VAIL SUCKS

[xlr8r]

"Wildcat mountain ski area" does claim to be a resort in name but Vail's websites refer to all of their ski areas as "resorts" (including that same template which is used for Wildcat)
Places that do not have a hotel/lodging (like Roundtop, JFBB, Wildcat, etc.) have no business claiming to be resorts imo

Yeah, it seems like everybody these days are calling ski areas, "resorts". I agree it is only a resort if the ski area has lodging on site.

 

[deadheadskier]

Peak clearly didn't do shit for lift maintenance. Vail has been dealing with crappy lifts at pretty much every property they bought from them, from Crested Butte on down. That should probably be the news story but yeah sure, fuck Vail.

Your decision point about covid was whether you showed up to ski or not, not some extended lift line time by the way.

I do find it amusing that all of a sudden people have forgotten that Wildcat and Attitash were the red headed step child's even before Vail bought them. Wildcat is worth what, 4 million? That is chump change in the ski industry and it is worth that for a reason. The problem with Attitash and Wildcat is people think they are resorts when in reality they are rinky dink ski areas IMO.

I didn't realize it was Peak's responsibility to hire lifties for Vail.

Or snowmakers, customer service reps, food service workers etc.

But you in Jackson obviously know better as to what the major problems have been for Vail I'm NH this year

 

[AdironRider]

I stand by my statement that Attitash and Wildcat have a perception problem more than anything else.

And where did I say Peak should hire lifties? I said Peak didn't put a penny into into their resorts, which you bitched about on this board for fucking years, but yeah, its totally Vail's fault.

 

[PAabe]

Yeah, it seems like everybody these days are calling ski areas, "resorts". I agree it is only a resort if the ski area has lodging on site.

Yep, I'm not even a huge fan of every place with a bit of lodging calling themselves a "ski resort." It makes the sport of skiing look pretentious and exclusive. Much prefer "Ski ---" or "--- Mountain/Hill" or "--- Ski Area" which seem to be increasingly uncommon. Idk maybe I'm a bit of a hippy but I hate when the ski operations try and make it look like it is only for the rich and famous.

 

[Smellytele]

I stand by my statement that Attitash and Wildcat have a perception problem more than anything else.

And where did I say Peak should hire lifties? I said Peak didn't put a penny into into their resorts, which you bitched about on this board for fucking years, but yeah, its totally Vail's fault.

you didn't but you failed to say that vail didn't hire enough people to man the place which has been the biggest concern for most people (and the yes the shitty triple at attitrash).

 

[AdironRider]

And yet, so many people still came they had 40 minute lift lines. Same story, different year.

Since this seems to be news to you, washed up ski bums like DHS are always going to bitch. They are a dime a dozen at any ski area. I've listened to him complain about things not being like his glory days as a shitty ski bum for 20 years. Peak, ASC, doesn't matter the owner, he knows best because he worked F&B you know and clearly knows everything about running the place. He has a long history here of doing just that.

Peak might have hired an extra liftie or two, but they saved money in places that would kill you, like lift maintenance. I'll take the lift lines over questionable safety decisions all day, you might think otherwise. Vail and Peak don't care.

 

[deadheadskier]

I stand by my statement that Attitash and Wildcat have a perception problem more than anything else.

And where did I say Peak should hire lifties? I said Peak didn't put a penny into into their resorts, which you bitched about on this board for fucking years, but yeah, its totally Vail's fault.

Way over your head.

The issues in the valley this year have been primarily labor; issues unique to Vail. Bretton Woods, Cannon, Waterville, Loon and Cranmore haven't had issues running lifts due to lack of labor. Slower snowmaking expansion than the competition as well this year (not that Peak was great, but it was FAR worse under Vail) again because of labor.

Peak isn't who promoted an inexperienced 30 year old from a mole hill in Indiana to run Attitash.

This is the second year BTW of Vail owning Peak. Maintenance issues fall squarely on them now.

 

[deadheadskier]

And yet, so many people still came they had 40 minute lift lines. Same story, different year.

Since this seems to be news to you, washed up ski bums like DHS are always going to bitch. They are a dime a dozen at any ski area. I've listened to him complain about things not being like his glory days as a shitty ski bum for 20 years. Peak, ASC, doesn't matter the owner, he knows best because he worked F&B you know and clearly knows everything about running the place. He has a long history here of doing just that.

Peak might have hired an extra liftie or two, but they saved money in places that would kill you, like lift maintenance. I'll take the lift lines over questionable safety decisions all day, you might think otherwise. Vail and Peak don't care.

Stay gold pony boy! Still a child after all these years.

 

[Mainer]

Peak always ran the yankee at attitash every day. On busy days they ran every lift. Vail only started running the yankee on weekends only starting In mid January. They have yet to run all their lifts this year. Also this year vail started full on snowmaking a month later this year than normal at attitash. The park at attitash used to have tons of jumps and features under peak, this year it looks like a small Connecticut ski area’s park. 0 jumps. Wildcat has barely blown any snow this year, their season started a month later than normal. After the warmth next week it will probably just be lynx again. Under peak they would try to make may, this year they will be unlikely to hit April. The bobcat just started running a couple weeks ago, first time I saw lift maintenance working On it was mid January. Wildcat has a ton more moguls then ever, usually they would blow snow and groom certain trails, this year au natural. The list goes on and on. Peak ran attitash and wc much better than vail it’s not even a debate

 

[deadheadskier]

But lift maintenance bro! Vail rulez at that

 

[Mainer]

I forgot to mention lift maintenance. There was been more delayed openings at wc/attitash this year then ever before. It’s not uncommon for their lifts to open at 930 or 10 because they are performing lift maintenance. Never happened before this year.

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

Somehow with the Epic pass I managed to ski more vertical than ever before last season - even in a shortened season - and will ski more days at better places (barring another March shutdown of skiing) and again more vertical than ever before than ever before this seaaon. And at a really good price that will come out to about $15/day for me and less for my kids. Epic is the best thing to have happened in my 40 year skiing experience.

And as a bonus I get to enjoy the humor value of reading everyone here post about how much this bites.

 

[abc]

The problem with Attitash and Wildcat is people think they are resorts when in reality they are rinky dink ski areas IMO.

"People"? That's people in Colorado, right? Vail just flip a switch and start calling them "resorts"! When in the past, these were only ski mountains, which Vail paid chum change for and "upgraded" into resorts with a flick of a pen!

That is precisely the problem with Vail's northeast mountains. Half of the latest purchase were rinky-ding local mountains. What does Vail do with them? They can't easily be expanded on with real estate to become shining destination resorts. So let's run them with as few staff as possible, with as little snow making as possible, with as short a season as possible...

But yeah, it's the local's fault their day tripping mountains is now a step child of Vail that are left to starve. They even moan about the poor treatment by Vail. Yeah, it's all the local's fault. Vail did it right by ignoring them...

 

[thetrailboss]

Somehow with the Epic pass I managed to ski more vertical than ever before last season - even in a shortened season - and will ski more days at better places (barring another March shutdown of skiing) and again more vertical than ever before than ever before this seaaon. And at a really good price that will come out to about $15/day for me and less for my kids. Epic is the best thing to have happened in my 40 year skiing experience.

And as a bonus I get to enjoy the humor value of reading everyone here post about how much this bites.

Where are you skiing? Weekdays?

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

Where are you skiing? Weekdays?

Weekends and Holidays at every Eastern Epic place except the NH ones (hit the NH ones last year - but have skipped them this year based on issues folks have identified here).

Yeah there are big lines at the most popular lifts at peak times - but if I only hit those at the very beginning and very end of the days and otherwise stick to the less popular lifts it is pretty easy to avoid any bad lines.

I've gotten 26 days in so far with about 370k vertical and expect to have about 40 days and well over 500k vertical in by the time I return from Vail on April 9. I've skied lots of fresh snow - probably more than in the NE any other winter I can recall - with beautiful coverage in bumps and trees. I'm sure many of you have skied a lot more than me as I work a 9-5 job and have kids (who also ski with me a little more than half the time), but this has sure been a winning winter by my standards and skiing Epic mountains has been the unquestioned highlight of my last 3.5 months.

 

[abc]

As much as I dislike long lines, I dislike crowds on the slope even more.

In that regard, that's the silver lining of this year. The lift line maybe long, but I don't have to dodge people as I used to. I pretty much have the run to myself most of the time. Granted, I've only skied midweek, not during holiday time. Clearly, not filling the chair leaves the slopes much emptier. But the wait on the lift line can be long at times.

I didn't expect much this season, I wasn't too disappointed. (nor did it exceed that rock bottom expectation either)

I'm not much of a fan of Vail's portfolio in the east. But there're so many mountains, somehow I can find one I can ski for a bit before getting bored or irritated by the crowds. 2 year's of Epic in a row, I'm ready to change. Before I become a permanent Vail hater for the rest of my life!

After all, they do have some nicer mountains out west, that I still want to ski once in a while.

 

[thetrailboss]

Weekends and Holidays at every Eastern Epic place except the NH ones (hit the NH ones last year - but have skipped them this year based on issues folks have identified here).

Yeah there are big lines at the most popular lifts at peak times - but if I only hit those at the very beginning and very end of the days and otherwise stick to the less popular lifts it is pretty easy to avoid any bad lines.

I've gotten 26 days in so far with about 370k vertical and expect to have about 40 days and well over 500k vertical in by the time I return from Vail on April 9. I've skied lots of fresh snow - probably more than in the NE any other winter I can recall - with beautiful coverage in bumps and trees. I'm sure many of you have skied a lot more than me as I work a 9-5 job and have kids (who also ski with me a little more than half the time), but this has sure been a winning winter by my standards and skiing Epic mountains has been the unquestioned highlight of my last 3.5 months.

So Stowe, Okemo, Snow, Hunter it sounds like.

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

Mostly, but also have been fewer times to Jack Frost, Round Top, Liberty and Whitetail - as I live in NJ

So Stowe, Okemo, Snow, Hunter it sounds like.

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

Most frustrating day line wise was my first day at Jack Frost, when not all their lifts were open. As there was no way to escape lines that day and a long line for a slow lift for a short non challenging trail was beyond frustrating. That was the only day I was pissed about this year.

 

[ctdubl07]

Weekends and Holidays at every Eastern Epic place except the NH ones (hit the NH ones last year - but have skipped them this year based on issues folks have identified here).

Yeah there are big lines at the most popular lifts at peak times - but if I only hit those at the very beginning and very end of the days and otherwise stick to the less popular lifts it is pretty easy to avoid any bad lines.

I've gotten 26 days in so far with about 370k vertical and expect to have about 40 days and well over 500k vertical in by the time I return from Vail on April 9. I've skied lots of fresh snow - probably more than in the NE any other winter I can recall - with beautiful coverage in bumps and trees. I'm sure many of you have skied a lot more than me as I work a 9-5 job and have kids (who also ski with me a little more than half the time), but this has sure been a winning winter by my standards and skiing Epic mountains has been the unquestioned highlight of my last 3.5 months.

I'm with you man, no complaints here.

We had all the access and vert our family of 6 needed and we didn't travel around.

Just booked April 1-6 to Vail and can't wait, flights to EGE are near "free" and snow amounts acceptable. We were supposed to hit Heavenly for Feb break but my wife was going to stir crazy so we got some sun instead.

I realize that I live on a Mtn which affords is easy access...if I see a line that looks horrible or the weather sucks, I stay in and do something else so my scenario is different than for those where the logistics challenges of this season played a big part in their experiences and satisfaction.

But I have zero complaints with Vail...we chose to make what we can out of an imperfect season and situation rather than fight it.