The "Sugarbush Thread"

[Tonyr]

Tony, there were legitimate wind holds on Saturday. They did not shut the lifts as a money saving measure,… it was purely a safety issue.

I get it, having HG down all morning paired with the Castlerock double not repaired and spinning during one of the busiest days of the year made it a frustrating morning for lots of skiers.

We still had a great time in the afternoon but I think the resort could have managed the issue better. No updates on the wind hold were made for almost 3 hours. They advertised the resort as being fully open on the website at the open when in reality it was only about half open up through noon. We almost left after lunch but ran into an employee on the way to the car that told us to give the lift one more shot.

In any event, the communication at the very least was not good. If I were a paying customer of the Claybrook this weekend, which had rates well over 1k per night, I'd be really pissed.

 

[tumbler]

Give it a rest already. The wind holds were all communicated in the snow report and weren't updated because it was...windy! Thinking they were keeping lifts closed on purpose is just silly along with citing on here what the locals say why it is closed. And so honorable of you to be concerned about the folks staying at Claybrook.

 

[djd66]

It was definitely communicated. I was planning on skiing North, but changed my mind when I saw GMX AND NRX closed for wind holds in the same report they said NL and HG are closed for wind holds. How else would you want this communicated?

 

[cdskier]

I don't get the argument at all that it wasn't communicated. It was very clearly communicated before opening bell in the snow report on the website. Like djd, I was thinking about going to ME but decided to stick to LP when I saw GMX, HG, and NL on wind hold. That was at 7:30AM before I left my condo. At that point they may not have even had a chance to check other upper mountain lifts (i.e. I'm not sure if NRX and Summit were listed on hold at that point, but I just assumed they would likely be once they had a chance to check them).

What kind of updates after they were put on hold do you want? "Howdy skiers. Just wanted to update you that the lifts that were on hold 15 minutes ago are in fact still on wind hold". They can't predict when the wind is going to let them open more lifts. Forecasting exact timing of winds isn't an exact science.

Nevermind the fact that they have tons of webcams to see what is running and isn't. I'm often looking at those as well just to double-check what is in the report.

 

[sgottmann]

Clearly there is lots of frustration with operations this year. Windholds always suck but are not the fault of the mountain - there is no logical reason to close them on MLK Saturday. The holds were posted and updated. NRX, Castle Rock and slidebrook lift issues at the end of January are major problems that have compounded the opening of the year debacle. When all lifts run, there are usually no problems but without them the experience suffers. As good as the skiing is, a big storm would do wonders. Think snow and stay thirsty.

 

[Tonyr]

Give it a rest already. The wind holds were all communicated in the snow report and weren't updated because it was...windy! Thinking they were keeping lifts closed on purpose is just silly along with citing on here what the locals say why it is closed. And so honorable of you to be concerned about the folks staying at Claybrook.

I get it, criticizing your baby for having a bad operational day is a no no here.... We did have an awesome time in the afternoon if that makes you feel any better!

 

[mikec142]

38k!

Whoa...I topped out at 22k on Saturday and was proud.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

lol what?
This thread is a constant justifiable bitch fest
You just decided to bitch about the one thing that had fuck all to do with ops

 

[KustyTheKlown]

Whoa...I topped out at 22k on Saturday and was proud.

Im about to call it with 22k at Stratton at 1…

With no lines and fast chairs 20k is a half day

 

[mikec142]

I skied at Lincoln peak on Saturday and Sunday...couple of notes:

1. Saturday had the longest lines at Bravo and VH that I've seen in my lifetime at SB. I got in the same amount of vertical from 8:20-10am as I did from 10am-2pm. That said, I had a great day.

2. From 8:20-10am on Saturday the wind was really whipping at the top of Bravo.

3. The skiing on both Saturday and Sunday was pretty good. Run of the day for me was Lower Domino. It was soft and had smaller bumps that allowed me to really get a rhythm going.

4. Steins (which I normally find to be an icy mess) was fun on Saturday.

5. I haven't jumped into the woods yet, but I feel like there was good stuff to be found if you were willing to do it.

6. This may be a poor take, but I'll throw it out there. I'm all for being charitable. That said, I pay for the full Ikon pass for a reason. Allowing a small donation to unlock your base pass on a holiday weekend devalues my full pass. I don't know how many people took advantage of the opportunity or how much $ was raised but it came at the expense of full pass holders.

7. Lastly, I very very rarely criticize SB management. But Sunday AM pissed me off. I got to the mountain earlier than normal for me because I wanted to be on the road no later than 10:30am in order to beat the storm on my long ride back to NJ. I was on line at Super Bravo around 7:50am waiting for the 8am open so I could get in as much skiing as possible before I had to head home. The lift was spinning as the early ups people were going up the lift. However, the lift didn't open to the general public until closer to 8:15. I asked a red jacket employee what happened and he said they didn't get the okay to open until late. Apparently (I don't know for sure) HG spun later than expected as well. Bottom line is there was no communication and it felt frustrating. I know I probably only missed one run, but still, I drive 5.5 hours in each direction to ski SB...I could easily ski Stratton/Snow/etc. but I go the extra distance for my love of SB. It would be nice if that dedication was acknowledged by at least communicating clearly (nothing on the app or website about delays) or just opening on time.

Edited to add: I can't be certain, but looking at North Lynx while riding up Bravo on Sunday, it didn't look like it was open at 9am. It looked like it opened closer to 9:30ish.

 

[Blurski]

I skied at Lincoln peak on Saturday and Sunday...couple of notes:

1. Saturday had the longest lines at Bravo and VH that I've seen in my lifetime at SB. I got in the same amount of vertical from 8:20-10am as I did from 10am-2pm. That said, I had a great day.

2. From 8:20-10am on Saturday the wind was really whipping at the top of Bravo.

3. The skiing on both Saturday and Sunday was pretty good. Run of the day for me was Lower Domino. It was soft and had smaller bumps that allowed me to really get a rhythm going.

4. Steins (which I normally find to be an icy mess) was fun on Saturday.

5. I haven't jumped into the woods yet, but I feel like there was good stuff to be found if you were willing to do it.

6. This may be a poor take, but I'll throw it out there. I'm all for being charitable. That said, I pay for the full Ikon pass for a reason. Allowing a small donation to unlock your base pass on a holiday weekend devalues my full pass. I don't know how many people took advantage of the opportunity or how much $ was raised but it came at the expense of full pass holders.

7. Lastly, I very very rarely criticize SB management. But Sunday AM pissed me off. I got to the mountain earlier than normal for me because I wanted to be on the road no later than 10:30am in order to beat the storm on my long ride back to NJ. I was on line at Super Bravo around 7:50am waiting for the 8am open so I could get in as much skiing as possible before I had to head home. The lift was spinning at the early ups people were going up the lift. However, the lift didn't open to the general public until closer to 8:15. I asked a red jacket employee what happened and he said they didn't get the okay to open until late. Apparently (I don't know for sure) HG spun later than expected as well. Bottom line is there was no communication and it felt frustrating. I know I probably only missed one run, but still, I drive 5.5 hours in each direction to ski SB...I could easily ski Stratton/Snow/etc. but I go the extra distance for my love of SB. It would be nice if that dedication was acknowledged by at least communicating clearly (nothing on the app or website about delays) or just opening on time.

I agree that offering people who bought the base IKON a way to pay to ski on the long holiday weekend is a slap in the face to everyone who ponied up for the full pass, it is surely a money grab. Does anyone know who gets the extra $, just sugarbush or do they have to split with IKON. The other is the early uppers paid an additional $350 to add on, however you can buy a one day early up pass for $50 or at least you could last year, I ony assume you still can, perhaps I am incorrect. Early upper's roll the dice in spending the extra $ hoping a pow day hits on an early up's day & you and 30 others go get it, while you can just buy for $50 & 100's of people show up, totally defeats the purpose of buying in early and taking the risk. Don't misunderstand this as a critic or supporter of early up's, but it does seem like the mountain is having their cake & eating to, while undermining their customers.

 

[cdskier]

I skied at Lincoln peak on Saturday and Sunday...couple of notes:

1. Saturday had the longest lines at Bravo and VH that I've seen in my lifetime at SB. I got in the same amount of vertical from 8:20-10am as I did from 10am-2pm. That said, I had a great day.

2. From 8:20-10am on Saturday the wind was really whipping at the top of Bravo.

3. The skiing on both Saturday and Sunday was pretty good. Run of the day for me was Lower Domino. It was soft and had smaller bumps that allowed me to really get a rhythm going.

4. Steins (which I normally find to be an icy mess) was fun on Saturday.

5. I haven't jumped into the woods yet, but I feel like there was good stuff to be found if you were willing to do it.

6. This may be a poor take, but I'll throw it out there. I'm all for being charitable. That said, I pay for the full Ikon pass for a reason. Allowing a small donation to unlock your base pass on a holiday weekend devalues my full pass. I don't know how many people took advantage of the opportunity or how much $ was raised but it came at the expense of full pass holders.

7. Lastly, I very very rarely criticize SB management. But Sunday AM pissed me off. I got to the mountain earlier than normal for me because I wanted to be on the road no later than 10:30am in order to beat the storm on my long ride back to NJ. I was on line at Super Bravo around 7:50am waiting for the 8am open so I could get in as much skiing as possible before I had to head home. The lift was spinning at the early ups people were going up the lift. However, the lift didn't open to the general public until closer to 8:15. I asked a red jacket employee what happened and he said they didn't get the okay to open until late. Apparently (I don't know for sure) HG spun later than expected as well. Bottom line is there was no communication and it felt frustrating. I know I probably only missed one run, but still, I drive 5.5 hours in each direction to ski SB...I could easily ski Stratton/Snow/etc. but I go the extra distance for my love of SB. It would be nice if that dedication was acknowledged by at least communicating clearly (nothing on the app or website about delays) or just opening on time.

I agree with much of this, particularly points 6 and 7. 7 didn’t impact me as I was at ME, but I’ve seen other times that bravo has opened a few minutes late even though early ups was using it. You can’t say it isn’t ready if the public is already loading.

6 is really annoying. The sole reason I pay extra is to use it on holidays. And I pay extra having no idea if I’ll really use it as you never know what the weather will be like. They said they raised 30k so that means 300 people took advantage.

 

[cdskier]

I agree that offering people who bought the base IKON a way to pay to ski on the long holiday weekend is a slap in the face to everyone who ponied up for the full pass, it is surely a money grab. Does anyone know who gets the extra $, just sugarbush or do they have to split with IKON. The other is the early uppers paid an additional $350 to add on, however you can buy a one day early up pass for $50 or at least you could last year, I ony assume you still can, perhaps I am incorrect. Early upper's roll the dice in spending the extra $ hoping a pow day hits on an early up's day & you and 30 others go get it, while you can just buy for $50 & 100's of people show up, totally defeats the purpose of buying in early and taking the risk. Don't misunderstand this as a critic or supporter of early up's, but it does seem like the mountain is having their cake & eating to, while undermining their customers.

So the thing this weekend was purely donated to charity supposedly. I’m still against it. Early ups I don’t get (although toying with the idea for next year), but I still think offering single day options if they still do that is wrong for precisely the reasons you mentioned. Haven’t looked if they still offer the single days this year though. Although they do have an early up/lesson combo for an hour in the morning that was quite reasonably priced.

 

[Blurski]

So the thing this weekend was purely donated to charity supposedly. I’m still against it. Early ups I don’t get (although toying with the idea for next year), but I still think offering single day options if they still do that is wrong for precisely the reasons you mentioned. Haven’t looked if they still offer the single days this year though. Although they do have an early up/lesson combo for an hour in the morning that was quite reasonably priced.

OK, I'll give them a hall pass if 100% of the $ went to a charity, still be better if they let know these things when we are making decisions on what pass, add on, etc. we are going to purchase to make formative decisions. I am an early up holder, but do not use it too frequently, but do plan on using on days when it snows or when I only have a few hours to ski & did not want to complicate things trying to analyze the weather the day before, or the morning, wondering if paying the extra $ for a single day was worth it, I just bit the bullet paid the price of entry to keep my skiing simple, full pass, early ups, I go when I want without thinking about.

 

[mikec142]

I agree with much of this, particularly points 6 and 7. 7 didn’t impact me as I was at ME, but I’ve seen other times that bravo has opened a few minutes late even though early ups was using it. You can’t say it isn’t ready if the public is already loading.

6 is really annoying. The sole reason I pay extra is to use it on holidays. And I pay extra having no idea if I’ll really use it as you never know what the weather will be like. They said they raised 30k so that means 300 people took advantage.

Regarding my last point...I was thinking about going to Ellen on Sunday, but with my limited time, I didn't want to only be able to ski GMX terrain from 8-9am. I wanted the option of Bravo to HG for that first hour. When SB and HG opened late, it made my decision even more frustratiing.

 

[sgottmann]

lol what?
This thread is a constant justifiable bitch fest
You just decided to bitch about the one thing that had fuck all to do with ops

Sugarbush 2025: Be Bitter here.

Selling t-shirts, hats, and stickers.

 

[djd66]

This thread is a constant justifiable bitch fest

The tread has definitely become a bitch fest! Some justifiable, some not so much.

 

[Shredmonkey254]

I am so glad I skied Bolton today. A pleasure out here. Mostly ski on. Or very fast singles lines. Mellen tomorrow

You dodged a bullet to the heart on Saturday. The natives are restless. Windhold or not, Sugarbush now has a credibility problem.

 

[Quietman]

Need to change the name of this site from Alpinezone to Sugarbushzone!

 

[Blurski]

You dodged a bullet to the heart on Saturday. The natives are restless. Windhold or not, Sugarbush now has a credibility problem.

"Credibility" sums up nicely.
As a professional in an industry that demands delivering the product we promised, if a client ever tells us our credibility is being questions, we have failed that client and we do whatever it takes to gain our credibility back with them, we then trace our steps backwards to see what lead up to this and implement safeguards to not let it happen again.