The 2006 AlpineZone Ski Area Challenge: SUNDAY RIVER

[thetrailboss]

Alex Kaufman, the Communications Manager at Sunday River has agreed to take the 2006 Alpine Zone Challenge!!! This is your opportunity to ask questions, offer suggestions, or say some praise to the men and women who are in charge of the Northeast’s Ski Areas. Please post some suggested questions in this thread and we'll select ten to present for official responses.

Also please don't be offended if we edit/change your question for grammar, tone, or some other minor thing. In order to get in all of the questions we MAY merge some questions but we'll do our best to keep the substance of your question. If we don't get your question in, feel free to post a follow up after we get the results...we are encouraging the representatives follow the threads. :wink:

As always, please be respectful of Alex and keep it civil. Also, please refrain from asking specifics about skier visit numbers, financials, demographic information, etc. Sunday River needs to be discrete about certain information.

We are honored to have Alex participate in this challenge—Sunday River’s third. Please take advantage of this special opportunity!

Ask away!

Sunday River’s 2004 Challenge Responses
Sunday River’s 2005 Challenge Responses
Sunday River’s Profile

 

[Greg]

We are honored to have Alex participate in this challenge—Sunday River’s third. Please take advantage of this special opportunity!

Also, I should note that this is Alex's third challenge; representing a different ski area each year (2004 - Killington, 2005 - Attitash). That's a unique milestone!
:beer:

 

[Vortex]

Alex. I am one of the River's biggest supporters on the board. Also let me say thankx for keeping us an outlet on the SR board itself.

Question

Is there any chance we could have the Baker upstairs lodge not used as much for the Racing crowd? It gets difficult to find space upstairs as the day progresses. Steve needs out visits.;-) Maybe at least a form of compromise. Please join one of our outings next year. thankx

 

[Greg]

There was a rumor this season that the Sunday River message board may be closed. What are you plans for the forum next season?

 

[thaller1]

I have several questions:

1. Why not take more cam shots of locals and loyals? Is it a privacy issue? I think it would encourage more people to visit the website and make them feel a part of the experience at SR.

2. Where does the food come from for the lodges? Can it be changed? I'm ALWAYS looking for health alternatives and salad just doesn't cut it after some hard runs. I'm not looking for miracles but maybe a station for rice, meat and vegetables that aren't fried, preserved or loaded up w/ sauce?

3. Any chance we can have 3-D back..the way it used to be?

 

[maineskier69]

Back to Barker Lodge....

I dearly miss the changing stalls that used to be in the back corner. There appears to be a waste of space back there that could be utilized better. Nothing fancy just a few 2x4, a few sheets of plywood with some hinges, handles and latch locks.

It would be more comfortable than using the cleaning closet. Thanks!

 

[ozskier]

Hmm, how crazy do I wanna get with these questions... Ha.

 

[thetrailboss]

WOW ! No more questions? Last year this thread was jumping. Has the weather gotten people down? :blink:

 

[Vortex]

Are there any planned updates on snow making or the lodges? I heard rumours maybe some cosmetic changes at White cap.

 

[thetrailboss]

Alex, thanks for taking the challenge. I know that the May Day cancellation was a real disappointment for many. Will it be back next season?

 

[37yawmag]

Trails

Please tell the mountain crew they did a fantastic job with the conditions this year with what they had to work with, since Mother Nature decided to take a break from her job.

1. I've heard that Sunday River is in the midst of a 5 Year Plan to spruce up the looks of the base lodges/motels, signage, etc. I'm guessing they are in about the 3rd year of that. When do you think money will be allocated specifically to "on" mountain activities, being that, to cut new trails/glades, more terrain park features, increase snow-making, etc.?

2. If Jordan receives the most snow of any of the 8 peaks (maybe Oz rivals it), would it be beneficial to start the season and end the season there? I realize that there isn't a true base lodge, but the Jordan Grand could serve that need well enough. The terrain could serve from the beginners on Lollapolooza, to the experts that could use Tin Woodsman, Lost Princess, etc. and the intermediates on Rogue Angel and Excalibur. I realize that many condo owners wouldn't be able to ski in/out, but the shuttle service would serve that need. I guess I'm asking this more because of the early closing schedule this year (April 17), where as Jordan trails still had plenty of snow on them, and appearing in the background of the golf blog cam shot in May.

3. I know the Sunday River Forum gets many responses about the terrain park and just recently a group of the regular forum members has announced their displeasure with the park elements and are leaving for the Threedom Pass. What plans, if any, do SR have to counteract that and try to lore them back.

4. Why groom out soooo much (something like 80% of the mountain every night), can we drop terrain percentage grooming coverage, but still hit the same amount of trails, but leave the sides of the trails as bumps?

Thanks and I hope to see you at one of the gatherings sometime or on the links.

 

[thetrailboss]

37yawmag: AWESOME questions! :beer: And welcome to the boards!

 

[ski_ne]

I agree with all those who have expressed displeasure with the parks. While I do not use them myself, my kids spend most of their time there. If this is the future of skiing, it would be in SR's best interest to make a commitment to the parks and have them become SR's "shiny red convertible". The future of winter sports belongs to the next generation. While SR may not have the altitude or the natural snow of the ski areas in the west, I would think it can easily compete in the parks. It certainly has the terrain and acreage to do so.

When it comes to food, I believe SR should devote their money and energy to skiing, riding and the mountain activities such as tubing. Bring on more restaurants like the Phoenix, Gringo Harry's and the Shipyard. It's great to have choices.

I am also a believer in the Mountain Explorer. It's great to let kids roam the area on their own. Let them go to the movies or, as much as i hate to say it, Big Adventure. If the kids are having a good time, the parents will come back.

That's it for now. All in all, I think SR is a great place with a great future. Kudos to everyone who works there.

 

[thetrailboss]

Welcome to the boards, ski_ne! :beer:

 

[MikeTrainor]

Do you ever plan on opening the OZ quad on weekends etc? Every time I have ever been to Sunday RIver it has been closed. Is it ever used? Do you plan on using it in the future?

 

[thetrailboss]

Really? The Oz Quad is CLOSED on weekends as well? :blink: That's odd. I've never ridden that lift or the Barker Mountain Triple.

 

[HikeBikeSki]

Alex - Thanks for participating.

1. Recently in the AlpineZone's Northeast Skiing and Snowboarding Forum, there was a topic discussing people's favorite bump runs. Much to my surprise no one listed any trails from Sunday River. I know this past winter was a tough one for moguls, but are there plans for the future to leave more trails ungroomed, or at least more edges of the trails?

2. I know a lot of talk was created on the Sunday River Message Board and a bunch of the freeriding sites on the internet when all the snow was pushed down White Heat to create the "Superpark" for the Sunday River Heat Harvest after the trail had been closed on the season. I believe you made a post of ". . . This wouldn't be happening if there wasn't a desire to kick off a long term butt kicking trend. Get some buzz, then get down to business." Do you care to elaborate on the "long term butt kicking" plans for the parks and pipes at Sunday River?

 

[MikeTrainor]

Really? The Oz Quad is CLOSED on weekends as well? :blink: That's odd. I've never ridden that lift or the Barker Mountain Triple.

I had an ASC pass from 00-01 until 03-04. I went to Sunday River quite a bit, mainly Saturdays and have never seen it open. If it has been open it has changed in the last two seasons.

 

[gelandesprung]

A lot of comments were made in the park suggestions thread, and it seems like there are a lot of common agreements made in that area. What is SR's plan for parks next year? i.e. locations, elements, size, etc. Also at the beginning of the year there was a plan to make a bump course with airs. Is that going to happen this coming year, and if so can it be on White Heat? I love when you put the seeded bumps there, because it's too annoying to go to Tempest because the lift is so slow. Also will you keep the airs open to the public?

 

[ga2ski]

I had an ASC pass from 00-01 until 03-04. I went to Sunday River quite a bit, mainly Saturdays and have never seen it open. If it has been open it has changed in the last two seasons.

I have skied at SR from 1995, although the OZ lift is not open often. It is usually open weekends after 10.
This past season it wasn't open that often though, mainly because the OZ trails were closed due the rough winter. If you have never rode the lift you are not miss much .. . maybe an extra 100 vertical that you can't obtain from Kansas. As long as the Jordan lift line is short, there is no need to ride that lift.