The "Sugarbush Thread"

[thetrailboss]

It was a lot more than that, and it wasn't her fault. The chair seat had been blown into the "up position" (which is where they put them so that snow doesnt; asccumulate, and four went to sit own with nothing to sit on. Two bailed immediately, the woman fell off trying to escape as well and fell on her shoulder. The last skier had to be removed by ski patrol.

Oh shit. That same thing has happened at least twice in Vail, with one person dying after getting caught in the chair and strangled to death. That is a serious issue. I imagine that lifty is now looking for a new job--this may be cause for dismissal.

The accident at Vail:

Vail Resorts settles with family of New Jersey man who died in Colorado chairlift accident

The children of Jason Varnish sued after he slipped through a chairlift seat and died of positional asphyxiation in 2020.

coloradosun.com

 

[JimG.]

you're the construction guy but I would think they could just build the platform for the lift a little higher and not have a ramp going down like it is now.

Speaking of crowds and lift lines, I found myself skiing at Bellayre in the catskills yesterday. and a lot of folks who are clueless about the whole skiing thing.

Belleayre set a record for day pass sales with 6100 on Sunday. You were there for the most crowded day there ever. I heard they were parking cars down to the stop sign at the end of the Overlook access road. One reason I don't ski on weekend powder days and make myself content with day after powder bumps.

Monday was the busiest I've seen Belle on a non-holiday Monday ever. They were still parking 'em down to the Tomahawk entrance and the trails were crowded. But lift lines were 1-2 minutes everywhere but the Gondola. They sold 4500 day passes Monday so I can only imagine how insane it was on Sunday!

 

[Castlerockrisk]

We were at the mountain Monday when the lift incident occurred and saw the evac. I heard that she injured/ broke her collar bone. They loaded the next chair, and when you consider how slow the detachable chair moves someone was snoozing. On Tuesday and Wednesday I looked at the control shack operator throughout the day, I noticed one common practice- they were more focused on their phone than their job. I am wondering what Sugarbush/ Altera’s policy is about lift operators who are on WATCH and phone use. If there is not a policy there should be.

This same issue occurred years ago on same lift, the irony is that they press the stop pretty quickly for a dropped glove or pole but when it counts- they have fallen short on their situational awareness

 

[kingslug]

Fucking cell phones have destroyed people's attention spans.
It's the main reason I quit teaching..

 

[1dog]

Its why I stopped in line skating for off season training. . . . .10 miles of hills but moms and kids on cell phones and 'car breezes' on my arms far too many times. . . . . . . ( of course, never any males loose focus. . . . )

 

[Lotso]

When it is not so muddy you can't drive on it, try driving the Common Road between Waitsfield Common and E Warren Rd on a sunny Saturday (whenever THAT is). Between people walking/running with ear buds in, chatting on phones, walking in the middle of the road while tuned out (or often on the wrong side of the road so they are oblivious to traffic), it is hard to navigate.

Sorry to rant, but it seemed related to where this was going.

Now on to our next junk storm of a weather system! More 'base-building' snow and character-building Saturday weather....

 

[thetrailboss]

https://fb.watch/pvS1TxSssi/

 

[KustyTheKlown]

sugarbush is someplace i take a closed sign seriously. i know they want to let me ski it. closed means closed for a reason.

 

[djd66]

kind of funny they used a snowboarder for their example

 

[Hawk]

Personally I like the old days better. They kept things closed and only a few people would poach. That would be me. ;-)

 

[Ethanengmann]

Got back yesterday after skiing Wed-Friday and Monday/Tuesday. By far the best run of the trip was FIS when they opened it (up top skiiers right!) around like 3 o'clock on Tuesday. Felt like 2 feet of untouched powder. I couldnt believe it.

Stuff that was great
Ellen:
FIS (see above)
Rim Run (great snowmaking)
Looking Good
Tumbler (2nd Best run of the Trip)
Inverness 4:00 on Tuesday
Northway

LP:
Grand Stand (Monday)
Slowpoke park
Spring Fling
Waterfall/ Hotshot for a run (Monday)
New Traverse
Ripcord

Stuff that Sucked
Ellen:
Anything in the trees (even after the snow)
LIft line under North Ridge
Exterminator
Walts (not ready)

LP:
Sleeper Chutes (Entire Trip)
Grand Stand (Wed-Friday)
Waterfall/ Hotshot after the first run (Monday)
Murphs (sadly) (Monday-Wednesday)

 

[kingslug]

Well...I hope this improves by the time I get home...going to be tough leaving utah.

 

[crank]

Wife is super busy with major work projects so we are probably gonna skip our February week out west and , hopefully, there will be some midwinter conditions in mid Feb. up at Sugarbush. Looking for some fully refundable lodging reservations .

 

[BenedictGomez]

going to be tough leaving utah.

Extend your stay. It's just going to start to get real good probably on the 16th or 17th once the weather clears & they've had sufficient time to do avy work.

 

[thetrailboss]

Well...I hope this improves by the time I get home...going to be tough leaving utah.

Yeah, you're going at the wrong time.

 

[brandt_cant_watch]

On the fence whether to drive up tonight before the storm or drive tomorrow morning for a half day due to winds.

Decisions decisions

 

[MidnightJester]

Sugarbush is fully open 111/111 on trails.

 

[shipyardcreek]

Is Castle Rock going to spin tomorrow? They were playing with it today and moving snow in the loading area.

 

[shipyardcreek]

Sugarbush is fully open 111/111 on trails.

Did they drop the rope on Rumble? When I went by at a little after noon it was still closed. Did get some untracked on the bottom of Rumble below where Troll Road crosses. No rope there.

 

[kingslug]

Yeah, you're going at the wrong time.

Yup...check out lodging prices during sundance....I don't print that kind of money