The "Sugarbush Thread"

[thetrailboss]

Snow report: "boomin’ early season snowmaking operation".....huh?

And they botched the spelling of Riemergasse, again. Come on...cut and paste the name if you can't get it right...

Yes, at least somepne reads the report...might as well get it right

"Boomin" early season snowmaking?

 

[solar]

Are ambassadors are currently prohibited from riding GMX?

 

[doublediamond]

Win, there very well might be an industry-wide issue of not enough lift mechanics. But no other resort has such a percentage of lifts not yet ready to run ahead of one of the three biggest weeks of the year or broken on one of the biggest weeks of the year. Which means the problem at SB is much bigger and on SB’s end. Pay more. Give better benefits. And you’ll recruit people over to Sugarbush and you’d get people changing careers or coming out of trade school. Latter may take a couple of years. Which is why current Wall St today’s returns mean all, who gives a F about tomorrow is a flawed method of running companies.

- - -

Same thing can be said with respect to snowmaking (problem is on SB management). This year has been marked by stark elevation-dependent snowmaking conditions. Up top November was fine for snowmaking. Down low nope. Absolutely no reason to be trying to open down low when there’s no simply windows. Absolutely no reason to stick to the defined plan (which nearly all customers hate, especially those footing the bill for passes which pays for early season snowmaking) when it’s clearly failing. And absolutely no reason to keep doing so when multiple competitors successfully pivoted to making snow up top to open early/on time.

• Sunday River gave up on Jordan Bowl for a bit when there were no temps and pushed Locke harder even though their prime ski-on-ski-off hotel is off Jordan Bowl
• ORDA areas pivoted to high elevation snowmaking with uploading/downloading to rave reviews.
• Killington yet again follows their top-to-bottom follow the temps rollout of terrain. And Killington had far more terrain open while SB claimed to have the most open once they dropped ropes on natural trails once SuperBravo opened.

And when there is simply no water, why waste what limited resources you have on making snow on Organgrinder before Heaven’s Gate was ready? All it meant was there wasn’t the water in the pond to get Snowball/Spring Fling open “on time” a.k.a. when they were ready to pivot to it.

I’d honestly say the only properties worse at making snow this year would be Wildcat and Attitash.

 

[ducky]

Are ambassadors are currently prohibited from riding GMX?

No.

 

[ducky]

Had a great weekend before the rain. Hopefully that storm next week replenishes all the natural snow…

A few observations from my end:

1) Why are there so many employees staffed in the parking lot? I had 4 employees guiding me into the lot, before I had another 4 instructing me where to park in the lot and how far forward to pull up. I’m sure there was a boatload of other employees scattered around the parking lot as well. Seems like Alterra could realize some cost savings here…

2) Similar to my previous comment, looked like 5 lifties staffed at the base of the lifts. These guys were doing minimal work and any time the lift stopped, maintenance had to come by and start up the lift again. Seems like another area to realize some cost savings…

3) Appreciated the new heavens gate lift and how insulated it was from the wind. This saved Saturday when bravo was on wind hold

Assuming you mean parking attendants at MtE? Otoh, I have not seen any at LP recently. A few days ago, the heli lot's (below Village Quad) first two rows by the slope were completely closed off due to a full third row, end-to-end.
Both Stowe and Smuggs have unsanctioned Instagram accounts for their parking lots - funny stuff. @stoweparkinglot & @freelot1

 

[Plowboy]

1) Why are there so many employees staffed in the parking lot? I had 4 employees guiding me into the lot, before I had another 4 instructing me where to park in the lot and how far forward to pull up. I’m sure there was a boatload of other employees scattered around the parking lot as well. Seems like Alterra could realize some cost savings here…

There was 11 LP parking lot employees this morning at 8:30. A bit much considering a lot of people have left or are not skiing today because of the rain. Maybe they're training them??

 

[vtboarder]

Read the blog post. Nice to finally get a little more info on what ails GMX/NR.

End of day though, at no point did I read SB taking any blame, acknowledging any fault for the sh*t show that the start of this season has become. Was there ever a "Plan B"? How do you have nine months to repair many known issues with GMX/NR and not have all the work complete and lifts in perfect order for opening late December? As to the new HG, every construction project will have delays and rarely are they things that can't be anticipated and planned for in advance. If the timeline was that tight, SB (and their advisors) should have staffed the project accordingly - something also to factor into original cost planning. And being honest, I and likely most other passholders don't care if the fault of all this was with local management, Alterra or some combination.

The bit about trails being marked open (but only accessible by hiking). - fine to have an icon on the snow report page that is a hiker to indicate this. But it really is border fraudulent to report the trail as "open" when we all know that 99.9% of customers are only interested in lift served terrain. Very similar feelings regarding ME and Inverness/Brambles that are always marked "open" but rarely usable by the paying customers. If complete access has been sold to GMVS, take it off the map or only mark it open when GMVS is actually off the runs and any ropes are lifted*. This is all about SB's ability to market the mountain as being "open" and not caring the claim is, for all intents, a lie.


*back in the WS days, unless there was an actual race, GMVS was pretty reliably off the run(s) by 2PM and ski patrol knew and would the drop ropes. This has not been the case the past three years.

 

[HowieT2]

Read the blog post. Nice to finally get a little more info on what ails GMX/NR.

End of day though, at no point did I read SB taking any blame, acknowledging any fault for the sh*t show that the start of this season has become. Was there ever a "Plan B"? How do you have nine months to repair many known issues with GMX/NR and not have all the work complete and lifts in perfect order for opening late December? As to the new HG, every construction project will have delays and rarely are they things that can't be anticipated and planned for in advance. If the timeline was that tight, SB (and their advisors) should have staffed the project accordingly - something also to factor into original cost planning. And being honest, I and likely most other passholders don't care if the fault of all this was with local management, Alterra or some combination.

The bit about trails being marked open (but only accessible by hiking). - fine to have an icon on the snow report page that is a hiker to indicate this. But it really is border fraudulent to report the trail as "open" when we all know that 99.9% of customers are only interested in lift served terrain. Very similar feelings regarding ME and Inverness/Brambles that are always marked "open" but rarely usable by the paying customers. If complete access has been sold to GMVS, take it off the map or only mark it open when GMVS is actually off the runs and any ropes are lifted*. This is all about SB's ability to market the mountain as being "open" and not caring the claim is, for all intents, a lie.


*back in the WS days, unless there was an actual race, GMVS was pretty reliably off the run(s) by 2PM and ski patrol knew and would the drop ropes. This has not been the case the past three years.

to be fair, they did admit to being short staffed in lift maintenance. and there isnt any reason to believe the problem with the GMX was known to them before the season started. It seems they still, as of the date of the blog, havent diagnosed the issue.
As far as the construction of HG that isn't done by SB or Alterra, its Dopplemeyer.
That being said, its unfortunate that the best holiday ski conditions in years is marred by lift problems. The skiing was mid winter great. If I'm not mistaken, I hadnt skied castlerock xmas week since 2018.

 

[NewEnglander77]

Read the blog post. Nice to finally get a little more info on what ails GMX/NR.

End of day though, at no point did I read SB taking any blame, acknowledging any fault for the sh*t show that the start of this season has become. Was there ever a "Plan B"? How do you have nine months to repair many known issues with GMX/NR and not have all the work complete and lifts in perfect order for opening late December? As to the new HG, every construction project will have delays and rarely are they things that can't be anticipated and planned for in advance. If the timeline was that tight, SB (and their advisors) should have staffed the project accordingly - something also to factor into original cost planning. And being honest, I and likely most other passholders don't care if the fault of all this was with local management, Alterra or some combination.

The bit about trails being marked open (but only accessible by hiking). - fine to have an icon on the snow report page that is a hiker to indicate this. But it really is border fraudulent to report the trail as "open" when we all know that 99.9% of customers are only interested in lift served terrain. Very similar feelings regarding ME and Inverness/Brambles that are always marked "open" but rarely usable by the paying customers. If complete access has been sold to GMVS, take it off the map or only mark it open when GMVS is actually off the runs and any ropes are lifted*. This is all about SB's ability to market the mountain as being "open" and not caring the claim is, for all intents, a lie.


*back in the WS days, unless there was an actual race, GMVS was pretty reliably off the run(s) by 2PM and ski patrol knew and would the drop ropes. This has not been the case the past three years.

Certainly not an apologist for SB management, however environmental constraints (Hermit Thrush protection) significantly limited the construction window. Seems like they did a good job considering the limited timeframe, even though that impacted late season/eclipse. No excuses given for the false start.

 

[Mak]

Are ambassadors are currently prohibited from riding GMX?

No.

Source: I'm an Ambassador.

 

[Mak]

I think many of the lot people are ambassadors, so not paid, but I could be wrong

No Ambassador works the lots at either LP or ME. None. It's an edict from above.

Source: I'm an Ambassador.

 

[solar]

No.

Source: I'm an Ambassador.

Thanks for confirming!

 

[Mak]

 

[Mak]

There was 11 LP parking lot employees this morning at 8:30. A bit much considering a lot of people have left or are not skiing today because of the rain. Maybe they're training them??

They are employees that work full time. They aren't just called in on busy days.

 

[cdskier]

@Lotso - Now they're doubling-down on misspelling Riemergasse:

And we have some amazing news: as of this afternoon, our Parks Crew has started the build on Reimergasse! Woooohooo! The Reimer will be closed until the build is finished, but get hyped!

 

[KustyTheKlown]

single chair blog calling for 11-22" for mrg and more for stowe to jay for this weds>weekend thing...

 

[Shredmonkey254]

single chair blog calling for 11-22" for mrg and more for stowe to jay for this weds>weekend thing...

Mountain Forecast shows more snow both south and north of the poor MRV. Hopefully everyone gets whacked with this one!

 

[Lotso]

*back in the WS days, unless there was an actual race, GMVS was pretty reliably off the run(s) by 2PM and ski patrol knew and would the drop ropes. This has not been the case the past three years.

Often the case now, too. Only caveat is if the hill needs to be kept closed to keep the surface safe for racing or training the next day (ie- not being groomed because of weather). I agree that saying it's open but closing it to racing and training is disingenuous at best.

 

[vtski802]

@Lotso - Now they're doubling-down on misspelling Riemergasse:

I before e except after... R?

 

[Lotso]

I before e except after... R?

Yeah, it boggles the mind. Cut and paste, reporter person...