The NEW Magic Mountain

[JoeB-Z]

They waved the white flag. With the cold weather they had, I would love to hear why an all out effort to get down from the Green lift was not made during the current window. Everything should have been moved down before last night. Fan guns on lower Showoff etc. And was snow made at the Nelson learning area in addition to the terrain park?

"Dec 21 4pm Update: Snowmaking continued on upper mountain last night and today, along with terrain park and beginner area. Tonight, with colder temps the guns will be moved down to Show Off to start laying down snow there. Unfortunately these things take time and we are beginning to run out of it with cold weather.

Magic will not be open for skiing lift-served this weekend and its even a long shot for Christmas Week starting on Tuesday it seems with the weekend warming up. There is a possibility of some marginal temps on Saturday and Sunday nights, but it’s close. No matter what, the beginner learning area will be open with lessons on 12/26. A long shot chance for more, but our snowmaking team will keep at it every opportunity they get.

 

[zyk]

Wow that's not good. I'd be curious as to what percentage of pass holders have another pass. As much as I want them to win I couldn't afford to put all my eggs in that basket.

 

[Newpylong]

I really don't get it. Is there a mechanical issue with Green? Part of the reason for its installation was for the opening layup in bad winters.

 

[skithetrees]

I solidly agree and could not be more pissed. This is completely unacceptable.

 

[skithetrees]

At least get green open. Why are they screwing around with all this other stuff. It’s one thing if weather doesn’t cooperate. An entirely different if it’s poor decisions. Unbelievable.

 

[drjeff]

But that free parking they like to poke fun at some of their competitors about....

Pretty sure a bunch of their regulars would buy a Magic parking pass if the revenue could help fix what seems like an annual series of multiple issues that has to be pushing the limits of their sanity and tolerance

 

[skithetrees]

I am beyond annoyed. My kids have so many activities and practices year round that a substantial part of the value of their passes derives from this one week. It’s an absolute joke.

At least those paid parking places are open.

Actually, reading it again, I don’t think they are moving the fan guns to show off. It sounds like they are moving the air/water guns down from higher on the mountain. Are the outlets all broken on that side of the mountain? That’s the only way this makes any sense.

 

[badinfluence]

I am beyond annoyed. My kids have so many activities and practices year round that a substantial part of the value of their passes derives from this one week. It’s an absolute joke.

At least those paid parking places are open.

Actually, reading it again, I don’t think they are moving the fan guns to show off. It sounds like they are moving the air/water guns down from higher on the mountain. Are the outlets all broken on that side of the mountain? That’s the only way this makes any sense.

That frustration is completely justified. If Tenney mtn in NH who has been through new ownership and rebuilding can open sat, why can't they?

 

[zyk]

I really don't get it. Is there a mechanical issue with Green? Part of the reason for its installation was for the opening layup in bad winters.

I don't get it either. Other areas with limited resources will be open ( or are already). Places that just march forward, making incremental progress, year after year. I'm watching Magic stumble around tripping into walls, falling up stairs...

 

[urungus]

WTF. Even

That frustration is completely justified. If Tenney mtn in NH who has been through new ownership and rebuilding can open sat, why can't they?

And Black Mountain of NH, with all it’s gone through recently, is also managing to open Saturday. WTF Magic

 

[NYDB]

No lmc or wand to show off at least? That’s rough.

will definitely be the road less travelled next week.

 

[danimals]

Wow.

Ive had magic on my radar for years. The terrain looks so good. Ive made it a point to say "this is the year I go to magic" for what seems like the past 6 years, yet its always some operational thing that keeps me from going.

Its not a good sign that a better alternative to magic is going somewhere in southern PA. I cant keep waiting for the "big storm" to make the drive up and finally ride the place. There are plenty of independent areas half the distance away from me, that can survive rain, that have working lifts, and that can make enough snow to at least have a few trails open in rough years. Hell, even tenney is opening this weekend.

Hopefully a couple years from now I read on this site that there are no mechanical issues, both lifts are operational, and they can at least make enough snow in a few days to get one run open down the mountain. Until then, I'll be taking the roads more traveled.

 

[Bubba]

No lmc or wand to show off at least? That’s rough.

will definitely be the road less travelled next week.

Buying a Magic season pass is becoming a joke. If you want to ski before Christmas, it’s almost a guarantee you’ll either need another season pass or spend $100’s of dollars to get your family on the snow. I never thought I’d look back fondly on the “trick to show off” years, but at least we were skiing. If they want to be a throwback mountain, they should throwback their prices too. Almost $700 for an out of state season pass. I hate Vail, but I’ll have no choice but to look at their products next season.

 

[VTSkiBike]

I grew up skiing at Magic and Bromley and have always wondered why Bromley has been so successful and Magic manages to barely stay open. Both are about the same size, in the same area, both independently owned and both likely face similar challenges.

I sympathize with the pass holders that can't ski Magic over the break. I've spent some holiday breaks in years past sitting at the bar at Magic wondering why every other resort has open trails but Magic doesn't.

 

[IceEidolon]

Partly it's because they have more fans than they have available amperage on Showoff. This is a new issue for them but it means the beginner area and park can get attention without actually taking away from the main hill.

Sometimes it's also a water availability thing, since the park and the summit are on separate pumps. If you're maxed out on summit water but have a bit of air left over, using up that air on the park is operationally simple.

To be clear, I am NOT ok with that offering. I have no damn clue why they are blowing on the terrain park unless they are planning on using black.

 

[Newpylong]

But if the 400 line and all the air was being utilized on the upper mountain, what was keeping them from running just the fans on Show Off on the 300 instead of the park? I think folks are having a hard time wrapping their heads around that. That was the operating standard forever: fans on Lower Show Off and Rats above where there are no plugs.

 

[Bubba]

But if the 400 line and all the air was being utilized on the upper mountain, what was keeping them from running just the fans on Show Off on the 300 instead of the park? I think folks are having a hard time wrapping their heads around that. That was the operating standard forever: fans on Lower Show Off and Rats above where there are no plugs.

Exactly this. They would be open this weekend if they blew all that terrain park snow onto Show Off. I’m sure they are thinking if they can get the park open they can sell day tickets and put asses around the bar. Which is a huge middle finger to pass holders.

 

[JoeB-Z]

Well, I suppose there are no accessibility issues to getting the Black lift finished and approved.

 

[drjeff]

Exactly this. They would be open this weekend if they blew all that terrain park snow onto Show Off. I’m sure they are thinking if they can get the park open they can sell day tickets and put asses around the bar. Which is a huge middle finger to pass holders.

Also interesting to note, that when I just looked at the calendar of scheduled youth races for the VT Alpine Racing Association (VARA), of which Magic is a part of, they aren't scheduled to host any of the U10 and U12 races that they typically host on Showoff in January and February, and the only race they are scheduled to host isn't until the Sunday of President's Weekend which is for the U14's and is held on Talisman. The bidding on the races and the calendar is set typically in late October, and while events can certainly be added in at a later date, all of the core events that have been a part of the schedule for all the age groups that I have experienced via my own kids for a decade plus, are there, except for the Magic Events that typically would be held on Showoff. And there's even a 2 day U12 Event that is held in the middle of March where Day 1 is at Willard Mtn and Day 2 is at Magic and held on Showoff, where the Willard Day 1 date in on the schedule, but the Magic Day 2 date isn't....


Not sure if they're hosting any college races or not, as sometimes in the past they have on Showoff...

Kind of makes one wonder if there's something more significant going on with the line on Showoff????

 

[ne_skier]

At least those paid parking places are open.

This is what I can't stand about this place lately: I've justified years worth of fuckups with pride because I know that this place is better than anywhere else in Southern VT when the snow is good and the lifts are running. I remember when the Storm Skiing Journal highlighted a piece of the Alpine Update written after some issue was found with a lift and it read as a sincere apology to passholders who were disadvantaged by it. They (correctly) stated it was the proper way to deal with a PR fuckup. It shows that they acknowledge how not-ideal the situation is.
What happened to that? Numerous snow reports over the past two seasons had pieces that told you off for suggesting there was anything unordinary about waiting in a 15-minute line at the Red Chair on a Saturday (double that and you'd be correct), and that other SoVT mountains had similar lines (they don't). If they want forgiveness for multiple project/season delays in the form of continued patronage, I'm sure they'll get it. It's the "piss on my leg and tell me it's raining" attitude that people tire of.
Anyway for those of you who do plan on attending, I wish you a great time not paying a $5 parking fee to rip some cord off the bunny hill