Wachusett reaches skier capacity, closes mountain for additional visitors

[Nick]

Saw this on their FB page yesterday

Due to the incredible 28 - 32 INCHES OF FRESH POWDER we received yesterday, we have reached our skiing & parking capacity for our day session today and are currently SOLD OUT! We hope you are able to join us for our night session this evening, starting at 4pm.

Has anyone actually heard of this before? Actually hitting some sort of skier capacity?

 

[AdironRider]

Yeah, but its been few and far between.

Jacksons parking lots have filled to capacity and they basically had to turn people away, but I dont believe if they actually went back into town and took the bus they would refuse to let them buy a lift ticket.

I got turned away at Waterville once way back in the day. Had to be at least 15 years ago when I was still a one or two time a year skier.

Either way, a great problem to have. I imagine at a place like WaWa this would happen much easier than say at Killington. Only so much space to go around at the small places like Wawa, Gunstock, etc.

 

[jimmywilson69]

I've never heard of that on the east coast. I believe Deer Valley, UT limits the amount of tickets they sell.

It usually is just a cash grab by the resorts, because you never know when it's going to melt!

 

[wa-loaf]

Has anyone actually heard of this before? Actually hitting some sort of skier capacity?

Fairly common at Wachusett on big weekends.

 

[snowmonster]

I believe Deer Valley, UT limits the amount of tickets they sell.

I think the limit is 6,000 per day. They supposedly hit this on holiday weekends so they encourage you to pre-buy.

Fairly common at Wachusett on big weekends.

This. Not uncommon at the Mighty Wa. Question is: where do you put them on the slopes? If both the main and overflow parking lots are full there, that hill can be more crowded than a mall on Black Friday.

 

[wa-loaf]

If both the main and overflow parking lots are full there, that hill can be more crowded than a mall on Black Friday.

I don't want to be there if they close the Main lot and start filling the overflow's.

 

[ss20]

Now I've never been to Wachusetts, but how do you cram 6,000 people on 5 chairlifts and 21 trails???

 

[wa-loaf]

Now I've never been to Wachusetts, but how do you cram 6,000 people on 5 chairlifts and 21 trails???

He was talking about Deer Valley ... not sure what the number for WA is.

 

[KevinF]

Whitetail in Pennsylvania (basically a Wachusett-sized place) would do this -- i.e., limit ticket sales. Not sure if they still do, as I haven't been there since the '90s. You didn't want to be anywhere near the place if they were anywhere close to "selling out".

 

[hammer]

Now I've never been to Wachusetts, but how do you cram 6,000 people on 5 chairlifts and 21 trails???

He was talking about Deer Valley ... not sure what the number for WA is.

Deer Valley reached the limit both days I was there a few years ago. There were a few lines but quite manageable...about comparable to the lines at Loon on Superbowl Sunday.

 

[Conrad]

As mentioned above, Deer Valley definitely does limit ticket sales. I don't think most ski areas limit ticket sales, but maybe it makes sense for small ski areas near large urban areas to do so.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Whitetail in Pennsylvania (basically a Wachusett-sized place) would do this -- i.e., limit ticket sales. Not sure if they still do, as I haven't been there since the '90s. You didn't want to be anywhere near the place if they were anywhere close to "selling out".

That must've been under the old owners. I am pretty sure they do not do this now. I know they don't do this at Ski Roundtop which is owned by the same company.

 

[Watatic Skier]

Wachusett's cap is at 750 I believe, that doesn't include passholders.


I was there, and can definitely say I wish that I wasn't, singles line for the summit went a little ways up the bottom of smith and I didn't even bother with Minuteman.

 

[octopus]

I've seen it at wachusett, and heard about it at loon.

 

[thetrailboss]

Deer Valley does have ticket limits.

 

[4aprice]

Alot of places used to limit ticket sales. Loon was one, I believe Attitash used to limit sales. Rare to see it now.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[marcski]

I'm almost positive that back in the day one of Magic's selling/marketing points was that they used to limit their lift ticket sales.

 

[MadMadWorld]

When I taught at Wachusett, it was pretty much a guarantee that it would sell out every day during February vacation.

True events that happened to me one vacation when I taught:
- taught a total of 21 - 4 year year old first timers with just 1 other instructor. It was Polar Kids so it was a 3 hour lesson
- taught 16 kids (all day Polar Kids) ranging from 4-12 years in age and levels 3-8 (although none of them were above level 6)

It was a nightmare

 

[vdk03]

I'm almost positive that back in the day one of Magic's selling/marketing points was that they used to limit their lift ticket sales.

Silverton mountain does this also. I believe their limit is 80 tickets per day.

 

[RISkier]

We were there. Had intended to go North for the weekend but we both had meetings and commitments that prevented us from getting out before the storm. Sunday at Wa was pretty much our only option. Slopes really didn't feel as crazy as I thought they would. Lift lines were pretty tedious given the relatively limited vertical of the runs. Loading at the Polar Express just seemed really idiotic, the singles line was moving MUCH faster than the rest of the queue. So everyone started going into the lift line. Even the Vickory bowl lift had a line. I've never seen that before. Skiing was generally good and we got to make a few runs and left around noon.