VAIL SUCKS

[2Planker]

I remember like 7-8 years ago when I was with a Vail owned resort. Katz would ski with/as a private lesson so he could cut all the lines. I always laughed at that but smart.

He was also known to put on a Patrol jacket (Stowe, Attitash) just to avoid the lines

 

[jimmywilson69]

When he was at Roundtop, yes he skied Roundtop, I happened to be lunch skiing that day and he was wearing his gray storm trooper outfit. I yelled at him a few times and he didn't even respond, like not even a turn of the head. Probably skis with shitty music too loud in his helmet. LOL

 

[SteezyRob]

He was also known to put on a Patrol jacket (Stowe, Attitash) just to avoid the lines

yeah lol that was a good one

 

[FBGM]

Patrol jacket. Pro move.

 

[BenedictGomez]

When he was at Roundtop, yes he skied Roundtop, I happened to be lunch skiing that day and he was wearing his gray storm trooper outfit. I yelled at him a few times and he didn't even respond, like not even a turn of the head. Probably skis with shitty music too loud in his helmet. LOL

Probably more like he wont acknowledge any recognition of the peasants.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Most definitely this ^^^

I wish I could remember if he was short woman's skis or not... LOL

 

[Harvey]

Or maybe most people who yell out to him give him shit.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Well deserved shit, but I see your point.

An engaged CEO who actually gives a shit about something other than the stock price would want to hear from his customers good or bad. He was still CEO at the time and was paid pretty well. So hearing the good with the bad is part of the gig. I wouldn't have just torn into him like 469 pages of this thread. There are positives to the Epic Pass for a someone like me that lives near a small mountain like Roundtop. There are also things Vail could do better to engage folks with the sport at these small mountains.

 

[2Planker]

Well deserved shit, but I see your point.

An engaged CEO who actually gives a shit about something other than the stock price would want to hear from his customers good or bad. He was still CEO at the time and was paid pretty well. So hearing the good with the bad is part of the gig. I wouldn't have just torn into him like 469 pages of this thread. There are positives to the Epic Pass for a someone like me that lives near a small mountain like Roundtop. There are also things Vail could do better to engage folks with the sport at these small mountains.

That is exactly why Les was the best, before the ASC days.... He skied 4-5 days/week, always wearing his nametag "Les Otten, President". He always talked w/ guest & employees in the lodges, in the lift lines and on the chair. He was a regular at our annual Refresher and always came to the Sat 5pm Patrol Mtng. always giving us the honest "inside scoop"

When Boyne took over 15 years ago all that disappeared instantly. Dana B was a no show 90% of time.... He'd ski (He'd ski (NO SR jacket) and never even talk to a guest. He'd intentionally stall or step out of the lift line to avoid riding up w/ Patrollers or other "on snow" employees

 

[BenedictGomez]

Or maybe most people who yell out to him give him shit.

We can only hope & dream.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I wouldn't have just torn into him like 469 pages of this thread.

This made me literally LOL. And you're absolutely right about the best CEOs wanting to hear both the good & the bad. And get in the trenches.

CEOs who surround themselves with yes men & yes women are bad news.

 

[tumbler]

Win would wait in line when he owned SB

 

[2Planker]

Win would wait in line when he owned SB

Same w/ Les

 

[drjeff]

That is exactly why Les was the best, before the ASC days.... He skied 4-5 days/week, always wearing his nametag "Less Otten, President". He always talked w/ guest & employees in the lodges, in the lift lines and on the chair. He was a regular at our annual Refresher and always came to the Sat 5pm Patrol Mtng. always giving us the honest "inside scoop"

When Boyne took over 15 years ago all that disappeared instantly. Dana B was a no show 90% of time.... He'd ski (He'd ski (NO SR jacket) and never even talk to a guest. He'd intentionally stall or step out of the lift line to avoid riding up w/ Patrollers or other "on snow" employees

The best GM I have ever interacted with, Kelly Pawlak, who was the GM of Mount Snow up until 5 or 6 years ago (I believe is the proper time frame, before she left then Peak Resorts to go be the President of the National Ski Areas Association, where she still holds that position today) definitely had a bunch of those same qualities Les had.

She was very out infront of the public and regularly seen doing everything from scanning passes/tickets to running lift line queues, to busing tables in the base lodge to even helping keep the bathrooms clean (my wife reports having had numerous converations with her as she was using the women's room and Kelly was in their checking on its cleanliness), as well as out on the hill skiing around (somtimes in her work coat with her nametag on it and sometimes in her "street coat" without her name tag on it to better get a handle of what the "regular customer" was experiencing. There really wasn't a job that Kelly wouldn't do if needed, and those who she lead regularly saw her hands on approach and appreciated it

I don't think it's a coincidence that numerous people in various departments that she oversaw during her multiple decade time at Mount Snow have risen up into various leadership positions across multiple parts of the ski industry all around the country. A great leader is such an incredible asset to have, and unfortunately can be taken for granted at times by boards of directors

 

[thetrailboss]

When he was at Roundtop, yes he skied Roundtop, I happened to be lunch skiing that day and he was wearing his gray storm trooper outfit. I yelled at him a few times and he didn't even respond, like not even a turn of the head. Probably skis with shitty music too loud in his helmet. LOL

"I DID HEAR YOU. YOU DIDN'T DESERVE A RESPONSE, ASSHOLE. STAY EPIC MY FRIENDS!"

 

[thetrailboss]

Win would wait in line when he owned SB

Same w/ Les

"And guess what? Both of those guys are now unemployed! Stay EPIC my friends!"

 

[AdironRider]

The best GM I have ever interacted with, Kelly Pawlak, who was the GM of Mount Snow up until 5 or 6 years ago (I believe is the proper time frame, before she left then Peak Resorts to go be the President of the National Ski Areas Association, where she still holds that position today) definitely had a bunch of those same qualities Les had.

She was very out infront of the public and regularly seen doing everything from scanning passes/tickets to running lift line queues, to busing tables in the base lodge to even helping keep the bathrooms clean (my wife reports having had numerous converations with her as she was using the women's room and Kelly was in their checking on its cleanliness), as well as out on the hill skiing around (somtimes in her work coat with her nametag on it and sometimes in her "street coat" without her name tag on it to better get a handle of what the "regular customer" was experiencing. There really wasn't a job that Kelly wouldn't do if needed, and those who she lead regularly saw her hands on approach and appreciated it

I don't think it's a coincidence that numerous people in various departments that she oversaw during her multiple decade time at Mount Snow have risen up into various leadership positions across multiple parts of the ski industry all around the country. A great leader is such an incredible asset to have, and unfortunately can be taken for granted at times by boards of directors

You are comparing a ski area GM to the CEO of their publicly traded parent company, which to be fair, are very different roles.

The CEO of Vail is legally bound to do what the investors want, not customers. Sometimes those wants are the same, sometimes not.

 

[2Planker]

"And guess what? Both of those guys are now unemployed! Stay EPIC my friends!"

You are comparing a ski area GM to the CEO of their publicly traded parent company, which to be fair, are very different roles.

The CEO of Vail is legally bound to do what the investors want, not customers. Sometimes those wants are the same, sometimes not.

That's exactly why it's so much better when the GM is the CEO, as w/ Win & Les

 

[ss20]

The best GM I have ever interacted with, Kelly Pawlak, who was the GM of Mount Snow up until 5 or 6 years ago (I believe is the proper time frame, before she left then Peak Resorts to go be the President of the National Ski Areas Association, where she still holds that position today) definitely had a bunch of those same qualities Les had.

She was very out infront of the public and regularly seen doing everything from scanning passes/tickets to running lift line queues, to busing tables in the base lodge to even helping keep the bathrooms clean (my wife reports having had numerous converations with her as she was using the women's room and Kelly was in their checking on its cleanliness), as well as out on the hill skiing around (somtimes in her work coat with her nametag on it and sometimes in her "street coat" without her name tag on it to better get a handle of what the "regular customer" was experiencing. There really wasn't a job that Kelly wouldn't do if needed, and those who she lead regularly saw her hands on approach and appreciated it

I don't think it's a coincidence that numerous people in various departments that she oversaw during her multiple decade time at Mount Snow have risen up into various leadership positions across multiple parts of the ski industry all around the country. A great leader is such an incredible asset to have, and unfortunately can be taken for granted at times by boards of directors

Agree with all this. She was amazing. And lots of people at Mount Snow at that time moved on to do great things! Heck even the girl that did the Mount Snow Minute a bunch in the 2009ish area is a great ski podcaster now!

 

[FBGM]

The best GM I have ever interacted with, Kelly Pawlak, who was the GM of Mount Snow up until 5 or 6 years ago (I believe is the proper time frame, before she left then Peak Resorts to go be the President of the National Ski Areas Association, where she still holds that position today) definitely had a bunch of those same qualities Les had.

She was very out infront of the public and regularly seen doing everything from scanning passes/tickets to running lift line queues, to busing tables in the base lodge to even helping keep the bathrooms clean (my wife reports having had numerous converations with her as she was using the women's room and Kelly was in their checking on its cleanliness), as well as out on the hill skiing around (somtimes in her work coat with her nametag on it and sometimes in her "street coat" without her name tag on it to better get a handle of what the "regular customer" was experiencing. There really wasn't a job that Kelly wouldn't do if needed, and those who she lead regularly saw her hands on approach and appreciated it

I don't think it's a coincidence that numerous people in various departments that she oversaw during her multiple decade time at Mount Snow have risen up into various leadership positions across multiple parts of the ski industry all around the country. A great leader is such an incredible asset to have, and unfortunately can be taken for granted at times by boards of directors

I’m not gonna get into details but she was just a yes man for the asshole owners of that place. She was not a strong leader and did not listen to anything her team told her. It was whatever those Boyd people told her to do and she was a weak pawn. I was very surprised to see her get her current position.