The "Sugarbush Thread"

[Shredmonkey254]

If this continues then I think a fair number of locals in Northern and Central Vermont will rethink IKON next year…

My two buds from the greater Burlington area are planning to defect next year, can no longer deal with opening Gatehouse first. They got in 5 runs from 8 to 11 today, on a couple short, simple runs that were skied off after the first lap. They are incredibly pissed off, die hard bush skiers that I have skied with exclusively at the bush for the last 20 years. Things are going wrong on many levels here. So glad to be exploring other places this year, will wait for a big dump before going here this season, when all lifts are running. Stowe will be mobbed next season!

 

[urungus]

How much does an affiliate ski resort make off the Ikon pass?

The exact mounts are a closely guarded secret, but my understanding is that the resort receives a yearly lump sum payment plus a per-scan payment. For Killington it’s got to be in the millions - Very rough estimate - If 20% of Killington’s 1 million annual skier visits are from IKON passes and per-scan payment is $50 that would be $10 million (plus the lump sum). People complain about the IKON crowds so I would think 20% IKON is conservative

 

[Carl_Greig]

That’s it? For some reason I though they had a pond in the valley for ME too.

As far as I know, for Mt. Ellen, there is the small pond next to Inverness fed by a pumphouse next to Fayston Elementary School. The larger pond near the bottom of Sugarbush Access Road pumps only to Lincoln Peak.

 

[thetrailboss]

Local bar rumor mill has HG concrete failing a second inspection. A delay potentially to Feb?

Unconfirmed rumor- it IS mid December tho- promised opening projection if I recall. .

I doubt that they would put chairs on a lift that has bad concrete….

 

[thetrailboss]

The exact mounts are a closely guarded secret, but my understanding is that the resort receives a yearly lump sum payment plus a per-scan payment. For Killington it’s got to be in the millions - Very rough estimate - If 20% of Killington’s 1 million annual skier visits are from IKON passes and per-scan payment is $50 that would be $10 million (plus the lump sum). People complain about the IKON crowds so I would think 20% IKON is conservative

You’re right. I think it is more than $50 per day. Once they exhaust the lump sum then the amount goes up per day.

 

[thetrailboss]

My two buds from the greater Burlington area are planning to defect next year, can no longer deal with opening Gatehouse first. They got in 5 runs from 8 to 11 today, on a couple short, simple runs that were skied off after the first lap. They are incredibly pissed off, die hard bush skiers that I have skied with exclusively at the bush for the last 20 years. Things are going wrong on many levels here. So glad to be exploring other places this year, will wait for a big dump before going here this season, when all lifts are running. Stowe will be mobbed next season!

I have the wonder if John Hammond’s days are numbered. Certainly some bad factors coming together this year.

 

[cdskier]

As far as I know, for Mt. Ellen, there is the small pond next to Inverness fed by a pumphouse next to Fayston Elementary School. The larger pond near the bottom of Sugarbush Access Road pumps only to Lincoln Peak.

There's others here that would know better, but I think this is what I remember as well that there's only the one main pond by Inverness for ME.

I doubt that they would put chairs on a lift that has bad concrete….

I was thinking this as well. I would have expected the concrete to be inspected before the towers were even installed. Unless they were fine and then an issue showed up later on once all the weight was added. Seriously hope that rumor is not even close to true.


Also if anyone is bored...feel free to go back to posts from November/December 2016 in this thread where we were talking about these exact same topics as that was another drought year. From a transparency perspective, you'd also see that Win at the time called out a lot of specifics in his blog post in November talking about the flow rates in the river and why they were limited with snowmaking at LP at the time. (And then in early December there was a big non-snow event that got the snow-making back online). Deja vu?

 

[Lotso]

Wednesday weather event looking to be a killer...ugh

 

[Newpylong]

Horrific

 

[Cheetah440]

I have the wonder if John Hammond’s days are numbered. Certainly some bad factors coming together this year.

This has been a challenging operational opening for sure. New lift, drought, short snowmaking window. HG has been out of the mix and pretty much been mid Dec best case for a while so they prob figured they would get GH and VH going, blow snow to get ready for HG. Ran out of water. More water is on the way!!!

 

[Smellytele]

yes more water on the way but then the temps plunge and everything freezes up until the next r@!n event

 

[ducky]

Rain event needed to put snow back on the hill is a new concept in energy use. What to wish for here?
Also, there are other ski forums? Do these discuss Sugarbush?

 

[Blurski]

Someone made that comment about the concrete on Facebook a few days ago and Sugarbush simply replied that it was still on track for opening in mid-December.

I'd consider next weekend mid-December...so we'll see what happens. Of course if they can't make snow to get to the lift...it won't matter anyway!

All major structure concrete for towers, drives, top & bottom terminals have been poured for over a month. Sets of 5 test cylinders are taken for each pour, they are tested at 7 days, 14 days & 28 days, you will know if you have a problem with compressing strength on the 7 day break. You cannot erect the towers without the test results proving the concrete has met the design strength, period or an approved engineered fix was signed off on & exiecuted. Just no way around this.
Perhaps they have some low breaks on the pit concrete for the conveyor or something, not so critical they would most likely come up with an end around for that.

 

[tumbler]

As far as I know, for Mt. Ellen, there is the small pond next to Inverness fed by a pumphouse next to Fayston Elementary School. The larger pond near the bottom of Sugarbush Access Road pumps only to Lincoln Peak.

Unless they piped things differently than a while ago the pumphouse on Germans Flats is the main water feed into the system from Chase Brook and the pond at Inverness is for additional water. The pond is not fed by the pumphouse on German Flats.

 

[tumbler]

All major structure concrete for towers, drives, top & bottom terminals have been poured for over a month. Sets of 5 test cylinders are taken for each pour, they are tested at 7 days, 14 days & 28 days, you will know if you have a problem with compressing strength on the 7 day break. You cannot erect the towers without the test results proving the concrete has met the design strength, period or an approved engineered fix was signed off on & exiecuted. Just no way around this.
Perhaps they have some low breaks on the pit concrete for the conveyor or something, not so critical they would most likely come up with an end around for that.

Agreed and thanks for typing that all out, you saved me from doing it. I'll add that they might have not have made test cylinders for each pour and that is what has them in trouble, the state is looking for those results as part of inspection sign off.

 

[ducky]

Heading up this morning. My bedroom view is from SF to the Church obscured down low from mid-Murphy's. Don't see any guns on.

 

[VTSkiBike]

Embarrassing weekend at Sugarbush. I'm done making excuses for them half-assing the start of this season.

What a goddamn joke.

 

[djd66]

They are currently blowing snow at Mt Ellen that is only getting used by 100 people.

 

[NYDB]

I know I'm late to this discussion but Stratton got sunbowl open this weekend, without food and beverage and the sports shop.

It wasn't schedule until next weekend but they saw the need and pulled the trigger. Heat and bathrooms only and 1 lift staffed. I think they ran a ticket booth too.

Something similar could have happened with Mt Ellen no?

I know Sugarbush would have to open 2 lifts but Don't see why it couldn't have been done. Especially with Mt Ellen already 'sorta open' for GMVS.

 

[pinnoke]

Rain event needed to put snow back on the hill is a new concept in energy use. What to wish for here?
Also, there are other ski forums? Do these discuss Sugarbush?

Ducky...it's enough work to just keep up reading these Sugarbush pages! Keep the faith...