The "Sugarbush Thread"

[kingslug]

Snowing at the bush...heading over soon

 

[Boxtop Willie]

From the SB blog post, a phrase I've never heard before "unseated passenger incident"...I so enjoy good marketing verbiage.

 

[MidnightJester]

From the SB blog post, a phrase I've never heard before "unseated passenger incident"...I so enjoy good marketing verbiage.

IF they can make it sound better and technically that might allow them to file it under a area that doesn't hurt the lift in the eyes of VT authorities.

Sugarbush definitely must have a few little icing issues

Sugurbush Managment
10:55 AM: **North Ridge Express will be delayed due to icing. ** Good morning riders and skiers! Today the forecast calls for cloudy skies with a chance of mixed precip ranging from rain/ freezing rain to snow.

 

[kingslug]

Freezing rain..sleet..snow..we're getting it all today..
Run of the day..dominoe

 

[mikec142]

Freezing rain..sleet..snow..we're getting it all today..
Run of the day..domino

I love Domino when the conditions are right. When it's icy, that headwall is a no go for me. I find that Domino and Moonshine have a lot in common...once your in, it's low angle bumps for a while with a bunch of twists and turns and trees.

 

[kingslug]

Heard 2 people talking about the death plunge they did on CR....
why anyone would attempt that in these conditions is beyond me

 

[mikec142]

Heard 2 people talking about the death plunge they did on CR....
why anyone would attempt that in these conditions is beyond me

I'm actually surprised to hear that Domino was in good shape...I guess it's low enough that the temps make it soft.

 

[gonesquatchin]

A Season Snapshot: Weather, Lifts, and Snowfall - SugarBlog

Someone asked me recently to summarize how the season has been going so far. My gut response rose and fell like a rollercoaster. There’s been plenty of variability interlaced with lots of fond memories. Upon a little further reflection I understood the juxtaposition of those two thoughts. It...

blog.sugarbush.com

Well worth reading (particularly for the people stating Sugarbush hasn't been doing the maintenance they should be doing)...

Let me start by saying I appreciate John addressing the lifts. It's a few days later than I would like, yes, but I do appreciate it.

In line with some of the previous comments about customer relations, however, this comment bothered me: "GMX also ran into a pretty rare issue on Sunday when a gust of wind blew a chair in sideways to the top terminal. Fixing and inspecting the lift left it down for an hour and a half."

This explanation, which provides a perfectly understandable reason for the delay, comes a full four days too late for me. When there's some issue that the maintenance techs can't quite figure out, I can understand the staff telling skiers they aren't sure what is causing the delay is or how long it will take to fix it. When a lift slams sideways into the terminal, though, there's really no mystery. Would it have really killed them to be honest with people right then and there instead of making them stand in line for an hour and a half in the middle of the day or guess at reopening times? Or wait in lines to lap the Sunny Quad? And this information couldn't be conveyed to the information desk/guest services who could have provided that explanation on the spot? If you really want to build customer trust, just be more transparent. Hiding the truth isn't good for customer relations. It also puts your lifties and customer service people in an awkward position. By the way, the lifties at Mt. Ellen generally do a fantastic job.

 

[Smellytele]

Let me start by saying I appreciate John addressing the lifts. It's a few days later than I would like, yes, but I do appreciate it.

In line with some of the previous comments about customer relations, however, this comment bothered me: "GMX also ran into a pretty rare issue on Sunday when a gust of wind blew a chair in sideways to the top terminal. Fixing and inspecting the lift left it down for an hour and a half."

This explanation, which provides a perfectly understandable reason for the delay, comes a full four days too late for me. When there's some issue that the maintenance techs can't quite figure out, I can understand the staff telling skiers they aren't sure what is causing the delay is or how long it will take to fix it. When a lift slams sideways into the terminal, though, there's really no mystery. Would it have really killed them to be honest with people right then and there instead of making them stand in line for an hour and a half in the middle of the day or guess at reopening times? Or wait in lines to lap the Sunny Quad? And this information couldn't be conveyed to the information desk/guest services who could have provided that explanation on the spot? If you really want to build customer trust, just be more transparent. Hiding the truth isn't good for customer relations. It also puts your lifties and customer service people in an awkward position. By the way, the lifties at Mt. Ellen generally do a fantastic job.

I assume you went to guest services to ask?

 

[kingslug]

I'm actually surprised to hear that Domino was in good shape...I guess it's low enough that the temps make it soft.

You could fly through it...

 

[gonesquatchin]

I assume you went to guest services to ask?

No, but I don’t know why that’s relevant. Someone posting above did. Maybe erdb?

 

[erdb1]

Let me start by saying I appreciate John addressing the lifts. It's a few days later than I would like, yes, but I do appreciate it.

In line with some of the previous comments about customer relations, however, this comment bothered me: "GMX also ran into a pretty rare issue on Sunday when a gust of wind blew a chair in sideways to the top terminal. Fixing and inspecting the lift left it down for an hour and a half."

This explanation, which provides a perfectly understandable reason for the delay, comes a full four days too late for me. When there's some issue that the maintenance techs can't quite figure out, I can understand the staff telling skiers they aren't sure what is causing the delay is or how long it will take to fix it. When a lift slams sideways into the terminal, though, there's really no mystery. Would it have really killed them to be honest with people right then and there instead of making them stand in line for an hour and a half in the middle of the day or guess at reopening times? Or wait in lines to lap the Sunny Quad? And this information couldn't be conveyed to the information desk/guest services who could have provided that explanation on the spot? If you really want to build customer trust, just be more transparent. Hiding the truth isn't good for customer relations. It also puts your lifties and customer service people in an awkward position. By the way, the lifties at Mt. Ellen generally do a fantastic job.

Exactly my thoughts. And yes, I did go to guest services and they had no idea what's going on.
It was a good read, clever marketing talk around the inconvenient facts, but maybe a sign that communication will improve. I don't know what "P.A. announcements with our snow reporters" means, I thought communicating with the app would be easier and could also be useful for those not yet on the mountain.

It sucks real bad that Inverness is out for the season. If anything happens with GMX, skiing is over at Mt. Ellen. I would have appreciated reading some thoughts about Local Pass holders and whether there are any back-up plans in case GMX goes offline for a few days. I hope running Inverness at that reduced speed is not the backup plan. On the last weekend it ran, I took it once not noticing it was running slow. It must have been at least 15min to make it to the top. Is it running on the back-up motor when it's running at reduced speed? Is there a second backup on that lift, too?

Anyway, Happy Anniversary Mt. Ellen, let's hope everything goes well tomorrow.

 

[ducky]

Exactly my thoughts. And yes, I did go to guest services and they had no idea what's going on.
It was a good read, clever marketing talk around the inconvenient facts, but maybe a sign that communication will improve. I don't know what "P.A. announcements with our snow reporters" means, I thought communicating with the app would be easier and could also be useful for those not yet on the mountain.

It sucks real bad that Inverness is out for the season. If anything happens with GMX, skiing is over at Mt. Ellen. I would have appreciated reading some thoughts about Local Pass holders and whether there are any back-up plans in case GMX goes offline for a few days. I hope running Inverness at that reduced speed is not the backup plan. On the last weekend it ran, I took it once not noticing it was running slow. It must have been at least 15min to make it to the top. Is it running on the back-up motor when it's running at reduced speed? Is there a second backup on that lift, too?

Anyway, Happy Anniversary Mt. Ellen, let's hope everything goes well tomorrow.

Quick hike from top of Sunny D to North Ridge, if it's running. Not ideal but easy enough. Could be fun to take the Inverness surface lift up too.

For now, we need more snow to freshen up this thaw. Will be rather noisy in a day or two.

 

[mikec142]

I don't know what "P.A. announcements with our snow reporters" means, I thought communicating with the app would be easier and could also be useful for those not yet on the mountain.

Over MLK weekend, there were some wind holds and while at LP, all of the sudden, there was an announcement over the loudspeaker (P.A) stating that Heaven's Gate was now open. It's not a substitute for updating the app and website, but I thought it was pretty cool. Granted I happened to be at the base at the right time to hear the announcement, but again, every attempt to communicate as best as possible is appreciated.

 

[WinS]

This is from aa friend at Big Sky:

“Stuck on lift for last half hour heading up to dinner and ski down. The good news is Steve is in chair behind us so the priority.
Skiing was rough today, lots of rocks and grass.”

He was on it one hour. I think the lift is less than 5 years old and I doubt they don’t do proper maintenance. They are very complicated machine and shit happens that is unexpected and unavoidable.

 

[ericfromMA/NH/VT]

Freudian slip. I meant Sugarloaf when the cable came off the towers and chair fell. Sunday river is not a bad example if you are worried about dying on a lift. The point was that people seldom worry about lifts being safe anywhere.

well crap I will now...thanks dude.....

 

[ericfromMA/NH/VT]

how was it today fellas? heading up tomorrow am, starting at Mt. Ellen. Hoping it doesn't freeze too bad tonight, but would love to know how it was today (couldnt go today..grrrr) and what you guys think it'll be like tomorrow, especially the blues on the top half of Mt Ellen, walts, lower FIS (my kids want to go down this, we never have, I've always heard its a looong low angle bump run until it becomes a long flat run out), murphys and domino (upper and lower.)

Also, how long is the ride on the shuttle from MT to lincoln? I have never done that before either.

Thanks all!

 

[cdskier]

I was pleasantly surprised today at LP. There was a lot of variability, but the lower mountain terrain in particular was skiing pretty well all things considered. Fairly soft layer on the lower mountain groomers. Upper mountain groomers were a bit chunky. Maybe that broke up a bit as the day went on, but I stayed lower down after my early upper mountain runs. Even the ungroomed was better than I expected (of those I skied Lower Paradise, Lower Domino, and Moonshine to Lower Twist). All those were very edgeable. Firmer higher up, but software lower down where the temps were a few degrees warmer.

As for the shuttle from ME to LP, it is about a 10-15 minute ride usually. Depends on whether it makes any stops along the way or not.

 

[oldfartrider]

Ellen was fun today. Got scratchy up top after 2 but mid mountain down was great corn snow. Seemed to get better as the day wore on mid mountain down.

 

[ericfromMA/NH/VT]

I was pleasantly surprised today at LP. There was a lot of variability, but the lower mountain terrain in particular was skiing pretty well all things considered. Fairly soft layer on the lower mountain groomers. Upper mountain groomers were a bit chunky. Maybe that broke up a bit as the day went on, but I stayed lower down after my early upper mountain runs. Even the ungroomed was better than I expected (of those I skied Lower Paradise, Lower Domino, and Moonshine to Lower Twist). All those were very edgeable. Firmer higher up, but software lower down where the temps were a few degrees warmer.

As for the shuttle from ME to LP, it is about a 10-15 minute ride usually. Depends on whether it makes any stops along the way or not.

Thanks, I literally always luck out and have awesome conditions when I go up there, this is the first time they may be dicey with the freeze tonight. But I'd imagine the groomers over at Mt Ellen wont get scraped up too badly as none of them are steep, I'll happily lap them all day if need be. Hoping walts isn't too icey but hopes are low there...

Thanks for the heads up on the bus, me and my son want to get noodle bowls over at Lincoln at some point. those things are pricey but worth it.