Vail Stinks 2020/2021

NELSBEER

IF YOU BUILD IT (or make snow), THEY WILL COME!

Webcams may be the least of the ski areas problems currently as they make up for time lost over the summer. Staffs are still not up to level and there's lots of work that didn't get done during summer layoffs.

It occurs to me they may be trying to discourage pre-opening traffic on and around the hill. If people come to skin up they will hope for the courtesy of bathrooms, maybe a place to boot up, a cup of coffee etc. Things that in a normal year require little support. But this year, you open a door and the Covid-19 rules kick in.

At Crotched the buildings have been pretty much sealed, the patrol was asked to put off their CPR and other training until they were ready to open. There is no one hanging around and no sign of pre-opening pass distribution.

For now the hill is open for hiking and that is about it.

bmwskier

I don't play golf but this seems like a big loss to Mount Snow. What do the golfers amongst us think?

https://www.vpr.org/post/way-it-rolled-mount-snow-golf-school-founder-reflects-closure-after-4-decades

DrJeff

bmwskier;c-44626 wroteI don't play golf but this seems like a big loss to Mount Snow. What do the golfers amongst us think?

https://www.vpr.org/post/way-it-rolled-mount-snow-golf-school-founder-reflects-closure-after-4-decades

Notable? Yes

The reality is though it's not like in the last few years that they had 1000's of students annually attending their programs. Did I usually see 2 - maybe 4 or 5 students with an instructor on the putting green or out on the course when I play there probably 3 -5 weekends a golf season? Yes.

A decade ago, you were likely to see multiple classes of that size out with multiple instructors each time I went there

rickbolger

not a golfer so can't comment on loss, golf implication, etc. From a business point of view, I wonder if the Borg just wanted to get rid of this to open a school of their own.

DrJeff

rickbolger;c-44631 wrotenot a golfer so can't comment on loss, golf implication, etc. From a business point of view, I wonder if the Borg just wanted to get rid of this to open a school of their own.

The vast majority of courses, don't have a golf school with an entirely separate staff, on property, The majority of the time, either the course's head golf professional, or if there is an assistant golf professional or two, will give lessons.

One of the biggest "losses" this will be for the Mount Snow golfing scene, is through the Original Golf School, there used to be multi day to week long junior summer programs affiliated with Nike, those actually haven't been there for multiple seasons now either.

As referenced in the article about this, it may actually offer up an opportunity for the very nearby, and now reopened, Haystack Golf Club, should that course, and Jay Morelli of the Original Golf School decide to enter into an agreement.

Sometimes when 1 door closes, another opens up

Quietman

Wildcat's webcam is up this morning and snows them blowing snow top to bottom

bmwskier

On the junior golf front, the guy that owns Windridge Camp at the base of Roxbury Gap bought the Northfield Country Club-- for $350,000 (!!) He's already put a bunch of money into it and plans on incorporating golf into the program when they open next year. It was always busy every time I drove by this summer.

bousquet19

Now that Pennsylvania is implementing COVID-19 restrictions similar to Maine's (i.e., negative test required w/in 72 hours of arrival, or else quarantine for 14 days), I wonder if Vail will still try to open all their PA resorts or decide instead to "pair" them and open fewer (i.e., Jack Frost but not Big Boulder, Liberty but not Whitetail).

Many PA areas draw heavily from out of state.

https://health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Travelers.aspx

Woody

jgreco

Just went to reserve Mt Snow opening day and am about 39,000 in the queue for week-of reservations. 39,000 +/- people looking to book a day over the next 7 days at what, 6 open resorts?

rickbolger

with travel restriction up to wazoo? hardly makes sense. Are you sure it wasn't 39,000 people trying to get refunds? ;)

yardsale

jgreco;c-44652 wroteJust went to reserve Mt Snow opening day and am about 39,000 in the queue for week-of reservations. 39,000 +/- people looking to book a day over the next 7 days at what, 6 open resorts?

I did too, and was randomly assigned just ahead of you at 33,000 or so because I was in the queue prior to 4pm.

Once it was my turn, roughly 50 minutes later, all the days at Mt. Snow (11/25 to 11/29) were still available. I have to "time" my dates, so I was just looking for 11/29. So I waited for about an hour (prior queue time plus 50 minute wait) to book 1 day! Uggg. And I have to do it all again next Wed while microwaving my Turkey for 11/30 and beyond - as I plan on staying awhile.

If there was a suggestion box in the virtual Vail waiting room, I'd say split up the week of resi release days based on region... i.e. East is Tuesday, Midwest is Wednesday, West is Thursday. Maybe they could avoid the tedious queue wait if they split up the regions and had less people going in all at once. Hey Vail, if you need a smaaart skier to help you with these things, I am currently available!

Overall, this system sucks and was not well thought through. Great, pass numbers are up 18%, but you you couldn't build out a better system? I understand the resi system to manage the C19, but this IMO is a big fail and PITA.

Chuckstah

I don't often say much good about Vail, but I thought the system worked just fine. A minute to sign in, enter email, and get notified when it's your turn. Then a minute or 2 to reserve. Easy enough. Now if days I want are sold out, that'll be a different story.

yardsale

once in, the process is easy. Somehow, the wait seems stressful to me no matter how you do it - email or just wait. By unleashing the week of resi's on the same day for everyone doesn't quite make sense to me. Why ask all your passholders to come onto your site all at the same time? Especially early season.

Hint - apply covid rules to the virtual area as well. Spread em out.

Haven't they learned anything?

Chuckstah

Yep, they certainly should spread it out. At least East/ West on different days. Too bad it's impossible to contact anyone with suggestions....

yardsale

wonder if anyone knows the capacity limits on some of these places. As of 7:15pm, both Snow and Okemo are sold out for Saturday 11/28. Just interested in how they come up with the metrics.

Beast Patroller

Personally, Vail should have setup the reservation system so on Tuesday (for example) passholders could only make reservations for their home mountain. You would go onto their home mountain's webpage to make the reservation thus cutting down on the long waits. This would ensure everyone the ability to ski at their home mountain ANY day they wanted. Then on Wednesday allow all Epic passholders the ability to reserve days at any Epic mountain. Then if there is any leftover space within the capacity limits open it up to public lift tickets.

Most all of us have 2nd homes around a resort and we are the ones who support that mountain and the surrounding towns throughout the year so we shouldn't lose out on a particular day to someone else (w/a Epic pass) who feels like going to your home mountain.

Of course with all these travel restrictions the reservations don't really matter. Most everyone like myself work for a living and can't quarantine for 14 days (or 28 days if you're from CT)!

NewEnglandSkier13

This makes it really easy for them to charge full-price for any day tickets they sell.

yardsale

I think we should all be encouraged by the Mt. Snow WX forecast I just looked at right on the Mt. Snow website:

So 3-5 during the day and another 3-7 overnight! The great communication from Vail just keeps rolling in. Woohoo (Vail stinks thread)

Beast Patroller

yardsale;c-44702 wroteI think we should all be encouraged by the Mt. Snow WX forecast I just looked at right on the Mt. Snow website:

So 3-5 during the day and another 3-7 overnight! The great communication from Vail just keeps rolling in. Woohoo (Vail stinks thread)

I'm sensing quite a bit of sarcasm here! :)

Remski

Now that’s FAKE NEW.

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