HSQ officially a go

[bigbob]

I've been up there 3 or 4 times. It's nice because they get a lot of people from Europe. The bigger SL gets the better. Best mountain in New England. It's not just a long drive, it's a tough one.

Edit: People drive for 4 or more hours to ski 1,400. If nothing else, it makes the homeowners happy and adds to the trail count / acreage. it's on the West side of a very big mountain, so it should hold snow, butt not get the up slope. In March SL gets dumped on. Last time there it was a bad snow year, the last week in March and Maine was all brown. SL had great snow.

Spend more time on I 95 and get off in Waterville at HD. About and hour and 5 minuts from there on decent 2 lane roads.

 

[cdskier]

They had the ticket windows open with four or five agents and about five automated machines across from the hotel that I saw last week on our visit. I used the window since my Alta/Bird pass got me a discount.

It’s similar to the self checkout lines at the supermarket. I avoid them at all costs in part, because I prefer interacting with a human and helping them keep their job.

I prefer whatever is faster. Self-checkout at the supermarket isn't faster. So I avoid those. You had a special discount, so the window makes sense for that. For a normal ticket that you've already purchased online, scanning a QR code at a kiosk is faster and I'd go that route. Much like I'd much rather use EZ-Pass on a toll road vs stopping at a toll booth...

 

[thebigo]

Right. Will they have a kiosk?
Sugarloaf still has a lot of counter sales when I was there last year. Didn’t have kiosks that I saw. Friends went to the counter. Actually didn’t see any at Sunday River or loon but wasn’t looking for them either.

Needed RFID card for wife at loon couple weeks back. Used boyne points to purchase buddy ticket online the night before. Scanned email QR at south peak kiosk, card popped out of machine. Entire process took maybe 30 seconds on a holiday.

 

[Smellytele]

Needed RFID card for wife at loon couple weeks back. Used boyne points to purchase buddy ticket online the night before. Scanned email QR at south peak kiosk, card popped out of machine. Entire process took maybe 30 seconds on a holiday.

Glad they now have the kiosks.

 

[deadheadskier]

IF you look at the trail map, one of the new trails backs up to the parking lots that have all been shuttle only for years. You will be able to park, boot up at the car, walk a short distance and get a high speed lift up to Bullwinkle's. From there, the mountain is your choice.

Yup, this is the big benefit for those not staying on mountain. They go from one of the worst parking to lift setups in the East to something hopefully vastly improved.

The second big benefit is the new lift and terrain will syphon traffic away from Whiffletree, Double Runner and Super quad lifts.

This expansion will vastly improve the experience and has been sorely needed since removing Bucksaw

 

[deadheadskier]

I prefer whatever is faster. Self-checkout at the supermarket isn't faster. So I avoid those. You had a special discount, so the window makes sense for that. For a normal ticket that you've already purchased online, scanning a QR code at a kiosk is faster and I'd go that route. Much like I'd much rather use EZ-Pass on a toll road vs stopping at a toll booth...

See, I think having self checkout at the grocery store is a major benefit and use them all the time. The major / best grocer in my area is Market Basket. They are 15-20% cheaper than Hannaford, Shaws, Stop and Shop etc for the exact same stuff.

For whatever reason though, they are against having self checkout. Maybe it's perceived better service or perhaps theft prevention. Whatever the reason it's super annoying because ever since Covid, they have had a really hard time staffing cashiers. Not uncommon for the lines to be 5-6 customers deep and only half the checkout lines open. Because of this reality, I wish they'd replace half of them with self checkout.

 

[jimmywilson69]

I suspect the same types of people that are pro cash are also not into self checkout. To each their own.

 

[thebigo]

See, I think having self checkout at the grocery store is a major benefit and use them all the time. The major / best grocer in my area is Market Basket. They are 15-20% cheaper than Hannaford, Shaws, Stop and Shop etc for the exact same stuff.

For whatever reason though, they are against having self checkout. Maybe it's perceived better service or perhaps theft prevention. Whatever the reason it's super annoying because ever since Covid, they have had a really hard time staffing cashiers. Not uncommon for the lines to be 5-6 customers deep and only half the checkout lines open. Because of this reality, I wish they'd replace half of them with self checkout.

not even self-checkout lines, as other supermarkets have, because Arthur T. said he wanted “a human being waiting on a human being.”

 

[deadheadskier]

Unfortunately for Arthur T, there's not enough human beings to execute his philosophy. They need to pivot

 

[Smellytele]

I use s

Unfortunately for Arthur T, there's not enough human beings to execute his philosophy. They need to pivot

Self checkout when I have a small amount of items but when we do a full shop go to the humans.

 

[cdskier]

I suspect the same types of people that are pro cash are also not into self checkout. To each their own.

I don't see what one has to do with the other. I loathe self-checkout in a retail store (especially grocery), yet I wouldn't consider myself pro-cash (I use credit far more often than cash).

See, I think having self checkout at the grocery store is a major benefit and use them all the time.

Curious what you see as the benefit? To me it takes me way longer to use self-checkout than it does to let a cashier do it. They know most of the produce codes off the top of their head from doing it so often. I don't have the patience to find the produce items one by one as you weigh them. And then there's also the issue (at least with the self-checkouts at grocery stores around here), where they ALWAYS give some sort of error (usually an error about "detecting something unexpected in the bagging area...please remove and scan item again"). Plus with a cashier scanning, I can be bagging while they're scanning which again speeds up the process. Maybe your self-checkouts in NH are better than the ones at our stores here in NJ.

 

[Zand]

I don't see what one has to do with the other. I loathe self-checkout in a retail store (especially grocery), yet I wouldn't consider myself pro-cash (I use credit far more often than cash).



Curious what you see as the benefit? To me it takes me way longer to use self-checkout than it does to let a cashier do it. They know most of the produce codes off the top of their head from doing it so often. I don't have the patience to find the produce items one by one as you weigh them. And then there's also the issue (at least with the self-checkouts at grocery stores around here), where they ALWAYS give some sort of error (usually an error about "detecting something unexpected in the bagging area...please remove and scan item again"). Plus with a cashier scanning, I can be bagging while they're scanning which again speeds up the process. Maybe your self-checkouts in NH are better than the ones at our stores here in NJ.

NJ needs to work on self service gas stations first before they work on perfecting self checkout in supermarkets. Lol

 

[cdskier]

NJ needs to work on self service gas stations first before they work on perfecting self checkout in supermarkets. Lol

That's one scenario where I wish we had self-service. Ironically one of the big arguments from people (including politicians) in the last discussion on this topic in the past year or two when allowing self-service was proposed was that "it would take away too many jobs".

Also the arguments from people living in NJ that are against self-service gas are hysterical. Somehow they think NJ is unique and that special training and skills are needed to pump gas (do these people never leave NJ? Do they not understand that self-service gas has worked in nearly every other state for ages?)

 

[deadheadskier]

I don't see what one has to do with the other. I loathe self-checkout in a retail store (especially grocery), yet I wouldn't consider myself pro-cash (I use credit far more often than cash).



Curious what you see as the benefit? To me it takes me way longer to use self-checkout than it does to let a cashier do it. They know most of the produce codes off the top of their head from doing it so often. I don't have the patience to find the produce items one by one as you weigh them. And then there's also the issue (at least with the self-checkouts at grocery stores around here), where they ALWAYS give some sort of error (usually an error about "detecting something unexpected in the bagging area...please remove and scan item again"). Plus with a cashier scanning, I can be bagging while they're scanning which again speeds up the process. Maybe your self-checkouts in NH are better than the ones at our stores here in NJ.

The major benefit is more transaction points at understaffed locations, which is virtually everywhere.

Anything under 25 items or so and I'm doing self checkout and get out of there faster than waiting in a line 5-6 customers deep.

 

[drjeff]

The major benefit is more transaction points at understaffed locations, which is virtually everywhere.

Anything under 25 items or so and I'm doing self checkout and get out of there faster than waiting in a line 5-6 customers deep.

Agree 100%

Also I like bagging my own groceries, since I can generally pack my grocery bags in a way that will make it easier and quicker for me back at my house when I am putting my groceries away (1 bag of things that go in 1 cupboard, a different bag with things that go in a different cupboard located in a different part of my kitchen, 1 bag for the refrigerator, a back of all freezer stuff, etc. Ends up being more efficient for me that way

 

[SenorQuesadilla]

Self checkout all the way. No more getting stuck behind someone pulling out a checkbook or counting exact change, penny by penny, when there's a line of folks behind them waiting to use their card to pay for their couple of items. Those people still exist, of course, but they're using the traditional checkout lanes or just taking up one of the 8 self checkout counters instead of the single lane you both happened to pick.

 

[cdskier]

The major benefit is more transaction points at understaffed locations, which is virtually everywhere.

Anything under 25 items or so and I'm doing self checkout and get out of there faster than waiting in a line 5-6 customers deep.

Maybe staffing isn't as much of an issue here in NJ then...typically when I go grocery shopping lines are 1-2 customers deep at the most. And at the one store by me that does tend to have long lines...the self-checkout lines are often just as long. (I avoid that store unless I'm just running there for something quick because it is close to me and I can use the express lane in that case).

Agree 100%

Also I like bagging my own groceries, since I can generally pack my grocery bags in a way that will make it easier and quicker for me back at my house when I am putting my groceries away (1 bag of things that go in 1 cupboard, a different bag with things that go in a different cupboard located in a different part of my kitchen, 1 bag for the refrigerator, a back of all freezer stuff, etc. Ends up being more efficient for me that way

Here in NJ at the stores by me you're typically doing your own bagging whether you do regular check-out or self-checkout. Pretty much when NJ eliminated all one time use bags (both plastic and paper) a year or so ago, many stores stopped bagging because they didn't want to touch people's personal reusable bags (at least that was their argument...could have just also been an excuse to have less staff). I agree that I'd rather bag my own for efficiency (or even just because I don't like raw meat going in the same bag as my produce lol).

 

[Dickc]

Agree 100%

Also I like bagging my own groceries, since I can generally pack my grocery bags in a way that will make it easier and quicker for me back at my house when I am putting my groceries away (1 bag of things that go in 1 cupboard, a different bag with things that go in a different cupboard located in a different part of my kitchen, 1 bag for the refrigerator, a back of all freezer stuff, etc. Ends up being more efficient for me that way

So.... Do you write your grocery list so all items are in the order of the aisle you get it in too?

 

[KustyTheKlown]

I get the feeling this board is dominated by 35 year olds who either don't have kids, have never taught, or forgot that they were a beginner once.

i actually always assumed this board skews significantly into people in their 50s and that i am among a few people in their 30s, and we have no one in their 20s.

designated beginner areas are great. especially when they are far away and isolated from what i want to ski. cannon and def whiteface come to mind as nicely putting that stuff out of the way

boyne goes hard. i am impressed with them so often. even if its relatively flat, its a terrain expansion, a lift, 1400 vert, and maybe some fun tree skiing between them.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Yeah I'm 45 and I feel like I'm under the median age for this place.