VAIL SUCKS

[thetrailboss]

What the....?

 

[Mainer]

Merry Christmas. Vail sucks but not as much attitash and wildcat will after the rain. Wildcat skied nice today, taking my children down from the top kinda sucked. At this point upper polecat should be open or a mid mountain lift for the intermediate crowd. Middle and lower polecat were creamy, lots of stuff sticking out though. After the rain will just be an extremely icy lynx. Basically vail has made no attempt to open any sort of beginner lower intermediate trails except for the Learning center at attitash which my 4yr old was bored with after a million runs yesterday. So between 2 mountains today they had one run today that was for beginners. Best option for a decent 4 yr old skier today was top of wildcat. She did great, but wtf.
As I think about attitash they are basing all their terrain around the summit triple. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket, with a hole in the bottom. Wildcat did finally put something on their snow report, “there may be windholds today” thanks, how about opening a lower lift like tomcat or bobcat. If you haven’t bought your ticket for vacation week at attitash/wildcat don’t, every area within a hundred miles will be better.

 

[McFatt]

Woof. I’ve got the next 7 days reserved at Attitash. Expectations are low. Hope the mountain biking is still open in NoCo. Get some early morning ski laps and then some afternoon trail rides. Gotta make the best of it this year.

 

[Mainer]

Christmas week is upon us, usually a time to ski with the family. Attitash/ bear peak and wildcat has a total of one trail for beginners. Attitash/bear peak still not connected. Not running the quad, doubles at attitash nor the Abenaki or triple at bear. Magic carpet delayed opening at attitash, not even attempting at wildcat. Not opening the bobcat, tomcat or beginner chair at wildcat. I understand the rain and blowtorch winds destroying the snowpack. But vail is going to be able most of the snowmaking trails today, but they made no snow on any beginner trails. 3 top to bottom over 3 peaks. If they opened anything mid mountain skiers would be able to spread out a little. My family is definitely not skiing this week. 3 WROD over 3 peaks with a million skiers on the same 3 runs. Start lining up the ambulances

 

[Edd]

Does anyone know if the lifts at Attitash have been inspected for the season yet? I’ve heard they’re outsourcing lift maintenance currently. I’d think the lifts would have to be inspected prior to public use but honestly don’t know how it works.

 

[thebigo]

It is ugly. Not sure how to avoid a no-show, when there is nobody scanning. Triple does appear to be running well and plenty of time to catch up on az during 20 min ride.

 

[sull1102]

Boyne does not need another mountain in Northern New Hampshire. They already have the Boston destination market covered with Loon SR and Sugarloaf, and buying Wildcat or Attitash would as thetrailboss said only cut into their existing mtns. Boyne would be better off looking at adding a day trip mountain in Southern NH, or a VT resort to tap into the NYC market.

Boyne plans seem over ambitious to me and they seem to overlook the priority of key improvements that need to be made. For instance instead of doing the Kanc8, I would think building the beginner area at South Peak and building a permanent Lodge at South Peak would be more important. Replacing Barker quad at SR is also more important than the Kanc8

The Kanc is a 94 install I think? So she isn't exactly young and definitely has lines almost as bad as the gondi on some weekends. Makes sense to replace it, but I do think it is strange to go for the 8 over the super common bubble 6 that is all the rage these days.

I would say that the Kanc is the only primary lift that Loon needed to replace in the next 5 years after swapping out the cabins on the gondi last year.

South Peak is kind of funny just because it has truly sat there for a decade waiting to be completed.

 

[drjeff]

The Kanc is a 94 install I think? So she isn't exactly young and definitely has lines almost as bad as the gondi on some weekends. Makes sense to replace it, but I do think it is strange to go for the 8 over the super common bubble 6 that is all the rage these days.

I would say that the Kanc is the only primary lift that Loon needed to replace in the next 5 years after swapping out the cabins on the gondi last year.

South Peak is kind of funny just because it has truly sat there for a decade waiting to be completed.

Going with the bubble 8 over a bubble 6 I think has more to do with the novelty from the marketing perspective to be able to say "first in the East" than it does about the added capacity.

Who knows though, after this season, where most folks aren't riding up in lifts of any kind that are seated/filled to capacity, next season, when we're hopefully back to "normal" operations, folks may see an 8 pack as a deterrent if they like the less packed lift rides this season??

 

[gregnye]

Wildcat has always been and always will be my favorite NH ski area. Really unfortunately that Vail has ruined it. In many ways the mountain is actually more retro now than it used to be. I remember when there was a terrain park on Lower Catapult, when Upper wildcat had snowmaking... etc. Now, Wildcat is just a number on the Vail resort's online map when buying an epic pass.

Thank god Wildcat has a good quality high speed quad and not the 2-person old gondola. Because you'd know that Vail would just leave it be as the main lift and would make no upgrades whatsoever.

I don't have an epic pass. I literally only ski wildcat now when it's a powder day, so once-ish a year. What used to be my family's main place we went has now been turned into just a one-time ticket. Great job Vail you suck.

I just feel bad for you attitash people that have been hoping for a new summit chair.

I really hope Vail dumps Wildcat and someone else buys it. Ideally, it would be nice to get it on a pass with Cannon.

 

[Pez]

Since I got deep back into skiing in '15 I've been wanting to get back to n conway for a ski trip. Probably not going to until they get some modern reliable lists at attitash. I guess it might be a while.

 

[machski]

The Kanc is a 94 install I think? So she isn't exactly young and definitely has lines almost as bad as the gondi on some weekends. Makes sense to replace it, but I do think it is strange to go for the 8 over the super common bubble 6 that is all the rage these days.

I would say that the Kanc is the only primary lift that Loon needed to replace in the next 5 years after swapping out the cabins on the gondi last year.

South Peak is kind of funny just because it has truly sat there for a decade waiting to be completed.

The Kanc quad is still in great shape, and plans call for it to be overhauled by Dopp and then reused, possibly replacing Seven Brothers after the Kanc8 goes in. Loon and Boyne have said they went with the 8 because it allows slightly greater chair spacing in the terminals and loading time than a six does. Also, this lift is first at Loon as their mountain bike park will swing to be served by the new Kanc8 with dedicated bike carriers just like Big Sky has done with Ramcharger8.

Sunday River does need to change out Barker, but the big difference is since its original install by Yan, they have spent multi millions twice on Pima overhauls and retrofits since new. Thus, the amortization of that expense is still an ongoing thing. And they have stated the racing T-Bar has removed some demand pressure from Barker. Since Merrill Hill's lift has been moved up a year to this summer, I am hopeful Boyne does a double install in 2022 with Sugarloaf's new West Lift and Barker. Would make sense as a helicopter flies.

 

[machski]

Doesn't surprise me about Attitash sucking wind this year. Their GM used to run the Grand and is clueless. On the Mountain Ops side Vail refused to even offer interviews for critical open positions (Lift, Grooming, and Snowmaking Managers) right up to late Fall. The result was their Snow Surfaces Manager quit and went to Sunday River. He's young and one of the best there is. You order it you eat it I say.

Interesting Newpy. Attending Brian's introduction meeting fall fest weekend at SR, it was interesting to me that he enjoyed and felt at home at Wildcat under Peaks. But as soon as Vail bought it, he told us he said to himself, time to start looking at other opportunities. And he was definitely moved and super happy the Boyne/SR opportunity opened for him.

 

[jg17]

Trying to Purchase two Buddy Tickets for tomorrow at Sunapee and the website is non-functional... Tells me to call the Colorado number so I do.. Been waiting on a call back for 90 minutes.

It's back up now, when I spoke to CO last week they didn't know anything about it. Note that it doesn't work like the site says though; you as the passholder need to enter your credit card info and get the ticket emailed to you.

 

[Cobbold]

Alpine zone forum seems to be the anti vail site, whereas pugski forum seems to have the anti alterra stuff,

 

[abc]

Alpine zone forum seems to be the anti vail site, whereas pugski forum seems to have the anti alterra stuff,

Alpine zone is a northeast forum. Vail owns a lot more resorts in the northeast.

What you don't see, is anti local mountains on any board.

 

[Zand]

South Peak is kind of funny just because it has truly sat there for a decade waiting to be completed.

I selfishly hope they keep delaying finishing South Peak. I love how simple of a base area it is right now. Park nice and close to the lift with no stairs or other bullshit to have to walk through. Nice basic "lodge" with all you need...cubbies, a bar, a cafeteria, and a ticket window. Then you have some of the best terrain at Loon all to yourself most days while people wait in 20 minute lines for the Gondy and Kanc after parking in the sometimes horror show of a main base area.

While,it's obviously in their best interest to get it completed, I'll enjoy each year that they don't get to it.

 

[FBGM]

Oddly enough the Newschoolers are split on Vail. They are not happy about the park scene getting cut back so much all over and the crowds and big corporate. But still lots of them standing up for Vail and the pass price and options.

 

[Edd]

I selfishly hope they keep delaying finishing South Peak. I love how simple of a base area it is right now. Park nice and close to the lift with no stairs or other bullshit to have to walk through. Nice basic "lodge" with all you need...cubbies, a bar, a cafeteria, and a ticket window. Then you have some of the best terrain at Loon all to yourself most days while people wait in 20 minute lines for the Gondy and Kanc after parking in the sometimes horror show of a main base area.

While,it's obviously in their best interest to get it completed, I'll enjoy each year that they don't get to it.

Don’t know if my luck is bad, but whenever I‘ve hit South Peak it has the worst snow on the mountain. I agree about the lodge though.

 

[Mainer]

I know some people who tried to ski attitash. Triple line wrapped around building. Bear peak terrifying, so icy. One and done. If you bought your ticket in advance, That sucks, should have spent that $89 at the moat. When peaks owned attitash they had billboards all along 16, ski with the big guns. Biggest snowmaking in New Hampshire. Peaks must hsve taken that with themThat how you know vail sucks, because attitash can blow a shit ton of snow and they have 3 runs open for Christmas week. One 200 yard green run open for beginners and families. The other green runs are condo access runs you can only reach from top. When you are a lifelong skier of somewhere and the product turns to shit when the new owners take over. That means the new owners suck which is vail.

 

[Zand]

Don’t know if my luck is bad, but whenever I‘ve hit South Peak it has the worst snow on the mountain. I agree about the lodge though.

I guess it does have a different aspect than the main mountain, so there are probably days where the snow is worse over there. But when things are similar on both sides, the trails on that side are good, long, and decently steep with no cross cuts. And the glade is fun too, hopefully they cut more of those over there.