The NEW Magic Mountain

[slatham]

I've been biting my tongue for a few weeks now but it's finally time to make the call:

0% chance Magic's 'new' quad will carry paying customers in 2020.

50% chance it's done by the time the snow melts in the spring. I actually suspect it may be complete by the end of the season, but won't get load tested, inspected and approved to carry customers until the 2021-2022 season.

If my prediction comes true (again!) they are going to take a MAJOR PR hit from this failure to deliver. They're re-playing the same script from last year - It'll be done by opening day....er.... Christmas....I mean President's Day.....OK, we'll finish it up over the summer. All of the attention and goodwill they have generated with their organized COVID response will be gone, and then some.

2 on, 2 out, bottom of the 9th. Team Magic is down by 2 runs. A walk off homer is required to save the day. I hope I am wrong and they can pull it off.

Hugh do you have any inside info that they have hit a snag?

Given today is Nov 11th and need is for Christmas holiday I'd say they are in the 8th inning and the game is tied. But I am sure Geoff wishes they were prepping for a load test this month.

 

[Newpylong]

Gosh who cares? It'll be done when it's done.

 

[GregoryIsaacs]

Even when built, I will probably still prefer to take red. The ride up in that chair is spiritual

 

[RustyGroomer]

I love how the ones who bitch are the ones who never ski there. I agree Gregoryisaacs. Red Chair pic seems appropriate here..

 

[Tin]

I love how the ones who bitch are the ones who never ski there. I agree Gregoryisaacs. Red Chair pic seems appropriate here..

Like it has always been. Capacity limits + travel restrictions is it really that important it gets done this year at all? As long as Red spins who cares. The mountain is in a great place and the community continues to grow.

 

[Slidebrook87]

I agree that it’s not too big of a deal and honestly it’s just a joke at this point. Magic took a long time to install green and I assume it will be the same with black. What can you do.

 

[skithetrees]

Hugh do you have any inside info that they have hit a snag?

Given today is Nov 11th and need is for Christmas holiday I'd say they are in the 8th inning and the game is tied. But I am sure Geoff wishes they were prepping for a load test this month.

There is no chance they will need this lift for christmas this year. Absent a big snow, the place is comparatively dead because everyone chases trail count. It would be a great accomplishment, but they would just be padding lift capacity at this point. I hope they get it done, but I fear they won’t need it all season this year. I hope that I am wrong.

 

[skithetrees]

I love how the ones who bitch are the ones who never ski there. I agree Gregoryisaacs. Red Chair pic seems appropriate here..

 

[hughconway]

Magic won't need the new chair this season? Are you people high? It would give them a massive advantage at being able to stay open & compliant with COVID regulations. A double chair has to load singles for people who don't live together. 2 people take up 2 chairs. With a quad, they can be on opposite sides of the same chair. Running both chairs might allow them to provide 'normal' capacity. Remember, lift lines become a much bigger challenge when everyone needs to be spaced 6' apart.

To be quite honest, there really is no reasonable scenerio where Magic "doens't need the quad chair this year" unless you are trying to argue that they will not open for business due to COVID.

 

[skithetrees]

Magic won't need the new chair this season? Are you people high? It would give them a massive advantage at being able to stay open & compliant with COVID regulations. A double chair has to load singles for people who don't live together. 2 people take up 2 chairs. With a quad, they can be on opposite sides of the same chair. Running both chairs might allow them to provide 'normal' capacity. Remember, lift lines become a much bigger challenge when everyone needs to be spaced 6' apart.

To be quite honest, there really is no reasonable scenerio where Magic "doens't need the quad chair this year" unless you are trying to argue that they will not open for business due to COVID.

Have you ever been there for Christmas week? Where do you think all these people are coming from?

 

[njdiver85]

Aren't pass sales up 75% this year? I think it will be a little busier than normal!

 

[skithetrees]

Aren't pass sales up 75% this year? I think it will be a little busier than normal!

I hope so!

 

[machski]

Aren't pass sales up 75% this year? I think it will be a little busier than normal!

Depends who the pass buyers were. If many were out of state, then crowds won't likely materialize in the first half of the season the way the State is behaving currently.

 

[drjeff]

The other thing that often lead to some of the "crowded" days at Magic, USSSA races and an occasional college race, as of now just aren't going to be happening, up until atleast March, if at all, this season.

I know that the Mount Snow Ski Club that my kids are a part of, and of which Magic is in the same VT council as, has told us, and confirmed through the state association VARA, that there won't be any intermountain sanctioned races this season. For my family, what we have been told, is that the more limited number of kids on the race team this year (1 coach and the same 5 athletes per group every weekend) will be training and then having only races within the athletes of their own Club, this season, through March minimum.

So on those 4 to maybe 6 typical days a season where Magic hosted a race, and had between racers, coaches and parents probably another 250-300 people at the mountain for the race, those days seemingly won't be happening or adding to the crowds on what would usually be a "busier" Magic day over the course of the season

 

[slatham]

The other thing that often lead to some of the "crowded" days at Magic, USSSA races and an occasional college race, as of now just aren't going to be happening, up until atleast March, if at all, this season.

I know that the Mount Snow Ski Club that my kids are a part of, and of which Magic is in the same VT council as, has told us, and confirmed through the state association VARA, that there won't be any intermountain sanctioned races this season. For my family, what we have been told, is that the more limited number of kids on the race team this year (1 coach and the same 5 athletes per group every weekend) will be training and then having only races within the athletes of their own Club, this season, through March minimum.

So on those 4 to maybe 6 typical days a season where Magic hosted a race, and had between racers, coaches and parents probably another 250-300 people at the mountain for the race, those days seemingly won't be happening or adding to the crowds on what would usually be a "busier" Magic day over the course of the season

Sorry to say sports leagues have been banned in VT.

FYI - BOC had already decided to not offer a weekend program.

And yes Magic needs the Quad as soon as their is decent snow coverage and nobody can say when that night be.

 

[ne_skier]

Here's a photo album (Not mine) of some pics of the Quad's liftline taken about a month ago

Collin's Northeast Skiing

www.facebook.com

 

[drjeff]

Sorry to say sports leagues have been banned in VT.

FYI - BOC had already decided to not offer a weekend program.

And yes Magic needs the Quad as soon as their is decent snow coverage and nobody can say when that night be.

In reading the Gov's directives issued today, I am curious if his exemption for some supervised school athletic activities pertains to in school gym classes or is it a carve out for the private ski academies to continue as planned with their training activities?

Just awaiting the likely email about my daughter's program being suspended, and the the subsequent $2050 refund on my VISA card from Vail for her program/training fees.

If that's the case, and the roughly program number limited to 100 athletes this year, add in presumed similar program sizes at Okemo and Stowe, and Gov Scott, just with respect to Vail, and that's over $600k of refunds that the Governor just basically told them they have to make, and that doesn't even include the non race/competition youth programs that are also under this order, and then add in all the other non Vail owned resorts and their affected youth programs in VT, and that's a significant economic impact that an industry already looking at a very challenging revenue season, is looking at.

Heck, take a small area such as Cochran's where so much of their business IS centered around youth programs and racing, and Governor Scott's announcement today has to be devastating

 

[slatham]

In reading the Gov's directives issued today, I am curious if his exemption for some supervised school athletic activities pertains to in school gym classes or is it a carve out for the private ski academies to continue as planned with their training activities?

Just awaiting the likely email about my daughter's program being suspended, and the the subsequent $2050 refund on my VISA card from Vail for her program/training fees.

If that's the case, and the roughly program number limited to 100 athletes this year, add in presumed similar program sizes at Okemo and Stowe, and Gov Scott, just with respect to Vail, and that's over $600k of refunds that the Governor just basically told them they have to make, and that doesn't even include the non race/competition youth programs that are also under this order, and then add in all the other non Vail owned resorts and their affected youth programs in VT, and that's a significant economic impact that an industry already looking at a very challenging revenue season, is looking at.

Heck, take a small area such as Cochran's where so much of their business IS centered around youth programs and racing, and Governor Scott's announcement today has to be devastating

Good point on the school related programs. BOC email was specific to weekend program - no mention of weekday program with Burr Burton.

Of course this is all moot for another couple of weeks (at least) until areas can open enough terrain to allow training. If I can be wildly optimistic maybe the situation is better in 4 weeks time........

 

[Phish'83]

Sorry to say sports leagues have been banned in VT.

FYI - BOC had already decided to not offer a weekend program.

And yes Magic needs the Quad as soon as their is decent snow coverage and nobody can say when that night be.

The BOC is in a difference place. Being an "Outing Club" and not insured by Bromley or the Fairbanks Group, they need to take the high road in case of an Outbreak that can be traced back to them.

 

[WoodCore]

Yes!!!