Summer 2017 Resort Upgrades

[TheArchitect]

So the proposal was an 8-10 person tram, similar to Snowbasin's, that would leave from the top of Collins and end on the summit of Baldy. From there it is really easy to ski right down into Snowbird. In fact, you can do it with no cliffs. For me, an Alta-Bird Passholder, that would be cool. But I do enjoy hiking up there as it is.

Supreme: I think that it was a "poor man's express lift" that was upgraded right around the time that they did Sugarloaf and Collins. I will miss Cecret, but that lift was WAY underused. Supreme, IMHO, worked just fine. That said, it was a Frankenlift with multiple parts including Yan towers and terminals and I bet it was getting aged.

I thought I read somewhere that the tram to Baldy was meant for avalanche work access and it was only a possibility that it would be open to the public?

 

[Edd]

I forgot how ridiculously cheap sugarloaf condos were to buy. The issue Edd raised though I agree with though for renters. A lot of places, especially bigger resorts, have a cheaper lodging option for 2 people or so on site. The non-condo options are the hotels which are rather expensive if you're trying to be frugal.

Worse than pricing, which will always be expensive on-mountain so I get it, is the quality of the hotels and many condos. Some real Hot Tub Time Machine shit; frequently not clean and depressingly run down. Amplifying that is that Sugarloaf is pretty much the only game in town for nightlife so I feel a bit more screwed every time I go. But the skiing, ah the skiing.

 

[Jully]

Worse than pricing, which will always be expensive on-mountain so I get it, is the quality of the hotels and many condos. Some real Hot Tub Time Machine shit; frequently not clean and depressingly run down. Amplifying that is that Sugarloaf is pretty much the only game in town for nightlife so I feel a bit more screwed every time I go. But the skiing, ah the skiing.

Yeah the condos are ancient. Compared to what is offered in VT these days... its completely different. I don't find it substantially worse than Attitash's options. Never stayed in a condo at SR.

SL's nightlife is certainly not great and carabassett is hardly a town haha, but like you said, its all for the skiing.

 

[Edd]

Yeah the condos are ancient. Compared to what is offered in VT these days... its completely different. I don't find it substantially worse than Attitash's options. Never stayed in a condo at SR.

SR is no better but at least you have Bethel and Attitash obviously has North Conway which changes things.

 

[Smellytele]

Yeah the condos are ancient. Compared to what is offered in VT these days... its completely different. I don't find it substantially worse than Attitash's options. Never stayed in a condo at SR.

SL's nightlife is certainly not great and carabassett is hardly a town haha, but like you said, its all for the skiing.

At SL you have really 2 evening choices - widowmaker or the Rack. Used to be the snowmobiler dive - strip joint Carabassett Inn but that is now gone replace with a bowling alley I think

 

[deadheadskier]

While it is limited, I'm actually a big fan of the night life that Sugarloaf does have. With everything on the shuttle or within walking distance, it's easy to party. Though, I'm typically only there for three nights. I could see getting bored if you were there for a week. It's also pretty quiet midweek compared to other destinations that have actual towns. Friday night and Saturday night I'll do the Rack one night and Widowmaker the next and I'm happy. Only complaint is the Widowmaker is chronically understaffed. Major waits for beers at that bar when it's busy.

 

[Smellytele]

While it is limited, I'm actually a big fan of the night life that Sugarloaf does have. With everything on the shuttle or within walking distance, it's easy to party. Though, I'm typically only there for three nights. I could see getting bored if you were there for a week. It's also pretty quiet midweek compared to other destinations that have actual towns. Friday night and Saturday night I'll do the Rack one night and Widowmaker the next and I'm happy. Only complaint is the Widowmaker is chronically understaffed. Major waits for beers at that bar when it's busy.

I usually end up at both places on the same night when the band at one or the other sucks

 

[Sacadelic_Skier]

you guys have no idea what you're talking about

 

[Jully]

you guys have no idea what you're talking about

About what?

 

[Sacadelic_Skier]

lodging at sugarloaf... too funny

 

[Edd]

While it is limited, I'm actually a big fan of the night life that Sugarloaf does have. With everything on the shuttle or within walking distance, it's easy to party.

I'm pretty much with you on that; I didn't intend to complain about nightlife but, because I want to be close to it I get stuck with their lodging too.

I try to hit multiple places in a night, including Gepettos, the Double Diamond in the hotel, and the Sugarloaf Inn bar, all of which are open in the evening. We'll usually start at The Rack and get driving out of the way before we settle in at the village.

 

[Smellytele]

I'm pretty much with you on that; I didn't intend to complain about nightlife but, because I want to be close to it I get stuck with their lodging too.

I try to hit multiple places in a night, including Gepettos, the Double Diamond in the hotel, and the Sugarloaf Inn bar, all of which are open in the evening. We'll usually start at The Rack and get driving out of the way before we settle in at the village.

Bus goes to the rack. I have hit the SL inn (shipyard) good for a mellow time. DD sucks at least when I have been there.

 

[machski]

If they redo the gondola on the cheap, maybe they look to upgrade the seven brothers chair at some point to move people out of the base faster?

You make a good point about the barn and lack of real estate for people to line up for a chair with skis on.

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Funny you mention Seven Brothers. It was suppose to be upgraded to a HSQ but instead the triple got Boyne's first carpet loader. Doubt they do anything with that now.

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[Jully]

lodging at sugarloaf... too funny

And how is that exactly?

 

[goldenboy80]

And how is that exactly?

I am also quick to offer constructive criticism of lodging at the Loaf, but to be fair, there are plenty of other resorts that have copious B- or C+ product to offer in terms of lodging. I guess it's just the nature of the beast, but there are condos that time forgot all over the place. I've definitely stayed in rooms at Long Trail House at Stratton for $450/night that are pretty embarrassing- cheap 20 year old home depot grade finishes, coil stoves in the kitchen, closets doors falling off, bedding from the early 90's. I'll forgive a lot though when you're given a gas fireplace. The only place I've seen on the east coast that really nails lodging on the east coast is Stowe. Stowe Mountain Lodge is incredibly nice.

 

[Jully]

I am also quick to offer constructive criticism of lodging at the Loaf, but to be fair, there are plenty of other resorts that have copious B- or C+ product to offer in terms of lodging. I guess it's just the nature of the beast, but there are condos that time forgot all over the place. I've definitely stayed in rooms at Long Trail House at Stratton for $450/night that are pretty embarrassing- cheap 20 year old home depot grade finishes, coil stoves in the kitchen, closets doors falling off, bedding from the early 90's. I'll forgive a lot though when you're given a gas fireplace. The only place I've seen on the east coast that really nails lodging on the east coast is Stowe. Stowe Mountain Lodge is incredibly nice.

Oh certainly. Again, the condos in the Attitash Village are a similar vintage / feel IMO. While there are definitely older condos in VT too, I think overall VT has newer, fancier lodging than NH and ME, Loon being a big exception. While there is certainly newer stuff at SL too, it is a lot harder to get and even harder to find. Most people staying there will be in an older condo. I personally don't mind that at all as the fancier stuff isn't my style and is certainly more expensive than my style.

I really loved the Saddleback condos you could stay in (RIP). Those were perfect IMO, new, but still very affordable and on mountain.

Another thing about SL that I love is the plethora of affordable on-mountain condos (albeit older). Seems that so many places are moving toward more expensive on mountain options and if you want cheaper you have to be at least a 5-10 minute drive.

 

[deadheadskier]

One option to perhaps give owners at all ski areas an incentive to update their units is to offer pictures of each unit and allow guests to pick their unit kind of like you pick airline or sporting event seats.

In looking at Sugarloaf's lodging booking, currently it's set up with a star rating system. That enables guests to somewhat know the quality of the unit they are renting, but there's still quite a bit of variance in upkeep within those units.

To save the time/expense of setting up such a system, they could require unit orders to upload pictures annually to the reservation system in order to be in the rental pool. By employing such a system, the best quality units would get booked first and more often. If an owner wants their unit to generate the most rental income possible, it's in their best interest to keep it updated.

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[goldenboy80]

Deadheadskier- that's a great idea and a practical one at that.

 

[machski]

One option to perhaps give owners at all ski areas an incentive to update their units is to offer pictures of each unit and allow guests to pick their unit kind of like you pick airline or sporting event seats.

In looking at Sugarloaf's lodging booking, currently it's set up with a star rating system. That enables guests to somewhat know the quality of the unit they are renting, but there's still quite a bit of variance in upkeep within those units.

To save the time/expense of setting up such a system, they could require unit orders to upload pictures annually to the reservation system in order to be in the rental pool. By employing such a system, the best quality units would get booked first and more often. If an owner wants their unit to generate the most rental income possible, it's in their best interest to keep it updated.

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The star system you speak of is a Boyne concept and one of the drivers that got SR out of the on mountain condo management business. Many factors, but the star rating system was definitely one of them.

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[Jully]

The star system you speak of is a Boyne concept and one of the drivers that got SR out of the on mountain condo management business. Many factors, but the star rating system was definitely one of them.

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How did the star rating get them out? Owners were unhappy with it?