VAIL SUCKS

[chuckstah]

Just arrived at Sunapee with blizzard conditions. That was the worst winter drives I’ve had in years.

How was Sunapee? Rope drops on the glades, or slow on the draw per usual? Trying to decide between there or Crotched tomorrow.

 

[jg17]

Today's bad? Wouldn't Saturday be wore? (or maybe not worse, just as bad?)

How bad anyway? How long a wait on average?

Not sure, I was just looking at the cam. I assume North was quiet per usual, and D will be running this weekend, which I don't think it was today. If North is quiet this weekend, I'll just stay there and be happy enough.

All 3 of my days so far this year have been at mountains with reservations (both Epic and Ikon) and have been pretty busy. Such is the life of a Weekend Warrior, but I'd rather be there in line than not there at all.

 

[kingslug]

Is okemo even skiable with 30 inches of fresh? Doubt it.

yes..I've done it. And you can get going pretty good in some areas.

 

[Funky_Catskills]

Not sure, I was just looking at the cam. I assume North was quiet per usual, and D will be running this weekend, which I don't think it was today. If North is quiet this weekend, I'll just stay there and be happy enough.

I can see Overlook from my house. It was looking pretty hilarious today. Lot's of powder struggling..

 

[kingslug]

So..Hunter was a blast today. Got first tracks for the first 2 runs and it was deeeeep. F lift did not run all day...North finally opened around 11 I think..thank god. reason...no one to run the lifts. oy. But it was a hoot. yes the lines got long but they packed the 6 pack and it went pretty fast. Once North opened I hung there for monster moguls and poaching. The snow was better than last years blizzard as it was much lighter. I still felt bad for the many who had a difficult time on it. Riding up the lift I saw so many cartwheeling and just keeling over due to the deep. And the dreaded ski submarine..Lose your ski and it disappears. Even had a guy on the lift ask if I could help him figure out how to ski this stuff. I tried but it was wiping him out. I love ripping this stuff on the big bazookas and today was the day for it. Made it to 2:30 and I was cooked. Lots of poaching to be done North side but there were snow snakes everywhere...as I discovered with a double ejection face plant when I hit a sold swath of buried ice on a "natural run" ...
Will be interesting to see if they open more terrain now that the whole place is buried..or will they have no one to run the lifts?

 

[kingslug]

Hunter

 

[Edd]

How was Sunapee? Rope drops on the glades, or slow on the draw per usual? Trying to decide between there or Crotched tomorow.

One way down from the summit running the HSQ. It was Upper Blast Off to the ridge trails. People were accessing woods on skiers right. Conditions were incredible, it was a free refills kind of day. If they’d like, they could open a bunch of stuff fast.

 

[chuckstah]

One way down from the summit running the HSQ. It was Upper Blast Off to the ridge trails. People were accessing woods on skiers right. Conditions were incredible, it was a free refills kind of day. If they’d like, they could open a bunch of stuff fast.

Thanks. I'll probably stick with my Rez at Crotched. It should be mostly open, and the sidecountry woods don't take a lot to be navigable.

 

[MidnightJester]

Been on hold for over a hour so far. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[chuckstah]

Been on hold for over a hour so far. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Soon you will be hung up on.

 

[thebigo]

Thanks. I'll probably stick with my Rez at Crotched. It should be mostly open, and the sidecountry woods don't take a lot to be navigable.

Crotched was excellent today, probably my best crotch day in a few years. The entire mountain was skied, solstice early and enchanted forest were the highlights. Someone mentioned the drive and it was one of the more difficult I can remember. They were clearly understaffed but did not matter, everyone was respectful and just generally cool. I don't know how to say this but often you see eastern skiers flail in powder, none of that today, good skiers everywhere.

I thought sunapee skied small earlier this week, I will be back at the crotch tomorrow, up in the valley this weekend, then give sunapee another shot next week. Today was number seven in a row and I am feeling it.

Took a bunch of pictures of my daughter in the woods, will try to get some up.

 

[thebigo]

I have had good luck calling local mountain direct during operating hours. Customer service at the mother ship is useless.

 

[chuckstah]

T

Crotched was excellent today, probably my best crotch day in a few years. The entire mountain was skied, solstice early and enchanted forest were the highlights. Someone mentioned the drive and it was one of the more difficult I can remember. They were clearly understaffed but did not matter, everyone was respectful and just generally cool. I don't know how to say this but often you see eastern skiers flail in powder, none of that today, good skiers everywhere.

I thought sunapee skied small earlier this week, I will be back at the crotch tomorrow, up in the valley this weekend, then give sunapee another shot next week. Today was number seven in a row and I am feeling it.

Took a bunch of pictures of my daughter in the woods, will try to get some up.

Thanks. Sold on it for tomorrow. Figured those two glades at a bare minimum would be filled in nicely.

 

[abc]

yes the lines got long but they packed the 6 pack and it went pretty fast.

OK, that made up my mind.

I love powder. But not enough to take a chance of multiple rides on a packed chair, even an open-aired one. The line also looked too crowded. There will be many more powder days to come next season and the many more seasons to come.

I've cancelled all my weekend reservations. Will try next Monday for some relax cruising on the groomers. Doesn't even need advance reservation it looks like. Who knows, I may even get lucky with a sleeper storm. (I have more vacation days left than work days by year end to use them. So will take days off when condition warrants)

In the mean time, Minnewaska had groomed all their xc trails for skate skiing. Mohonk also said they'll be ready by Saturday the latest. I'm going there for the weekend instead. It's rare we have such early bounty for xc skiing. All of a sudden, I'm spoiled for choices. So crowded Hunter lift line drop to the bottom of the list. I'll wait till it's fully open and hopefully the lines will be less hectic.

 

[BenedictGomez]

lines got long but they packed the 6 pack

Vail isnt doing the whole, only family members on a lift thing?

 

[jimmywilson69]

They are supposed to be doing that... If people in line decide they want to ride together there isn't much they can do. Its not the lifties can really be monitoring that.

After much public outcry and I suspect many angry emails and phone calls the southcentral PA resorts are opening this weekend. My buddy actually got in touch with the Eastern Regional Manager at Vail who had the Local General Manager call him. The local guy said, he felt "pressured" to open. WTF

They shouldn't have felt "pressured" to open. Corporate had slated December 11th as opening day. That is likely a solid average opening day this far south. Some years its a little earlier and some years its all they can do to get open by Christmas. So getting caught with your pants down a week after the target opening date, after we get a pretty major snow storm (definitely more than we had last year) is a fail. The question is did Corporate handcuff the locals or are they jus inept? Lots of change over in management since snowtime sold out to Peaks...

Regardless I get to ski locally this weekend, so ultimately I am happy. Crazy enough Roundtop actually is sold out, which tells me Vail is definitely adjusting reservation limits based on available terrain.

 

[Smellytele]

They are supposed to be doing that... If people in line decide they want to ride together there isn't much they can do. Its not the lifties can really be monitoring that.

Stupid people doing stupid things

 

[Edd]

Crotched was excellent today, probably my best crotch day in a few years. The entire mountain was skied, solstice early and enchanted forest were the highlights. Someone mentioned the drive and it was one of the more difficult I can remember. They were clearly understaffed but did not matter, everyone was respectful and just generally cool. I don't know how to say this but often you see eastern skiers flail in powder, none of that today, good skiers everywhere.

I had similar thoughts about people at Sunapee yesterday. Mostly good skiers. With that drive, you had to really want to ski so makes sense.

 

[kingslug]

So now lets see what happens. The resorts are covered so the need to blow snow will be minimal. Lets see what they open up.
Remembering the storm of the century 11 years ago when it dropped over 8 feet in 3 days. Hunter opened the second day when it was still pounding. The storm raged from wednesday to Friday. I was there for all of it. They got the quad running Thursday and more the next day. 10000000 percent open by Friday. Every acre was skiable.
Lets see what Vail can do with 20 to 40 inches.
And apparently they aren't bothering with the West side yet. After 2 feet of snow. OY

 

[asnowmobiler]

Was going to take today off and head to Jack Frost, but bailed due to worries about getting there. They didn't even update the snow report this morning and the website still shows the same trails open as before the storm. Glad I didn't end up wasting a vacation day.

Boulder opens tomorrow, two trails and zero features. Doesn't make much difference to me, but Vail has completely erased the reputation that was built up. What a joke.

Heading up to Hunter on Saturday, at least they got a lot of terrain opened with the storm. But those crowds today, yikes.....

I took the day off with plans on digging out and heading to JF. I couldn't believe they didn't open any more terrain so I bailed on going, those two shitty runs they had open and a closed lodge made it not worthwhile IMO. I saw on Facebook that a lot of people were ducking ropes, so maybe I should have gone