VAIL SUCKS

[chuckstah]

I arrived at Crotched this am expecting an " Experience of a lifetime", of course, as that's what I'm told by Vail. I found:
Valley Quad idle, never inspected for this season.
Park lift, can't really be called a chairlift because, well, no chairs on it, never inspected.
Rocket, closed for maintenance and waiting for a part. No time estimate
West double and carpet up an running. Yeah, that's enough capacity with a full parking lot. Fail, so off to Sunapee I go.

Not so bad at Sunapee after an extra 45 minutes drive. Really weak effort with minimal trails open, but the skiing on what's available was ok. Every single person I road the lift with was complaining about Vail. Hundred percent, and I wasn't the only one that tried Crotched first. Word is getting out and the Vail Sucks movement is spreading.
VAIL SUCKS

 

[Dickc]

I want to go there monday as it only 27 miles from my place but:

1. its all back roads, and NH is a plow optional state on some back roads; and

2. I'd hate to get there after risking death only to find one of the main lifts not working.

All vail had to do to keep me happy was not fuck up sunapee and crotched.

task failed successfully. I'm done after this year. I tried, I'm good.

and with the cold that scoming tomorrow, is anyone going to bet that there are no lifts issues at Okemo or mount snow like they've had all year? Im not....

Crotched is now closed on Monday and Tuesday every week until the end of the season. Fail Inc is showing its ineptitude.

 

[abc]

Crotched is now closed on Monday and Tuesday every week until the end of the season. Fail Inc is showing itsI ineptitude.

I wonder if there's ground for a refund (or a class action lawsuit if it's not forthcoming) for those who plan to ski Crotched exclusively/regularly, especially those with midweek pass.

 

[gittist]

Well now....

Mount Sunapee Becomes Latest Vail Mountain to Issue Apology

After a slow start to their snowmaking efforts this season, along with a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam on Saturday, Mount Sunapee released a video

unofficialnetworks.com

So how much longer will that GM be employed by Vail?

 

[mtskifan]

I arrived at Crotched this am expecting an " Experience of a lifetime", of course, as that's what I'm told by Vail. I found:
Valley Quad idle, never inspected for this season.
Park lift, can't really be called a chairlift because, well, no chairs on it, never inspected.
Rocket, closed for maintenance and waiting for a part. No time estimate
West double and carpet up an running. Yeah, that's enough capacity with a full parking lot. Fail, so off to Sunapee I go.

Not so bad at Sunapee after an extra 45 minutes drive. Really weak effort with minimal trails open, but the skiing on what's available was ok. Every single person I road the lift with was complaining about Vail. Hundred percent, and I wasn't the only one that tried Crotched first. Word is getting out and the Vail Sucks movement is spreading.
VAIL SUCKS

Ugh, sorry to hear about your day. Pretty pathetic that "fine tuning on our lifts" = primary chairlift offline until part arrives. At a minimum they should be upfront with communication before someone drives there.

 

[Harvey]

I arrived at Crotched this am expecting an " Experience of a lifetime"

I don't believe you.

 

[chuckstah]

I don't believe you.

Let's just say I was expecting a tiny bit more than one 50 something years old mid mountain double with a half hour lift line and access to two open trails operating

 

[FBGM]

lol at Attatash GM “stepping down”. Either got the boot or he jumped ship like the others

 

[deadheadskier]

The Wildcat GM came from Crested Butte. Wonder what he thinks about that decision now

 

[thetrailboss]

Ugh, sorry to hear about your day. Pretty pathetic that "fine tuning on our lifts" = primary chairlift offline until part arrives. At a minimum they should be upfront with communication before someone drives there.

What is the issue?

 

[thetrailboss]

So how much longer will that GM be employed by Vail?

Well, since he mentioned crowds and related issues, then Alterra would have fired him by now....

 

[IceEidolon]

Their Twitter says they are "still fine tuning" the lifts. WTF? That is what they are supposed to do in OCTOBER.

Where's Mr Hugh Conway with the insider scoop here? I think he'd find a more receptive audience, talking about Vail trouble.

 

[eatskisleep]

The Wildcat GM came from Crested Butte. Wonder what he thinks about that decision now

Wasn’t he in the food industry there? Or am I mixing this up?

 

[deadheadskier]

I forget, but I know he was at CB prior. Apparently from Maine originally. So at least the shitty job is near home

 

[machski]

Let's just say I was expecting a tiny bit more than one 50 something years old mid mountain double with a half hour lift line and access to two open trails operating

This is when the lack of at least having Valley on standby if Rocket goes down is killing Crotched. Pathetic. That said, Rocket is a Garaventa HSQ so not sure how readily parts are available for those machines.

 

[deadheadskier]

This is when the lack of at least having Valley on standby if Rocket goes down is killing Crotched. Pathetic. That said, Rocket is a Garaventa HSQ so not sure how readily parts are available for those machines.

It's unbelievable to me they don't have Valley ready to go as the backup for the Rocket. With Valley and West, you can still ski 75% of the mountain. A bummer for sure, but worth staying.

Just the West with a 30 minute line and then the carpet? That's catastrophically bad.

 

[thetrailboss]

This is when the lack of at least having Valley on standby if Rocket goes down is killing Crotched. Pathetic. That said, Rocket is a Garaventa HSQ so not sure how readily parts are available for those machines.

Likely something Doppelmayr, who bought Garaventa, can fix. Assuming Vail is current on their tab.

 

[Quietman]

Rocket is fixed, for now. Valley needs to be fixed also! Too many customers are getting really pissed off, and it's not the mountains employees fault, but they have to listen to the vitriol. Someone in Vail management needs to have a "Jerry McGuire" blowup and say that this is not how we shouldn't be treating our client/customers! Workers, especially patrollers need to continue to say "show me the money"!

 

[eatskisleep]

People Really Want to Ski. Vail Is Racing to Keep Up.

Worker shortages, long lines and less open terrain are making this winter season challenging for the resort titan of the ski industry. “I want you to open my mountain.”

www.wsj.com

Big article in the WSJ today about Vail

 

[machski]

Likely something Doppelmayr, who bought Garaventa, can fix. Assuming Vail is current on their tab.

Absolutely agree. But look at Bachelor, Skyliner is an older model pure Dopp HSQ and it is down indefinitely due to a component that Dopp doesn't fully support any longer (too old). I doubt Dopp keeps much of the old Garaventa gear lying around on shelves. They can support surely, but likely not quick fixes.