western resorts prepare for major downturn this winter

[dmc]

Why doesn't the states bail them out?

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

We should have a canned food day for all the poor Jackson Hole real estate agents..

 

[Starter Jackets Rule!]

I will be doing my part as a Private Citizen to help keep Montana's And Eastern BC's ski areas aflot for at least one more season!
Be aware after Jan 20 , someone will be practising Their "Pole Pole" on us!

 

[mondeo]

... I will most likely not return to Hawaii..unless I meet that special someone and she wants to go..

I'm scared. I have the same train of thought on something as GSS...

For whatever reason, Hawaii seems to me to be a place best suited for a honeymoon.

 

[deadheadskier]

If I ever make it to Hawaii, there better be snow on the Volcano

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I'm scared. I have the same train of thought on something as GSS...

For whatever reason, Hawaii seems to me to be a place best suited for a honeymoon.

For beach people it's awesome but my ideal trip is a ski trip..and Hawaii is hot, humid, and touristy..If I was a surfer I'd have a different opinion..and yup I anticipate that one day if and when I meet that special someone..I'll have to use more of my vacation time for non-skiing trips..as long as she's on the pill..lol..I want to be a Dink..Double Income No Kids..

 

[AdironRider]

AR reporting live from Jackson Hole, and the news does not look good!

So since Ive been back in the hole things have been looking worse and worse everyday for the people who didnt see this coming. Most people I know work on tourist heavy jobs. Well we all do, myself included; however, the smart ones hedged their bets. I have no pity for the real estate agents who foolheartedly are trying to keep the market afloat. The average time a property is on the market here is almost a year now (or so I heard), and despite sales that are sinking faster than the Titanic, the RE agents who havent gone bust are still trying to keep property at rediculously high prices. Think 10% above last years average list price. They're either crazy or retarded. The paper is begining to show a few signs of relief, and condo prices in the Aspens are starting to dip into the low 400's for 1 bedroom places. Still unreasonable, but falling slowly. Everyone else is holding out.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Half the staff from the Couloir, where I worked last year, have been laid off and the will not be serving lunch this season. Noone is hiring. Im lucky I landed my gig at the Four Seasons, where Im already being groomed for higher positions. I feel bad for all the ski bums who waited till the end of October and early November to get here, theres really nothing left for them.

The economic hurt here is affecting everyone, even my roomate who works at the lumber yard was just let off. Were hoping its just the offseason blues, and that the real local population (the ones who stay through the offseason) is just trying to save a bit more. That the tourists will come for the tram, and all will be well. One can hope.

I feel good about my position, and my girlfriend, despite the weak economy is selling private lessons for the Mountain Sports School at a 20% better clip than last year, so were looking good. But overall the mindset here is quite pessimistic about this upcoming season. Pray for snow!

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

AR reporting live from Jackson Hole, and the news does not look good!

So since Ive been back in the hole things have been looking worse and worse everyday for the people who didnt see this coming. Most people I know work on tourist heavy jobs. Well we all do, myself included; however, the smart ones hedged their bets. I have no pity for the real estate agents who foolheartedly are trying to keep the market afloat. The average time a property is on the market here is almost a year now (or so I heard), and despite sales that are sinking faster than the Titanic, the RE agents who havent gone bust are still trying to keep property at rediculously high prices. Think 10% above last years average list price. They're either crazy or retarded. The paper is begining to show a few signs of relief, and condo prices in the Aspens are starting to dip into the low 400's for 1 bedroom places. Still unreasonable, but falling slowly. Everyone else is holding out.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Half the staff from the Couloir, where I worked last year, have been laid off and the will not be serving lunch this season. Noone is hiring. Im lucky I landed my gig at the Four Seasons, where Im already being groomed for higher positions. I feel bad for all the ski bums who waited till the end of October and early November to get here, theres really nothing left for them.

The economic hurt here is affecting everyone, even my roomate who works at the lumber yard was just let off. Were hoping its just the offseason blues, and that the real local population (the ones who stay through the offseason) is just trying to save a bit more. That the tourists will come for the tram, and all will be well. One can hope.

I feel good about my position, and my girlfriend, despite the weak economy is selling private lessons for the Mountain Sports School at a 20% better clip than last year, so were looking good. But overall the mindset here is quite pessimistic about this upcoming season. Pray for snow!

Interesting that private lessons are up at a better clip..maybe the uber rich will still be out in droves but those in the middle or with families will probably skip a ski trip out west if they were affected by the recent economic downturn. Was last season a record year for Jackson Hole..in terms of attendance??? I know the last season of the old Tram..05-06 was really busy..

 

[hardline]

If I ever make it to Hawaii, there better be snow on the Volcano

ditto. i almost went two years ago. i might have to go next year. im going to get some strange looks.

 

[Warp Daddy]

AR reporting live from Jackson Hole, and the news does not look good!

So since Ive been back in the hole things have been looking worse and worse everyday for the people who didnt see this coming. Most people I know work on tourist heavy jobs. Well we all do, myself included; however, the smart ones hedged their bets. I have no pity for the real estate agents who foolheartedly are trying to keep the market afloat. The average time a property is on the market here is almost a year now (or so I heard), and despite sales that are sinking faster than the Titanic, the RE agents who havent gone bust are still trying to keep property at rediculously high prices. Think 10% above last years average list price. They're either crazy or retarded. The paper is begining to show a few signs of relief, and condo prices in the Aspens are starting to dip into the low 400's for 1 bedroom places. Still unreasonable, but falling slowly. Everyone else is holding out.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Half the staff from the Couloir, where I worked last year, have been laid off and the will not be serving lunch this season. Noone is hiring. Im lucky I landed my gig at the Four Seasons, where Im already being groomed for higher positions. I feel bad for all the ski bums who waited till the end of October and early November to get here, theres really nothing left for them.

The economic hurt here is affecting everyone, even my roomate who works at the lumber yard was just let off. Were hoping its just the offseason blues, and that the real local population (the ones who stay through the offseason) is just trying to save a bit more. That the tourists will come for the tram, and all will be well. One can hope.

I feel good about my position, and my girlfriend, despite the weak economy is selling private lessons for the Mountain Sports School at a 20% better clip than last year, so were looking good. But overall the mindset here is quite pessimistic about this upcoming season. Pray for snow!

This scenario is Not surprising at all . Bubbles burst , corrections happen -- hopefully there will be lessons learned , don't bet what you can't afford to lose

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

ditto. i almost went two years ago. i might have to go next year. im going to get some strange looks.

If I ever return to Hawaii I want to ski Mauna Kea..but I also want to go back to the mean streets of Waikiki..if you go two blocks from the Mariott..there's thugs, hookers, drug dealers and lots of big Samoan dudes. then back at the beach the usual big bellied tourists...US/Asian/European...some obese men crammed into Speedos..sipping Mai Tai's outside the big Pink Hotel..


On topic..at Jackson Hole..alot of the hotels are offering a free night on stays of 4 nights or longer when booking a package through Central Reservations. I know the 49er where I will most likely stay again is still charging $72 bucks a night..not bad considering it includes use of indoor/outdoor hot tubs, public computer in the lobby..all day free coffee and sometimes cookies and free breakfast which includes things like hard boiled eggs, fruit, waffles..not bad..Whether it's one or two people in a room it's that price. I've stayed at the Antler Inn as well which is $60-something a night..a little rundown..but a huge 25 person indoor Jacuzzi..and spitting distance from Town Square. People think of Jackson Hole as a place for the rich and famous but Ski season is really the slow time of the year for Jackson so non-slopeside lodging is more reasonable in the winter...since summer is jam packed with Yellowstone tourists.

For a Family or group of 4..this deal is mad steezy..

http://www.jacksonholewy.com/fly-free-promotion.php

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

The fact that the US dollar has gained 25% against the euro in the past three months and the same with the Canadian dollar means that there will likely be less foreign tourists because stuff here is more expensive..but for us..a trip to Quebec or BC could be alot more reasonable..

http://www.x-rates.com/d/CAD/USD/graph120.html

 

[MonkeyBrook]

You can fly Allentown to Chicago to Big Sky just as easily. I am doing it this winter, Providence-Chicago-Bozeman...hour shuttle from Bozeman.

 

[Geoff]

You can fly Allentown to Chicago to Big Sky just as easily. I am doing it this winter, Providence-Chicago-Bozeman...hour shuttle from Bozeman.

I try to avoid Chicago connections in the winter.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

You can fly Allentown to Chicago to Big Sky just as easily. I am doing it this winter, Providence-Chicago-Bozeman...hour shuttle from Bozeman.

Nice to know!!! My ski buddy who sometimes joins me at Jackson/Targhee lives in Bozeman and apparently Bridger Bowl has a new lift..it's definitely a good possibility. When I lived in Bozeman..I would fly Bozeman to Salt Lake City to Newark..but flying out of Allentown is great since I can get a ride to the airport as opposed to paying a small fortune to park in Philly or Newark.

 

[drjeff]

If I ever return to Hawaii I want to ski Mauna Kea..but I also want to go back to the mean streets of Waikiki..if you go two blocks from the Mariott..there's thugs, hookers, drug dealers and lots of big Samoan dudes. then back at the beach the usual big bellied tourists...US/Asian/European...some obese men crammed into Speedos..sipping Mai Tai's outside the big Pink Hotel..

Oahu IMHO is by far and awy my LEAST favorite of the islands. THE most touristy, THE least scenic. What Oahu is good for in my book, is basically the convention center(gives many a person a tax deductable reason to goto Hawaii , and by far and away Pearl Harbor - EVERYONE owes it to themselves and the members of "The Greatest generation" to see it first hand :flag: BTW, the big pink hotel is/was pretty damn nice inside(that's where I stayed my last time over there thanks to my wife's choice of it and that was before Starwood/Sheraton spent $100 million renovating it!)

Maui - Awesome! I could seriously consider living there. Just the right mix of outdoor activites, modern conviences and pure and relaxation in my book

Kauai - TOTALLY laid back, cool place

Lanai - a couple of sweet golf courses, otherwise been there done that it my book

Big Island - Hotels on the Kona side in and around the old lava flows are kind of cool. Looking up at a snowcapped Mauna Kea while your sitting on a beach drinking a Mai tai is a cool experience, otherwise nice, but not as good as Maui or Kauai in my book.

When my wife and I head over in October, its 3 days on Oahu (convention)

, then 4 on Kauai to just relax and then 6 days of fun on Maui!

 

[hardline]

the other reason i want to go to the big island is they have some of the best dirt bike riding in the world. australia is the other place i want to go ride.

 

[abc]

If I go to Australia again, it would be for the beaches!

Even though I've seen soem awesome beaches in Florida and Hawaii, and not much of a beach bum to start with, one look at the beaches of Sydney Bay, I thought I died and gone to heaven!!!

 

[hardline]

ya just watch out for the little jelly fish. my freind got stung. he said he never wanted to be dead so bad. it was the worst pain he has or could imagine.

 

[abc]

There're jelly fish right off Fire Island!

Not as big, just as bad.