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VAIL SUCKS

doublediamond

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Dec 22, 2013
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Thats only the top part (which I have gone through the woods and skied plenty of times) once you get to the Fallen Timbers entrance the trail is fine…no excuses
The closures at Mount Snow this season have been baffling this whole winter as a midweek skier
The ice flows extend past the entrance from Fallen Timbers
 

Mainer

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Dec 11, 2020
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Finished up wildcat today. They should have been open all week, but today was a good day to end it. Probably wouldn’t made it much longer. Very weak crowd for last day. Perfect day, 70 no clouds. I love that mountain
 

2Planker

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May 16, 2007
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1,600
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MWV, NH
Said it here 450 pages ago…
Downhill Slide by Hal Clifford.
More True now than ever before.
Great read 👍
 

Edd

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Newmarket, NH
Haha he blames increase real estate values in ski country on Vail. Like that didn’t happen because all the people moving to ski country at the start of Covid from WFH happening. It increased sharply mid 2020 like that was driven by Vail. That guys a bonehead
Yeah, not sure he even mentioned COVID but I think both things can be true. Vail (and similar companies) and COVID effects have combined to make mountain life financially strenuous for non-rich people.
 

BenedictGomez

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Wasatch Back
There is some truth to this.

The entire first paragraph I predicted on here almost a decade ago about future price increases to the "cheap skiing" as well as myriad future attempts at new streams of ancillary revenue.

This "Vail Rental" thing (or whatever it's called) is just that, a new attempt at an ancillary revenue growth path. And EPIC/IKON prices will continue to go higher. Eventually, like the boiled frog, some people will say, "hey, isnt this more than I paid for a season ski pass in _____ insert year". The higher prices are modeled to more than account for those who drop out due to the increased price, so essentially the people who keep buying EPIC/IKON each year simply bear the brunt of the cost increases. This is in addition to the skyrocketing food prices, and costs for various things which were previously free (parking, etc...).
 

deadheadskier

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The entire first paragraph I predicted on here almost a decade ago about future price increases to the "cheap skiing" as well as myriad future attempts at new streams of ancillary revenue.

This "Vail Rental" thing (or whatever it's called) is just that, a new attempt at an ancillary revenue growth path. And EPIC/IKON prices will continue to go higher. Eventually, like the boiled frog, some people will say, "hey, isnt this more than I paid for a season ski pass in _____ insert year". The higher prices are modeled to more than account for those who drop out due to the increased price, so essentially the people who keep buying EPIC/IKON each year simply bear the brunt of the cost increases. This is in addition to the skyrocketing food prices, and costs for various things which were previously free (parking, etc...).


I'll be interested to see what happens to the STR market as participation eventually falls due to increased costs. Those investors have less than half a year to make money on their properties. If the volume goes down, they are screwed. Maybe that's one benefit locals will get back; more available housing as people view STRs as unsustainable and turn back to being landlords.
 

BenedictGomez

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I'll be interested to see what happens to the STR market as participation eventually falls due to increased costs.

I dont know how it will play out in terms of ski country, but there's already a thought process that there might be an AirBnBust in the coming years. The number of ABNB units which came online during COVID19 is staggering, right when real estate prices went bananas. So many of these folks are now sitting on massive home price gains that it defies logic (IMHO) why they simply arent selling their 2nd SFH and condos/TH for a quick 40%, 50%, 75% gain etc.... rather than trying to nickel & dime that same return over STR rental days for X years. Not to mention, many local governments are getting sick of the negative impact from ABNB & VRBO etc.... and are starting to either limit STR units or ban them outright.
 

deadheadskier

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I dont know how it will play out in terms of ski country, but there's already a thought process that there might be an AirBnBust in the coming years. The number of ABNB units which came online during COVID19 is staggering, right when real estate prices went bananas. So many of these folks are now sitting on massive home price gains that it defies logic (IMHO) why they simply arent selling their 2nd SFH and condos/TH for a quick 40%, 50%, 75% gain etc.... rather than trying to nickel & dime that same return over STR rental days for X years. Not to mention, many local governments are getting sick of the negative impact from ABNB & VRBO etc.... and are starting to either limit STR units or ban them outright.

My thoughts on this stem from last weekends stay in half a house in North Troy some 12 miles from Jay. When I still lived up there 18 years ago, that unit was most assuredly a LTR. Now the owner is getting almost the same revenue in a long weekend as they would get in a months rent from LTR. But if demand from families like mine fall......
 

djd66

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Said it here 450 pages ago…
Downhill Slide by Hal Clifford.
More True now than ever before.
Great read 👍

never heard of the book, after reading some of the Amazon reviews,… seems like a lot of leftist BS. If that’s your thing, enjoy.

Personally, I’m a free market capitalist. If you don’t like what Vail or Altera has done, don‘t ski there.

here one review that really made me chuckle:
“Downhill Slide will almost certainly play well among class warriors, ski town kvetches and the Chicken Little faction of the environmental movement. But if you're looking for objective analysis and honest debate over real issues, look elsewhere.
Hal Clifford questions almost every statement made by senior industry managers (backing many with snide comments), but treats pronouncements made by industry opponents - including some based on patently false assumptions - as gospel. In Clifford's world, ski resort managers are highly biased, but environmentalists, EPA staffers and disgruntled former ski resort and Forest Service employees are objective beyond question. This simply isn't the case. An honest assessment of the issues related to ski development would examine the motives and views of those opposed to mountain development as diligently as it does those who favor it.”

 

2Planker

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never heard of the book, after reading some of the Amazon reviews,… seems like a lot of leftist BS. If that’s your thing, enjoy.

Personally, I’m a free market capitalist. If you don’t like what Vail or Altera has done, don‘t ski there.

here one review that really made me chuckle:
“Downhill Slide will almost certainly play well among class warriors, ski town kvetches and the Chicken Little faction of the environmental movement. But if you're looking for objective analysis and honest debate over real issues, look elsewhere.
Hal Clifford questions almost every statement made by senior industry managers (backing many with snide comments), but treats pronouncements made by industry opponents - including some based on patently false assumptions - as gospel. In Clifford's world, ski resort managers are highly biased, but environmentalists, EPA staffers and disgruntled former ski resort and Forest Service employees are objective beyond question. This simply isn't the case. An honest assessment of the issues related to ski development would examine the motives and views of those opposed to mountain development as diligently as it does those who favor it.”

Thanx for your comments, But you are the first person from here who hasn't raved about the book.

Having been a part of SR, before, during and after ASC, we can certainly relate to the story. Fast forward 20 years and we're living in the beautiful MWV when Vail comes in and messes that whole scene up royally.

"To each, there own"
Hal Clifford also wrote "The Falling Season" about spending 1 year w/ Aspen's High Mt Rescue unit. Another very good read !!
Enjoy
 
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trackbiker

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Feb 8, 2005
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Eastern PA
My thoughts on this stem from last weekends stay in half a house in North Troy some 12 miles from Jay. When I still lived up there 18 years ago, that unit was most assuredly a LTR. Now the owner is getting almost the same revenue in a long weekend as they would get in a months rent from LTR. But if demand from families like mine fall......
Re AirBnBust: This is already happening and was evident and was reported on during the Super Bowl. About half of the AirBnB's were not rented a few days before the Super Bowl in Phoenix. Other places also have an over supply of AirBnB's due to "everyone" thinking it was easy money. I just heard this morning on the radio that AirBnB's fees are going up and hotels are turning out to be much less expensive in comparison in many markets.
 

ThatGuy

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Feb 10, 2021
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Park City
As for AirBnB fees being outrageous, I just rented a place in Jackson for a week in June. Found spot on AirBnB then contacted the owner separately…saved $500 in fees by going through them directly.
At this point you’re better off going through a hotel or rental agency and avoid all the extra bs, also most hotels have actual cleaning standards unlike alot of AirBnbs…
 

LuckyStrike

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As for AirBnB fees being outrageous, I just rented a place in Jackson for a week in June. Found spot on AirBnB then contacted the owner separately…saved $500 in fees by going through them directly.
At this point you’re better off going through a hotel or rental agency and avoid all the extra bs, also most hotels have actual cleaning standards unlike alot of AirBnbs…
How did you find the owner outside of ABnB? Their fees are getting as bad as ticketmaster/stubhub.
 

ThatGuy

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Park City
How did you find the owner outside of ABnB? Their fees are getting as bad as ticketmaster/stubhub.
In my experience you can message them before fully booking and see if they want to work something out…might be against the rules but they’re vultures anyway.
Also if its from a rental company they tend to list on AirBnB but also have their own booking you can use.
 
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