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The "Sugarbush Thread"
- Thread starter thetrailboss
- Start date
It's simple. They have people's money already. And there is not much competition. I will be interested to see if they DO refund folks who bought that $99 spring pass and TRY to make good on the mistake. For some reason I think the answer will be, "no". When Alterra got a class action lawsuit for stiffing folks in the 2019-2020 season that ended early due to COVID, the remedy was a whopping $25 per passholder IIRC. So I am not optimistic.
Yeah, given the quality of what we are seeing from the communications/PR folks, that may indicate that it is not a well-paid gig or one that folks want to do. That may be part of the problem.
What's wrong homeslices?
Communications? I seem to remember hearing that the snow reporting and overall communications have been an issue for a long time at SB.
Spring skiing at LP without Castlerock or HG is pretty limited and won't last too, too long unless they have really buried a few runs. It almost seems as if they have already received your money and are cutting back on what is not a profitable time of the season.
Sounds like some need to vent in the Alterra sucks thread.....
Nah...this is a local issue. I doubt Alterra had any direct involvement in the planning or communication of this beyond allocating the budget.
And no CR in April isn't a huge deal. Many years it is closed naturally by that time. HG though is a big loss... (although obviously you need to close HG at some point to replace HG). Going one more week and/or communicating the plan well in advance probably would have gone over much better. Or if you really can't move the schedule even a single week, then throw in an extra bonus weekend at ME (run it bare-bones with minimal services and just GMX and Summit if you have to).
The TBD ticket was good any day of the season, in addition to another bonus day - either Mardi Gras or after April 1. I used the first half 2 days after the 2' dump a couple weeks ago, and after 7 hours on the hill, I feel like I definitely got my $99's worth. Having a bonus day was just that, a bonus. If I don't get a chance to use it after 4/1, no big deal (a 4 1/2 hour drive that I would have to do on a Fri night, then home Sun) but with limited terrain options, that just seems less and less of an incentive to make the trip. Granted, mother nature could have made the terrain limited on her own right, with or without a lift replacement.
Needless to say, I made my final runs on "Hogan's Gate" on 3/13, and they were indeed glorious. So many good memories of bumping chairs, freezing cold 3am rides, sunrise runs, and, oh yeah, those daylight rides going snowboarding. If chairs do become available, someone let me know!
Needless to say, I made my final runs on "Hogan's Gate" on 3/13, and they were indeed glorious. So many good memories of bumping chairs, freezing cold 3am rides, sunrise runs, and, oh yeah, those daylight rides going snowboarding. If chairs do become available, someone let me know!
drjeff
Well-known member
Guessing on some level, especially about 2 weeks ago, they may have been thinking that the ski season was rapidly winding down and closures for the beginning of the work and the fabrication of work roads would have minimal impact on late season operations.... Then the last 2 weeks or so of storms and a significant increase in snow cover happened...
slatham
Well-known member
This makes me really question the competence of Sugarbush management. Since they didn’t provide an explanation of unexpected extenuating circumstances, and given the advance planning required for such a project, my conclusion is this has been known for a long time and Sugarbush decided to withhold it until 5 days prior. In the midst of the best snow of the season. In the midst of a once-in-a-generation solar event. On the back of advertising and selling based on such event, as well as the TBD tickets. Simultaneous with closing Ellen.
All I know for sure is this wouldn’t have happened under Win.
Buck stops at Hammond, and he has failed.
Edit: as I think about it more in the context of business law, the above scenario, if true, is borderline fraud.
All I know for sure is this wouldn’t have happened under Win.
Buck stops at Hammond, and he has failed.
Edit: as I think about it more in the context of business law, the above scenario, if true, is borderline fraud.
Last edited:
They have these things called weather forecasts and weather models that they could have looked at before making decisions….
This isn't even a matter of simply two weeks ago. This plan was likely known and should have been announced way back when they sold those TBD tickets. Obviously the tickets don't impact me directly since I'm a pass-holder, but I still think that was highly deceptive to not mention that when putting those on sale.
drjeff
Well-known member
I'm guessing the manufacturer gave them some hard time lines. Probably also so down time due to various alpine based animal mating seasons (that is actually a thing cited in some ACT 25O applications). Plus from a take down standpoint, it's easier, and less expensive, to haul down some of the old lift infrastructure on sleds over snow than either over dirt or flying it out)
Factor things like that in, as well as some added in extra time for things like inclement weather and unsuspected things that may pop up, and as much as they probably would like to spin HG for a few more weeks, the bigger picture of having the new lift spinning by their targeted time in the Fall, likely wins out, even if Winn was still in charge.
Guessing they have in hand, and have had for a while, a fairly detailed time line between now and let's call it Thanksgiving week for discussion sake as a targeted opening time, of what will be taking place to keep things on schedule, each week
Shredmonkey254
Active member
As recently unhoused members of the Sugarbush community, we no longer need to drive the extra hour each way to go riding. After 18 years of being regulars, based on the few trails that will be available, we will use up our remaining days to ski Killington and maybe check out Stratton if it’s a sunny day. If we want to drive further, we can go to Sunday River. I feel bad for all my friends who are based in the MRV. These closures really screw the “community“ that have places there and can’t easily go to other areas. Glad to have an Ikon pass so not stuck going to SB with their current plans. Will miss you guys!
Smellytele
Well-known member
But it comes down to they knew before and didn’t just decided on the 4/1 date!
Reality sucks but we all need to take a big bite of it sometimes. The communication from Alterra was last minute and underwhelming but, sometimes we all need to put 2 and 2 together before posting conspiracy theories. It was well know that Heaven's was getting replaced and that many challenges in the installation presented themselves. From Act 250 permits to challenging terrain and the infamous Bicknell's thrush factor, Alterra and Dopplemayer are just taking a conservative scheduling approach.
This.
NewEnglander77
Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2022
- Messages
- 22
- Points
- 13
Most of us reluctantly understand the scheduling. What we don't understand is the poor communication( consistent all season and disrespectful to paying customers that plan ahead) and lack of effort to offer alternatives (keeping Ellen open longer). Customer Service 101. All of the lift issues, early closure etc.. could be dealt with in a way that don't leave such anger, vitriol and resentment. Just look at the blowback across all social media and the responses on this forum.
Well, a friend of AZ has weighed in. If you challenge him, know that he will ban you from his little group. 
Yes...that's mentioned in the permit documentation as well, so that's accurate.
jimmywilson69
Well-known member
Well, a friend of AZ has weighed in. If you challenge him, know that he will ban you from his little group.
I'm sure he read most of that shit here... Dude is such a tool. Glad he had to change the name although Snowology is equally as douchy.
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