• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

What in the world is going on at wildcat…

Kingslug20

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 14, 2021
Messages
2,506
Points
113
Its disgusting..ski resorts ..at least to people like us are not numbers...unfortunately..we do not matter...so now..wildcat is toast.
 

Dickc

Active member
Joined
Dec 5, 2013
Messages
575
Points
43
Location
Northeast Mass
Snowmaking is understaffed and the snowmaking system is quite old and full of gremlins. Several new pumps have been added but there's lots more work to do. Plus, very very bad natural snowfall in general. Hopefully that will change soon. Wildcat has never been a mountain where snowmaking and groomed terrain has been a chief attraction, so it's having a hard time with the lack of snow.
Thanks Wolfman.
 

MadKitty

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2021
Messages
75
Points
18
maybe peaks is to blame. letting the snowmaking infrastructure rot (if that's really the case as stated above) while they spent 80mil at mount snow.

maybe Vail just underestimated how bad it was.
lol it's more like vail has far too few employees at many of their areas. Their competitors don't have the same problem nearly to the same degree.
 

MadKitty

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2021
Messages
75
Points
18
Snowmaking is understaffed and the snowmaking system is quite old and full of gremlins. Several new pumps have been added but there's lots more work to do. Plus, very very bad natural snowfall in general. Hopefully that will change soon. Wildcat has never been a mountain where snowmaking and groomed terrain has been a chief attraction, so it's having a hard time with the lack of snow.
True to a degree but mostly bs. MUCH bigger problem is lack of staff.
 

eatskisleep

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 23, 2003
Messages
1,584
Points
83
BB558679-5095-494E-A831-D474D5E0F12E.png

Looks like they are letting us know they have a few snow makers on the mountain...
 

chuckstah

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 22, 2013
Messages
1,615
Points
83
All three of them—the Attitash Snowmaker, the Crotched Snowmaker, and the Wildcat Snowmaker. Wildcat won the lotto today.
Pretty much. The NH mountains are being staffed primarily by patrol and ski school staff. They forgot to hire the rest of the positions. Sunapee snow makers were sent to Okemo for a bit. Never ending experience of a lifetime. I wonder if Crotched will ever open? Last in the state likely, save a rope tow operation it 2.
 

IceEidolon

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 10, 2017
Messages
584
Points
63
The worst part there is not only have they lost the core of experience and ops knowledge, not only are they short on maintenance staff, but inexperienced snowmakers and shorthanded crews create broken machinery as reliably as cutting pass prices generates sales!
 

2Planker

Well-known member
Joined
May 16, 2007
Messages
1,600
Points
113
Location
MWV, NH
Lots of vacant positions one can assume is due to lower wages than the competition + an extremely frugal snowmaking philosophy = shitty experience other than when Mother Nature delivers.

Oh, and more crowded than ever before due to bargain basement pass prices.

Was a regular since 07 and pass holder since 2012. Was ......
Was a regular since '75. Worked for Patrol for 20 years...
Not any more....
 

Newpylong

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
5,196
Points
113
Location
Upper Valley, NH
Re: Wildcat and Attitash.

No one spent more money on snowmaking at those two places than Peaks did. I did not like their management style (the Boyds were turds to put it mildly and it was a good ol' boy mentality) but they spent the money on snowmaking. Wildcat had their booster station entirely replaced, tons of victaulic pipe was replaced and lots of Low E was purchased.

They installed tons of fans, Low E, replaced most of the abysmal ASC valve stations, and a ton of new pipe at Attitash too.

Both of those two places have suffered imensely from the loss of institutional knowledge, as well as the Vail bean counters who have shunned all things New Hampshire. Sunapee has two routes off the top, no South Peak, North or Sun Bowl. Crotched isn't even open yet. No Bear Peak at Attitash. No summit at Wildcat.

You pay for the Walmart experience you're going to get it, except perhaps at the flagship store.

Anyone who buys in on it can't complain. There has never a better time to ski independent.
 

IceEidolon

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 10, 2017
Messages
584
Points
63
People might disagree with how Peaks upgraded snowmaking, but you have to admit they did upgrade snowmaking.
 

Edd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
6,639
Points
113
Location
Newmarket, NH
Anyone who buys in on it can't complain. There has never a better time to ski independent.
Yes, if you continually buy into it, I agree. Last year was the first they owned Wildcat and COVID made the season so fucked I couldn’t ascertain how they’d run it in a normal season.

We’re not normal yet but it’s now clear how they regard their NH properties so, short of a miraculous January turnaround (not happening) I’m pretty sure I’m done. I did not see this level of neglect coming.
 

deadheadskier

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
28,189
Points
113
Location
Southeast NH
Yes, if you continually buy into it, I agree. Last year was the first they owned Wildcat and COVID made the season so fucked I couldn’t ascertain how they’d run it in a normal season.

We’re not normal yet but it’s now clear how they regard their NH properties so, short of a miraculous January turnaround (not happening) I’m pretty sure I’m done. I did not see this level of neglect coming.

This is actually the third season of Vail owning Peak properties.

2019-20 - transition year with early shutdown. I upgraded my Peak pass to Epic local that year so I could ski Stowe
2020-2021 - Covid all year
2021-2022 - Still Covid, but they should have things fully figured out by now

My plan was to take this year off from Vail. If I saw a return to Peak level of effort and competence, I'd go back for next year. Wildcat is my favorite NH ski area and Stowe my favorite in VT. CM and Sunapee decent local options for quick hits. It's the perfect pass for the coastal NH resident. Much better than Ikon or Indy.

No chance in hell I go back with what I'm seeing now. I'd still love to someday, but Vail has a LONG way to go to earn my spend back.
 

snoseek

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 7, 2006
Messages
6,359
Points
113
Location
NH
On a separate note cannon is skiing real nice today. If I worked marketing here I would give every single epic pass holder a half price ticket from open to right before Xmas so they could see what a well functioning mtn ops plan looks like.

Edit I'm going back to the state of nh doing the whole hostile takeover at wildcat fantasy. It would be some karma for the whole park city fiasco
 

MadKitty

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2021
Messages
75
Points
18
It would be nice if a NH politician started making some noise at Vail. One of the big knocks against them has been over crowding at their areas. Wildcat/Attitash have been DEAD so far this season. I'm sure this is hurting local businesses in the valley.
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,827
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
It would be nice if a NH politician started making some noise at Vail. One of the big knocks against them has been over crowding at their areas. Wildcat/Attitash have been DEAD so far this season. I'm sure this is hurting local businesses in the valley.
I doubt that libertarian NH is going to do anything. Add to it that the Governor MIGHT have a conflict of interest when it comes to the ski industry and I doubt that they will do anything.
 

MadKitty

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2021
Messages
75
Points
18
I doubt that libertarian NH is going to do anything. Add to it that the Governor MIGHT have a conflict of interest when it comes to the ski industry and I doubt that they will do anything.
LOL don't forget how weird NH is politically. The national politicians are all democrats and Sununu/Ayotte are afraid to run against them. Even it was just one of the Conway selectmen it would be amusing.
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,827
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
LOL don't forget how weird NH is politically. The national politicians are all democrats and Sununu/Ayotte are afraid to run against them. Even it was just one of the Conway selectmen it would be amusing.
Well, 2022 is an election year. And this is a huge impact on NH's economy.
 
Top