VAIL SUCKS

[SLyardsale]

MS report: all in all a nice easy day. Getting in line and all that was left to the knobs.
We rolled up at 9:20, got our cool 70th magnets, waited maybe 5 min and then it was ski on the rest of the day.
Only trail crowding were various groups of instructors doing pre-season work.

Best trail by far was Challenger (a natural) which was fantastic....hadnt rode that well in years.
Just left it 15 min ago....still plenty of snow. Go get it.

Guns still firing in target areas since we arrived last night.
Live at C and blowers look mostly for the gulch build for this wknd with HMetal lift.
Guessing Nitro 12/13ish.

So all in all, I look at it this way: with these sustained temps, they are really building out for a more comprehensive opening than simply rushing to a "date" that only the folks on this forum care(complain) about.

I got on Challenger later in the day. It was still pretty good.

 

[ctdubl07]

And Vail has named its new MS GM…..most here will be sad to hear they have no prior kitchen experience..

 

[drjeff]

And Vail has named its new MS GM…..most here will be sad to hear they have no prior kitchen experience..

Former Navy carrier based F-18 fighter pilot is a pretty cool thing though!

 

[skiur]

Former Navy fighter pilot is a pretty cool thing though!

That is pretty cool but not sure how it lends itself towards running a ski resort. What are their other qualifications?

 

[snoseek]

That is pretty cool but not sure how it lends itself towards running a ski resort. What are their other qualifications?

The amount of work and brains it takes to be a navy pilot is far more than it takes to be a cook. I am a cook and served in the navy although not a pilot just a deck guy. Those guys and the guys that go through buds are smart and work their ass off.

 

[chuckstah]

And they named the Wildcat GM. Or basically no GM, as they are sharing Brandon Swartz with Attitash.

 

[deadheadskier]

If I were still a Cat regular, I'd be happier if they shared a GM with Attitash than snowmakers and groomers like they had been doing for several years. It was always massively frustrating to see a full pond, 15 degrees and not a gun going because the staff was all down the street.

 

[jimmywilson69]

That is pretty cool but not sure how it lends itself towards running a ski resort. What are their other qualifications?

"Well she's familiar with jet engines, so I'm sure she knows how to operate a fan gun."

 

[drjeff]

"Well SHE's familiar with jet engines, so I'm sure SHE knows how to operate a fan gun."

Fixed it for you in this case

 

[jimmywilson69]

My bad didn't realize we were dealing with a female. Cool that she was was fighter pilot. As Snoseek said that's not an easy position.

And in all reality whether its a he or she they probably can easily figure out a fan gun!

 

[thetrailboss]

My bad didn't realize we were dealing with a female. Cool that she was was fighter pilot. As Snoseek said that's not an easy position.

And in all reality whether its a he or she they probably can easily figure out a fan gun!

"She only got the gig because as a kid I had a crush on Instructor Charlie Blackwood in TOP GUN. You can tell by my creepy smile that I am fantasizing about her right now! Don't tell HR I said that."

 

[BenedictGomez]

That is pretty cool but not sure how it lends itself towards running a ski resort. What are their other qualifications?

Her minor in college was Culinary Arts.

 

[crystalmountainskier]

That is pretty cool but not sure how it lends itself towards running a ski resort. What are their other qualifications?

Fox News correspondent. Certainly non traditional.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Fox News correspondent.

Must have removed that from her resume before submitting to Vail.

 

[skiur]

The amount of work and brains it takes to be a navy pilot is far more than it takes to be a cook. I am a cook and served in the navy although not a pilot just a deck guy. Those guys and the guys that go through buds are smart and work their ass off.

I'm not disputing that, I just said that being a fighter pilot doesn't in itself qualify one to run a ski resort.

 

[thetrailboss]

Come on guys, why are we not talking about this????

Vail Resorts Named One of America's Most Admired Workplaces 2025 by Newsweek

Vail Resorts (NYSE: MTN) was recognized by Newsweek as one of America's Most Admired Workplaces of 2025. The Newsweek recognition is based on an independent survey of more than 250,000 U.S....

news.vailresorts.com

 

[thetrailboss]

Former Navy carrier based F-18 fighter pilot is a pretty cool thing though!

Who is the new GM? I don't see anything about it.

 

[ThatGuy]

Lea Gabrielle - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[jimmywilson69]

wait they hired a new correspondent as the new GM at Mount Snow? Did she work in the industry? I am very confused and of course there is nothing on the MS social media or the MS website.

 

[drjeff]

wait they hired a new correspondent as the new GM at Mount Snow? Did she work in the industry? I am very confused and of course there is nothing on the MS social media or the MS website.

More like a retired Navy acrrier based fighter pilot with her Bachleors in Mechanical Engineer from Annapolis, then a stint on the ground embedded with Seal teams in Afghanistan for intelligence gathering purposes, followed by a stint with the State Department, then a stint in media, before recently getting her MBA from MIT. This apparently is her 1st job in the ski industry, but she's been a skier since she was 2.5yrs old and the 1st number of her age, per wiki, is still a 4.... Lots of leadership experience for sure. And a ski area GM at a major resort is more about leading and supporting your teams than actual hands on day to day mtn ops things.

I am excited to see what she brings to Mount Snow, and I know that she has a bunch of strong department leaders who will give her the on the ground information about day to day operations and the needs of the departments. If she can land an F-18 on a carrier deck at night, pretty sure she's got the learning skills and leadership ability to quickly learn the ropes of running Mount Snow