SR way back in the early 90's had that at the top of Barker.
It filled up almost every day, and downloading the trash & lifty at last chair was last task of the day
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VAIL SUCKS
- Thread starter thebigo
- Start date
It filled up almost every day, and downloading the trash & lifty at last chair was last task of the day
Pats Peak and Shawnee have these as well. They get used at both mountains A LOT during night skiing. Combination of drunks and then kids throwing away energy drink cans.
Crotched has a fair amount of litter with night skiing as well. Pretty common site in the mornings there seeing Joshua Segal being a good Samaritan and picking up the trash in the morning.
urungus
Well-known member
Bousquet used to have a basketball hoop you could aim for when tossing your empties from the lift
kendo
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... or read this thread.
Biggest impact for us in the Northeast would be to replace the current VP/COO for the Eastern Region with an industry veteran from the NE.
Current VP/COO grew up in west Texas, was responsible for real estate at Beaver Creek, then 2yrs as VP/COO at Crested Butte. Little concept of the nuances for running an eastern resort where snowmaking is required early and often throughout the entire year to ensure surface conditions and late season ops; night skiing is a way to get folks on the hill all week, especially kids after school; most eastern resorts have a long-established quality that makes them unique & that people are attracted to... and important to maintain; engage your local clientele for areas that need improvement and be transparent with a plan to address; etc.
Skiing is a generational sport in the NE with families dedicated to their local mountain. It's important to ensure that legacy isn't lost.
machski
Well-known member
Most of the "Be seen" crowd will have moved on by April, so crowds will be lighter. As to Vail terrain still in play, weatherwise anyway they will need a heavy snow March for anything beyond the frontside open, and then it could possibly be just the upper Mount and download. Last week while we were there, we had temps climb into 40's for two days then 59's for a few. Back Bowls we're taking a beating but hanging in there. They did get more snow after so it is likely better now. Breck is usually Vail's late player, so there would be that option too. But as to operation plans for open terrain, Vail might still truncate terrain by then even if mother nature doesn't.
machski
Well-known member
We pick on Vail in the East, but OMG I have never seen so many slows/stops with Detachable chairs as at Vail and Breck. Good God. The 6 chairs are the absolutely worst, the dual load Quicksilver at Breck being the absolute worst. If you base out of 9 and aren't on that thing at the bell, better to hike or shuttle up to the Beaver Run Quad. The only 6 that ran smooth at either was Avanti at Vail. It also happens to be the only Dopp 6 and has a loading carpet that places everyone exactly at the right spot from the wait gate.
Honestly, they have a ton of clueless folks at both resorts. Guess that maybe good if they are true newbies. Regardless, they need to figure it out because it was super frustrating. I honestly believe they could cut the slow/stops in half by either moving back the Epic Mix gantries or getting rid of them. Even found myself wanting to wait there for next chair instead at the little snow stick yellow "wait here" signs beyond the gantries.
Haven't used my Epic a ton in East because of the operations in NH and weather, but has anyone notice the gantries causing folks to wait too far back then misloads detaches out East?
Honestly, they have a ton of clueless folks at both resorts. Guess that maybe good if they are true newbies. Regardless, they need to figure it out because it was super frustrating. I honestly believe they could cut the slow/stops in half by either moving back the Epic Mix gantries or getting rid of them. Even found myself wanting to wait there for next chair instead at the little snow stick yellow "wait here" signs beyond the gantries.
Haven't used my Epic a ton in East because of the operations in NH and weather, but has anyone notice the gantries causing folks to wait too far back then misloads detaches out East?
drjeff
Well-known member
I think one of the challenges that you will see the folks who make the decisions about pricing structure and operational decsions is the push to make the sport more "diverse and inclusive", just like in so many areas of the rest of society, and then the primary perceived notion as it seems that the cost is the major factor that is hindering the expansion of the sport into more diverse population bases.
Whether that is the primary hindering factor I am sure is open for plenty of debate from all sides. Will it likely play some roll in how pricing structures are set? I would guess it will.
There are about 1001 variables it seems that are leading to the issues at hand. Many of which don't have a readily available simple, quick solution
urungus
Well-known member
The talk about “diversity and inclusion” is a cynical attempt to silence critics of their low pass prices. But when they set those prices, if you think it was for some altruistic motive of getting disadvantaged people out on the slopes, well then I have a bridge for sale you might be interested in.
drjeff
Well-known member
I fully agree with you on this!
Just found it an interesting commentary that you keep hearing from numerous industry heads over the last couple of years.
And while I hope for so many reasons that folks of all backgrounds give this great sport a try and learn to love it as much as so many of us AZ'ers do, it's going to be an uphill battle for sure to make significant inroads into many of these communties and population demographics they are trying to get into the sport, and while price may be one of the factors, it certainly isn't the only factor for sure.
The reality is more likely that it will take many indoor ski facilities near large urban areas, with aggressively priced learn to ski and ride programs to probably see something resembling a tangible gain in the target demographics
jimmywilson69
Well-known member
Great posts about the inclusion and diversity. the reason those folks don't ski is it is expensive. They still can't afford a $500 Northeast Epic pass. Its just marketing, chest thumping speak for the ski corporations. there are bigger issues that would need to be solved that aren't skiing related to have those folks be able to afford skiing.
Completely agree. It also is aimed at making "locals" who can be critics of the "big ski corp" and/or discount passes look like xenophobes.
Have a sticker on my helmet saying VailSucks, some random guy at Mt. Snow picked a fight with me in the lift line about how Vail is the only reason I’m skiing there. Not like I’ve been skiing there my whole life and will continue to after Vails inevitable demise.
Lots of good points here. Additionally I'll add that a "cheap" season pass is pointless for people that have potentially never skied at all before. Even if they can afford the cost of the pass, they're not going to buy a pass if they haven't skied before. You need cheap "learn to ski" type packages to attract people to the sport first. Once they decide they like the sport, then a cheap pass becomes useful. But getting new people to that point is what is missing today in Vail's strategy.
Come enjoy our cheap passes! Stay for our Vail hotel rooms that only cost as much as your rent for one nights stay!
Kingslug20
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980.00 a day for private lessons...hey...sign me up...
But a first time group lesson is 163.00
You would need several of those..plus rental..and a ticket...
Um....
But a first time group lesson is 163.00
You would need several of those..plus rental..and a ticket...
Um....
MidnightJester
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There definitely has to be more options out there for mountains to bring in new Skiers and Riders. Some type of group lesson and rental and learner lift ticket has to be in the $100 and less range to build a new snow learner that has limited funds.
I was lucky enough to stumble onto a Burton "Learn to Snowboard" day that was free if you signed up ahead. Rental, group lesson and lift ticket.
Invested in mid level equipment the next week or two and was off to hiking near to the group lessons(hint hint) and watching and learning
for 7 days or so for free.
Last edited:
Boxtop Willie
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The Sugarbush "First time to lifetime" learn to ski program seems to be successful. Take 3 lessons and "graduate" with a free season pass for the year (the deal included rentals, lift ticket and 3 2-hour lessons) You could complete the "program in a weekend. Used to have an add-on 4th lesson and you get a pair of skis too. Don't know the exact cost but I remember thinking it was quite reasonable. More areas should do the same.
Kingslug20
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Skied with a teacher at Stowe monday. Hes booked all the time. One guy dropped 7 grand for a week of lessons for his kids. Guess if its working why change it. There are a lot of people out there..that could buy the resorts if they wanted...
Yup. $479 is the current cost for the package. So $160 a day for lift ticket, rentals, and lessons which in and of itself isn't a bad deal. AND you get the free season pass at the end of the program (if you are actually a true first timer that never skied or snowboarded at all before).
