VAIL SUCKS

[chuckstah]

Black is (sadly) the new spring skiing capital of the Mt Washington valley. I couldn't have imagined that a few months ago....

 

[eatskisleep]

Black is (sadly) the new spring skiing capital of the Mt Washington valley. I couldn't have imagined that a few months ago....

The alpine cabin is a great vibe. I can’t complain. Just wish the mountain didn’t face south!

 

[eatskisleep]

Drove by Wildcat and Black today. Probably about 20 cars at Wildcat. Slightly more at Black. Never used to be that way.

 

[Mainer]

Lifts were on windhold this morning at attitash and wildcat. Dont know about black. I bailed on skiing today because it’s too late in the season to ski ice. That being said this might be wildcat most pathetic effort of all time.

 

[deadheadskier]

Don't be tempting Robbie Boy for 25-26. It would appear each year he tries to lower the bar

 

[thetrailboss]

Don't be tempting Robbie Boy for 25-26. It would appear each year he tries to lower the bar

 

[BenedictGomez]

PCMR shut down 2 main lifts (Tombstone and McConkey's) for sheave changes. Is that normal to do in season? Cant recall seeing that before.

 

[drjeff]

PCMR shut down 2 main lifts (Tombstone and McConkey's) for sheave changes. Is that normal to do in season? Cant recall seeing that before.

Just isolated sheave trains or every sheave train on every tower?

Isolated sheave train work/replacement during the season isn't an unheard of thing

 

[kingslug]

Oy...thats not normal..but if its needed..so be it.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Just isolated sheave trains or every sheave train on every tower?

Isolated sheave train work/replacement during the season isn't an unheard of thing

They sent out a message yesterday saying Tombstone would be down for 1 hour for a sheave change, but AFAIK it was closed all yesterday, and it was down this morning as well. Guess they got them both back up, but it just seems weird to me to start this in the middle of a day.

 

[drjeff]

They sent out a message yesterday saying Tombstone would be down for 1 hour for a sheave change, but AFAIK it was closed all yesterday, and it was down this morning as well. Guess they got them both back up, but it just seems weird to me to start this in the middle of a day.

Sometimes one of the sheaves may develop an issue during use during the day, and often if it happens either a staff riding the lift, or sometimes a guest will notice (or hear) that something isn't "normal" and ops gets notified and will send someone up the tower to assess. If say the bearing on a sheave is going, then they'll clear the lift of guests, and replace the sheave(s) and get the lift back open once it's been repaired and observed to be operating as usual. Obviously if at all possible, ops will try and make the repair during non operating hours, but sometimes, it may be deemed that that isn't an option and the repair takes place during scheduled operating hours

If someone is on a lift and the feel either a vibration that isn't a "normal" feel as the chair passes across a sheave train, or hears a sound that isn't what they're used to hearing as a chair passes over a sheave train, just try and remember what tower number it is and let a staffer know at/around the top of the lift, and they'll notify lift ops for a check. If it's a busy day, chances are someone of staff will be riding that lift on a semi regular basis and notify staff that something doesn't seem normal, but if it's a slow day, a guest may be the 1st to notice, kind of like sometimes a guest will be the 1st one to be on site after someone falls and gets injured and then they're the 1st to notify patrol that they are needed

 

[deadheadskier]

I.E. Park City didn't want to get Attitashed

 

[jaytrem]

Just isolated sheave trains or every sheave train on every tower?

Isolated sheave train work/replacement during the season isn't an unheard of thing

Probably noticed mis-season swaps happen 20+ times over the years at MS. But unlike Tombstone/McConkey's, MS has a parallel lift almost everywhere.

 

[drjeff]

Probably noticed mis-season swaps happen 20+ times over the years at MS. But unlike Tombstone/McConkey's, MS has a parallel lift almost everywhere.

A bunch of redundancy in a lift system at a resort is overkill... until it isn't!

 

[bigbob]

After Attitash they are probably focusing on lift safety, perhaps due to the insurance company leaning on them.

 

[AdironRider]

So let me get this straight, Vail sucks for not performing maintenance that resulted in a lift failure, but also sucks for performing maintenance that prevents a lift failure? Got it.

 

[snoseek]

So let me get this straight, Vail sucks for not performing maintenance that resulted in a lift failure, but also sucks for performing maintenance that prevents a lift failure? Got it.

Shit happens but if they're not keeping up with regular maintenence because they can't get proper help for their wage then yeah they fucking suck. Not sure about park city but this appears to have been a problem at attitash and wildcat.

 

[AdironRider]

The point is in this thread Vail is getting the business for not maintaining chairs (Attitash) but also getting the business for maintaining chairs properly (Park City).

Lift mechanics, or the lack thereof, is an industry wide problem and not exclusive to Vail. It isn't a wage problem either, as unlike most ski area positions, lift mechanics are typically paid well (30-40+ an hour once they achieve the necessary certs) and are often full time year round benefited positions. Like with any trade, there is a dearth of talent as society has looked down on skilled but manual labor for generations now.

 

[thetrailboss]

So let me get this straight, Vail sucks for not performing maintenance that resulted in a lift failure, but also sucks for performing maintenance that prevents a lift failure? Got it.

"Right? I mean, complain when lifts break. Then complain when we maintain them! These ungrateful AZers just don't appreciate how truly EPIC we are here!"

 

[drjeff]

The Forerunner Quad has apparently been repaired and is hauling folks up the mountain again this morning... That definitely doesn't suck!