Vail's Big Northeast Improvements- 2022-2023

[eatskisleep]

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.

If anything staffing is looking worse with the whole “vaccine mandate” going on. Short staffed before, even shorter staffed now.

 

[tnt1234]

6 at Stowe will help a lot when the quad is on wind holds.

Thought they'd replace the double to get more top access but might have same exposure to wind and would be more congestion on Lord.

Why not a quad? 6 pack seems over kill and will really load up those trails

 

[2Planker]

If anything staffing is looking worse with the whole “vaccine mandate” going on. Short staffed before, even shorter staffed now.

If you're only open 3-4 days/week, who would really want that job ??

 

[ne_skier]

Why not a quad? 6 pack seems over kill and will really load up those trails

Yeah, I was honestly surprised when they went with a 6 pack, I don't know Stowe too well, and while I heard that the triple didn't adequately serve that terrain I can't imagine it wouldn't be overloaded by a 6 pack. Also will be interesting to see how they manage to reconfigure the lift to avoid the hike. I'll leave further commentary to actual Stowe skiers, if I find myself up there I'd likely be at Smuggs.

 

[deadheadskier]

I don't think the Six will be that big of a deal. The terrain it accesses is quite significant to spread people out.

 

[raisingarizona]

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.

Walking up and down that hill more often might actually help you from getting that heart attack you’re talking about.

 

[Newpylong]

At Stowe, the triple while being newer, is by far the better location for a new lift. Much more downhill capacity.

 

[jimmywilson69]

I don't think the Six will be that big of a deal. The terrain it accesses is quite significant to spread people out.

At Stowe, the triple while being newer, is by far the better location for a new lift. Much more downhill capacity.

I don't think folks realize how much terrain there is over there. It would be nice to go a little higher on the hill, but that's a significant change that would be difficult at best to permit. Also, there really isn't anywhere to extend it without changing the line which seems unnecessary and expensive If the Quad still ends up being super busy, I'm sure Vail will switch that out to a six pack at some point. I don't love that because there are really only 3 ways to go off the top of the quad and they already see a lot of traffic.

While I hate that the 4 Runner won't open at 7:30 on the weekends, I do think that its a good idea to open both the 4 Runner and the Gondola at the same time. That will undoubtedly spread things out.

 

[kingslug]

Yes..That will be a game changer. As soon as the gondi opened the quad line was cut in half.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

Yeah, I was honestly surprised when they went with a 6 pack, I don't know Stowe too well, and while I heard that the triple didn't adequately serve that terrain I can't imagine it wouldn't be overloaded by a 6 pack. Also will be interesting to see how they manage to reconfigure the lift to avoid the hike. I'll leave further commentary to actual Stowe skiers, if I find myself up there I'd likely be at Smuggs.

stop calling a 50 foot hill from the lodge to the lift a 'hike'. for fucks sake.

 

[raisingarizona]

O

stop calling a 50 foot hill from the lodge to the lift a 'hike'. for fucks sake.

Out here in the west there are days where walking, skinning and side stepping for thousands of feet, even miles are part of every lap.

We just call that skiing.

 

[ne_skier]

stop calling a 50 foot hill from the lodge to the lift a 'hike'. for fucks sake.

Not even complaining about it lmao, I (at least in my view) made the point clear I hadn't been to Stowe and was simply citing the hill, hike, walk, catwalk, distance, or whatever other term I could have pulled out of my ass as something that seems to be a nuisance to a few people here. If you have a problem with it I'm not really the guy to go to.

 

[kingslug]

Its such a small hike.like really small. If they put in an escalator...I'm out.... LOL......

 

[ss20]

I remember 10ish years ago my buddy and I were at Okemo at the main base area. I jokingly complained to him about all the stairs they have in that base as we were lugging our gear up. An ambassador comes running over and apologizes and gives me a voucher to use for a free hot chocolate or coffee.

Say what you want about Okemo but the Mueller's knew how to run a resort.

And fuck stairs at ski resorts. I have no idea why 50% of ski resort lodges still have bathrooms in the basement or upstairs and nothing on the main floor.

 

[kancamagus]

Yeah, I was honestly surprised when they went with a 6 pack, I don't know Stowe too well, and while I heard that the triple didn't adequately serve that terrain I can't imagine it wouldn't be overloaded by a 6 pack. Also will be interesting to see how they manage to reconfigure the lift to avoid the hike. I'll leave further commentary to actual Stowe skiers, if I find myself up there I'd likely be at Smuggs.

A lot of places now are installing 6-pack lifts with wider chair spacing, so the uphill capacity is roughly the same as a quad. While I can’t comment on Stowe specifically, wider chair spacing helps ensure there are fewer loading issues, and the heavier 6-pack chairs handle windy conditions better than quads.

At least, these are the reasons Arapahoe Basin cited when they chose a 6-pack instead of HSQ to replace the Lenawee Triple.

 

[ne_skier]

And fuck stairs at ski resorts. I have no idea why 50% of ski resort lodges still have bathrooms in the basement or upstairs and nothing on the main floor.

Walking up the stairs in the Belleayre overlook lodge in ski boots with a food tray in your hands should be an Olympic sport

 

[kingslug]

Did it for many moons..never dropped one. Europe is worse..I remember walking forever in Austria to get anywhere...

 

[Smellytele]

A lot of places now are installing 6-pack lifts with wider chair spacing, so the uphill capacity is roughly the same as a quad. While I can’t comment on Stowe specifically, wider chair spacing helps ensure there are fewer loading issues, and the heavier 6-pack chairs handle windy conditions better than quads.

At least, these are the reasons Arapahoe Basin cited when they chose a 6-pack instead of HSQ to replace the Lenawee Triple

Has the 6pack at abasin been installed yet?

 

[ne_skier]

Has the 6pack at abasin been installed yet?

Just got announced recently. It will go up in 2022

 

[icecoast1]

I remember 10ish years ago my buddy and I were at Okemo at the main base area. I jokingly complained to him about all the stairs they have in that base as we were lugging our gear up. An ambassador comes running over and apologizes and gives me a voucher to use for a free hot chocolate or coffee.

Say what you want about Okemo but the Mueller's knew how to run a resort.

And fuck stairs at ski resorts. I have no idea why 50% of ski resort lodges still have bathrooms in the basement or upstairs and nothing on the main floor.

Those stairs at Okemo are the warning sign you should get back in your car and go somewhere else