Tip your liftie folks

[deadheadskier]

sorry that this a bit off topic and somewhat on the negative side, but honestly the one thing that concerns me the most about down seasons such as the past couple, is knowing that people are losing their shirts from it. Yes, I would like 100% open conditions with knee deep pow whever I choose to ski, but the reality is that even on a down winter, I still have fun - I find a way to quench my thirst.

what worries me the most is those who rely on the weather for their livelyhoods this time of year. The ski instructors, snowplowers, lifties, bartenders and waitresses etc.

 

[TeleGrrrl]

ASC must be feeling the crunch though, they're now offering 39 dollar lift tix at any of their resorts when you show your season passfrom any other resort.

 

[RIDEr]

Your topic title sort of throws me off... do people actually tip liftees? Never heard of it, nor seen it.

 

[Marc]

I think on FG lifts, this might be akward at best, and downright dangerous at worst.

 

[loafer89]

Outdoor winter recreation in general must be suffering a whole lot, besides just the alpine skiing, you have snowmobiling, ice fishing, cross country skiing. This also affects the hotels, resteraunts, etc that depend on these visitors.


I was just checking the snowmobiling conditions online at www.mesnow.com and they are depressing for the second year in a row.:x

 

[deadheadskier]

Y'all take me to literally. No obviously I don't mean tip your lifties, it was a borrowed figure of speach which normally applies to bartenders - something an entertainer would say during a performance.

All I'm saying is that as depressed as 'we' can get here in our thoughts concerning a bum season, as bad as its been, for those who don't work in the business the poor conditions hasn't meant things being a struggle to put food on the table becaue of it.

unless ofcourse you've blown all your dough on several trips out west. Those who have I don't feel sorry for. The lifties making 8 bucks an hour who have seen their work weeks cut from 5 days to 3 and the plow guys who haven't dropped a blade yet - they I feel very sor for.

 

[deadheadskier]

Outdoor winter recreation in general must be suffering a whole lot, besides just the alpine skiing, you have snowmobiling, ice fishing, cross country skiing. This also affects the hotels, resteraunts, etc that depend on these visitors.


I was just checking the snowmobiling conditions online at www.mesnow.com and they are depressing for the second year in a row.:x

absolutely - the snowmobile dealers would throw themselves out their windows if they were in a wall street building.

A good friend of mine's father purchased an Articat snowmobile 2 years ago for $7500 - the same sled, 2007 version can be purchased today for 2k less. From what I hear (I don't snowmobile) most snowmobile shops are selling their inventory at 3% over cost right now.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

To add more to the detail list, don't forgot about the ski shops. No getting around it, the seasonal winter economy in the northeast is dependent on that white gold. On the plus side the Vermont sugarmakers who tapped their trees in November and the golf course people are feeling pretty lucky.

 

[dmc]

what worries me the most is those who rely on the weather for their livelyhoods this time of year. The ski instructors, snowplowers, lifties, bartenders and waitresses etc.

I buy lifties and snowmakers beers whenever I see them at the local bar.. But I'm not really into handing them cash...

It's a good point your making and something I'm glad you bought up..
Locals suffer in seasons like this...

 

[Bumpsis]

Tip your liftie??
The price of skiing isn't high enough for you? Must be nice to be rich. Why stop at the liftie. What about all those other positions from cafeteria, the ticket office, rental shop or the parking lot guys?

OK, so I can understand the economic pain of those who depend on good snow for a living or at least some sort of income, but tying your pay to the above mentioned jobs is nobody's genetic destiny or forced labor sentence.
Suggesting that even a lift operator ought to get a tip is a bit looney.

As somebody who spent a bit of my life in Europe, I always found the american tipping system to be a bit of a con and a contradiction of hallowed national american value, namely a good work ethic.
The con here is that an employer is allowed to pay substandard wage while promissing the worker that if the job is done well, they will get rewarded, but not from employer's profits.
At the same time, the real incentive for the worker to do a good job is then the tip rather than the internal drive to live up to a expected value.

 

[deadheadskier]

Tip your liftie??
The price of skiing isn't high enough for you? Must be nice to be rich. Why stop at the liftie. What about all those other positions from cafeteria, the ticket office, rental shop or the parking lot guys?

OK, so I can understand the economic pain of those who depend on good snow for a living or at least some sort of income, but tying your pay to the above mentioned jobs is nobody's genetic destiny or forced labor sentence.
Suggesting that even a lift operator ought to get a tip is a bit looney.

As somebody who spent a bit of my life in Europe, I always found the american tipping system to be a bit of a con and a contradiction of hallowed national american value, namely a good work ethic.
The con here is that an employer is allowed to pay substandard wage while promissing the worker that if the job is done well, they will get rewarded, but not from employer's profits.
At the same time, the real incentive for the worker to do a good job is then the tip rather than the internal drive to live up to a expected value.

Hello - 'tip your lifties' = figure of speach. I was hardly suggesting to actually tip your liftie.

and not to get politcal, but you started it, I disagree with you whole heartedly that the american 'tip' system is bad compared to other parts of the world. It creates better service, not worse - allows the individual as an entrepenuer to create value for themselves - not big business determing an approprieate hourly wage. Your work ethic arguement is bunk. I don't care what the occupation is, you give someone the ability to creat more value/compensation for themselves on their own terms (not the employer's) over and beyond their salary - they will work MUCH harder.

 

[dmc]

Tip your liftie??
The price of skiing isn't high enough for you? Must be nice to be rich.

Or just a really nice person that wants to help someone out thats having a tough time..

 

[Talisman]

Tip your liftie??
The price of skiing isn't high enough for you? Must be nice to be rich. Why stop at the liftie. What about all those other positions from cafeteria, the ticket office, rental shop or the parking lot guys?.

I have tipped most of those folks along the way if they have gone out of their way forme. I tipped a liftie in CA $20 for finding my buddies rental car keys that he had dropped. He searched while we skied.

Parking lot guys I have tipped a six pack to let me park in reserved close-in parking spots.

Ski tuners have also gotten a sixer to stone grind my skis while I waited ten minutes and other skis stayed in queue.

I tipped a rental shop gut $5 for leeting me use rental poles for free and not making me fill out paper work.

I'm not rich and have worked many of these types of jobs and know that the world could use more appreciation. You get back from the world what you project into the world.

 

[from_the_NEK]

I buy lifties and snowmakers beers whenever I see them at the local bar.. But I'm not really into handing them cash...

It's a good point your making and something I'm glad you bought up..
Locals suffer in seasons like this...

This is my approach as well

 

[from_the_NEK]

Parking lot guys I have tipped a six pack to let me park in reserved close-in parking spots.

Ski tuners have also gotten a sixer to stone grind my skis while I waited ten minutes and other skis stayed in queue.

I tipped a rental shop gut $5 for leeting me use rental poles for free and not making me fill out paper work.

.

Would these things be considered bribery?

 

[bvibert]

Would these things be considered bribery?

That's what I was thinking...

 

[kbroderick]

On a lighter note, it is sometimes possible to tip lifties:

(from Alta's closing day, last year)

(I had a comment about tipped employees' wages, but I seem to recall there being some forum rule about politics...)

 

[Goblin84]

.

yeah, resorts are struggling. hell acs hasnt been doing great the last couple as is.

as far as tips? yeah...just buy the liftie a beer, you will make their day. im not exactly sure i would give it to them while they are still working the lift but thats your choice

 

[Brettski]

From the great movie, "My Blue Heaven"

"I don't believe in tipping, I believe in over tipping"

 

[MRGisevil]

It's unfortunate that so many people are SOL, but I also think that, being so dependant on seasonal work, it's a fiscal reality these people really need to plan for during the off season. Even still, I wouldn't be apposed to buying a liftie a drink or tossing him/her a few extra bucks here or there.