The "Sugarbush Thread"

[thetrailboss]

for a $99 donation to the association of africans living in vermont, ikon base pass holders can unlock their blackouts this weekend

Oh, I see what you are saying:

Donate to the AALV and ski/ride MLK Weekend

Donate to the AALV and ski/ride MLK Weekend

www.sugarbush.com

Boy, Alterra has decided to do whatever they want with IKON blackout access privileges. My buddy bought an unlimited IKON and paid a premium to not have blackouts at Solitude. Then, after pass sales ended, Alterra just announced that Solitude was going to not have blackouts. It was reminiscent of how Alterra unilaterally implemented paid parking at Solitude after ending pass sales and with no notice to passholders. Now they are basically giving away access for a donation to a non-profit. I've never heard of this non-profit, but it looks like it is relatively new and helps folks primarily in Chittenden County. Without getting into the non-profit and what it does, I will just say that if I paid a premium for full access that I would be pretty pissed. And it appears that people have to purchase through Sugarbush, so Alterra gets the tax deduction. Now I doubt that many folks will take advantage of this promotion, but we will see.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

its pretty annoying that they are letting base people unlock. the uncrowded holidays is a perk of the full pass.

i have no comments or strongly held opinions on the politics of the organization, or about sugarbush choosing to partner with any non profit.

my gripe is solely about giving access to damn plebs.

its tuesday night of a snowy week. hopefully its too late for most of them to join us at sugarbush...

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

I want that ikon $199 killington spring add on again

 

[Lotso]

I have waited longer at the CR lift then it takes to walk over there.

Ditto

 

[Zand]

I want that ikon $199 killington spring add on again

I don't like the guesswork that goes into that. If they confidently announced that they are doing it before each year, I would use all 7 Killington days before March and then buy the spring pass. Instead (when I have Ikon) I use two or three during the winter because I'd rather use most of them in the spring when that place really shines.

 

[cdskier]

its pretty annoying that they are letting base people unlock. the uncrowded holidays is a perk of the full pass.

i have no comments or strongly held opinions on the politics of the organization, or about sugarbush choosing to partner with any non profit.

my gripe is solely about giving access to damn plebs.

its tuesday night of a snowy week. hopefully its too late for most of them to join us at sugarbush...

I personally don't think you're going to suddenly see tons of people taking advantage of this.

 

[thetrailboss]

its pretty annoying that they are letting base people unlock. the uncrowded holidays is a perk of the full pass.

i have no comments or strongly held opinions on the politics of the organization, or about sugarbush choosing to partner with any non profit.

my gripe is solely about giving access to damn plebs.

its tuesday night of a snowy week. hopefully its too late for most of them to join us at sugarbush...

So will you consider this when renewing your pass? If you renew?

 

[KustyTheKlown]

So will you consider this when renewing your pass? If you renew?

i am undoubtedly renewing my pass, enthusiastically.

this is a mild annoyance. it gets a comment on AZ and a shrug.

i'm more annoyed by sugarbush lift maintenance issues but it is what it is and its one area in a portfolio of many.

stratton ops have been excellent. as has killington. i havent been to nh/me yet but i always find boyne to be a great operator, and sunday river seems to have expanded a lot with little weather help. every year i take a two week trip out west and get to ski some of the best terrain in the world, typically with very little crowds if any.

i am a happy ikon customer and am so glad its not vail. i supplement with an indy. my cost per day of skiing ends up being about $23 (for lift access only) and the quality of the skiing is pretty high

i would just prefer they dont give base people access to sugarbush this weekend for a donation to a charity

 

[urungus]

I don't like the guesswork that goes into that. If they confidently announced that they are doing it before each year, I would use all 7 Killington days before March and then buy the spring pass. Instead (when I have Ikon) I use two or three during the winter because I'd rather use most of them in the spring when that place really shines.

AFAIK, Killington has offered the spring pass each and every year, it’s just much more expensive these days ($359 early bird price last year)

 

[Zand]

AFAIK, Killington has offered the spring pass each and every year, it’s just much more expensive these days ($359 early bird price last year)

I know Killington offers the spring pass every year. What I don't know for sure is if they will offer the Ikon Pass discount for a spring pass every year and it is never advertised until the spring pass is on sale. Difference is usually about $150.

 

[urungus]

I know Killington offers the spring pass every year. What I don't know for sure is if they will offer the Ikon Pass discount for a spring pass every year and it is never advertised until the spring pass is on sale. Difference is usually about $150.

Good deal … was not aware of that

 

[Tonyr]

For those keeping track:

1. Castlerock - broken and uninspected
2. Slide Brook - broken and uninspected
3. North Ridge - broken (or at best unreliable not currently loading)
4. GMX - broken
5. Summit - closed
6. Valley House - closed

Thanks for the updates that is alot of lifts not running. Maybe we'll day trip up to MRG instead. I'll guess we'll see how things look on Saturday morning.

 

[Tonyr]

I suspect I'm repeating something already said but I'm fully in the camp of just don't run castlerock, ever. I'm usually a quantity over quality person (within reason and yes that's not mistyped) but given the line that forms there when conditions are good, I don't think you lose much quantity with the chair not turning

I did three runs one time on Castlerock over a busy weekend and it took up about 3 hours of the day. I guess the hike over from HG isn't so bad.

 

[cdskier]

Thanks for the updates that is alot of lifts not running. Maybe we'll day trip up to MRG instead. I'll guess we'll see how things look on Saturday morning.

That update is somewhat misleading and overly dramatic. CR and Slide Brook are the only 2 lifts not running yet (and they were hoping to possibly have CR ready by this weekend per their last update). GMX and NRX have had some issues, but they're hopefully resolved now. Summit may have had a couple small closures here and there, but overall has been running most of this season. Valley House has no issues that I know of. Today is a mid-week day and it does not normally run mid-week so it not running today is normal.

 

[Tonyr]

I feel you. I got whipped in the face by a branch that I won't soon forget. Not that they're in NE, but I also fell into a tree well at Mammoth, and it took me two hours to dig myself out. Luckily it was clear enough that I could breathe. Scared the absolute hell out of me.

Your lucky to be alive, 2 hours is a long struggle. I've been trapped a couple of times upside down by myself in tree wells, once for about an hour in Beaver Creek sidecountry. Staying calm and positive was the key to getting out.

At this point I've cut back on a bunch of stupid tree skiing. If the snow is too deep I stay out of unmarked trees and glades with a moderate pitch. Also my days of ripping through trees as fast as I can are over.

 

[solar]

Thanks for the updates that is alot of lifts not running. Maybe we'll day trip up to MRG instead. I'll guess we'll see how things look on Saturday morning.

@cdskier correctly clarified, mine was intended as a status at that frustrating moment.

As of Friday, they hope to get CR running and inspected for the holiday weekend, and they eventually got GMX and NR back online today. Hopefully, with the exception of Slide Brook, everything is running for the weekend.