The "Sugarbush Thread"

[Cheetah440]

They had lots of skiers in the 70's. Plasce was a zoo.

It's a moot point though. That type of solid winter is seldom seen 'round hear these days.

Uphill capacity with high speed lifts changes it. Now if you had the old Bravo triple and VH double and GH double yeah you could. Personally, progress in many ways has made things worse, but I’m also an old crank.

 

[SteezyRob]

Tumbler is correct. I teach at SB.

Miles from the Blazers basically taught me how to ski lol

 

[crank]

Castlerock capacity nor line length has changed much. Glad to see some things stay the same.

 

[skiur]

Bromley closing tomorrow to ride out the deluge. Save some money and maybe snow.

Bromley Mountain to temporarily close ahead of expected rain, wind

Bromley Mountain will temporarily shut down its lifts this week ahead of potential bad weather.

www.wcax.com

Et tu, Sugarbush?

With the forecasted winds a lot of lifts in the northeast will be on hold tomorrow.

 

[slatham]

Good news compared to cement issues. But cutting it close to Christmas break.

Also snowmaking as soon as tomorrow night which is way faster than feared on this blog.

Heaven’s Gate Quad Update

We understand this past weekend wasn’t quite...expansive enough, and we share in your chomping at the bitness to get out on the slopes. While we didn’t open as much terrain as we’d hoped, we do have some positive news to share: the new Heaven’s Gate Quad has successfully passed its acceptance test! This is a major milestone, and with a final punchlist of items to go through, we’re targeting an opening date within the next two weeks, weather permitting. With the incoming rain, we are planning to resume snowmaking as soon as tomorrow night on Valley House and be ready to expand terrain soon. We are truly thankful for your patience and understanding as we work toward a great season ahead. Stay tuned for more updates.

 

[Carl_Greig]

Sugarbush looking for rain to replenish snowmaking pond

With warmer weather expected to melt some snow at lower elevations, the resort is hopeful it will replenish its snowmaking capabilities.

www.wcax.com

https://archive.ph/mi6cz

 

[MadPadraic]

According to this, skier visits at SB are about the same now as they were in 1980. https://www.newenglandskihistory.com/timeline/vt-skiervisits.php

I was also under the impression that HSQ and fixed grip quads tend to have the same uphill capacity per hour due to chair spacing.

Anyway, I want it to snow.

 

[cdskier]

Good news compared to cement issues. But cutting it close to Christmas break.

Also snowmaking as soon as tomorrow night which is way faster than feared on this blog.

Heaven’s Gate Quad Update

We understand this past weekend wasn’t quite...expansive enough, and we share in your chomping at the bitness to get out on the slopes. While we didn’t open as much terrain as we’d hoped, we do have some positive news to share: the new Heaven’s Gate Quad has successfully passed its acceptance test! This is a major milestone, and with a final punchlist of items to go through, we’re targeting an opening date within the next two weeks, weather permitting. With the incoming rain, we are planning to resume snowmaking as soon as tomorrow night on Valley House and be ready to expand terrain soon. We are truly thankful for your patience and understanding as we work toward a great season ahead. Stay tuned for more updates.

Good news, but within the next 2 weeks is still more of a delay than I'm sure most would like to see (granted they could surprise and get it on the earlier side of that timeline and likely they're giving themselves some wiggle room).

 

[Blurski]

Good news compared to cement issues. But cutting it close to Christmas break.

Also snowmaking as soon as tomorrow night which is way faster than feared on this blog.

Heaven’s Gate Quad Update

We understand this past weekend wasn’t quite...expansive enough, and we share in your chomping at the bitness to get out on the slopes. While we didn’t open as much terrain as we’d hoped, we do have some positive news to share: the new Heaven’s Gate Quad has successfully passed its acceptance test! This is a major milestone, and with a final punchlist of items to go through, we’re targeting an opening date within the next two weeks, weather permitting. With the incoming rain, we are planning to resume snowmaking as soon as tomorrow night on Valley House and be ready to expand terrain soon. We are truly thankful for your patience and understanding as we work toward a great season ahead. Stay tuned for more updates.

Punch list my business, designing and building, infrastructure projects are items that did not delay the project from being used for its intended purpose not delaying the use.
Maybe it’s different in the ski lift industry. Our contracts are tied to this it’s call substantial completion.

 

[Tin Woodsman]

So they are missing their "mid-December" target, and it only appears partially related to lack of snow/snowmaking water.

This season has been an epic (ikonic?) fail in every conceivable way. Yes we'll all mostly forget this a month from now when the Mansfield snow stake is sitting above 40" again and the woods are open, but it's an incredibly bad look rt now that some people will not forget. This sort of performance corrodes the brand for anyone who isn't invested in the MRV and has options to take their skiing dollars elsewhere.

 

[Hawk]

It's funny this year. I am not really that pissed off. Maybe I am now fully conditioned that we will not have good skiing early. I mean I live at the mountain for most of the winter and could ski at SB 60+ days but lately I kind of expect this kind of begining now. But I also have to say the "Pass" is not an IKONic Failure at all. I am skiing at Sunday River a bunch. For the next couple of weeks I am skiing Killington at least one day a weekend. I am skiing 7 days at Palasades and Alpine Meadows with Friends over New Years. I am skiing 7 days at Zermatt. The rest is Sugarbush once is gets up off the ground. All for the same price I paid before IKON. I can not say that is a bad deal at all. For some people who solely bank on Sugarbush to be excellent all the time, it's disapointing but that is a choice not to travel. People are so spoiled that Mother Nature has continuously bailed us out. That looks like it not going to happen more often than not so plan accordingly. I hope the disgruntled leave. That would actually help the cause of the people who ski here full time. Again either way I look at this as a win.

And I always said that HG was going to be late. I knew it in September.

 

[Hawk]

Punch list my business, designing and building, infrastructure projects are items that did not delay the project from being used for its intended purpose not delaying the use.
Maybe it’s different in the ski lift industry. Our contracts are tied to this it’s call substantial completion.

I don't understand your point. I too project manage large projects. So they missed thier contract substancial completion date. It appears that there were actual contruction issues. Facts suggest that is had something to do with the concrete pour and the number and availiblity of work days to remidy the situation. But that is all on Dopplemayr. I am sure there will be some kind of claim for liqudated damages. Either way they missed the date due to issues beyond Sugarbush's control.

 

[Blurski]

I don't understand your point. I too project manage large projects. So they missed thier contract substancial completion date. It appears that there were actual contruction issues. Facts suggest that is had something to do with the concrete pour and the number and availiblity of work days to remidy the situation. But that is all on Dopplemayr. I am sure there will be some kind of claim for liqudated damages. Either way they missed the date due to issues beyond Sugarbush's control.

Just the fact they are blaming punch list items. Maybe your company operates differently, and everything goes on the punch list once you miss substantial completion. After managing over $3B in work & senior VP for 30 years, never would allow or add work that is not in compliance with the specifications, weather delays, etc. to punch list.

 

[Hawk]

35 years myself in Downtown Boston. Im not a VP but I might as well be. I hate the corporate side and Industy functions. Took a parking spot and more vacation instead of the promotion. ;-)
Hamond always said that there were things that would need to be done after the turn over. Like fine tuning the lift, training the mechanics and lifties, signage etc. Whatever. But the simple fact that Dopplemayr is late is the delay we are really talking about. Two weeks does seem to be a long time for these things though. They also have to blow Jester, Downspout and build the ramp snow. As everyone should understand they can not blow Spring Fling and other lower mountain areas and the top at the same time. So they are faced with getting Bravo open and then doing the top. That could take 2 weeks? we will see.

 

[Lotso]

35 years myself in Downtown Boston. Im not a VP but I might as well be. I hate the corporate side and Industy functions. Took a parking spot and more vacation instead of the promotion. ;-)
Hamond always said that there were things that would need to be done after the turn over. Like fine tuning the lift, training the mechanics and lifties, signage etc. Whatever. But the simple fact that Dopplemayr is late is the delay we are really talking about. Two weeks does seem to be a long time for these things though. They also have to blow Jester, Downspout and build the ramp snow. As everyone should understand they can not blow Spring Fling and other lower mountain areas and the top at the same time. So they are faced with getting Bravo open and then doing the top. That could take 2 weeks? we will see.

I see good temps tonight through Monday. After that, not so much... Hope the pond holds up to allow for 24-hr operation at LP. Gonna need it if they expect to be more than Slowpoke and Pushover for the weekend (again)

 

[Getskied]

I am skiing 7 days at Palasades and Alpine Meadows with Friends over New Years. I am skiing 7 days at Zermatt. The rest is Sugarbush once is gets up off the ground. All for the same price I paid before IKON. I can not say that is a bad deal at all. For some people who solely bank on Sugarbush to be excellent all the time, it's disapointing but that is a choice not to travel.

It’s a good deal IF you have the time and financial means to take advantage of it. We are utilizing our IKON passes more broadly this year but historically being local and with young kids we bought IKON because it was the only logical option to ski at our local mountain. Not everyone can or wants to take advantage of the benefits you are describing.

The ski season here will end up being what it is. I’m personally more annoyed at how the valley has been directly affected by the slow and unimaginative rollout and poor communication which has allowed rumors to fester. I am also still salty about the dumpster fire that was the Mt Ellen lift system last winter. Much of it may have been out of SB’s control but terrible communication really didn’t help. They leave their paying clientele in the dark for weeks at a time and then get mad when rumors begin circulating.

 

[snoseek]

This thread is giving me post vail wildcat vibes.

 

[cdskier]

It’s a good deal IF you have the time and financial means to take advantage of it. We are utilizing our IKON passes more broadly this year but historically being local and with young kids we bought IKON because it was the only logical option to ski at our local mountain. Not everyone can or wants to take advantage of the benefits you are describing.

The ski season here will end up being what it is. I’m personally more annoyed at how the valley has been directly affected by the slow and unimaginative rollout and poor communication which has allowed rumors to fester. I am also still salty about the dumpster fire that was the Mt Ellen lift system last winter. Much of it may have been out of SB’s control but terrible communication really didn’t help. They leave their paying clientele in the dark for weeks at a time and then get mad when rumors begin circulating.

While I'm not a "local" per se, it is still not easy/cost effective for me to take advantage of a lot of the Ikon partner options. My condo is at Sugarbush. So either I need to drive an hour (or substantially more for anywhere other than K/Pico) to go to another resort (after driving 5 hours to get to my condo) or I need to pay to stay somewhere. Neither of those are very appealing to me other than an occasional trip to K/Pico.

I agree that communication has been severely lacking and weak. We went from having one of the most visible and open and communicative owners in the business to almost the exact opposite. And the stubbornness to seemingly refuse to adjust operating plans and build in contingencies is also pretty shocking. With the HG closure last year, ME should have been open an extra weekend. And this year they should have seriously considered making ME the early season plan especially once they knew HG was behind schedule.

 

[Cheetah440]

It’s a good deal IF you have the time and financial means to take advantage of it. We are utilizing our IKON passes more broadly this year but historically being local and with young kids we bought IKON because it was the only logical option to ski at our local mountain. Not everyone can or wants to take advantage of the benefits you are describing.

The ski season here will end up being what it is. I’m personally more annoyed at how the valley has been directly affected by the slow and unimaginative rollout and poor communication which has allowed rumors to fester. I am also still salty about the dumpster fire that was the Mt Ellen lift system last winter. Much of it may have been out of SB’s control but terrible communication really didn’t help. They leave their paying clientele in the dark for weeks at a time and then get mad when rumors begin circulating.

Yeah, my buddy raved about Epic pass when he could go to France for a week, go to Vail, was "free". Then sit in 45min lines at Okemo on Feb and March weekends.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

its still the obvious best deal in skiing for anyone who travels on at least one big destination trip and/or enjoys bouncing around a region a lot without a strong tether to one resort/town

i work around the worst crowding by supplementing my ikon with an indy. in the future i'd consider supplementing with other options like NY3, MRG or Smuggs, Magic, Platty etc.

it works great for me, but i fully acknowledge the externalities the passes create. i havent been very critical of alterra but the situation up in sugarbush this fall has been pretty grim.

hoping that a month from now this is all ancient history and we're sliding on natural snow on the new hg quad