VAIL SUCKS

[Kingslug20]

Getting sporty out there..think it's time to go.

 

[cdskier]

I don't recall a Christmas week during my time when Hayride and Nosedive weren't open. Typically Lift line too.

I almost mentioned Lift Line in my post as well, but thought maybe that was stretching it as my memory for Stowe isn't great as I only read the reports periodically and have never been a local/regular there. Nosedive I was fairly certain was always one they tried to get open relatively early though.

 

[thebigo]

Just took a look at wildcat website.

Is the lynx actually not open in January?

Assholes need to leave new hampshire.

I skied the lynx in October when peak ran wildcat.

 

[Kingslug20]

It's very simple..vail doesn't know or care about the history of these places..they are numbers on a spread sheet....

 

[doublediamond]

Last two years Vail shifted off Lynx as the first to open to Catapult/Middle Wildcat/Bobcat despite it needing more snow to open.

Then they had to blow snow on the traverses (Cat Track?) just to link that route up with Tomcat JIC wind or mechanical issues with the Quad. Then tempt the long slog of getting Polecat open. Now they have focused on getting Wild Kitten and Chetah open as let’s be honest, Upper and Middle Polecat would be a blue at most other Vail properties.

Not the wisest strategy to get the most open as fast as possible. But they only care about the jerries that show up with the discount passes.

 

[Smellytele]

Just took a look at wildcat website.

Is the lynx actually not open in January?

Assholes need to leave new hampshire.

I skied the lynx in October when peak ran wildcat.

Lynx is my favorite classic cruising trail in the Northeast...

 

[deadheadskier]

I won't deny that the weather has been tough this year, but Cat could be in far better shape if Vail actually cared given their elevation. They've had the temps to make far more snow than they have thus far. IMO, Xmas week should offer at minimum the TTB Polecat, Lynx and Catapult, Wild Kitten and the Snowcat area. That might be 125 acres of snowmaking at most; probably much less. Not a lot to ask / expect

 

[2Planker]

Short on snowmakers, short on groomers.....
Plenty of cafeteria staff though

 

[deadheadskier]

Short on snowmakers, short on groomers.....
Plenty of cafeteria staff though

That tells me three things.

1. They're paying enough and hiring aggressively for jobs that generate more ancillary income. They probably have full employment ranks for paid parking enforcement too where that applies.

2. They're not paying enough for on snow operations positions

3. They really don't care about delivering a great actual skiing product despite being the wealthiest ski company in the world. They just want people to show up and shovel down $13 crap cheeseburgers in the lodge and pay $30 to park.

I'm searching for a reason to come back to Vail because Wildcat was my favorite ski area in NH and Stowe my favorite in VT.

I continue to come up empty with one good reason to do so. A cheap pass isn't it

 

[doublediamond]

Vail came in and slashed groomer wages in half because they deemed them too high. What happened? Most walked at both the Cat and Attitash. This is why even with the shitty snowmaking under Vail we still see whales for weeks to be grommed out, especially at Attitash.

While wages have gone up with the new corporate minimum, its not where it once was. IIRC you get an extra buck an hour vs cafeterias staff for snowmaking or grooming … snowmaking a highly demanding physical job in harsh elements and grooming a job demanding knowledge to operate $350,000 heavy machinery.

Would you take a buck an hour to make snow vs shovel food in the cafeteria? Or take the buck for the skill of grooming, something that can take a season or more to master? No no sane person would. Vail is a joke.

 

[Smellytele]

Vail came in and slashed groomer wages in half because they deemed them too high. What happened? Most walked at both the Cat and Attitash. This is why even with the shitty snowmaking under Vail we still see whales for weeks to be grommed out, especially at Attitash.

While wages have gone up with the new corporate minimum, its not where it once was. IIRC you get an extra buck an hour vs cafeterias staff for snowmaking or grooming … snowmaking a highly demanding physical job in harsh elements and grooming a job demanding knowledge to operate $350,000 heavy machinery.

Would you take a buck an hour to make snow vs shovel food in the cafeteria? Or take the buck for the skill of grooming, something that can take a season or more to master? No no sane person would. Vail is a joke.

Don’t piss off joshua he‘ll close this thread. Oh wait this isn’t sj.

 

[doublediamond]

Manage by numbers with edicts from Broomfield simply doesn’t work when you have easily 5 tiers of resorts spread across doezens of markets across several countries.

It worked when Vail owned 4 ski areas within an hour of each other within the same market and all at the same caliber. It doesn’t work now.

If a property can’t attract workers all they do is raise their hands in anguish and try to coerce workers to shift duties. A stand alone resort, or one managed more locally like Ikon properties can make the smart choice to offer a higher wage for a needed duty (e.g. snowmakers or groomers). And the MWV may perhaps be one of the most competitive worker markets in the northeast ski industry as depending on where the worker is coming from they can easily commute to 9 non-Vail properties (Bretton Woods, Cannon, Loon, King Pine, Cranmore, Black, Sunday River, Mt. Abram, Pleasant Mtn.)

 

[deadheadskier]

Anyone know the wages at Cat for these three positions?

1. Cafeteria or other inside customer service position

2. Snowmaker

3. Groomer

 

[cdskier]

Anyone know the wages at Cat for these three positions?

1. Cafeteria or other inside customer service position

2. Snowmaker

3. Groomer

None of those jobs are currently listed as open on the Wildcat job list. Attitash does have a Snowmaker job posted and it is listed as starting at $20/hr (which is the new Vail minimum...so I'm assuming Cafeteria would be the same). I checked some other resorts and at Mt Snow they have an "Experienced Snow Cat Operator" job posted which lists it again starting at $20/hr. (FWIW, not all jobs start at $20/hr as I saw some Lift Electrician ones that started at $28...so it isn't like they are just listing $20/hr for everything across the board...but that seems to be the base rate they are indeed using for grooming and snowmaking).

 

[drjeff]

Anyone know the wages at Cat for these three positions?

1. Cafeteria or other inside customer service position

2. Snowmaker

3. Groomer

Minimum of $20/hr

Plenty of situations where years of experience and/or various types/levels of professional association certification increase that base rate

 

[deadheadskier]

I guess that's my point. If you are advertising the same wage for a snowmaker vs a cashier, how many people are going to apply for those snowmaking jobs?

I'd want at least $25 if the cashier job pays $20. Maybe more to be honest. The hours for a snowmaker stink and are inconsistent. The working conditions are tough Your position is laid off earlier in the season. I'd even say that though operating a groomer might require more skill, it's an "easier" job.

Some people might say, that snowmakers are wired different and really love the work and it's not all about the money, but there's just not enough of those kind of people. Isn't that obvious if resorts are short staffed for such a critical position?

It just goes to show that Vail continues to just not get the eastern market. They try and operate their properties here like it's Colorado.

 

[gittist]

One size fits all....

 

[FBGM]

Hearing reports of a tree fell on a lift today at Cantons/PC - 1 dead. That’s about all the info I have so far. Curious to see what more comes in for info

 

[oldfartrider]

Been skiing/snowboarding wildcat since the 70s. That’s place always sucked in light snow years

 

[FBGM]

Was confirmed. Employee was the fatality.

Not to take away from tragedy but just another “lift” issue associated with Vail