The "Sugarbush Thread"

[slatham]

Thanks, I wan't aware of the App.

I know they were making snow on Jester prior to this cold snap, which was smart since they only had temps up high. But now it appears there has not been any snowmaking at lower elevations? I am baffled by this, especially given the weather forecast I see. While there will be a few windows between now and next Friday, none of them appear to be anywhere close to the one now, especially down low. Assuming they are doing the old fashioned Jester/Downspout/runout, and I am sure they also need (at least) Snowball/Spring Fling, I find it hard to believe they make next weekend. Unless maybe they hit the runout almost to the base but not in view? Or they have better weather intelligence than I do.....

 

[ducky]

High of 52˚ tomorrow, then back to colder temps. Plan is to wash my motorcycle then stick it in the living room for the winter, maybe a quick ride first up the App Gap.

I can see from the top of Spring Fling up to Paradise (the Church) from my bedroom but hard to tell if it's wind or guns running up on Jester. Certainly, the whole view is snow covered and there's an inch on my lawn at 1,100'. Elbow had snow last time I looked, presumably for early season GMVS race training. Why send them to Quebec if you can keep them here?

Rutland (where Kmart is) just reported two more covid deaths this morning. Let's hope Vermont can control its own outbreaks soon with the new restrictions imposed last week. We still have the lowest rate of the whole 50 states in just about every category but the recent flare ups are concerning.

We'll be skiing soon enough. Be safe.

 

[witchway]

I guess you can look at it that way. Being a small business owner I look at the value of a long term guest. In our case I have a season pass at another mountain but we still like going to Sugarbush in the spring. With this policy of giving us about three weeks to use the tickets in a COVID environment we decided we will not go back to Sugarbush again. So in this case they lost way more then one sale this year.

I agree with this sentiment. Win understood that finding a way to accommodate a long time customer was usually in the best interest of the Resort. In this way a customer can be made to feel valued without going to any great expense. IMO the new management team hasn't figured this out.

 

[hovercraft]

This has gotten painful to read of self entitled d-bags that think Sugarbush owes them something. You didn't buy a membership in a club. And when you are here on your special annual trip for your 2 ski days a year you are probable berating a lift op about why the didn't groom Middle Earth for you. Go to Killington.

Can we get back to bitching about snowmaking?

Lot of hostilities in this reply maybe it’s time to look in the mirror before calling people d-bags. Just saying....

 

[gorgonzola]

Lot of hostilities in this reply maybe it’s time to look in the mirror before calling people d-bags. Just saying....

yea i'd have to say tumbler speaks from experience to make those assumptions or he's just an angry elf...

 

[jaybird]

Yeah .. Middle Earth needs a groom..
The Troll Road on here is troubling.
Sign of the times .
Killington will set the tone .. Friday.
Gov Scott will be watching .. closely.
Cheers!

 

[Hawk]

Maybe everybody need so get out on their bike and Ride. Tonight will be 4 out of 5 nights for me. Riding is still really good down here.

 

[cdskier]

Thanks, I wan't aware of the App.

I know they were making snow on Jester prior to this cold snap, which was smart since they only had temps up high. But now it appears there has not been any snowmaking at lower elevations? I am baffled by this, especially given the weather forecast I see. While there will be a few windows between now and next Friday, none of them appear to be anywhere close to the one now, especially down low. Assuming they are doing the old fashioned Jester/Downspout/runout, and I am sure they also need (at least) Snowball/Spring Fling, I find it hard to believe they make next weekend. Unless maybe they hit the runout almost to the base but not in view? Or they have better weather intelligence than I do.....

Looks like the window of good temps at lower elevations was around 36 hours or so (temps are already in the mid 30s at the base now). My best guess is they didn't think that window was long enough to get the progress they wanted down low so figured just stay higher up where they could run the guns continually for a longer time.

I'm currently only seeing 1 day with below freezing high temps at the base in the 10 day forecast...so that's not particularly encouraging for another opportunity to make snow at the bottom. Even at night you only have 2-3 days with temps in the 20s for lows at the base in the current forecast that I see. This weather pattern isn't very helpful.

 

[HowieT2]

I agree with this sentiment. Win understood that finding a way to accommodate a long time customer was usually in the best interest of the Resort. In this way a customer can be made to feel valued without going to any great expense. IMO the new management team hasn't figured this out.

wasn't Win still in charge when they decided to honor last seasons quad packs until 12/24?

I get feeling that this policy is unfair, even though I disagree. I don't get whining about it. This fooking pandemic sucks for everyone but this issue hardly seems worthy of comment. and I have 5 quad pack tickets left over which will likely go to waste.

 

[ducky]

Taken about an hour ago. Can see guns running on Jester and top of Valley House, so my guess is they're working on Bravo to HG, down Jester and not Lower Downspout, and then Valley House Quad via Spring Fling to get back to base. They've been saying they want to get Gatehouse open too so there is beginner terrain open and the crowds will be widespread. Two years ago we were in the woods first week of December so all it takes is a few dumps. The best base-maker is actually continuous 3-4" nightly snowfall.

While it looks like winter in this pic you can see the grass on Spring Fling.

 

[hovercraft]

wasn't Win still in charge when they decided to honor last seasons quad packs until 12/24?

I get feeling that this policy is unfair, even though I disagree. I don't get whining about it. This fooking pandemic sucks for everyone but this issue hardly seems worthy of comment. and I have 5 quad pack tickets left over which will likely go to waste.

I don’t think anyone is whining. Just stating how we feel about this situation and disappointed that it wasn’t handled differently. It’s their business they can do what they want. Not sure why people feel the neeed to demonize others for stating how they feel about the policy at hand.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

that pic makes me feel a bit better about mid December intentions

 

[witchway]

I don’t think anyone is whining. Just stating how we feel about this situation and disappointed that it wasn’t handled differently. It’s their business they can do what they want. Not sure why people feel the neeed to demonize others for stating how they feel about the policy at hand.

Not whining here either. Just pointing out what I believe to be some short sighted decisions. My original post was about a season pass stance they have taken, but I think it relates to quad packs or any other customer relations issues as well. I think Win was better at it.

 

[Hawk]

I like Win and how he ran the place in general, but I think it is tough to say that win was better at it based on the short sampling period. I mean the pandemic hit and he was still in charge until August right? He was around when they made the deal about the quad packs. At that time people were being lead to believe that the pandemic was possibly gong away or maybe even a hoax of sorts. Things have certainly changed since then and there is no way they knew the future events. The final decision has not been made and people are already throwing them under the bus. Wait until they open and see what they say before passing judgement.
I have no skin in the game as I have always just paid for the season pass. This year I bought 2. IKON and a MRG pass for insurance. If there is skiing I will certainly be skiing hell or high water and not even a closure is going to stop me.

 

[Smellytele]

Drove by earlier today. Looked like they were blowing snow on organ grinder. Maybe blow over from jester.
Over at Ellen they blew humps on Inverness and looked like they may have been blowing up above.
MRG actually blew snow at the base as well.
These were just drive-byes as my main mission was to hit Lawson’s for some curbside pickup after picking my son up from college. Got some double, space in between, chinook’d, fayeston maple and homestead haze.

 

[Smellytele]

 

[cdskier]

Latest info on opening day plans from the Sugarbush blog today:

As you already know, we had to delay our Opening Day scheduled for this weekend due to a lack of snow. The recent warm-up, and subsequent warm-up happening right now, have altered our snowmaking plans. Right now we’re making snow off of Heaven’s Gate since base temps have been too warm. That means we will likely adjust what terrain we plan to have available when we do open. We’ll be sending out updates and updating our snow report as soon as we have a set Opening Day in mind.

So looks like they may no longer be targeting a VH and GH route for opening day...

 

[nhskier1969]

Thanks, I wan't aware of the App.

I know they were making snow on Jester prior to this cold snap, which was smart since they only had temps up high. But now it appears there has not been any snowmaking at lower elevations? I am baffled by this, especially given the weather forecast I see. While there will be a few windows between now and next Friday, none of them appear to be anywhere close to the one now, especially down low. Assuming they are doing the old fashioned Jester/Downspout/runout, and I am sure they also need (at least) Snowball/Spring Fling, I find it hard to believe they make next weekend. Unless maybe they hit the runout almost to the base but not in view? Or they have better weather intelligence than I do.....

Don't they normally blow a valve or something every year at this time.

 

[HowieT2]

I don’t think anyone is whining. Just stating how we feel about this situation and disappointed that it wasn’t handled differently. It’s their business they can do what they want. Not sure why people feel the neeed to demonize others for stating how they feel about the policy at hand.

Didn’t intend to demonize or offend.

 

[TSQURD]

Slight correction. 2 years ago we were skiing in the woods right about now. Photo from 11/21/18