Vail's Big Northeast Improvements- 2022-2023

[BenedictGomez]

They probably receive quite a bit of negative feedback on guest service surveys regarding the Mansfield layout.

Same as it ever was. Muffy & Chase didnt like it in the 90s, I'm sure they dont like it in 2021 either.

 

[Pez]

if you can't hoof it, you don't deserve it.

 

[ctdubl07]

To a prior comment about Sundance adding traffic to LongJohn, not necessarily sure that is true as you'd need more people in general coming to the mtn for that to happen. LJ users are there...now many just move from the MB area and start a little further south on LJ than had they taken either of the summit lifts. If they do move, then it might actually improve the quality of the snow on upper LJ for a longer portion of the day which I always see has a huge hazard for learners because the trail doesnt hold snow and is a sheet of ice by noon each day from the Summit thru to the top of sundance.

Sunbrook was such a long rumored upgrade (mostly wish based) but I think it came into sight once you saw the snow making upgrades and trail clearing 2 seasons ago...plus VR's bags o cash. It will improve the overall experience for us regulars but also people who are infrequent visitors. After my kids finish their days, the woods are often a target for a last minute dip before the run home...now it will become a great hot lap spot. Their are a few little known woods stashes over there kids love.

The folks who own at Seasons gotta love the Sundance news but another big winner here are the programs who can get their kids up faster without clogging the Main areas plus put people down into Sunbrook. Day trippers can now also shoot in the lower resort entrance and right up into Sundance parking lot and have a fast start if they arrive early enough.

I think the debate on upgrades to NF lift will largely hinge here on you all not wanting fast lifts that add people but as an aging boarder, I would love one day to see the off load ramps improved....!!

And I think any sign of future hospitality based improvements might come in the form of an upgrade to Heavy Metal as a way to alleviate the growing crowds at Carinthia if VR ever fulfills Peaks development plan over there.

As a homeowner and frankly fan of what Vail does, Im glad I didnt have to post this in the Vsucks thread as I think this is terrific news

 

[drjeff]

To a prior comment about Sundance adding traffic to LongJohn, not necessarily sure that is true as you'd need more people in general coming to the mtn for that to happen. LJ users are there...now many just move from the MB area and start a little further south on LJ than had they taken either of the summit lifts. If they do move, then it might actually improve the quality of the snow on upper LJ for a longer portion of the day which I always see has a huge hazard for learners because the trail doesnt hold snow and is a sheet of ice by noon each day from the Summit thru to the top of sundance.

Sunbrook was such a long rumored upgrade (mostly wish based) but I think it came into sight once you saw the snow making upgrades and trail clearing 2 seasons ago...plus VR's bags o cash. It will improve the overall experience for us regulars but also people who are infrequent visitors. After my kids finish their days, the woods are often a target for a last minute dip before the run home...now it will become a great hot lap spot. Their are a few little known woods stashes over there kids love.

The folks who own at Seasons gotta love the Sundance news but another big winner here are the programs who can get their kids up faster without clogging the Main areas plus put people down into Sunbrook. Day trippers can now also shoot in the lower resort entrance and right up into Sundance parking lot and have a fast start if they arrive early enough.

I think the debate on upgrades to NF lift will largely hinge here on you all not wanting fast lifts that add people but as an aging boarder, I would love one day to see the off load ramps improved....!!

And I think any sign of future hospitality based improvements might come in the form of an upgrade to Heavy Metal as a way to alleviate the growing crowds at Carinthia if VR ever fulfills Peaks development plan over there.

As a homeowner and frankly fan of what Vail does, Im glad I didnt have to post this in the Vsucks thread as I think this is terrific news

Agree 100%!

Once folks who typically would lap Long John, Shootout, Hop, Ridge, Uncles, and if they open the top of High Traverse, even South Bowl, then those folks can lap the new 6 pack and avoid having to go back to the main base area.

This is a longtime wish of mine for a Mount Snow lift upgrade, and my hunch is that many people who question the reasoning behind this upgrade will end up quickly seeing the benefit with less base area lift crowding!

Love this investment by Vail into Mount Snow

 

[ne_skier]

Slightly off topic, does Mount Snow ever run the Seasons lift?

 

[MikeW]

I wish they would run it-It's really an excellent Bunny hill for first timers.

 

[icecoast1]

Slightly off topic, does Mount Snow ever run the Seasons lift?

Weekends and holidays

 

[drjeff]

Weekends and holidays

When they have the staff to operate it

 

[icecoast1]

When they have the staff to operate it

That may be never this season

 

[Vince]

Great to see the commitment to the Eastern ski resorts. Hopefully this means a bigger commitment to snow making in the upcoming season. I do think that with all these cheap Epic passes sold. In the future we will see a lot of pay parking and some sort of a fast pass system like the amusement parks have.

 

[jaytrem]

That may be never this season

It was close to never last season. Wasn't really needed with no bus groups. I think I saw it running once when Tumbleweed was having issues. Might have been the prior year though. That is my preferred 1st lift ride of the day, was nice when it used to open at 8, much quicker way to get over to the high speeds. Of course the new lift will take care of that problem.

 

[ctdubl07]

That may be never this season

I think theres merit in stating that VR has started to allow the East Coast resorts, ex here Mount Snow, to apply learned local knowledge (back) into its processes. The decision to transition the Snow Lake lodge into housing and the reversal on hiring under 16, I think could be considered them beginning to address how their corporate (west resorts) needs and processes may not be best for elsewhere. Is it a fix? No but I do think its a demonstration of learned/experiential adaption. Blend those types of changes with more open access labor from to student visas and a higher minimum wage and they might overcome much of the service frustration we all experienced last year.

 

[deadheadskier]

Maybe in VT. Doubtful in NH. They mothballed NH operations for the most part this summer. I will be very surprised if I read about substantial staffing improvements at their NH resorts this season.

 

[drjeff]

Great to see the commitment to the Eastern ski resorts. Hopefully this means a bigger commitment to snow making in the upcoming season. I do think that with all these cheap Epic passes sold. In the future we will see a lot of pay parking and some sort of a fast pass system like the amusement parks have.

Rumor starting to circulate among some of my Mount Snow friends is that those who had parking season passes last season may be offered the opportunity to purchase a parking season pass for this year, and potentially based on the number sold, some parking season passes may be made available for purchase by Epic Passholders...

Only time will tell if there's any truth to that

 

[RISkier]

Maybe they move the tree top park over to Spruce or near the Gondola base where a higher concentration of their summer activities are?

I agree it's not as bad to get to the triple as the quad, but it's still a worse slog to a lift than most ski areas have from a base lodge in the East. They probably receive quite a bit of negative feedback on guest service surveys regarding the Mansfield layout.

The lift layout at Stowe seems intentionally designed to make access as difficult as possible. If starting at the Mansfield base lodge you need to negotiate coronary event hill to get to either the quad or triple. If you want to boot up at Spruce you need to park, ride the lift over to Spruce, then ride the lift back. It's a bit of a skate to get from the Over Easy to the quad. The Midway Lodge is well above the gondi loading area and with the new parking lots at the Midway lodge it's more of a PITA just to ski down to the Gondola. The trails below Crossover and to the skier's right of the Triple are not skied much because you have to go up hill to get to the quad. If you're skiing on the 4-Runner side of Mansfield there are no convenient bathrooms other than at the Octagon; who wants to deal with heart attack hill just to pee. Or to get a coffee, or have lunch, or... The lift at the Toll House area has to be in the conversation for slowest lift in the world. There is some lovely beginner friendly terrain over there. But it's not very accessible. I like skiing at Stowe but they layout is anything but convenient. Still, I have really mixed feelings about taking out the Triple and putting in a 6-pack from the base. Riding the Triple on busy days was always a way to avoid a lot of the busiest traffic.

 

[machski]

The lift layout at Stowe seems intentionally designed to make access as difficult as possible. If starting at the Mansfield base lodge you need to negotiate coronary event hill to get to either the quad or triple. If you want to boot up at Spruce you need to park, ride the lift over to Spruce, then ride the lift back. It's a bit of a skate to get from the Over Easy to the quad. The Midway Lodge is well above the gondi loading area and with the new parking lots at the Midway lodge it's more of a PITA just to ski down to the Gondola. The trails below Crossover and to the skier's right of the Triple are not skied much because you have to go up hill to get to the quad. If you're skiing on the 4-Runner side of Mansfield there are no convenient bathrooms other than at the Octagon; who wants to deal with heart attack hill just to pee. Or to get a coffee, or have lunch, or... The lift at the Toll House area has to be in the conversation for slowest lift in the world. There is some lovely beginner friendly terrain over there. But it's not very accessible. I like skiing at Stowe but they layout is anything but convenient. Still, I have really mixed feelings about taking out the Triple and putting in a 6-pack from the base. Riding the Triple on busy days was always a way to avoid a lot of the busiest traffic.

True on the Triple, but I bet with a HSQ and a HSS, the Double will be all but empty on the busiest days. And that accesses much better terrain than the Triple (granted, longer ride). You are right, Mansfield lodge is in an odd location but I don't ever see that changing with the historical aspect of it. Midway is odd but that is the old Gondol's base terminal redesigned into a lodge when the current Gondi went in and got extended down. The original Gondi was even more of a PIA to get to/from Forerunner and Mansfield Lodge.

 

[RISkier]

True on the Triple, but I bet with a HSQ and a HSS, the Double will be all but empty on the busiest days. And that accesses much better terrain than the Triple (granted, longer ride). You are right, Mansfield lodge is in an odd location but I don't ever see that changing with the historical aspect of it. Midway is odd but that is the old Gondol's base terminal redesigned into a lodge when the current Gondi went in and got extended down. The original Gondi was even more of a PIA to get to/from Forerunner and Mansfield Lodge.

Never skied Stowe prior to the current gondi. Given the location it makes sense that Midway was the base of the old gondola. I do recall a drag lift from not too far from the Mansfield side Easy Over station that went up relatively close to the Midway Lodge. I also don't think they can do much to modernize the Mansfield base lodge.

 

[kingslug]

The hill isn't too bad..you can take the stairs..I never minded it..its just part of the experience..Stowe was built in the age of climbing ..everything.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

if the hill from the lodge to the forerunner, that has stairs, really causes you that much trouble, you should probably pay greater attention to your general physical fitness.

 

[machski]

The hill isn't too bad..you can take the stairs..I never minded it..its just part of the experience..Stowe was built in the age of climbing ..everything.

Not to mention in the age of leather ski boots before rigid plastic boots were ever dreamt of.